April HORRORscope
by: Katelynn Jasper
SHOP THIS ISSUE HERE: https://bookshop.org/lists/suspense-readin-magazine.
Dear Reader,
Spring is officially in the air! This is the perfect time for ushering in Earth Day on April 22nd and grabbing a bouquet of freshly cut flowers to stave off any downsides of Mercury in retrograde, starting off the month. This is the perfect time to dust off those gardening tools, peruse your local farmer’s market, and grab that eco horror book that’s been calling to you. It’s the perfect month to stop and smell the roses—just check for teeth first.
*Please check trigger warnings*
Aquarius
Aquarius, as the first in the line of Zodiac signs you might suffer a little from first daughter woes and you may find yourself helping others bloom before yourself. This April is a great time to put yourself first and buy that beautiful bouquet of flowers to freshen up your home and remind yourself that your growth is worthy of prioritizing.
On your TBR for this month, check out A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock. In this lush gothic horror debut, two Victorian gentlemen, Simon and Gregor, live out their wildest dreams and deepest loves in a lush botanical garden. But things turn shadowy when Gregor discovers a fungus which shows signs of intellect beyond any plant he’s seen and he decides to go where no scientist has gone before and create a plant-beast. Nature’s fury over this abomination and the repercussions of Gregor and Simon’s choices will cultivate a garden of bloody revenge. You’ll start talking extra nicely to your plants after reading this novel.
Pisces
Pisces, let action water that big, beautiful garden of dreams that swirls around in your mind and on your vision boards. This April, try supporting your local community garden by buying the perfect seasonal fruits and veggies for making a nutritional smoothie that will get those brain juices flowing. That way you can create a plan to bring yourself closer to your true calling.
On your TBR for this month, check out Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris. In this novel, artist Rita is struggling with the death of her estranged father. When she unexpectedly wins a spot at an artist’s retreat, thanks to her girlfriend forging an application on her behalf, Rita finds herself in an isolated cabin that happens to be located where her father grew up. But reconnecting with the past doesn’t seem as fruitful as she hoped, as she is surrounded by strange sounds, suspicious locals, and a swamp that calls to Rita a little too strongly. The puddles created by those infamous April showers have nothing on the monsters in the muddy waters of this book.
Aries
Aries, your hardworking nature knows exactly how to plant the perfect seeds and watch your garden grow. This April, treat yourself to creating an indoor herb garden so you can enjoy mint, rosemary, or any of your other favorite herbs all year long.
On your TBR for this month, check out What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. In this retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend is dying. Upon their arrival to the home of the Ushers, they find behind each door something that doesn’t sit right. In this house their friend Madeline sleepwalks and her hair seems to move on its own accord. Madeline’s brother is consumed by a mysterious malady of the nerves. But worst and most unsettling of all, the once picturesque lake in front of the house now pulses with nightmarish fungal growth that threatens everything dear to Alex. This book not only supports mushrooms’ rights but mushrooms’ wrongs.
Taurus
Taurus, you are a fan of the finer things in life despite being one of the most laid-back signs. I mean, who said you couldn’t bed rot in the finest linens with a good thread count? This April, treat yourself to that rare plant at your local plant shop, you’ve been eyeing to bring a unique touch to your living space that will have each of your visitors talking.
On your TBR for this month, check out A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher. This morsel of Southern Gothic goodness starts off with a simple, yet spine-tingling sentence, “Mom seems off.” Samantha “Sam” Montgomery studies creepy crawly things for a living, but when her research is put on hold, she decides to return home for a visit. There, her mother, her grandmother’s pristine rose garden, and dark family secrets await her. The deeper Sam begins to poke around what might be the cause of her mom’s sudden strange behavior, the more she learns that some gardens aren’t worth digging deeply in. Don’t worry, any crawling across your skin you feel while reading this book is just your imagination.
Gemini
Gemini, your ability to shift in any situation, whether it be from talking about Kpop, to what happens after we die, is iconic like the cotton rose that goes from white to pink as the day progresses in order to signal to pollinators what pollination stage they are at. This April, make yourself a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade and add butterfly pea flower tea to watch your drink go from yellow to a surprising color.
On your TBR for this month, check out Follow Me To Ground by Sue Rainsford. In this book, Ada and her father live on the edge of town where they help sick locals they call “Cures” by burying them…alive. When Ada meets a “Cure” that captures her attention and her heart like no one has before, she finds herself torn between her old way of life and the new possibilities with her lover. This haunting novel about womanhood and the secrets of the Earth will make the saying “touch some grass” carry a whole new meaning.
Cancer
Cancer, you get great satisfaction from caring for your loved ones in a way that would make Mother Nature proud. This April, try propagating one of your own plants to bring to a local plant swap where you can find a new cutting to nurture and grow.
On your TBR for this month, check out The Ruins by Scott Smith. On a vacation to Mexico, two young couples spend their time living it up soaking in the sun and sucking down all the drinks. But when the brother of one of the friends they’ve made during their time in Mexico disappears, they agree to help look for him in the nearby jungle. When they stumble upon an ancient ruins site, the memories of their fun days in the sun quickly disappear as they spiral into a full-blown nightmare where even overgrown vines can’t be trusted. You won’t be branching out after reading the last page of this book.
Leo
Leo, your confidence and creativity are on full display the moment the winter blues wash away and the spring sunlight takes over. This April, participate in painting a mural at your local garden or volunteer at your local farmers’ market, passing out flyers for a cause you care about.
On your TBR for this month, check out Fruiting Bodies: Stories by Kathryn Harlan. This collection of short stories confidently ranges from the gothic to the uncanny, with myths and folklore woven throughout. Readers will find feasts born from mushrooms that sprout from living bodies, a roadtrip across a land altered by climate change, supernatural creatures, and more. This beautifully bizarre collection is a cornucopia of goodness so juicy you won’t be able to resist taking a bite.
Virgo
Virgo, your tendency to always be of help to others will bring a bounty of happiness, love, and good fortune back to you. This April, try creating a seed library full of this year’s veggies, flowers, and fruits that will be perfect for creating a shareable garden with family and friends next spring season.
On your TBR for this month, check out Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. In this novel, nature has officially claimed a mysterious part of the world called Area X. This story opens up on the twelfth expedition into this land, long forgotten by civilization, where an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, a biologist, and a team leader will discover that nature isn’t just good at creating beauty but nightmares as well. Get ready to side-eye the furry visitors to your local park and gardens.
Libra
Libra, you are drawn to beauty in all its forms and spring is a special treat for you as the Earth reawakens and bursts with new life. This April, go on a nature scavenger hunt around your neighborhood or on your local trail and see what pretty things catch your eye, whether it’s a beetle with a shiny shell or a new flower bud.
On your TBR this month, check out Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G Drews. Andrew is a boarding school student who becomes increasingly concerned about his artistic roommate, Thomas, whose dark drawings seem to come to life as terrifying creatures in the nearby forest. Andrew soon learns that in order to destroy the monstrous things in this world, he must first reach in and pull the monstrous roots deep within himself out for good. This book is sharper than the thorns of a rose.
Scorpio
Scorpio, any plant you bring home from your local garden center is lucky because you are an expert at pouring your heart into the things that matter to you This April, go on an adventure at your local thrift store to find some cute new planters and baskets to spruce up your menagerie of plants at home.
On your TBR this month, check out Field Notes from a Nightmare edited by Alex Ebenstein. Pollution, extinction, and rising sea levels, oh my! This collection of short stories delves into Mother Nature’s revenge on humanity for having more of a bloody thumb than a green thumb. These stories will serve as the perfect motivation for going green this spring.
Sagittarius
Sagittarius, you are truly the embodiment of the saying, “When life gives you lemons.” Your optimism draws people to you like a bee to a flower. This April, support a local eco-friendly store and grab some reusable snack bags or dryer balls to freshen up your space for Earth Day. On your TBR this month, check out Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It’s the 1950s in Mexico and Noemi Taboada is a stylish socialite who leaves her lavish world behind to investigate her newly married cousin’s disturbing claims that she is being poisoned by her new husband and family. The deeper Noemi delves into her cousin’s new family’s secrets, the more she finds herself in a rotting world of horror. This novel is the perfect combination of psychological horror and eco horror that will have you boycotting the mushroom section of your grocery shop for a while.
Capricorn
Capricorn, your persistence is what would make you the ultimate gardener should you choose to become one. Even the most persnickety of plants would thrive under your green thumb. This April, start a garden focused on wild flora that is local to your area and build a bee home to welcome buzzing buddies and benefit the environment.
On your TBR this month, check out The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister. For as long as any member can remember, the Haddesley family has tended to a cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them and gifts each Haddesley man with a wife…until one year when it doesn’t. Years have passed since that cursed time and middle child Wenna is summoned back home in the hopes of persuading her family to abandon their patrimony and seek greener pastures elsewhere. Nature vs nurture have a ball in this unforgettable novel.
This April, I am rooting (haha) for you all to find your next favorite read.
Till next time!
Yours dreadfully,
