Wasn’t March just the longest month ever? I kept looking at the date on the calendar and being like how are we still in March? However, it’s finally over and hopefully April will bring better things. I read 19 books in March, which I feel pretty good about because I was somewhat slumpy for a good part of it. You’ll find my thoughts below the cut.
- Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: After I finished the last book, I knew I needed to pick up the next book immediately. After a cliffhanger like that, how could I not? I liked this one. It had some interesting developments in the characters and the story line. I enjoyed seeing the world further the develop, and I liked how they resolved the love triangle and the series as a whole. However, conclusion wise, it didn’t blow me away, hence the four star rating. I had fun, and that’s what’s important. Now we’ll see if I continue on with the duology set in this world that she wrote.
2. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: Ninth House was the February #bestiemademe book that I read and I was super interested in it. I have a full review of it here.
3. Magna Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Graphic Novel
Review: I was looking for alternatives for my grade 8 English class to be able to read some Shakespeare, so I checked this out from the library. I don’t know if this the way that I’ll go about it in the future, but I liked the basic premise of it. It is an easier access point.
4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: Another re-read of Hamlet for another English 12 class. I upped it to 5 stars this time because I just always have so much fun reading this play with my students.
5. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This book was an unexpected delight for me. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it and it was a very, very long book. I really, really liked the premise. It was long and it stressed me out a little bit but I had such a fun time trying to figure out whodunnit and what exactly was going on.
6. The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I just love this series so much and this was absolutely a perfect conclusion to it. I highly recommend. Please read it ASAP.
7. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I have been meaning to read this for quite awhile. I have a mass market paperback edition of the book but I never picked it up. But then I read the audiobook. I had a fun time with it. I like alternate history imaginings and I also like Jack the Ripper stuff. I had fun reading this book, but it wasn’t my favourite.
8. Cursed by Thomas Wheeler
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a book I picked up on a whim because I’d heard about it on Bookstagram/BookTube. I wasn’t really sure what it was about, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it was an Arthurian retelling. I liked the idea behind it, and the story was good. However, some of the POV switching doesn’t really translate well in the audiobook. It made it a little confusing.
9. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I love this series so much, and this was a really good addition. I know it can be hit or miss for some people, but it’s so fantastical. I liked revisiting the Moors and getting to see Jack and Jill again. I also really liked getting to visit some of the other characters. I like how Seanan McGuire is able to cram so much magic in such a short book.
10. We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian
Rating: 5 stars
Format: eBook
Review: This was an eARC I got, and I was really into it. It had some really good feminist themes that I enjoyed reading about. There’s a review of it here.
11. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a re-read and it is definitely my favourite Stephenie Meyer book. There are definitely some maybe not great things about this book, but I’m super duper fond of it and had a really good time listening to the audiobook of it. If you haven’t checked this out yet, you should.
12. American Royals by Katharine McGee
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was my March #bestiemademe book. I absolutely loved it, and I have a full review of it here.
13. Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This book was weird for me because it took me forever to get into it. I started it physically, and ended up needing to listen to it on audiobook to be able to get through it. It’s weird and peculiar, but I ended up enjoying it.
14. Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was another book I started physically and had to switch to audiobook because I was struggling to find the motivation. I think it’s the weakest book in the series, but I also think that audiobook is the way to go with this series. The narrator’s southern accent adds a serious level of charm to these stories. I had fun listening to this one, but plot wise it wasn’t my favourite.
15. Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rating: 4 stars
Format: eBook
Review: This was a good sequel collection of short stories. I really like the potential of this world and just wish that the way the series is organized wasn’t so weird. I liked the introduction of Ciri, and enjoyed a lot of the other adventures. I have to admit I missed the framework that was featured in the first short story collection, but this was still really good.
16. Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I liked this book a lot more than the second book, but less than the first book in the series. This was a fun road trip story. I love Harper and the accent of the narrator really makes the story come alive. I think the ending of this story was a perfect conclusion to the series.
17. Catherine, The Great Journey by Kristiana Gregory
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was something I picked up because I wanted something quick and easy. It was genuinely so much fun. I liked reading from Catherine’s perspective because she was a figure that I didn’t really know a whole lot about. She was endearing. I really love the Royal Diaries series.
18. Marie Antoinette: Serial Killer by Katie Alender
Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This book was absolutely ridiculous, but I had a lot of fun listening to it so I gave it three stars. The premise is silly, and certain things that happened are quite silly. I don’t really recommend it, but it hit a certain kind of spot for me.
19. Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I really loved this book. I got it on audio from Scribd and I listened to it in one sitting pretty much while working from home. It was super read hearing about a girl named Ashley in a book, but I really enjoyed her as a character. I liked the story, though it was quite gruesome in places as well. I highly recommend it.
That’s everything I read in March! What did you read?
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