March reads that left me shook (and the ones that didn't)

Bereft of inspiration for a witty topic, I figured since we're starting a new month, I'll share my March reading list with a quick review of each (9 total). They span a pretty wide range, so there's really something for everyone below! True, last week, I said I'd explain my rating system for books, but now I don't want to. Next time.

Also, I'm excited to share the list below contains: One of the Best Books Written in the 21st Century (according to me).

And last, by way of quick update: I finished the first full draft of What The Body Wants! I can hardly believe it. It's SO rough, but feels like quite an accomplishment. It goes to a developmental editor this week 😺.

Book Reviews!

Revelator, by Daryl Gregory
Rating: DNF
Genre: Horror
Super Short Synopsis: A girl from a long line of weirdos stumbles upon a god (monster?) living on the family's property (which they received by U.S. grant for homesteading purposes). She is marked as being an acceptable conduit to the god for reasons at first unclear. The family builds a creepy church based on the communications with the being.

Review: I didn't dislike this book, and I rather liked the main character. But it just didn't hold my attention. I have over 100 books on my TBR, and I just can't slog through books anymore as I head into middle age. I gave up about 1/3 of the way through. Oh, and I also didn't think it was very scary, and when I read Horror, I very much want to be SCARED. I think I'll revisit it at some point, though.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com,
by Kimberly Lemming
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Super Short Synopsis: A Black scientist and a lion get kidnapped by aliens. They escape to some non-Earth planet, where the woman meets two hot alien dudes. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: Seriously, the best adjective I can use to describe I Got Abducted by Aliens is 'unhinged.' The plot is CRAZY. The characters are HILARIOUS. It is VERY spicy–very much an adult book. But the writing is also quite solid. Great dialogue, good stakes-raising, and propulsive. If you're looking for a wild romance romp, seriously try this one. You'll be laughing and guffawing throughout. And truly, I never thought I'd read about alien men and think "hot". But I did!

Human Acts, by Han Kang
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Historical Literary Fiction
Super Short Synopsis: This story considers the May 1980 Gwangju, South Korea uprising, where the South Korean military killed a number of student protestors; and, in particular, the death of a young boy named Kang Dong-ho. There are seven interconnected chapters that range through spacetime, which reveal how various people in his context were impacted. The violence is very graphic.

Review: This was extremely difficult to read. But I'm glad I did. Kang won the Nobel Prize for Literature for her work, and I see why. She is a master writer. I would give Human Acts five stars, but it was just so painful to bear, especially as a mom. This isn't for the lighthearted, but if you regularly read the heavy stuff (and the important stuff), you'll be glad you added this one to the repertoire.

Monstrilio, by Gerado Samano Cordova
Rating: DNF
Genre: Horror
Super Short Synopsis: A couple loses their young son. She keeps a physical piece of his body. I don't know what happens next because I stopped reading.

Review: While this book is remarkable in its writing and premise, I couldn't handle the grief the mother felt at the death of her son. I've heard a lot of great things about Monstrilio (and the author, Gerardo Samano Cordova) but the mother's inner monologue was unbearable for me (brought up too many difficult emotions). It was getting pretty weird when I DNF'ed. Maybe I'll be able to pick it up again one day.

My Sister, The Serial Killer, by Oiynkan Braithwaite
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Thriller
Super Short Synopsis: A sister is faced with yet another one of her sister's 'I killed my boyfriend in self-defense' phone calls (No. 3). The sisters have a very complicated relationship. There dad is dead but was a real ashhole in life. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: My Sister, The Serial Killer is ultimately about the relationship between the two sisters. Codependency much? I definitely think that this will be a comp for me when I go to query my own novel (What the Body Wants) as we have a sociopath here and the woman who protects her. The story moves really well, and we're left worried (!) that the cops will catch the sister/the two of them. But then there is a great twist at the end and we learn what the story is really about. Definitely a solid, good thriller! Short too, at ~240 pages.

Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Super Short Synopsis: Two sisters grow up in the shadow of their witchy aunts and legacy. They eventually move on, but their lives converge again in adulthood when the wayward sister needs help. Very different than the movie.

Review: I enjoyed this enough to keep reading, but what's funny is I prefer the story's two prequels to this original story! For a long time, I didn't get around to actually reading Practical Magic because I've seen the amazing movie with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock 100 times, so I figured I'd read the prequels and be square. Once I decided to pick the OG up, I realized the book is really quite different. Seems like the movie took bits (and the main characters) from the book as inspiration, but that's about it. Anyway, the book is still cute, fun, witchy, full of good vibes, the aunts are awesome. Read it!

Know My Name, by Chanel Miller
Rating: 10/5
Genre: Memoir
Super Short Synopsis: Chanel Miller is the woman that survived Brock Turner's assault. Recall: a California jury found him guilty of three felony counts, and two men literally found Turner in the act of assaulting her, but he only served three months in jail after the judge in the case sentenced him to six.

Review: This book absolutely shook the hell of out of me. And wow is Chanel Miller a phenomenal writer. If you're a woman, you'll relate to this book too, hard it may be at times (and cry while you read or listen to it). I listened to the audiobook, which Chanel herself reads, and she does so with incredible strength and conviction. I would read anything she wrote–even if she just talked about how she makes toast in the morning for 300 pages. She is THAT talented. And that's why I think this tops the best books list for the 21st century. Her ability to imbue her words with so much emotion is a cut above the rest. The story is scary, absurd, almost unbelievable, but sadly, very, very true. But it also ultimately a hopeful one!

Hungerstone, by Kat Dunn
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Gothic Romance
Super Short Synopsis: Lenore was poor but titled and married a rich dude, Henry. They have a secret. A sexy weirdo named Carmilla (for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, she's got serious Drusilla vibes) shows up "sick" and Henry and Lenore take her in. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: I'm told Hungerstone is a retelling of the book that inspired Dracula. I can see that. And its giving Nosferatu--lots of looks of eager longing, occasional gore (but not too much), but sapphic. What's up with this Carmilla chick? Oooh, are we gonna find out. This is a romp. I liked the dark gothic feel to the whole thing. The book isn't life-changing or anything, but quite fun and creepy in a good way.

Assistant to the Villain, by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Ratings: 3/5
Genre: Romantasy
Super Short Synopsis: Evie, who is a bad-a$$ FMC, runs into this "Villain" guy in the woods when he's being chased by the King's men. He's very hot. He saves her from those guards in the process, and then offers her a job in his castle while he plots to bring down said King. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: Kewt, not spicy (but we get a solid slow-burn), and a lot of fun, you'll really like Evie and the Villain too, I promise. I do appreciate the deviation from some of the regular tropes Romantasy these days, but ATTV is a bit too long, and I'll admit, I hurried along through the middle. I feel like my attention span for reading has both increased and decreased these days. I can cover a lot of pages, take in some really difficult or serious prose, but then I tend to get bored if scenes stay in the fluffy territory too long. I still enjoyed, but it could have been buttoned up quicker.

Well I hope you found something you liked, and I REALLY hope you'll add Know My Name to your TBR. Seriously, I'll buy it for you. It's a Must-Read-Book-Before-You-Die kind of situation. I'll definitely be spotlighting it here in the future.

I promise! Next week: more on ratings and what I think they mean.

Have a great week and read banned books!
Charlotte Chambers