The first three months of 2024 are already behind us, and I’m happy to report that I’ve had an incredible time reading-wise. In fact, I’ve had few reading-years as good as these past few months when it comes to the quality of the books I’ve read, and I can’t wait to share some of the standouts with you.Out of the 38 books I completed, I selected 5 favourites and 3 honourable mentions. I will also briefly touch on all the new releases and ARCs I’ve read, as well as my rough readingplans for the next quarter.
Favourite Books:
Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau
My first read of 2024 set the year of on a strong trajectory, as I immediately found a new favourite in this independently published high-fantasy epic. It all begins with a dream..: the empire is on the brink of collapse as the emperor lies suspended in a preternatural coma, seemingly caught within a web of his own dreams. Jespar Dal'Varek, a mercenary haunted by his own memories of the recent war, accepts the seemingly impossible job of tracing the cause of the emperors affliction. His journey will not only lead him across the Archipelago of Kilay, but eventually, through an arcane magical practice, within the dreams of the emperor himself… I might be slightly biased on this one, because I already adored the world of Enderal from its game adaptation in the form of a Skyrim conversion-mod. Still, I don’t think it would’ve made a difference for my ultimate verdict...
Beyond a shadow of a doubt; Dreams of the Dying is one of the best fantasy novels I’ve read in my life. It’s combines a fantastic story, with brilliant character-work, and looks at philosophical and existential themes, without becoming too heavy-handed with them.
From its beautiful writing, to its tense and immaculately paced plot, to the memorable cast of characters that grew on my like friends: this is as close to perfection as a fantasy novel gets for me.
Death Valley by Melissa Broder
A woman arrives alone at a Best Western seeking respite from an emptiness that plagues her. She has fled to the California high desert to escape a cloud of sorrow—for both her father in the ICU and a husband whose illness is worsening. What the motel provides, however, is not peace but a path, thanks to a receptionist who recommends a nearby hike. What follows is a hallucinatory hike across a seemingly impossible desert. I won’t lie to you: Death Valley is a strange novel, that won’t be to everybody’s taste. Yet it’s the exact kind of strange that I personally adore. Suspend your expectations of a survival story across the desert: this is a survival story of a woman left alone with her own mind… I didn’t expect to relate to our extremely messy protagonist as much as I did. Yet in its own eccentric way, it was a near perfect exploration of themes of family, father-daughter-relations, caregiving/hospice care, love in all its forms and the grief that matches it. If you’re open to a bit of experimental and strange fiction (think: Ghost Music, Our Wives Under the Sea, Swim Home to the Vanished), I highly recommend you give this one a try. You might be surprised with a new favourite like I was…
Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
I have a strange relationship with the classic novel of Frankenstein… I didn’t enjoy the original text in the slightest, but still consider it one of my favourite classics for the legacy it spawned, and the string of homages/retellings/discussion-pieces that followed it. Our Hideous Progeny is perhaps the best example of that. This debut(!) novel doesn’t so much reimagine, as continue the story of Frankenstein, from the perspective of his great-niece Mary Frankenstein. Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of natural science alongside her geologist husband Henry, but without wealth and connections, their options are limited. That is until Mary stumbles across her great uncles letters, and the idea of recreating his experiment starts to take root in her mind. Not with a human body, mind you, but with an entirely new (or should I say “ancient”?) creature of her own. I plan on writing a full review of this novel, which might take some time as there’s so much to unpack here. Suffice to say: Our Hideous Progeny is my favourite read of the year so far. On the surface, a classic gothic tale of scientific ambition, hubris, and creation like the original. Just below, a feminist outcry for the unsung women in scientific history and an exploration of queerness, otherness and learning to embrace the hideous-side of oneself. Then in the depths; a narrative of illness, body, childlessness and legacy, that struck a personal chord in a way I didn’t anticipate.
Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
I was completely blown away by the stunning prose and vivid imagery in this indie-debut, that desperately needs more recognition that it got! In this eco-horror novella with strong themes of queerness and grief, we follow a female artists who, struggling with a bout of artblock, is gifted a solo cabin-holiday by her girlfriend in hopes of sparking her creativity. Surrounded by the brackish waters of the lake and oppressive swamp-mists, Rita’s mind indeed begins to blossom with uncanny visions. Told alongside the descriptions of the series of painting created during her trip, we follow Rita’s journey in the natural bog, as well as the swampy depth of her own mind. Thematically, you can probably see why this is something I’d love… An exploration of grief over the loss of a parent, queerness, death and rebirth, all through a lens of natural beauty and terror. What makes this novella standout is its stunning language, that reads almost like an extended poem.
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
From an incredibly underhyped book, we move on to one that deserved all the hype that it did get upon its release. The Tainted Cup is Robert Jackson Bennett’s latest release that manages a perfect blend of fantasy with a murder-mystery-detective. We follow a famous, highly eccentric detective and her assistant as they are called in to investigate the puzzling death of an Imperial officer. The manner of his death is far from ordinary, seemingly having sprouted a tree from within his body… Our detective-duo soon find themselves on the trial of a string of poisonings with a biological contagion, with ties into the high societies of the empire.Everything about this story was as brilliant as I’d hoped. From the intriguing mystery, to the exquisite in-depth worldbuilding to the Sherlock-and-Watson like dynamic of our protagonist duo. It’s not an easy task to write brilliantly intelligent characters, with genuinely funny banter between them, but Bennett manages to nail it at every turn. As an added bonus; I loved the themes of neurodivergence and embracing the strengths of differences within this story and its protagonists. I can’t wait to see more of these characters as the series continues.
Honourable Mentions:
Sheine Lende – Darcie Little Badger
It doesn’t feel fair to name a book that hasn’t even released yet as a favourite, since you guys will have to wait for its release to get your hands on it. That being said; my ARC of Sheine Lende 100% deserves to be mentioned among my favourite reads of the past three months. This prequel to Elatsoe captured every bit of the comforting, supportive and magical vibes that the original did.
Full review can be found here.
Shark Heart – Emily Habeck
I was surprised by how emotionally touched I was by this magical-realism tale of chronic illness, caregiving and love. We follow a couple in the year following the husbands diagnosis with a strange affliction; one that will gradually turn him into a great white shark. Although the premise sounds a bit ridiculous in itself, the execution is a brilliant look at chronic degenerative illness and the toll it takes on not just the person, but their loved ones around them.
Terrace Story – Hilary Leichter
Like Death Valley, Terrace Story received mixed reviews, but was the exact kind of strange that I personally love. It’s a bit of a puzzle of stories within stories, following a couple who’ve just moved into a new apartment, only to find a door to a terrace which wasn’t previously there before. This door only seems to appear when their friend Stephanie visits, and the three of them decide to use terrace as a place to tell stories to one other. It's a magical realism novel about grief, love, memory and creating space for the aforementioned. Not an easy read, but a satisfying and perfectly crafted one at that!
Recent Releases:
- Mislaid in Parts Half Known - Seanan McGuire
Book 9 in the widely beloved portal-fantasy series The Wayward Children. And this time it has dinosaurs... Ultimately, this was deeply underwhelming. Full review here
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
- Not Quite a Ghost – Anne Ursu
A middle-grade ghost story that cleverly intertwines a classical haunted house narrative with a tale of a young girl facing chronic illness. Brilliantly done, and perfect for fans of This Appearing House (which I absolutely am one of!)
Rating: 5/5 stars
- The House of Broken Bricks – Fiona Williams
A literary fiction novel about a family of four in the aftermath of a tragedy. Highly recommend if you enjoy family-saga’s and stunning nature-writing in rural America. Full review here Rating: 4.5/5 stars
- What Feasts at Night – T. Kingfisher
The sequel to one of my favourite horror-novella’s of 2022, that unfortunately didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. What Moves the Dead was a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, andWhat Feasts at Night continues the story of those characters in a completely original story that deals with war, trauma and PTSS.
Rating: 3/5 stars
- Infinity Alchemist – Kacen Callender
Unfortunately, one of my most anticipated novels of the year turned out to be my biggest disappointment. This is Kacen Callender’s “adult” fantasy debut. (Quotation marks, because it very much reads like YA) following a duo of young alchemists in a world where the magical sciences are only available to the most elite few of society. Apart from the great LGBTQ-representation I’ve come to expect from Callender, this book had few redeeming qualities for me. Riddled with plotholes and infuriating characters, I can’t recommend it.
Full review here
Rating: 2/5 stars
- Into the Sunken City – Dinesh Thiru
Another slight disappointment that I should’ve seen coming, based off my lack of success with YA lately. The premise won me over however; a sci-fi story set in a flooded future America, where the treasures of old-time cities lie buried beneath the treacherous waters. We follow a team of teenage divers as they set off to explore the flooded ruins of Las Vegas, in search of treasure to secure their family’s financial safety.
Rating: 3/5 stars
- Gogmagog – Jeff Noon and Steve Beard
I’ve had a bunch of hits with “weird” literary fiction and horror before, but not too many with “weird fantasy” yet. Gogmagog changed that! This quirky mix of fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk follows an eccentric group of characters on a ferry-ride across a murky river, possessed by the ghost of a long dead dragon. Sound bonkers? Absolutely… It’s also equal parts entertaining and perfect for fans of Jeff Vandermeer or Neil Gaiman. Full review here
Rating: 4/5 stars
- Midnight on Beacon Street – Emily Ruth Verona
Ah yes, I fully fell into the hype with this one. Marketed as the ultimate YA-thriller with vibes of classic 80’s horror-cinema, this ended up being quite middle-of-the-road for me. Teenage babysitter Amy copes with her anxiety disorder by enjoying the predictability of classic horror films. When one night of babysitting thrusts her into a real-life horror-film-scenario, she must use all her wits and strength to protect not only herself but the two kids she’s caring for. Overall: this was just okay. It’s the kind of story that I didn’t mind reading, but never gave me any particular thrill, nor will I remember much of it by the end of the year. Judging my the extremely low average Goodreads rating, I wasn’t alone in that feeling…
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
- A Botanical Daughter – Noah Medlock
After the great success the last (queer) Frankenstein-retelling, I was even more excited to dig into this one. A captivating tale of two Victorian gentlemen hiding their relationship away in a botanical garden who embark on a Frankenstein-style experiment of bringing to life a daughter from plant- and body-parts. Bonus points for having the best cover of the year so far.
Full review here
Rating: 4/5 stars
- Fervor – Toby Lloyd
Although I really enjoyed this novel upon its own merits, I feel like it was done a disservice by being mismarketed as something its not. Fervor was being heavily marketed as a possession-like horror story, with hints of Jewish mythology. It is not… This is at heart a family saga, following three generations of a Jewish family coping with the effects of the aftermath of war-trauma and the effects of their (cultural) identity. As such it’s a strong piece of literary fiction, and I wish it had been properly marketed as such.
Read my full review here to go into it with the right expectation.
Rating: 3.5/5 starts
- The Tainted Cup – Robert Jackson Bennett
See above
- The Haunting of Velkwood – Gwendolyn Kiste
A modern ghost story in which a strange event turns a complete neighbourhood into a ghost town overnight. Years down the line, the three sole survivors of the night return to the now quarantined area, in search of answers and closure. This had a few elements I adored, but overall left me just a little underwhelmed. I was reminded a lot of Catfish Rolling with regards to the themes, and couldn’t help feeling like it came up short in that comparison.
Rating 3/5 stars
- Fog and Fireflies – T.H. Lehnen
A middle-grade/YA fantasy novel that carries that feeling of the classics like The Golden Compass and The Neverending Story. In a town surrounded by everlasting mists, it’s up to the children to guide the walls and protect the village from the monsters within the fog. Following a breach of the walls that sees her best friend taken into the fog, teenage Ogma sets of into the unknown to retrieve her friends and save the ones she loves.
Full review here
Rating: 4/5 stars
- Colossus – Ryan Leslie
A cerebral sci-fi novel about a man set off on a journey through space, in search of answers after his wife commits suicide by taking a drug that promises to reveal the meaning of life seconds before it takes your life. Perfect for fans of Solaris, although in my opinion, not as effective as that. Full review here
Rating: 3/5 stars
- Sleeping Giants – Rene Denfeld
Leave it to Rene Denfeld to tell a heartbreakingly harrowing story in the most tender way possible... Sleeping Giants combines the tale of a sister investigating the suspicious death of her brother years prior, with an intimate look into the American foster care system and all its flaws. It’s not an easy read, but Denfeld’s compassionate and observant writing does the topic every bit of justice it deserves.
Rating: 4/5 stars
- The Night Alphabet – Joelle Taylor
Finally, another example of poets writing novels and creating magic with their words in the process. I actually ran out of sticky notes trying to tab all the stunning and memorable lines throughout this book. The Night Alphabet a speculative literary novel that opens with a woman entering a tattoo-parlor with an unusual request. She wishes final tattoo to add to her already extensive collection of them; a single line that connects them all. Throughout the tattooing process, she takes her tattoo-artists on a journey “across the map of her life”; each tattoo revealing a story of her past and weaving an integrate pattern of a turbulent life lived. Possibly the most striking prose out of all the books mentioned, combined with a kaleidoscopic journey of queerness, identity and what is meant by “inhabiting a body”, rather than “being” one. If you enjoyed the likes of Salena Goddens Mrs Death Misses Death, or the works of Carmen Maria Machado; don’t miss this one.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Q2 Reading Plans
I can keep this fairly short as I don’t have any strict plans to speak of. The most prominent chance, compared to the previous few years is going to be the fact that I’m not joining any readathons this season, specifically not the Magical Readathon, which has been a staple for the past few years). I still love this readathon, but with everything else going on in life, I don’t want to restrict myself with any form of set-TBR. With regards to posts asides the regular individual book reviews, you can expect at least a new version of the Books-in-Pairs (if you liked this book, try that one), as well as a continuation of my All-Time-Favourite-per-Genre project.
Happy reading until then, and may your reading year be as great as mine started off…
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