What’s up, March?

Monthly update time! Is anyone else still surprised every year by how short February is?

– What Happened –

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It turns out that 07:30 to 20:30 shifts are quite tiring, so I’m pretty happy that I managed to read two novels, one novella, and an anthology despite being a zombie on my days off!

I did well with my 2021 reading goals by reading an ARC of The Gilded Ones, a book from an indie publisher (in place of a self-published title), and a book off my shelf, The City We Became. I read this as part of the WriteHive‘s regular Discord read-a-long and decided to sit back and enjoy it rather than worrying about notes for a review. I gave The City We Became 3-stars on Goodreads. I loved the complex characters who were literally NYC boroughs personified, but the novel was more of a critique than the celebration of a city that I was expecting. I don’t disagree with this; important issues like gentrification, racism and community are prominent, I think I was just in the zone for more idealism and less truth bomb at the time of reading. I also thought the crossing from fantasy into pseudoscience felt a little odd.

I’m yet to write my review of Yellow Jessamine, but you can check out my review of Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die, which is out from the same small press.

– The Damage –

Ebook Purchases

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Physical Books and Pre-Orders

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Well would you look at that – I only bought one more book this month than the four I read. Such restraint! Much adult! Wowe.

If you follow my blog you’ll know I’m obsessed with Nophek Gloss, so I was excited to find a signed copy through The Broken Binding. I’ve heard a lot of great things about the other books here, and while I haven’t read any John Gwynne yet, I’d be a fool not to pre-order The Shadow of the Gods. These Violent Delights was a more of a rogue purchase, but a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai feat. monsters and gore has to be great, right? Right.

– What’s Gonna Happen –

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I have two more reviews to catch up on before I am fully up to date! I updated my website last month to say that I’m not currently accepting ARCs for review, which has helped me catch up on my reading.

I’m currently reading The Sword in the Street by C. M. Caplan, a gritty self-published novel that will be released on March 3rd. I then only have three review copies to check out before I do a bit of mood reading! My bookshelf has been increasingly ignored despite its growing size. One book I am looking forward to is The Place Below by Dan Fitzgerald which I have pre-ordered.

What have you been reading?

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