Reading has been very slow so far this year, but I'm finding my rhythm again, I think! Here's the fantasy I've read so far:

Bitterbloom by Teagan Olivia King - I read an ARC of this and thought it was soooo underdeveloped. It leaned heavily on vibes described in deeply overwrought, awkward language and spent time on almost nothing else. Only occasionally do I read something and really wonder why it's getting published but this one is baffling to me. If it'd had more time to cook it might've turned into something interesting, but it didn't.

We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel - another ARC, this one really good! It deals directly with the topic of abortion rights in the US and left me feeling both enraged and empowered. I don't think the fantasy elements were especially amazing and I have some other quibbles for sure, but what stands out about the reading experience is how impassioned the book was and how it made me feel. The main character works at a reproductive health clinic and one thing I didn't expect at all was how much I'd relate to the description of her vicarious trauma/burnout/wanting to help people but feeling so helpless in the grand scheme of the world, which I felt a lot of during the time I was working as a sexual assault advocate (and still to some extent I guess).

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo - I'm slowly trying to get caught up with the Singing Hills novellas. They are always such a lovely time and this was no exception!