What I Read March 2024

 March was a struggle, but I finished 19 books!

After Zero by Christina Collins

This book was a sad tale of a girl with selective mutism who keeps a tally of the words she says each day and feels like a failure if that number is too low. I found the main character Elise to be so relatable. This would be a great book for 5th graders or middle schoolers trying to navigate the social chaos of being young. 8/10

Ash Princess by Lara Sebastian

OMG was this book amazing! It's your typical YA fantasy dystopia but with such a compelling storyline. I'm obsessed. 10/10

Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story) by Barbara Ensor

I have a rainbow book shelf in my personal library that was lacking some orange so I told my 13 year old nice to "find me an aesthetic orange book" at HPB. This is what she came back with and I am so happy with it. It's a cute retelling of Cinderella told mostly through diary entries. Would be great for early readers or anyone who loves a good Cinderella retelling. 8/10

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

I'm a big Riordan fan. I love his books, I love his story, and I love his writing style. I was so happy to find this stand-alone Riordan book and I found myself thinking about it when I had to take breaks for work or real life responsibilities. I even ordered a copy for my 10 year old niece. Much like Riordan's other works, this is a great middle grade read that works for teens and adults as well. It's a retelling of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with a modern day twist and the first few chapters will leave you in awe. 10/10 would recommend.

Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover

Eh. This one wasn't great. It tries to encapsulate the feelings of a community years after a school shooting, but it falls flat in the plot. If you're wanting to sit in a feeling, this book is for you. I found both main characters insufferable though, so this was a "speed to finish". It's a shame because it's super pretty. 2/10

Hawaii's Story by Liliuokalani

I'm going to Kauai for the first time and Oahu for the second time this fall, and I am reading a book or two per month either set in Hawaii or about the history of the Islands. This book is an absolute gem and I may read it a second time this year. Queen Liliuokalani's writing still stands up 130 years later. 10/10 can't wait to read again!

Little Women Mermaid Edition by Megan Lois Whitehill

This book was so freaking cute. To see my in-depth review, check out this post. 10/10

Part of Your World by Liz Braswell

Ursula is my 3rd favorite Disney Villain of all time (right behind Scar and Hades) so any book with her on the cover is going to peak my interest. This book was the "What If" of Disney's Little Mermaid and it did not disappoint. This is another great middle-grade or teen book. 9/10

Purge by Sarah Darer Littman

TW:ED

This was the story of a teen who is discovered to have bulimia after her sister's wedding goes awry. Told in a way that was so respectful of ED survivors, this story of fighting for recovery was beautifully tragic. 10/10 would recommend 8th grade or older

The Silent Witness by Casey Watson

This one gets mixed reviews from me. The writing was a bit slow and I found myself wanting to skip entire chapters to get to the meat of the story. That being said, the plot was quite interesting and this would be a great read for someone interested in fostering. 5/10

Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh

Two women 30 years apart trying to figure out who they are in the world. One survives multiple shipwrecks and then serves as a nurse in The Great War. The other is a WWII French Ops spy. When I say I skipped watching the Bachelor Women Tell All for this book, that should tell you how engrossed I was. I finished it in a day. And the ending will leave you so fulfilled! If this were a movie I'd watch it at least as often as I do Titanic. 10/10 would recommend (also -there's no spice so would be great for teens looking for something more mature). 

Bye Bye Birdie by Michael Stewart

This is by far my favorite of the musicals I've been in. The music is fantastic and the storyline is hilarious. I got a ticket to see this with my 13 year old niece so of course I had to dig up the script and read through. I'll give you that it's definitely a dated musical with references we don't use any more, but it's still a solid 10/10 for me.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

I put this book off forever. When I worked as a librarian, this series was the most checked out by children in our entire collection. I can see why 2nd-7th graders would find it funny, and I love that the stories are short and easy for a kid to read. 8/10 only because I'm not the target audience.

Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman

I am so glad I found this book. It's so funny! I audiobooked it while doing my hair and makeup for a day out and it was the perfect balance of storytelling and wit. I would recommend for any age since the story is wholesome enough for kids but entertaining enough for adults. 10/10

Hidden Figures : Young Readers Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly

I've had this one on my shelf for a while but was waiting for the adult version before I read it. I sat down the other day and devoured it. It's so fascinating to me to think how just a few decades ago all these calculations were done by hand. I can't wait to read the adult version of this book. 10/10 - get this one for your upper elementary daughter. Trust me.

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

After reading Ash Princess I was excited to continue the trilogy. However, this book didn't really hit for me. I kept waiting for the action to start and felt like I'd wasted hours of my time by the ending. It's pretty though, so I'll give it a 6/10.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

After reading the kid's books I needed something a little more cerebrally challenging. This book definitely fit the bill. With complicated physics concepts explained in a simplistic way, this was a great introduction to various scientific concepts. 9/10

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

After Fortunately, the Milk I was looking for another quick Gaiman read. Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairy tale, so I jumped on this one the second I saw it on my library's ebook service. I finished it in half an hour. The story takes place as the princess is waking up and puts an interesting spin on the classic. 10/10

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson

10/10 would recommend for your 2nd-6th grader. The story is about a family having to downsize and a little girl trying to figure out how to accept her differences from her friends. If you've got a Junie B Jones fan on your hands, this is a great option for them. Very similar maturity level while giving a story with a little more substance. 10/10