March 2024 Reading Wrap Up

Happy April, fellow readers!

With March complete, it's time for a monthly reading wrap-up. March was quite a good reading month for me, having completed 5 books! I know this isn't nearly as many books as other readers, but I am happy with my total nonetheless, especially because I was able to knock out two books sent to me by publishers. In case you were not aware, I run another successful blog called Flying the Hedge where I write about witchcraft, which just so happens to include nonfiction occult book reviews. Sometimes my TBR is bigger than I would like, but such is the life of an avid reader!

What I Read

Ancestral Grimoire by Nancy Hendrickson
Published by Weiser Books on September 1, 2022
Genres: Nonfiction
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher

Rating:

Most of us know our immediate family and maybe even a generation or two beyond, but few of us are attuned to those who lived earlier. Many of us have forgotten how to keep our own stories alive. This is where the ancestors come in and where this book begins. Ancestral Grimoire is a guide to reconnecting with your ancestors. It will show you how to access their unique wisdom—their magic!—and create your own personal ancestral grimoire, a spell book or Book of Shadows, unique to you and your heritage. Through divination, intuition, and sometimes a little luck, you will learn the magic of each ancestor and how you can use their gifts to make your life richer and more fulfilling. As you go through this book, you’ll save your ancestral work in a journal or loose-leaf binder that will become the place to store the stories, spells, rituals, and everyday life, lore, and legend of twelve of your ancestors. At the end of a year, you will hold a personal Book of Shadows with every bit of ancestral knowledge within its pages unique to you. No two will ever be alike. In an age when family storytelling has been lost, you will have created a legacy—and a life—that the ancestors could only dream of.

Read my full review here.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Published by Wellfleet Press on May 9, 2024
Genres: Nonfiction
Pages: 144
Format: Kindle
Source: Publisher

Rating:

Immerse yourself in the rich history and mysticism of Nordic legends and engage with them first hand with this elegantly designed guide. The gods and goddesses of the Norse pantheon are larger-than-life beings who practice and wield magic like no other. Norse Mysticism introduces you to these deities and the customs and traditions that surround them, including: An exploration of Oral Traditions and mythic gods and goddesses, guides to runes and vocal magic, techniques for spellcasting and divination, histories behind Nordic teachings and customs, and records of ancient prose works and poems With this guidebook for both newcomers and experts alike, experience the magical and beautiful spirituality of the Vikings and foster a deeper connection to yourself and the world as a whole.

Read my full review here.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #1
Published by Tor Nightfire on July 12, 2022
Genres: Gothic, Horror, Retelling, Sci-fi, LGBT
Pages: 165
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Suicide, Attempted Murder, Fire, Gore
Rating:

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruravia. What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Read my full review here.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 5, 2019
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Drowning, Hazing, Kidnapping, Murder, Bullying
Rating:

Be careful of the dark, dark wood… Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even. Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing. But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago.

Read my full review here.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #2
Published by Tor Nightfire on February 13, 2024
Genres: Gothic, Horror, LGBT, Folklore
Pages: 151
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Gore, Nightmares, PTSD
Rating:

Retired soldier Alex Easton returns in a horrifying new adventure. After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia. In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.

Read my full review here.

Reading Stats

I am super excited to see what books I read in the month of April. Until next time!

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #2
Published by Tor Nightfire on February 13, 2024
Genres: Gothic, Horror, LGBT, Folklore
Pages: 151
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Gore, Nightmares, PTSD
Rating:

Retired soldier Alex Easton returns in a horrifying new adventure. After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia. In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.

I absolutely adore T. Kingfisher's storytelling, especially when it comes to gothic fiction and fantasy. What Feasts at Night is no different. This short novella is the second in the Sworn Solider series (?), following Easton after their traumatic ordeal at Usher Manor. Easton and company arrive at their hunting lodge, only to find the caretaker missing, the place in complete disarray, and white moths inhabiting the weirdest of places.

What Feasts at Night is not nearly as creepy as What Moves the Dead, but the slow build leading to the dramatic finish left me more anxious than the first tale. Unlike its predecessor, What Feasts at Night is not a retelling, but a dip into folk horror, with lots of humor throughout. Easton has clearly undergone some changes since the first book, their sense of humor amplified, likely as a way to deal with the trauma of the past. These bits of humor mixed with suspense made for a unique reading experience.

T. Kingfisher does an excellent job weaving a fantastical creature feature mixed with dream sequences we aren't sure are actually dreams, character building, and a snarky new caretaker you can't help but adore. While I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the first, it was still a four-star rating from me. It's nice to throw in some quick reads between series or more daunting books, and this one was perfect for the occasion.

Spoiler Alert 
Hob, Easton's beloved horse, is not harmed in this book, despite the foreboding cover.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 5, 2019
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Drowning, Hazing, Kidnapping, Murder, Bullying
Rating:

Be careful of the dark, dark wood… Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even. Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing. But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago.

Shea Ernshaw is one of my favorite authors. She has some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read, and she is the only author to date that I have marked passages and quotes to return to later. While I didn't mark nearly as many passages in Winterwood as I did The Wicked Deep, it was still a 5-star rating for me. Since finishing, I have not been able to stop thinking about the story, characters, and language, and still get emotional thinking about the ending.

Winterwood is told from the perspectives of Nora Walker, a young witch coming into her own, and Oliver, a boy who disappeared and reappeared in the Wicker Woods...a boy who should be dead. Scattered throughout the story are passages from the Walker's spellbook, which details the long line of Walker women who have inhabited Fir Haven since before memory. I loved these snippets from the spell book, which also included spells written by the Walker women, spells that, while not real, are rooted in true correspondences and folklore. Some have mentioned that the repetition bothered them, but I understood Ernshaw's meaning. First, the number three is a highly magical number, associated with protection, harmony, wisdom, and understanding, which directly corresponds with the story and Nora and Oliver's journey. As a witch myself, I love Ernshaw's attention to detail in this regard. Without giving too much away, the repetition is also associated with Nora's magic, which I think many of those critiquing the repetition failed to understand.

Winterwood is an enchanting mystery with hauntingly gorgeous and chilling world-building. While you may see the twist from a mile away, it still took my breath away, leaving goosebumps and a chill that ran down my spine. It's quiet and slow, intense and chilling, which left me wanting so much more. As I mentioned, I am always completely and utterly enthralled by Ernshaw's writing and Winterwood is no different. My only fault with the book was the romance, which seemed very quick for me considering the time over which the book unfolds. Others say it felt natural, so I'll leave that up to you to decide. Despite this, I can't stop thinking about the book and will very likely revisit it again in the future. Thank you, Shea Ernshaw, for leaving me captivated until the very end. 

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #1
Published by Tor Nightfire on July 12, 2022
Genres: Gothic, Horror, Retelling, Sci-fi, LGBT
Pages: 165
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Suicide, Attempted Murder, Fire, Gore
Rating:

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruravia. What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

I must say I love a good retelling and I love T. Kingfisher's retellings and reimaginings. What Moves the Dead is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher and offers a unique perspective of the events mixed with sci-fi elements. If you enjoyed The Last of Us (game or TV series) then this is the book for you as fungi play a central role in the story.

What Moves the Dead follows Alex Easton, a non-binary soldier, who comes to aid their friends in their time of need. When they arrive, they find the Usher house dilapidated and overrun with weird fungi, a lake that glows, hares that behave oddly, and two very ill Ushers, especially Madeline Usher who seems to be more dead than alive. As the story progresses, things get weirder and weirder, creepier and creepier. While I would categorize What Moves the Dead as horror, it does not keep you up at night horror, but it's certainly enough to induce anxiety or feelings of unease and dread.

T. Kingfisher does an excellent job representing non-binary individuals and even creates an entire set of pronouns unique to Easton's home country, pronouns that are thoroughly explained and respected more often than not (there is some misgendering). Because the other characters fully accept Easton for who they are, it's easy for the reader to catch on to the pronoun usage and accept their existence. Kingfisher also does an excellent job addressing issues of misogyny in the scientific community, showcasing an amateur woman scientist who is a force to be reckoned with and who isn't clumsy or ditsy. As a scientist myself, women are often depicted as smart yet clumsy or ditsy to avoid appearing too masculine. I loathe this trope, and I am so thankful Kingfisher avoided it.

What Moves the Dead is a highly atmospheric slow burn, albeit short. The story gradually unfolds, which aids in growing the suspense and dread felt by the reader, and often includes some light-hearted humor among the suspense. Kingfisher is a truly gifted storyteller with unique prose that will leave you wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, atmosphere, science, and character development, as well as the unique reasoning behind the fall of the House of Usher. I will likely reread this book in the future, despite my current rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I am so excited to continue Easton's journey in the next book in the series What Feasts at Night.

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
Series: Divine Traitors #1
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on January 16, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 400
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: War, Racism, PTSD, Death
Rating:

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors. When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister. As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole was the first of many pre-orders to arrive this year. As many of you may be aware, at the end of 2023, another debut (white) author left a slew of negative reviews on several BIPOC authors' upcoming books, essentially review-bombing them to prevent sales and competition. Needless to say, she was quickly caught and dealt with appropriately. In response, many readers, myself included, pre-ordered the negatively impacted books to show our support. The first of those was So Let Them Burn.

So Let Them Burn is a dual-perspective story that follows Faron and her sister Elara as they navigate post-war life, the struggles of sustained liberation post-colonization, and the continuous threats to their country's independence while simultaneously growing up into their own. It's obvious this book is loosely based on Britain's occupation of Jamaica. Cole does an amazing job addressing tough issues like anti-colonization, anti-imperialism, collective liberation, anti-racism, PTSD, and the stress associated with perfectionism (a symptom of white supremacy) using a fantasy setting and teen characters to appeal to younger audiences. I saw some reviewers criticize the characters for making impulsive or stupid choices, saying they couldn't connect to them, but that is the point. The characters are children, whose frontal lobes have not fully developed, and therefore are impulsive and reckless. This book is specifically written with teens and young adults in mind, not 30-somethings like myself, to introduce the aforementioned topics. Cole should be commended for presenting such concepts in an easily accessible way, while also including topics of intersectionality and white accompliceship. 

Elara is a lesbian, struggling with her attraction to her co-rider, while her best friend Reeve, a Langlish (white) traitor, struggles with his place in a world that hates him. Reeve is the picture of a good accomplice, one who uses his privilege to challenge oppressive systems even at his own expense. He listens instead of speaking, understands the rage of the San Irie natives, and takes responsibility for his mistakes. I loved that Cole included Reeve's character, not as a white savior but as an accomplice. He continuously uplifts and supports Elara and Faron, even when it puts his life in danger. It is so important that our youth have multiple role models to draw from, including white accomplices like Reeve.

There are dragons and dragon riding, epic world-building, a diverse magic system, an unbreakable bond between sisters, a morally gray villain, and cute romantic relationships all wrapped into one tale. While I enjoyed that this book took place after San Irie's war for independence, it would have been nice to have more background information to put the current story into perspective. We receive flashbacks through Faron and sometimes through Elara, and some short history lessons while Elara attends the dragon riding academy, but it provides a very disjointed version of the past and the events of the war. This makes it difficult for the reader to have a good understanding of the characters' personalities and motivations.

Overall, I loved So Let Them Burn, and devoured it in a matter of days. It was slow at times, especially in the beginning, but it quickly picked up and left on a huge cliffhanger. It was clever and complex, fun and exciting. If that sounds like something you would like, I highly encourage you to pick up So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole.