For some strange reason I had the urge to do a quick re-read of the last two books of the Imriel Cycle of Kushiel’s Legacy and Bet Me this week.
My God! I’d forgotten how…powerful these books are (to me, at least). I didn’t count them as a true “re-read” because I am skipping whole sections and chapters…but I have been reading large sections of these books.
One of the strange things about this particular re-reading combination is…the wildly different emotions that these books evoke. Kushiel’s Justice and Kushiel’s Mercy (“Kushiel”) are…narrated by a emotionally damaged main character while Bet Me has a couple of different POV changes with the primary MC being a sarcastic person who isn’t completely self-aware.
Kushiel is narrated by Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel. Imriel…had horrific things happen to him as a child and was later raised (and doted on) by national heroes. This background makes Imriel a very complex character and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. Imirel’s story is a heart-tugging tale of tragedy and triumph so I found myself quietly crying off and on for hours this weekend. 
I do this quietly because the husband doesn’t like to see me cry. If I get going with an emotional book too long and he sees me crying, he gets upset (well, it does cause migraines so I can see his point). But I still blubbered quite a bit. And I’m not even finished with Kushiel’s Mercy!
Bet Me is a complete 180 from the Kushiel series. Bet Me is a lighthearted romance (with deep moments) and it had me laughing and giggling. Giggling to the point that I just had to read sections aloud to hubby. He usually does not find this amusing (which is even funnier). Bet Me is (mostly) narrated by Minerva (Min to her friends), an extremely smart (and smart-mouthed) woman who doesn’t know herself as well as she thinks. 
Min and her friends are funny and vivacious; Cal (the hero) and his friends are also a hoot. The book is also full of tender moments and ooooh!! Watching Min and Cal fall in love. So. Good.
So there I was: read, giggle, cry (wash, rinse and repeat). All weekend long.
It was a strange combination but it worked for me. 🙂
books, life, & wine 
I am a BIG Carey fan. Her use of the semicolon alone is almost God-like. I’m still in the midst of her initial Kushiel trilogy, and I continue to be awed by her storytelling and bodybuilding skills. Like you I also find her stories to be very moving, and I’m actually reading her books extra slowly simply to savor them longer:) Thanks for posting!
Welcome!
I’m a big Carey fan, too! I once loaned Kushiel’s Dart to a friend and when he gave it back he told me he hated me. The book was longer than his preferred length but the language was so beautiful and the story so captivating that he couldn’t put the book down. 😀
And I envy you – being on your first read. There’s so much beauty in store for you.