March 2024 reading wrap up

It’s been a lovely reading month, with some truly delightful books that, much to my astonishment, all corresponded to one of the Book Bingo prompts! I’ve now finished all of the prompts from the last column and the second row. Double bingo!

It’s quite an eclectic mix of books in terms of genre too – mythological retellings, historical fiction, magical realism, and philosophy. Let’s dive in!

(Click on the book covers to purchase the book on Amazon.)

Hera by Jennifer Saint (a mythological retelling)

When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side. But as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed. She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world? Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, this retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and mostly importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.

I thought this book would offer more insight into the Queen of the Gods, Zeus’s vengeful wife. While Jennifer Saint does try to present a different side to Hera, her motivations soon get tiring. All I could think, as I read this book, was “Oh Gods, not again, Hera!” It could have made for a much more interesting story if Saint re-imagined Hera’s tale from a more feminist angle. Or maybe the goddess was just as petty as she’s been portrayed? It started off well, but around half-way through the book, it just became a bit tiresome. If you like Greek mythology, you may like the book?

Expected publication date: 23 May 2024 (India); 14 August 2024 (US)

Boy of Chaotic Making (Whimbrel House #3) by Charlie N. Holmberg (A book released in 2024)

Merritt Fernsby’s life has changed considerably since he inherited Whimbrel House. He’s engaged to Hulda Larkin, who opened his eyes to the uncanny. And he’s grown quite protective of his uncle Owein—several generations, and iterations, removed. Owein is presently inhabiting the body of a mixed-breed terrier when Merritt receives a missive from none other than Alexandrina Victoria, the Queen of England: I am interested in your dog. It’s the queen’s duty to the peerage to keep British wizardry empowered. Her offer: England will find a human vessel for Owein, marry him into the royal family, and add this remarkable soul-shifter to its lineage. For Owein, a boy trapped in the body of a pup, it’s a dream come true. How can Merritt refuse? However, once they are in London and in consortium with a necromancer, the situation doesn’t feel right, both with their hosts and the house they inhabit. But after 200 years of being cursed to drift, Owein is determined to chart his own destiny. He’s ready to defy whatever chaos is coming. After all, Owein is the master of chaos, and with Merritt and Hulda’s love and magical support, he can overcome anything.

Charlie N Holmberg is one of my favorite fantasy writers, and the Whimbrel House series is a heart-warming, magical story of an enchanted house, magical lineages and abilities, family ties, and a sweet love story. What’s not to like? If you’re looking for a series in which to escape for a while, this is a charming set of books, with two more books set for release in the coming years.

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Claire (A book released in 2024)

Persephone, Goddess of Spring, never guessed a chance encounter with Hades, God of the Underworld, would change her life forever—but he did. A fight for humanity and battles between gods, it’s a world Persephone never thought she would see. To end the chaos, she must draw upon her darkness and embrace who she’s become—Goddess, Wife, Queen of the Underworld. Once, Persephone made bargains to save those she loves, now she will go to war for them.

The conclusion to the Hades x Persephone books by Scarlett St. Claire was perhaps my favorite of this series, and that’s because this one focuses on the war between the gods and demi-gods from Greek mythology. There are 7 books in this series – 3 each from Persephone and Hades’ point of view, while the finale has multiple POVs. These aren’t intelligent books; some of the initial books in the series aren’t even all that great in terms of writing. But if you want a light, smutty read, you may just like them.

The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (A book by an author from a developing country)

‘I am Rani Jindan, Mother of the Khalsa. That is my identity. That is my fate.’ Daughter of the royal kennel keeper, the beautiful Jindan Kaur went on to become Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s youngest and last queen; his favourite. She became regent when her son Dalip, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, passionate, and dedicated to protecting her son’s heritage, Jindan distrusted the British and fought hard to keep them from annexing Punjab. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, including her son. But that did not crush her indomitable will. An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s unforgettable novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the 19th century, an inspiration for our times.

Maharani Jindan Kaur, what a formidable woman! From a lowly commoner, she rose to become the Queen Regent of Punjab, navigating court politics, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s jealous wives, and a tumultuous and violent political landscape. Her anger, unfortunately, overcame her strategic brilliance, and she lost everything she held most dear — Punjab and her son, Dalip Singh. But she didn’t let her losses break her spirit. Even in exile and captivity, she continued to fight, until finally, year later, she was reunited with her son. Chitra has masterfully woven Jindan Kaur’s story and the politics and exigencies of the time. Lovers of historical fiction, drop everything and read this book!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (A book by a debut author)

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her 18-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over 30 years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Oh, this book was an absolute delight. Keenly observant, and instantly endearing, Marcellus and his dry intelligence is the star of this book! I love how the key characters in the story are slowly drawn together, and the ways in which their history informs their actions. The writing is elegant, the story inviting, and, well, if you haven’t read it already, why are you still waiting?

The Uncontrollability of the World by Hartmut Rosa (Philosophically speaking)

The driving cultural force of that form of life we call ‘modern’ is the desire to make the world controllable. Yet it is only in encountering the uncontrollable that we really experience the world — only then do we feel touched, moved and alive. A world that is fully known, in which everything has been planned and mastered, would be a dead world. Late-modern human beings seek to make the world controllable, and thus tend to encounter the world as a series of objects that we have to conquer, master or exploit. And precisely because of this, ‘life,’ the experience of feeling alive and truly encountering the world, always seems to elude us. This in turn leads to frustration, anger and even despair, which then manifest themselves in, among other things, acts of impotent political aggression. For Rosa, to encounter the world and achieve resonance with it requires us to be open to that which extends beyond our control. The outcome of this process cannot be predicted, and this is why moments of resonance are always concomitant with moments of uncontrollability.

I found this book via one of Oliver Burkeman’s newsletters, and I’m so glad I went ahead and read it. It’s a short, 140 page book, but it packs a lot into those pages. Rosa carefully lays out his arguments and suppositions on the ways in which our desire to control our lives may actually be robbing it of life force. There are no neatly packaged answers, and there’s still a lot of thinking I need to do around some of the concepts in this book, but that’s why we read “big books” that stretch us and make us think.

Over to you! What was on your reading list this month?

This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.