🌈 March Reviews ☘️
March 1st-31st
I’m having an incredible reading year. This month I read another 18 books, which got me to 54 books read for the year so far. There are many favorites in this list and a few of my least favorites of the year.
Book 37: The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man
By Lloyd Alexander
Read March 1st- 2nd
Pages: 107
Release Year: 1973
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I made it a goal to read all of Lloyd Alexander’s books after loving his The Chronicles of Prydain series a few years ago. Sadly, this is another of his stories I didn’t enjoy as much as I wanted to. This is much too short and I wish there was more time devoted to getting to know Lionel, especially before he becomes a human. It is a children’s book though and I’m sure they would enjoy the adventure aspects of it. I think Lloyd Alexander always has interesting premises for his books.
Book 38: The Book of (More) Delights: Essays
By Ross Gay
Read March 2nd
Pages: 304
Release Year: 2023
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I’m so glad that I found this book. Ross’s collection of essays reminds me a bit of John Green’s book The Anthropocene Reviewed with the amount of topics he is discussing and how he chooses to. Ross Gay shows great honestly when sharing these little moments from his life. There is so much humor in these essays along with heartwarming moments and difficult topics.
It is beautiful to look into these pieces of a life and learn so much of how he thinks. This would be an interesting writing assignment for a creative writing class.
Some of my favorites essays are:
~ “The Perfect Notebook”
~ “(Foot-End-Etc.) Notes”- I am also a person who loves reading footnotes in books and I love his discussion on this.
~ “Dad in Dream Unaging”- I obviously really connected to his essays on his father.
~ “The Purple Iris Angel”
~ “Eat Candy! Destroy the State!”
~ “Friends Let Us Do Our Best Not to Leave This Life Having Not Loved What We Love Enough”
~ “How Literature Saved My Life”
~ “Angels All”
Ross’s writing is a treasure and I will be picking up his first book of delights sometime soon. He makes you want to enjoy even the small aspects in life and find what can be considered “delights” even when it feels hard to do so in the world we are living in.
Book 39: Octopus Moon
By Bobbie Pyron
Read March 3rd-4th
Pages: 336
Release Year: 2025
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Octopus Moon is a book I didn't know I needed in my life, but I'm so glad I found it. It is about a young girl named Pearl who is dealing with many changes in her life as she starts fifth grade. She is having a difficult time finding the energy and the willpower to do what she needs and wants to do. The story is written from her perspective in verse as she navigates her life and deals with depression.
"Depression lies."
This was such a touching story which I related to on so many levels. I haven't had depression since I was Pearl's age but it has been a part of my life for many years. Never thought I'd see myself so much in this ten year old girl. So much of what she expresses in these beautiful lines of verse is what I feel on my darkest days. It had me tearing up as I read many parts of her story.
Over the years, I have had to learn to cope just like she does with her therapist. I like how the author also shows how depression can be generational and the stigmas against it. She shows how hard it is to have an invisible disease that is only in your own head.
One of the best parts is watching Pearl and her family/friends working together to help Pearl get through the bad and the good days. It was beautiful to see her with such a healthy support system in her life. They are not perfect and it is important to show young readers how everyone learns and grows.
"Love is a verb."
Pearl's fascination with marine life, especially turtles and octopuses plays a big role in the plot too. I enjoyed reading the sections where she got excited about these creatures. It was heartwarming.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It will be great for the middle grade readers in your life, but I also believe adults should read it too. Pearl's story is one I'm sure many people will relate to and one I think needs to be read. Definitely, one of the best middle grades I have read in my life.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.*
Book 40: The 13 Clocks
By James Thurber
Read March 8th
Pages: 128
Release Year: 1950
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Such a wonderful little book. The 13 Clocks reminds me of a fairy tale with so much whimsy. I only wish that it was a little longer than it was. The humor makes it stand out from other books meant for younger readers and I highly recommend it. James Thurber has an interesting writing style and I will definitely be picking up more of his stories. I’m glad I finally read this after so many years.
Book 41: A Harvest of Hearts
By Andrea Eames
Read March 9th-10th
Pages: 448
Release Year: 2025
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I was first drawn to this book because of it being comped as an adult novel with Howl's Moving Castle vibes. Howl is everything to me and I will read anything that could resemble it. This does have some of those vibes in the beginning but diverges from there. I enjoyed reading about Foss's story and seeing her relationship with Sylvester. There were parts in the middle of the book that lost some of the momentum for me, which had me put the book down a few times. But the overall story had me wanting to know what would happen next.
I loved Cornelius, the talking cat who stole my heart (pun intended) from his introduction. He was the best part of this book. Also, I liked many of the scenes with the sentient house that is just as grumpy and petulant as its master could be. Man, I'd love to have both the house and Cornelius in my life.
This story is quite dark for a cozy fantasy especially dealing with the heart harvesting. Though, I will say there is still a good amount of whimsy and cozy feelings. It feels like a dark fairy tale the entire time and I cannot get enough of those. I had a great time listening to the audiobook and reading the ebook. It was not a perfect story but the charm made up for it.
*Thank you to NetGalley for my ARCs of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 42: The Lives of Christopher Chant
By Diana Wynne Jones
Read March 11th-13th
Pages: 336
Release Year: 1988
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I loved getting to know Christopher so much more in this book. This makes the first book even better knowing his backstory and all he went through in his childhood. Such a great prequel. I cannot get enough of Diana Wynne Jones’s writing and I’m looking forward to continuing with the series.
Book 43: A Tail of Disruption
By Tanya J. Scott
Read March 14th
Pages: 144
Release Year: 2025
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Another wonderful addition to the Wizkit series. I enjoyed following Wizkit and the Triplets in this adventure, as they try to find out who kidnapped their friend Book. This has many great messages for children, just like the first. Also, the artwork is beautiful and quirky. The illustrations stand out from what I have seen before in graphic novels. Such a great little world.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 44: Heidi: A Graphic Novel
By Mariah Marsden
Read March 14th
Pages: 160
Release Year: 2025
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Heidi: A Graphic Novel is a beautifully illustrated adaptation of the story. I grew up watching the Shirley Temple version with my grandma and I remember adoring that movie so much as a little girl. This graphic novel would be great for younger readers just like Mariah Marsden’s other adaptions of classic novels. I know it made me want to pick up the novel for the first time. The little additions after the story were great to help children learn more about the time period and other aspects from the story.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 45: The Secret of Safe Passage
By Martin Baynton
Read March 13th-15th
Pages: 314
Release Year: 2021
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March 13th-15th, 2025 reread:
I wanted to reread this book right before reading the sequel and I’m so glad I did. The mystery in this book is so interesting. I love where Baynton took this story and how he used the elements from the Alice stories. Cannot wait to finally read what happens next, especially after that ending.
April 1st-2nd, 2023 review:
An interesting take on the world of Wonderland that I cannot wait to see more from. I love Alice's Adventures in Wonderland retellings, and this one was another great example. The Secret of Safe Passage had great originality in the way Baynton takes the elements from the original and reimagines them here. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the Taking Wonderland series and with Ali.
Book 46: Truth and Transformation
By Martin Baynton
Read March 15th-17th
Pages: 321
Release Year: 2025
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I was surprised that I loved this book even more than the first. Martin Baynton does an incredible job with the mystery surrounding what is going on in Wonderland. He has created a retelling where the characters are so different from their original counterparts and fit well into the story he is telling. My favorites are the Hatter, the rabbit, and the Queen. I particularly enjoyed seeing how the Hatter was depicted here.
One of the major plot points of the book is most of the characters searching for truth, whether that be Ali trying to figure out how to help everyone in Wonderland and what Alice’s plan’s were, the detectives back in England trying to discover what happened with Ali, and everyone in Wonderland trying to find their true identities. It is also a story of transformation. We see many characters who have been transformed in Wonderland and how this occurs.
This is a dark take on the world of Wonderland that I cannot wait to see more of, especially after that ending. I have read a lot of Wonderland retellings over the years and this one stood out to me. I will definitely be getting a copy for my collection.
*Thank you to Martin Baynton and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 47: Vanya and the Wild Hunt
By Sangu Mandanna
Read March 17th
Pages: 288
Release Year: 2025
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I love Sangu Mandanna’s writing so much. She has written such an enchanting middle-grade fantasy with a mix of Indian mythology and British folklore thrown in. I love learning more about mythology from other cultures. Sangu’s descriptions are magical and drew me into the story from the first chapter. Gotta love the talking books, familiars, and huge library. Not only is this a story full of magic but it also shows the joy and love of reading.
The neurodivergent representation is a wonderful aspect of this story. I love how supportive most of the adults in Vanya’s life are about how she feels and trying to make her feel comfortable. It is beautiful and such an important story for younger readers. I like that the discussions on ADHD and neurodivergence were broken down in such a way that younger readers would be able to also understand.
Vanya feels so real, and one of the best parts of the story was seeing her finally feeling like she belongs at Auramere. She is such a strong character, who was kind, independent, and brave. Along with Vanya there are so many other great side characters.
Safiyya Ingar does an incredible job narrating the audiobook and creating voices for each of the characters. She was a perfect choice for this book. I highly recommend reading or listening to Vanya’s story. It is a terrific story and I cannot wait for further adventures in this world.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 48: You Could Make This Place Beautiful
By Maggie Smith
Read March 18th-21st
Pages: 320
Release Year: 2023
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I'm glad I didn't look into what this book was about before reading it because I don't believe I would have picked it up at this time. What made me want to read it, was the fact that I have enjoyed the few poems I have read of Maggie's over the years. Also, it has been quite a long time since I read a memoir from a poet and thought this would be a good choice. I was right.
The formatting was interesting. This is a memoir with vignettes/essays from Maggie's life, discussions on literary terms using her experiences as examples, poetry, quotes, and so much more. I know I will be reading her poetry books soon after this. Her poems are great!
There were many lines which stood out to me throughout the pieces. One of my favorites being: "Like the white spaces between stanzas in a poem: What is unspoken, unwritten there? How do we read those silences?"
I could not get enough of her writing even with such a hard topic to read about. There were times that she drew me out of the book which make this not a perfect book, but I enjoyed it a lot. She has given a powerful recounting of such a difficult time in her life. It's vulnerable, heart-wrenching, and aggravating seeing what she has gone through.
I will be thinking about this book for a long time. It is one of the most interestingly laid out memoirs I have ever seen. I'm glad I decided to pick it up for the intricacy alone. It is a memoir about divorce but there is so much more to it than that. Maggie is an incredible writer and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.
My favorite sections are:
~Not That One- I remember when I first read one of Maggie's poems. There was a moment when I read her name and thought woah Maggie Smith (forever one of my favorite actresses) writes poetry too. Then, I found out it was a different person. This story got me laughing as I relived that moment from many years ago. Also, I adore the part where she was talking about her playing school with Rhett. Absolutely adorable!
~The Archive I Have- I love this little snapshot into many of the things her children have said over the years. It makes me think of all the funny, sweet, and insightful things children have said to me during my years as a childcare worker and teacher. It'll never get old.
~ When The Metaphor is Right There- Never underestimate the perceptiveness of a child. They will always surprise you.
~ Rainbow Connection- As an avid playlist maker since middle school, I related greatly with this story. I make playlists for everything. I love reading her stories about her children. They are so genuine and heartfelt. It's obvious how much she adores them.
Book 49: Holy Terrors
By Margaret Owen
Read March 23rd
Pages: 560
Release Year: 2025
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I'm so happy to say that this was the perfect ending to this wonderful trilogy which I have adored for years now. If you have yet to pick it up, do yourself a favor and do so now. It is absolute perfection. This book just like the previous entries has humorous, heartwarming, silly, and emotional scenes. It had me laughing out loud and crying many times. And I will definitely be rereading it in years to come.
Vanya became a favorite character of mine from the instant we were introduced to her in Little Thieves. I love how she's a morally grey character, who is trying to make life better for everyone around her. She is such an interesting protagonist to follow and she is one of my favorites from literature. It has been a joy to watch her grow during the series. I'm going to miss her, but I believe this was perfect ending to her story. Though if Margaret choses to return to this world, I would be immensely happy. I'd read anything with these characters.
I love the little stories Vanya tells throughout the plot. They give various choices she could have made and were heartbreaking at times. I like how they played into the plot. Also, the world building is top-notch as usual. I always enjoy learning about how the kingdoms work in this world and about the gods.
My favorite part of this series is the relationship between Emeric and Vanya. It was great to see them begrudgingly having to work together and seeing their dynamic once again. Their banter is my favorite and I will never get enough of it. Emeric is such a sweetheart. Their romance is everything to me.
Along with Vanya and Emeric, we get many familiar faces and some new ones. Gisele, Ragne, and Joniza are as great as ever and I really liked Lilje and Benno. I love following this group as they try to figure out who is killing the royals. They all work so well off each other.
The most important part of this book is Vanya's journey to accepting and learning to love herself. Vanya has done many terrible things in her past which we see in the previous books. She also has had many people in her life tell her she is not good enough. Her journey to self-discovery is powerful to read and so impactful.
I cannot recommend this series enough. It would definitely get six stars out of five from me. Perfect in every single way. Including Margaret's beautiful illustrations and the wonderful narration from Saskia Maarleveld. She has done a wonderful job narrating Vanya's world and her voice. I am looking forward to adding this final book to my collection.
*Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for both my eARC and audio ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 50: Thirty Things
By Cate Ashwood
Read March 24th-25th
Pages: 210
Release Year: 2015
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March 24th-25th, 2025 reread:
I adore this story so much. Finn and Nate will always be one of my favorite couples and I will never get enough of their story.
May 2nd, 2022 reread:
This book has been one of my absolute favorites for so many years and I cannot tell you how much I love rereading it. It's been quite some time since I last did and man, I enjoyed it so much. Road trip books are some of my favorites and I will always be a sucker for a friends to lovers romance. Just beautiful.
Book 51: Darcy in Wonderland
By Alexa Adams
Read March 25th-26th
Pages: 254
Release Year: 2017
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A clever retelling for fans of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Pride and Prejudice. The story takes place about 20 some years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Darcy have six children and the youngest of them is the imaginative Alice. It starts in Pemberley and has many mentions of characters from P&P, along with Lady Catherine making an appearance. We follow Darcy and Alice into Wonderland. It was such a joy to see how Darcy reacts to the nonsensical events there and all of the “mad” characters.
Book 52: Sense and Sensibility
By Jane Austen
Read March 10th-28th
Pages: 368
Release Year: 1811
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I did not enjoy this as much as I wanted to, especially after loving Pride & Prejudice so much.
Book 53: Looking- Glass Girl
By Cathy Cassidy
Read March 28th
Pages: 272
Release Year: 2015
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I’ve been wanting to pick this up ever since it first came out almost ten years ago, especially since it was a contemporary retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The most interesting part of this was how Cathy Cassidy had you wondering for a good amount of the book what happened to Alice at the sleepover. It wasn’t wanted it to be though.
Book 54: Afia in the Land of Wonders
By Mia Araujo
Read March 28th-30th
Pages: 304
Release Year: 2025
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Afia in the Land of Wonders is a stunning reimagining of one of my favorite stories. Mia created a phenomenal world with breathtaking illustrations throughout. I cannot wait to see the finished book and all of the completed artwork.
I loved reading Afia’s story and how it played out. At its heart, this is about siblings and finding oneself. The author is a twin and she shows the bound between siblings with multiple relationships in the book. This is the heart of the story and so beautiful.
My favorite part of this book was the strangeness of The Land of Wonders called Ijabu. I love that Mia drew inspiration from Wonderland, Western African culture, and folklore. There are so many reminiscent characters of those from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but the best part was seeing the differences. The shapeshifting aspect was such a clever way to bring the creatures into this story. Ojike is my favorite take I have read of the Cheshire Cat. His scenes are some of the best in the book. I loved everything about his character and storyline, which pulls on the heartstrings.
There are also many dark aspects of this story, which I won’t spoil here. It surprised me with the direction it took. This was mixed along with whimsical descriptions that created a world that draws you in along with the characters. I love how the magical market from the first couple of chapters has the reader just as invested in seeing more of the world as Afia.
This is perfect for fans of Wonderland but also distinct enough to draw in fantasy lovers uninterested in a retelling.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my ARC of this wonderful book. All opinions are my own.*
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