Reading Log!
Apr. 2nd, 2026 06:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mintyorca posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
booknookHi! This is my first post ^_^ here's what I've been reading lately and some of my thoughts!
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
This was my first horror romance book, and I thought it was really successful at the romance part. I thought that the establishment of the two main characters as childhood sweethearts that are separated and reunited later with a bit of friction kept things interesting. I liked the setting of the Mexican rancho and I felt like I could picture certain scenes in a very cinematic light. The characters were somewhat flat beyond the main couple but I did enjoy their banter and the way they worked together, I often enjoy stories where a couple breaks up and comes back together to find their old dynamic sparks up again. As for the horror, it was pretty sparse. I didn't think it was that violent or gory, which was a bit of a let down for me because I was hoping for something with a little more of that horror intensity. Overall, it was worth checking out for me if you're into romance but like some action with it.
Hot Girls with Balls by Benedict Nguyễn
I really liked the unconventional prose of this, it took a bit to get the hang of it but once I did it was really interesting and offbeat in this way I really responded to. The relationship between the two main characters was so loving, you really felt the sense of trans sisterhood in the face of all this scrutiny and danger. The aspect of them being sports celebrities/influencers felt very relevant and real to current events, I know for some people this book is "too gen Z" but to me it just reflected the reality and immediacy of the dangerous rhetoric of transphobia toward trans women in sports and public life etc. There was a lot of dark humor I connected with, though the social media feed segments were challenging to read in their vitriol I think that was the point of them. This one really surprised me.
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
This book was really creepy and unsettling in a way I had a great time with. The themes of motherhood, cruelty, inherited trauma and trying to find the truth no matter the consequences made for a really good mix for a murder mystery. I liked at the beginning how it reminded me of internet lore or creepypasta, and it was fun to try and piece the clues together. I'm not a big mystery reader typically but the way this almost had a horror feel to it really kept me compelled.
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
This was my first horror romance book, and I thought it was really successful at the romance part. I thought that the establishment of the two main characters as childhood sweethearts that are separated and reunited later with a bit of friction kept things interesting. I liked the setting of the Mexican rancho and I felt like I could picture certain scenes in a very cinematic light. The characters were somewhat flat beyond the main couple but I did enjoy their banter and the way they worked together, I often enjoy stories where a couple breaks up and comes back together to find their old dynamic sparks up again. As for the horror, it was pretty sparse. I didn't think it was that violent or gory, which was a bit of a let down for me because I was hoping for something with a little more of that horror intensity. Overall, it was worth checking out for me if you're into romance but like some action with it.
Hot Girls with Balls by Benedict Nguyễn
I really liked the unconventional prose of this, it took a bit to get the hang of it but once I did it was really interesting and offbeat in this way I really responded to. The relationship between the two main characters was so loving, you really felt the sense of trans sisterhood in the face of all this scrutiny and danger. The aspect of them being sports celebrities/influencers felt very relevant and real to current events, I know for some people this book is "too gen Z" but to me it just reflected the reality and immediacy of the dangerous rhetoric of transphobia toward trans women in sports and public life etc. There was a lot of dark humor I connected with, though the social media feed segments were challenging to read in their vitriol I think that was the point of them. This one really surprised me.
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
This book was really creepy and unsettling in a way I had a great time with. The themes of motherhood, cruelty, inherited trauma and trying to find the truth no matter the consequences made for a really good mix for a murder mystery. I liked at the beginning how it reminded me of internet lore or creepypasta, and it was fun to try and piece the clues together. I'm not a big mystery reader typically but the way this almost had a horror feel to it really kept me compelled.
