Highlights: March 2024

While it feels a bit rich to say we ever really had a “winter” here, spring definitely feels like it’s in the air with a few sunny, warmer days. Of course, you never can know with these things and we can be wallowing back in the teens or in the middle of a blizzard at any moment…at least books are always constant! Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “A Feather So Black” by Lyra Selene

Publication: March 12, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m so excited about this one! My sister and I both really loved “The Swan Princess” movie when we were little, and when I realized that this was re-telling of that tale, I immediately placed a request. Plus, this is one of the lesser re-told fairytales, where popular stories like “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast” have seen a million re-imaginings. I’m a bit nervous about the hints of a love triangle, but then again, I’ve found exceptions to even this preference in the past! I’m also a bit wary that it’s being marketed as the first in a series, as I feel like the original fairytale is pretty compact. But who knows, this could be a “more of a good thing” situation!

Book: “The Encanto’s Daughter” by Melissa de la Cruz

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Well, this one might be a bit of a surprise, as the last book I read by this author was…not a favorite. And I’ll be honest, if I hadn’t been confusing her with another author, I may have had second thoughts with this one. But, on the other hand, there have been authors I’ve initially written off in the past who have come out with books that I absolutely loved (“Bonesmith” comes to mind!). Plus, this one just sounded fun with lost royal heirs, boarding school drama, and the promise of a story pulling from Phillipino mythology. Fingers-crossed that this little experiment turns out well!

Book: “The Last Bloodcarver” by Vanessa Le

Publication Date: March 19, 2024

Why I’m Interested: This is another fantasy title that is pulling from a rich mythology of which I know very little currently, this time Vietnam. The story follows a young woman with the power to manipulate the bodies and life forces of others. However, her kind are feared and hunted and she has been forced to live her life in the shadows. Until, one day, she is discovered and drawn into a complicated murder mystery that she must solve. Beyond that super intriguing book description, the cover on this one is also fantastic! Can’t wait to see what’s in store here!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “The Angel of Indian Lake” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The saga of Final Girl Jade Daniels is coming to an end, and that both excites and saddens me. I love Stephen Graham Jones as we all know, and “The Angel of Indian Lake” is sure to be an emotional read, even if it is decked out in slasher movie tropes and references. Jade is back in Proofrock, having a new job as a teacher at the school and trying to keep her head down. But, unsurprisingly, she finds herself once again in a slasher movie-esque situation, and as citizens start to die, she has to come through to save the day. Again. And perhaps for the last time. I’ve been loving this series and this one has been highly, highly anticipated for a long time.

Book: “Forgotten Sisters” by Cynthia Pelayo

Publication Date: March 19, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoy Cynthia Pelayo’s unique voice in the horror genre, and seeing her speak at ALAAC23 got me very excited for this dark fantasy novel that takes inspiration from “The Little Mermaid” and the darker histories of Chicago. Sisters Anna and Jennie are living together in the family home on the banks of the Chicago River, enmeshed in a codependent relationship and possibly living in a haunted house as Anna grasps for the outside world through creating a podcast about Chicago. Meanwhile two detectives are on the case of multiple men drowning in the river under strange circumstances, their investigation about to lead them to the sister’s door. Pelayo is always a treat and this one sounds strange and dreamy along with the creepy.

Book: “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Vampire stories are always going to be a high priority for me, and when “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk ended up in my inbox I was very interested to say the least. An unnamed woman vampire, after living for centuries, lands in 19th century Buenos Aires in a hope of finding a new place to lay low, just in time to see the city fall victim to Yellow Fever. In modern day Buenos Aires, a recently divorced woman inherits a mysterious crypt that has passed down through her family as he mother lays dying. Two paths converge. I love Sapphic stories, and this one sounds a bit like “The Hunger”, which absolutely excites me.

What books are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!