Hoohoo, friends of the blade.
Can you believe it’s already April? I can’t keep up with how fast this year is flying by.
March was a very eventful month. Friends in our group got married, there was a lot to plan and prepare. I went hiking with one of my best friends which was really fun as it was one of the first warm and sunny days, we stopped every few metres to eat, we took silly photos and ran from toads.
I ate tons of wild garlic, took quite a few walks and enjoyed the flowers starting to bloom. Spring is my favourite season and I simply love spending as much time as possible outside just smelling flowers, watching birds, listening to bees buzzing by, felling warm sun rays on my face.
I enjoyed time with family for the easter weekend, ate a lot and read a bit.
I also saw one of my favourite bands, a disco fun punk band called jack Pott, live in a very small location and it was so much fun! As soon as I get the chance, I’ll go and see them again! It was also the first month without my flatmate and it still feels very weird. Luckily, we see each other every couple of weeks.
It was also Leipzig Book Fair and I could go for two days and had such a blast! I saw quite a few friends, bought many stickers and prints and only one book (and a cookbook). It was such a lovely time, I always love being surrounded by other bookish people.
BOOKS I’VE READ
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan
Drowned World #1
Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears.
But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on peering down from skyscrapers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk — sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas—who live in the polluted waters below. And the fathomfolk are tired of it. When a water-dragon and a half siren join forces, the path to equality is filled with violence, secrets, and political intrigue. And they both must decide if the cost of change is worth it, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.
I really enjoyed this book and especially the world building and the political aspects! I also liked how the characters were written and how each of them struggled with their problems, how they went to solve them and how they developed in the process. You can read my full review of Fathomfolk here.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it-and she can’t do the job alone.
Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.
Hafsah Faizal isn’t one of my favourite writers for nothing. I absolutely love her prose and how beautifully she weaves her words. I am simply in awe over it every time. I really liked the characters and the found family in Tempest of Tea. I also enjoyed the dynamics between all of the characters, they were very interesting. For my taste, it could have been a bit longer. There are quite a few POVs and I would have loved to read and learn more about each narrator. But I really liked the social and political discussions and the twist with the vampires!
The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black
The Stolen Heir #2
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.
With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.
I simply adore getting back into Holly Black’s fairie worlds. And I loved seeing more of Cardan and especially Jude in this book, my beloveds. But I also highly enjoyed Oak’s journey and how his character developed. It was a bit slow in the beginning for my taste, but I still liked this book a lot!
Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland
When nineteen-year-old Fin volunteers to take her secret love’s place in their village’s Finding, she is terrified. Those who are chosen at the Finding are whisked away to Castle Courtsheart, a vampire school where human students either succeed and become vampires, fail and spend the rest of their lives as human thralls…or they don’t survive long enough to become either.
Fin is determined to forge a different learn how to kill the undead and get revenge for her mother, who was taken by the vampires years ago. But Courtsheart is as captivating as it is deadly, and Fin is quickly swept up in her new world and its inhabitants – particularly Gavron, her handsome and hostile vampire maker, whose blood is nothing short of intoxicating. As Fin begins to discover new aspects of her own identity and test her newfound powers, she stumbles across a string of murders that may be connected to a larger ritual – one with potentially lethal consequences for vampires and humans alike. Fin must uncover the truth and find the killer before she loses her life…or betrays her own heart.
I liked how dark and atmospheric this book was. I also highly enjoyed my very queer vampires and how queernormative their world was. I would have liked more characterization, though. Especially the best friend and love interest fell flat, as well as another character that appeared for – in my opinion – fairly unnecessary reasons. In the case of the love interest I couldn’t really follow their attraction to each other. Yes, there’s the thing with sharing blood but apart from that, I couldn’t quite see it. I was expecting more from this book and it left me a bit disappointed.
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she’s pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.
Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.
Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.
I really liked the humor in this book. And while I liked the tension between the two characters, I got annoyed by their back and forth eventually. I liked the spicy scenes, though and how they went about it. To be quite honest, the paranormal curse related things wouldn’t have been necessary for me, but it was a fun twist. I enjoyed this book but not as much as I did the author’s previous works.
BOOK HAUL
Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao
Pawned by her mother to the King of Hell as a child, Lady Jing is half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and all sasshole. As the King’s ward, she has spent the past ninety years running errands, dodging the taunts of the spiteful hulijing courtiers, and trying to control her explosive temper – with varying levels of success.
So when Jing overhears the courtiers plotting to steal a priceless dragon pearl from the King, she seizes her chance to expose them, once and for all.
With the help of a gentle mortal tasked with setting up the Central Bank of Hell, Jing embarks on a wild chase for intel, first through Hell and then mortal Shanghai. But when her hijinks put the mortal in danger, she must decide which is more important: avenging her loss of face, or letting go of her half-empty approach to life for a chance to experience tenderness – and maybe even love.
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Zeilenflüstern by Kyra Groh
Seine Stimme bedeutet ihr alles – bis sie ihm begegnet. Jede Nacht lässt sich Klara von Noel Carter in den Schlaf flüstern. Dabei kennt sie nur seine Stimme. Alles andere versteckt der Hörbuchsprecher hinter einem Pseudonym. Bis ihr erster Job bei der Sweet Lemon Agency Klara in ein Tonstudio führt, in dem ausgerechnet Noel auf sie wartet. Er soll ihre Werbetexte für eine sinnliche neue Kampagne einsprechen – und hasst jedes Wort davon. Denn für den gescheiterten Schauspieler sind die Aufnahmen ein weiterer Beweis dafür, dass er von niemandem ernstgenommen wird. Von niemandem außer Klara, die ihm zeigt, wie viel zwischen den Zeilen steht.
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally.
It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true…and she’s right.
As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.
But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.
Book Elements by Stefanie Hasse
Dass Lesen wahnsinnig gefährlich ist und man sich nie in eine Romanfigur verlieben darf, weiß kaum jemand besser als Lin, eine Wächterin der Bibliotheca Elementara. Mithilfe ihrer Luftelement-Kräfte sorgt sie dafür, all die umschwärmten und aus ihren Seiten herausgetretenen Protagonisten wieder einzufangen und in ihre fiktive Welt zu bannen. Glitzernde Vampire, unwiderstehliche Außerirdische, schlagfertige Dämonen, Gitarre spielende Bad Boys … Lin kennt sie alle persönlich und hat gemeinsam mit ihrem Team (zu dem leider auch ein unausstehlich arroganter Feuerelementar gehört) schon zahlreiche Menschen vor der Gefahr herausgelesener Buchfiguren beschützt. Doch ausgerechnet ihr Herz schlägt ebenfalls für einen fiktiven Mann, den sie nur zu gern treffen würde: Zacharias, den Helden eines titellosen Buches, das sie verbotenerweise liest – bis er plötzlich vor ihr steht und sich einfach alles verändert.
ON THE BLOG
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan (Review)
My Favourite Teas + Which Book I’d Recommend for Each
The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton (Review)
I can’t Remember the Title but the Cover Was Green
BLOG VISITS
blog posts by other bloggers I loved reading this month
Review: The Someday Daughter by Ellen O’Clover by Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books
5 Series I Won’t Finish, And I’m Okay With That by Sam @ Fictionally Sam
Review: Bride by Ali Hazelwood by Destiny @ Howling Libraries
Rezension: Der Rote Palast von June Hur by Sandra @ Miss Pageturner
Book Recommendations: Love is in the Air ( Not Just the Romantic Kind) by Charvi @ Not Just Fiction
New to Webtoons? Start Your Manhwa Adventure with these Swoon-Worthy Romances! by Tiffany @ Read by Tiffany
Best Cinderella Retellings by The Orang Utan Librarian
Rezension: Vienna – Blinding Lights von Lara Holthaus von Friederike @ Friedelchens Bücherstube
Rezension: Like words on our skin von Mehwish Sohail von Friederike @ Buch & Gewitter
How was March for you? Do you love spring as well? What was your favourite March read?
Until next time,
