BooktubeSFF Awards discussion

Here's the readalong thread for our last Debut nominee this year: Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse. If you're like me and want to stay up to date on SFF awards nominees, Trail of Lightning is also a Nebula and Hugo nominee this year, so double-up or triple-up on your awards reading! (That's what I'm doing! ^_^)

I honestly don't know what to expect from this myself. I've heard great things but don't read much urban fantasy. So, let's discuss - and remember to use spoiler tags!

Started this last night for the read a long. So far so good 😊

I really liked this one! It was so refreshing to see First Nations characters, myths and monsters at the centre of a fantasy novel. I still need to read COBAB and The Poppy War, but I have a feeling this one is going to get my vote this year!

I had no idea there was a readalong for this. I just grabbed the second book on audio and thought I'd do a re-read. When I looked at updates in my GR feed this was there! I'm starting it again today to refresh my memory before the second book. I rated it 5 stars before and expect my rating to stay right up there. I loved it!

Also didn't know this was going to be a read-along. Read it a week or two ago and really enjoyed it. Word to the wise, it's more gruesome than a lot of current UF.

Just started it and I’m loving it so far. It’s surprising dark and brutal, and yet I wouldn’t say it’s depressing. And of course the Dine leaning lore is refreshing and fascinating.

Finished reading this one on Sunday. I found the violence to be quite harsh but I also enjoyed it in a scary kind of way hahaha. I'm not sure I want to read the second book but I have to admit that I'm a bit curious about it. Was anyone else torn on whether or not to like Kai?

Ana wrote: "Finished reading this one on Sunday. I found the violence to be quite harsh but I also enjoyed it in a scary kind of way hahaha. I'm not sure I want to read the second book but I have to admit that..."

You're not alone there! I really enjoyed this book and I loved how Maggie and Kai subverted those typical fantasy gender tropes, with her the angry warrior and he the healer who'd rather talk things over, but he did get on my nerves quite a bit. I really wanted him to stop insisting on giving her a nickname! It's such a little thing compared to everything else that goes on in this book, but man it annoyed me.

So I finished this a couple of days ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I had some qualms about the violence levels and monster-hunting (not really my thing), but I was *really* into it for the characters and the worldbuilding.

I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Maggie and Kai, and like Jess said above, they definitely subverted some gender tropes. That was refreshing.

My favorite thing about this one when I read it last year was definitely the world building! It was such a refreshing take on urban fantasy. (I also know this one won't be getting my vote, but I'm still very happy it's on the list)

I recently finished this one. I really liked the worldbuilding. It was definitely interesting, fast-paced, and more gruesome then I expected, in a good way.

But...I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I didn't realize going into it that it was Urban Fantasy, which I generally don't read so maybe that has something to do with it, but I just didn't feel any of the romance in it even though there were some pretty obvious hints of it.

I still liked it. Not going to be one of my favorites though.