April 2024 – Night Owl Reviews

Illumicrate is a UK based fantasy and science fiction book box that has monthly boxes or just a monthly book only subscription. Each box also includes a selection of bookish goodies some more practical, others more decorative set around a monthly theme. February’s theme is Caged Hearts.

The items included in this box are a Altan’s Trident replica from the Poppy War, a drinking glass inspired by The Serpent and the Wings of Night, a fairytale keyring, and pouch inspired by One Dark Window.

Illumicrate, like other book boxes, include a new hard cover each month and most months a letter from the author. This months book is To Cage a God by Elizabeth May which is a Russian inspired romantic fantasy. We follow sisters Galina and Sera who have had gods grafted onto them and have been raised to overthrow the empire. But when Galina infiltrates the place and becomes friends with the princess she you make a choice on if she will bring the empire down or work within it. This edition also has foiling on the hardback and digitally printed edges.

March’s theme is Fantasea.

I’m finally starting to get caught up on posts that should have come out sooner. In January I read five books which most were fantasy.

Books:

First I reread American Gods by Neil Gaiman on audio book for my book club. American Gods follows Shadow after he gets out of prison and ends up working for Mr. Wednesday. Shadow finds out that gods both old and new are real and that there might be a war between them coming. I enjoyed this more this time than the first time I read it and feel like the audio book is the way to go. However, I think I would like the TV show adaptation more (currently I haven’t watched any of it) as to me the story feel like it would be great in a visual medium.

The next books I read were Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas which are the fifth and sixth books in the Throne of Glass series. I feel like most people know about this series and if they are going to like it or not. I will say that Tower of Dawn is a bit of a slog considering where Empire of Storms ended and not immediately continuing with those characters. I’m planning of finishing The Throne of Glass series this year.

Next I read Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard which is a nonfiction book written my Gypsy about her past, present, and hopes for the future. This is not a full memoir but more of a recounting of conversations and writings from Gypsy. This gives insight into her personal feelings and the start of her telling her story on her own terms.

The last book I read in January and have a full review posted of was An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson. This is a Carmilla retelling set at an all girls Catholic college in the 1960s that is a dark academia story with a rivals to lovers romance between Laura and Carmilla. I really enjoyed this an could see many other dark academia and vampire loves enjoying this as well but it does have some dark themes so I would recommend reading the trigger warnings.