Welcome to our wrap up for March 2022! This month went by so fast and just when I was ready for it to end, it had 4 more days. What a problem! Haha. Did you feel that way too?
Kriti’s Selection
February 2021 may have been the 12 books month last year, this year so far, it is March with that high a number. I honestly can’t believe I read so much inspite of feeling exhausted and stretched thin most of the month. But maybe the books I picked up gave me enough energy and enjoyment to keep going and it was easier to do that with their help. Here is all that happened in my mind’s storyland:
Total books read this month: 13
Number of personal picks: 7
Review copies: 6
Buddy Reads: 2
Indie Books: 2
Rereads: 1
Books read this March:
- The romance prompt for March was to read romance with a different culture. It took me a while to find something and when Lauren recommended The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak, I got it and fell in love. A philosophical read that has lots to offer and I will think about for a long time, this one is an exploration of Sufism and society. Read more on Goodreads. We will post our monthly wrap up for the challenge on the 4th.
- My re-read for this month was Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (Goodreads), a mindfulness and personal development book by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The audiobook was only 4 hours long, an abridged version of the book, and yet, I was lost in it for much longer. Time was just different when I was listening to it and I hope to bring you my notes at some point.
- When I am tired, exhausted and feeling like the world is against me, I find myself turning to books about women my age. Six Days in Rome by Francesca Giacco (Goodreads) and Tides by Sara Freeman (Goodreads, Review link) were two such books for me this month. Both about women in their late twenties-early thirties, disconnected from their family for some reason, they helped me contemplate life and be in another woman’s shoes for a bit, observing and learning.
- I picked up a Jane Austen retelling by Elizabeth Gilliland: What Happened on Box Hill. A fun adventure with characters from many of Jane Austen’s books, all in one place – a Southern university sorority, this book offers laughs, suspense and familiarity. My review can be read here and you can find other reviews on Goodreads.
- My two buddy reads this month were complete opposites. With SK, I read The Keeper of Secrets by Kylie Lee Baker (Goodreads). This Fantasy novel with gods of death, English and Japanese folklore was a page-turner! Discussion coming to the blog later this month! With Ariel, I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads), a non-fiction about HeLa cells. This one gave me lots to think about and the discussion will be live on the 12th!
- Another non-fiction that I picked up was Life’s Messy, Live Happy: Things Don’t Have to Be Perfect for You to Be Content by Cy Wakeman (Goodreads).
- I found one of the hardest-to-read and beloved historical fictions of all times in Reyna Grande’s A Ballad of Love and Glory. A book about the Mexican War, this one taught me so much. Add the book to your Goodreads shelf and be sure to read my review and interview with the author!
- The Girl and the Goddess and The Palace of Illusions from the last wrap up got me hooked to Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel (Goodreads). A beautiful retelling of the Ramayana, this one was eye-opening and challenging. Reconciling this version with the epic was sometimes hard but I loved it! My review will be on Nerd Daily in coming days and I will be chatting with Ariel about it on the blog closer to publication at the end of April, but you can read a short version of my review on Goodreads.
- Another book that I found a cultural and philosophical connection with was People Change by Vivek Shraya. Heather sent her copy to me in our latest care package and I made so many notes. People Change is a collection of thoughts about childhood, identity, relationships, and personal growth. I have come to similar conclusions as Vivek and it is heartwarming to read someone else ask the same questions that have plagued me on and off. An easy effortless read that felt like floating on a river that had just the right pace for me to experience the journey. Check it out on Goodreads.
- It was The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont (Goodreads) that got me intrigued by Agatha Christie’s life. Though I read Marie Benedict’s speculative fiction about it, The Mystery of Mrs Christie (Goodreads, Review link) first, it worked really well to have read a story from Archie and Agatha’s point of view before reading the mistress, Nan O’Dea. A surprisingly good tale, I look forward to writing about it in the future!
- The Script Rebellion by Morgan Quaid is a dark story about a middle-aged man, Litmus, who runs an Inkery. His life is predictable and his routine for the days is set. When a young woman catches his eye, they fall in love and build a life together. He teaches her his craft and she excels at it, as if she has a gift. The cruel monarch, fearing magic, captures his beloved, sending Litmus on a quest to get her back. His descent into the underworld of his city and the drive to be with her again is heartbreaking to read. You can find my full review and learn more about the book on Goodreads.
Total TBR: 227 (Mar 1) -> 241 (Apr 1)
Again, a month of finding so many awesome books! Growing my TBR is a wonderful hobby in itself, separate from reading and collecting books.
Personal
- The Palace of Illusions introduced Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni to me. Since her retelling of the Mahabharata was so stunning, I have added The Forest of Enchantments, Ramayan’s Sita version, to my TBR. I have been reading one book that is related to my culture every month and I am quite enjoying it! It has helped me reflect on my roots, the teachings I grew up with… just be home.
- The Count of Monte Cristo was my mammoth read last year. I have been thinking about challenging myself with another book, even if it is half the size. I can’t get Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead out of my mind. I have always been attracted to stories about aviation and this one promises to be a thoughtful read about two women. The paperback is out on the 4th so maybe I will get that. Check out this book on Goodreads.
- My avid reader friend, Al, mentioned Heather O’Neill’s When We Lost Our Heads as his latest read, darker than her other books. I haven’t read her before and am going to try this one out. Read more about this tale about friends on Goodreads.
Commitment
Around mid-March, I attended #HarperPresents: 2022 Summer Fiction Preview event hosted by Harper Collins Canada! It was a lot of fun and brought multitudes of books to my attention. It was like going to the bookstore with a gift card (as influencers, we were all guaranteed at least one physical ARC and two digital galleys). Two that I am very excited to read are:
- With an upcoming wedding and books like The Forty Rules of Love, the longevity of love and marriage is getting some attention from me. The Truth about Ben and June by Alex Keister jumped out at me in this preview season because it is offering me a chance to explore just what I want! This book is out in June. See what the plot is about on Goodreads.
- I love books with libraries and librarians and historical fiction is one of my most read genres so this one was a must-read for me: The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin is the story of two librarians, one in France and the other in the US, during the second world war. Read the synopsis on Goodreads. This book will be released in July.
From Orbit’s newsletter and browsing on BNC CataList, the catalogue website for upcoming books, I added two May releases to my arcs-I-want-t-make-time-to-read-list:
- I first heard about The Stardust Thief from Nils at The Fantasy Hive during the WordNerdCafe Ep.49 – BookBlogger Special: Books of the Year podcast episode. Ariel will be reviewing it first in May! Excited to see what she thinks and dive into it when I get a chance. Check it out for yourself on Goodreads.
- I have recently become interested in exploring more narratives around colonialism. I grew up in India and moved to Canada less than a decade ago. We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama promises to be a good read. Learn more on Goodreads.
After writing all these themes I have been investigating every month, it is kind of cool to see how many interesting stories we can pursue over the course of a month! Are there any topics you are quite attracted to right now? Or have been in the past?
Ariel’s Selection for March
Notes and Summary:
In March, I participated in Trope-ical readathon and it was really fun to complete different trope prompts. I also read three books from my B2Weird Book club tours, and read a few Netgalley arcs as well. Overall, this has been a solid reading month!
Top Three Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, & Literary
Top three book moods: Emotional, adventurous, & Mysterious
Top book plot pace: medium
Most common book size: 300-499 pages
Number of Books: 13
Number of Pages: 4,819
Bookish Highlights of the Month:
Five-Star of the Month: Fevered Star
Notable Arc: The Blood Trials
Prettiest Cover: Magic Steeped in Poison
What was your favorite read for March?
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful reading month in April. 🙂
Be First to Comment