What We've Been Reading: March 2023

Welcome! You've reached the place where we, on a monthly basis, gather up what the Lighthouse team are currently reading. You can check out round-ups from previous months amongst our Read Think Act posts.

March brings swashbuckling older pirates and fresh reading on feminism and disability.

Noor

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - a very very fun swashbuckling read by the writer of the Daevabad Trilogy. Al-Sirafi thought her pirate days were behind her and that despite everything, she was now just going to be a good mother to her young daughter. But one day, opportunity comes knocking on her door. Amina believes that this will be her last adventure - she absolutely promises it will be - but little does she know that her past is catching up with her. This book is a pleasure to read. The heroes are all older, they have aching bones and more experience and wisdom than many - not to mention a huge amount of heart. A pirate found family adventure, told in the style of old Sinbad stories, and about an legendary older woman pirate who rules the waves.

The Patriarchs by Angela Saini - An in-depth, frankly mind altering book about the history and origins of patriarchies - and their precarity.

Mairi

Poor Little Sick Girls was a really fresh and interesting on disability & desirability & the pitfalls of girl-boss feminism. The Silence Project was a page turner with a lot to chew on, including a fascinating fictional dystopian future obsessed with over-population.

Christina

Have just finished Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, an incredible multi-generational story about memory, love, trauma and recipes set in the Caribbean, London, Italy and California (also it features several queer characters!).

I’m now reading Drei Kameradinnen by Shida Bazyar (english translation rights have already sold I think, so keep an eye out for that!), and Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore, and Bisexual Men Exist by Vaneet Mehta.

Peach

Sad Little Men by Richard Beard, I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy and Milk Fed by Melissa Broder

Jess

I've found everything by Emily Berry to be a burst of life and Unexhausted Time is a joy of preciseness mixed with irreverent playfulness. Also reading We. The Heartbroken by Gargi Bhattacharyya

Rachel

She Who Became the Sun is a compelling story about fate and what it means to strive for greatness.