Manga, English literature and some German literature… Sounds like a great reading month!
Fiction – English
A Crane Among Wolves – June Hur
Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.
1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.
I am aware that this book was also on my TBR last month, but I was a bit too busy reading the previous book of the author’s work: The Red Palace. It’s so good!
Sweet Bean Paste – Durian Sukegawa
Sentaro has failed. He has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste.
But everything is about to change.
Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. She begins to teach him her craft, but as their friendship flourishes, social pressures become impossible to escape and Tokue’s dark secret is revealed, with devastating consequences.
This book was recommended to me by someone who has a very similar taste as me in books. However, I am not going to lie, it’s not often that I pick up these types of books. I’ve been leaning towards different genres now as I am growing older, but it still feels super new since my reading habits have changed a lot over the past few years.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club – Malinda Lo
Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.
America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.
Collecting dust? Yes, this book has been collecting dust ever since it came out in 2021 and I’ve never read it. For some reason I have the feeling this is going to be the month, just because I think this book feels more like a book to be read in summer. Maybe I am a bit odd when it comes to these things, but personally I have favourite genres for each month. For example, I love fantasy in autumn and winter.
Fiction – German
Zeilenflüstern – Kyra Groh
Seine Stimme bedeutet ihr alles – bis sie ihm begegnet
Jede Nacht lässt sich Klara von Noel Carter in den Schlaf flüstern. Dabei kennt sie nur seine Stimme. Alles andere versteckt der Hörbuchsprecher hinter einem Pseudonym. Bis ihr erster Job bei der Sweet Lemon Agency Klara in ein Tonstudio führt, in dem ausgerechnet Noel auf sie wartet. Er soll ihre Werbetexte für eine sinnliche neue Kampagne einsprechen – und hasst jedes Wort davon. Denn für den gescheiterten Schauspieler sind die Aufnahmen ein weiterer Beweis dafür, dass er von niemandem ernstgenommen wird. Von niemandem außer Klara, die ihm zeigt, wie viel zwischen den Zeilen steht.
German critics rave about this story and that is how I found out about the existence of this book. When I went to purchase the book during a day trip to Germany, the owner of the bookstore immediately walked up to me to tell me about the book and how enthusiastic she is about the story. Then it must be good, right?
I had hoped to read this book last month, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to, so I will give it a shot this month and if I like it I am in luck, since the second novel in this instalment will come out this month.
Manga
The Apothecary Diaries Manga, Vol. 3 – Nekokurage (Artist), Natsu Hyuuga (Original Story), Itsuki Nanao (Composition), Touco Shino (Character Design)
After putting on a successful and sensual(?) show of food tasting at the garden banquet, Maomao is the talk of the palace! But she soon discovers that notoriety isn’t the only thing the party has granted her! Her collection of hairpins from the event brings the young herbalist a brief window of freedom beyond the palace walls, as she returns to the pleasure district for the first time in ten months! But while reunions with her father and her friends await, so too does another mystery…
I absolutely adore the anime, but since it will take some time before the second season comes out, I hope to read as many volumes as I possibly can in the upcoming months.
Which book do you hope to read this month?
Love,
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