The 15 Books I Read in March
Had some amazing reads this month, and some duds, but that’s life. It was a female-heavy month, but I didn’t read as diversely as I ideally would like, so I’m focusing more on that in April!
Some stats:
• 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reads.
• 2 books by primarily Black authors.
• 4 library books.
• 3 were gifted from publishers.
• 7 nonfiction, 8 fiction, 15 total.
Here are the 15 books I read in March:
A Court of Silver Flames
by Sarah J. Maas
review:
New favorite of the series? YUP. 🔥
I found echoes of my own story reflected in these pages, in Nesta and Gwyn and Emerie, in their survival, in the way they learned to fight for themselves so no man could ever overpower them again, in their fiery inner strength. It’s a mighty and magical and moving thing to see yourself in the stories you read, even fantasy books, and to see victory and triumph played out in ways that remind you it’s possible for you, too. Nesta is my new favorite Archeron sister, by FAR. 🙌🏼
This book was incredible. Maas did it again, and blew me away, and I loved it so much.
(ps— trigger warnings for rape and sexual abuse, for murder and war, for pregnancy complications, etc. Also not for a PG audience, trust me. 😅)
You Have a Match
by Emma Lord
review:
imagine the parent trap set in 2021 with one sister being a total insta influencer and there being a dna test/adoption thread added in, and you have this book! cute and fun and full of problems that could be easily solved if people just communicated!
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage
by Anne Lamott
review:
my girl Anne did it again, delivering her signature soul and sass and Spirit-filled goodness, packing a strong punch in a small book, making me laugh and think and settle deeper into truth. forever a favorite author. 🤍
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
by Florence Williams
review:
took myself to @maymont_rva yesterday to read this one (a gem i picked up at @tatteredcoverbookstore on a trip a few years back, perfect for this month’s #unreadshelfproject2021 @theunreadshelf) — it confirmed everything I already suspected: getting outside is essential, the more nature the better, our world is too loud and too urban, nature heals our bodies and spirits and minds, and sunshine is like therapy.
Basically, I loved it, and now I want to go get lost in the woods for a while. ✌🏼
Feelings
by Manjit Thapp
review:
Thanks to @randomhouse for this one! @readalongwithnat saw it in a recent story I posted and raved about it, and I’m so glad I picked it up right away— it’s a beautiful graphic novel that sooooo accurately and honestly tells a story of living with anxiety and depression. I relayed a LOT and felt so seen and known as I read. plus, it’s incredibly beautiful and the illustrations drew me in so much. 😍
What I Carry
by Jennifer Longo
review:
SO glad a friend shared this one with me — I hadn’t heard of it and might never have stumbled upon it, but wowweee I loved it! It’s rare to that books tell a story of teens in foster care in a more positive and redeeming light, and this one did so BEAUTIFULLY. It was motivated by the author’s own foster daughter, and you can tell that the story (although totally fiction) is close to her heart and coming from a place of both firsthand knowledge and deep love.
It warmed my heart, it made me cry, it made me hopeful... it was lovely and important and SO worth a read.
We Can Only Save Ourselves
by Alison Wisdom
review:
thanks to @harperperennial for this one! first of all, the COVER 😍 so good. okay but secondly, books about cults freak me out and make me feel weird and this one did that and i didn’t really enjoy that but i also needed to know how it ended... it was super anticlimactic and strangely didn’t feel either plot or character driven? the “mothers” being the omniscient narrator baffled me a bit too. idk man, it just wasn’t my jam 🙃
Everything Is Spiritual: Who We Are and What We're Doing Here
by Rob Bell
review:
This was a “read in one sitting” book for me, and I took several pages of notes as I read the classic Rob Bell stream of consciousness pages. It’s not my favorite style of writing, but the good stuff was GOOD and I can’t stop thinking about some of the questions he asked and thoughts he shared. I really appreciate the way Bell thinks and lives and questions and explores and believes. I find his work thought-provoking and Spirit-filled, and I’m grateful for it.
The Viscount Who Loved Me + An Offer From a Gentleman
by Julia Quinn
★★★☆☆ (for both)
reviews:
Been flying through the Bridgerton books this week (I have the next few in hand!) and they’re really so fun. Book 3 has maaaaajor Cinderella vibes which felt kind of cliche, but it ended on a good note! Can’t wait to keep reading the different Bridgerton siblings’ stories!
Hungry Hearts: Essays on Courage, Desire, and Belonging
edited by Jennifer Rudolph Walsh
review:
Thanks to @randomhouse for this one! I was excited to pick up this collection from a few authors I know and love, and so many new voices, too. They are innovators, storytellers, thought leaders, and warm, wise womxn, and each essay was beautiful and heartfelt in its own way. The description read that this collection “shows how reconnecting with our own burning, undeniable intuition points us toward our unique purpose and the communities where we most belong” which sums it up well.
A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal
edited by Sarah Bessey
review:
this book was like @evolvfaith in book form, aka it was glorious and diverse and so rich. i’ll return to these words often— these prayers and meditations and writings are layered and lovely. 🤍
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
review:
THIS BOOK IS SO BEAUTIFUL. 😭
It was an impulse @barnesandnoblegrab last year as it was their 2020 book of the year pick, and I finally picked it up today, and just... wow. It’s incredibly written, stunning in its poetic lyricism and magical in its storytelling, poignant and heartfelt and full of wonder... I already want to read it again.
This book sums up what I hope my “delight” year will be about— keeping my eyes and heart and hands open to see and savor and celebrate all the glorious goodness in the world around me.
What a gift.
