December 2023 Book Haul

I am going to let myself have one last huge purchase in 2023. Then it's on to the book buying restriction (1:3). 

With that in mind, here's what I acquired during December!

1. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See - My December choice for Book of the Month. I wasn't particularly interested in any of the other books available on the site, so I went with this one. I've heard a few good things about it and I'm curious if it will meet my expectations. I do like historical fiction set in China, so I have highish hopes for this one. 

2. The Tethering by Megan O'Russell - Some sort of isekai nonsense with a dude being suddenly thrust into a strange new world and falling in love with the local princess. Cheesy for sure, but still something amusing that I am looking forward to reading. I think it's even on one of my TBR lists this upcoming year. 

3. Forsaken Kingdom by J.R. Rasmussen - A fantasy novel about a Prince named Wardin who intentionally gives up his kingdom (and memories?) to protect them from certain destruction. Many years later his power and memories are unlocked and he goes on a mission to regain what is rightfully his. I like the sound of this. It's another that just sounds wonderfully suspenseful. 

4. Zombabe by I.S. Belle - LGBT zombies. Do I need to say more? Is it possible to? Henry dies and just two weeks before graduation, he's resurrected by Eugene, who he's got a crush on. Now chaos reigns as they freak out the townsfolk and try to sort out Henry's hunger and prevent him from going feral on the town. I can't wait. It looks silly. 

5. A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall - I went in with the intention of only getting the book a friend of mine had asked for. Which was certainly not this, but then I saw it and just had to have it. I do already know the basic idea behind it and am so looking forward to it. I want to see how the topic is handled. 

6. Poems of Hate by Rich Hazelton - I picked this at random from a table of free chap-books. It came with my purchase at the local Barnes & Noble. It looked the most interesting of the chap-books we didn't already own. 

7. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison - All I know is that this is a political fantasy. My best friend, CH, told me about it while we were standing in the Fantasy section and I was like "Why not?" I'll try to put it on my February 2024 TBR. It has a character who grew up away from court who suddenly has to take command, and he has no idea what to do. 

8. The Black Phone by Joe Hill - I have seen the Blumhouse movie already (and will totally admit to Vance Hopper being my favorite), and I learned it was based on the short story of the same name by Joe Hill. I've read his book The Fireman and loved it, so I wanted to give this one a go. 

9. Y/N by Esther Yi - Saw this reviewed on Booktok and heard it was an absolutely wild ride and of course I had to know. I got a brief synopsis all about some super obsessed fan going to look for a missing K-Pop idol or something. It sounded absolutely ridiculous and I had to have it. 

10. This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede - It looked interesting and tat's all I know. I had it on my BookOutlet and I found it in BN during the end of year hardback sale. I am pleased. 

11. A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli - I have never heard of this until I stumbled across it at BN. It follows a girl who has to solve/prevent her own murder? She helps the wrong guy to the throne or something and he kills her. She asks the gods to help her fix it. They send her back in time to undo the damage she has done. And solve her own murder (all cover flap info!) 

12. Spirits of the Dead by Keith Gilman - I saw it on the Horror endcap and was curious about it. Dude is like being chased by death and ends up having to make the impossible choice to save someone he loves. I can't wait to actually get into it. It will be going up fairly high on my 2024 TBR, there's no way I'm waiting until Autumn. 

13. Dragonfall by L.R. Lam - I'm literally just falling to the hype train. I have heard a lot about this, mostly that it's just a better version of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and they had only one copy remaining at the bookstore, so while in Rome, yeah? I figured I'd grab it during the sale and give it a try. 

14. Daughters of the Madurai by Rajasree Variyar - I've been looking at this for a few months. It follows girls from India who are not exactly....desired is the word I'm going to use. Much like in China, boys were prized and girls were considered bad. I think this follows some girls who were meant to have been 'disposed of' who were actually just sent off to other homes. I dunno. It looked interesting and I have been dying to try it. 

15. September House by Carissa Orlando - Okay, so I was born in September and I also like to annoy people in hopes they will go away. I presume that's what's going on here. The house is doing the haunting, not being haunted. I say it on Kayla's channel not all that long ago and I want to know what is going on. It looked wonderful. 

16. Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano - This island somewhere were they are stuck in 1994. I lived through 1994 (I was 5 at the time, but it counts), so I am very curious to see what sort of shenanigans he gets up to in the novel. I love the fact the cover is an old VHS tape. It is brilliant. I cannot wait. 

17. Atalanta by Jennifer Saint - I adored her other books, Ariadne & Elektra, so naturally I had to pick up the next book in her retellings of Greek mythological women. I like that she's also going for the moderately lesser known ones. You don't hear the stories of any of them as often as you hear Persephone, Circe, Medusa, Psyche....and the like. They kind of get lost in the sands of history. I am excited to read Atalanta and see what she does with it. 

18. Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun - I'm sure there was a good reason originally why I had this on my wishlist on Amazon (which is here if anyone is curious), but I do not remember what it even is. Either way I still picked it up because it looks beautiful and I cannot wait to get to it. Not a clue what it's about. Other than it's a fantasy.