March 2022 Bookish Wrap Up

Returning to books after a month of moving has been a bit of a slog, but I feel like I’m coming back to my readerly self and finished the month strong with seven reads! While I did get a lot read this month, I also didn’t absolutely love everything I read.

Don’t get me wrong, I thought every book was wonderful, interesting, and something that folks out there will enjoy. However, I’m always chasing that 5-star read that will become a favorite of mine for years to come. I think I saw a few glimmers this month, but I’m hoping that April will definitely surprise me.

What I Read This Month

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye – I didn’t know what i was expecting when i started this one, but I saw someone I follow on Instagram read it and gush about how incredible it was. She was not wrong. This was a fantastic YA military fantasy (although, I would categorize this as adult because it reads so adult) that’s filled with big world building, character development, and that need to read the second book as soon as you can! The month started off super strong with this one and I’m so glad I read it. Thanks to Tee for the recommendation! The story follows young person, Sloane, who’s recently been recruited to the Lucis army. The only downside is that she’s a Scion and all Scion are to be murdered on site. While trying to hide her identity, she uncovers a big plot taking place within the kingdom and she tries to help as much as she can without revealing who she really is.

Gallant by VE Schwab – I think I read anything VE Schwab writes nowadays and I’m never disappointed. This one is definitely different from the other books they’ve written, but it still very Schwab-ian. The story of a young girl who finds her family and live in the house they’ve inherited over the years only to also realize a massive curse placed on her family line. It’s dark, mysterious, a little scary, but still a whole lot of intrigue and suspense!

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake – I love getting into a hyped book every once in a while because you never know! It’s hyped for a reason. And while most of the time I DNF hyped books, this was an exception. I thought it was brilliantly funny, intelligent, and wildly weird! Definitely go into The Atlas Six without reading about it. It’s about six people chosen to join in a society of magical people and only five people can get in. However, it’s way more than that going on.

The Bone Shard Daughter (reread) by Andrea Stewart – I absolutely loved my reread of The Bone Shard Daughter. While it didn’t give me the 5-star feel I was hoping for, it definitely left me really appreciating more after the second read. I plan on reading The Bone Shard Emperor soon, so keep an eye out for that! The story of a young person who’s living up to the throne she’s about to inherit, a young man in the search for his wife, and the people of this world who suffer from the hands of the Emperor.

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May – If you’re a fan of Practical Magic and The Great Gatsby, then you’ll really like this one. Combining the two stories with some witchy magic, some found family, and some overcoming of the most difficult obstacles (yourself), then you’ll really enjoy getting to know Annie and Emmeline in this one. It’s about a young woman named Annie who arrives on Crow Island; a place of magic and the home of bootlegger Emmeline Delacroix. The only thing is Emmeline is a witch and despite the warnings Annie receieves about her, she can’t help but to get closer to her.

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim – While I really wanted to love this one, this wasn’t one of my favorites of the month. It was still good, but the world building really needed some help to fully grasp what’s going on. However, I did love the characters, the world that they existed, the action was so incredible, and the ending was so surprising! The story follows an ancient kingdom of the gods where four families are about to inherit the city from their predecessors. However, there’s a bigger political plot brewing in the background that will not only change the politics of this world, but also everything they’ve understood about it.

The Bone Orchard by Sara A Mueller – This was such a surprisingly complex story filled with psychic abilities, a mysterious death, big political intrigue, and the woman who stands in the middle. It was a pretty dark story with some pretty graphic depictions and some very big reveals. This one will keep you guessing until the very end. It’s about a young woman who owns and operates a brothel . She’s the personal mistress of the Emperor who’s recently passed. Before he died, he told her that he’s been murdered and would like for her to find the culprit in exchange for her freedom. Determined to do whatever it costs to gain her freedom, she embarks on finding out who killed the Emperor only to reveal a much bigger plot taking place.