Reading Round-up: April 2022

A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

I did enjoy this book, but I don’t think it is quite what I was expecting. It opened with a pretty gruesome murder. It was in fact dotted with murders, and abuse, and a lot of really grim things. But that was layered over with a romance that was, at its core, very sweet. At the time I read it, I was more into the murdery bits than the romance bits, which veered into erotica at points. If all of that works for you, I found the magic and world-building solid and the characters compelling. It was a good book! I just read it at the wrong time for me to love it the way I had hoped to. Maybe the time is right for you. (Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ+)

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

If you’re a fan of Chinese mythology and television, you might find a book to love here. The love story was refreshing, the worldbuilding was solid, and I was surprised by the twists and turns in this book. There is a planned sequel, which I’m not sure it needs, but I will likely read regardless. I would love to see this book as an anime, honestly. (Chinese Mythology, Fantasy)

Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne

I absolutely loved this book, which was a lyrical Appalachian horror novel, and which I received through NetGalley. My full review will be out a little closer to the publication date, but generally I am a huge fan. Set in Kentucky on a tobacco farm, the book seeps summer heat and decomposition, the heady secrets of the soil, and the ghosts we carry with us. Fans of Summer Sons and The Family Plot will be delighted to see an addition to the Appalachian gothic subgenre. Definitely find this book when it comes out. (Appalachian, Horror)

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

I’m working on a more in-depth review of this book, which I also received through NetGalley, because I think it would be easy to lose nuance when talking about this work. Hell Followed With Us is a gory call to liberation, and I really enjoyed the way it explored the Christian mythos and the more damaging interpretations of Christian mythology in modern American culture as a framework. For me this read a little bit like trans Handmaid’s Tale and a little bit like Resident Evil. It is an angry yet certain debut. I’m happy to add another trans masc tale to my recommendations list. Lots of content warnings for this book, including misgendering and gore. (Science Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+)

The Turner Series by Courtney Milan

So…I was sick for like a solid week in April and I may have gone a little crazy and spammed the entire two seasons of Bridgerton as a way to escape my body. And then I was done with both seasons and still sick and well….I read the entire trilogy of Turner books as well as the accompanying novella. If you, too, are desperate for more Bridgerton and at a loss for what to read next, can I recommend this as a class-conscious, fundamentally feminist historical romance series? You may enjoy any of Milan’s books, but this series and the Brothers Sinister are my favorites so far. (Historical Romance)

Read anything you loved this month?

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