Show Us Your Books March 2021

March! Books! Birthday countdown (less than one week)! I feel a little more like my regular reading self these days pace-wise. 

Before we begin, just as Black History Month is every month and Black history is everyone’s history, Women's History Month is every month and women's history is everyone's history! 

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

Circe by Madeline Miller - I bought a used paperback copy of this from my local used paperback store, and I sat down with it on the eve of picking up two library books I really wanted to get into because I thought I would not like this and would just pass it on to the shore library I keep in the living room for renters. I'm not interested in Greek mythology and I hate stories of Odysseus so I never expected to like this. I loved this book. This is why I am willing to let books I don't love go unfinished - because if I wasn't, I'd be less likely to pick up ones I think might fall into that category and I'd miss out on something wonderful. used paperback, own

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam - I tore through this in under two hours. As it's in prose, that is super easy to do. I thought it was great, but prose is not my sweet reading spot. OCNJ library hard cover

The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich - I absolutely loved this. I loved the characters and this little town. The book was like a hug. It reminded me of Fannie Flagg books. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Girls are All so Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn - I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not this book. It was dark, and imperfect as all stories are, but I was sucked in and could not put it down. The end seemed rushed. Multiple trigger warnings. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also won my first ever Goodreads contest and got an advanced paperback copy of this book, which is how I read it.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay - I could not put this down. So good. I figured some things out but that didn’t matter. What a ride! Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Passed the Time Just Fine

Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh - This book reading experience is hard for me to explain to others. I loved the writing and the plot, but something about it kept breaking down in the reading of it and it took me a while to get through. I was always thinking about the book and puzzling it out in my brain, but I was less eager to pick it up. It was a weird reading experience. I definitely liked it. OCNJ library hard cover

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey - What a character. It was fine, a little draggy in parts, I was most interested in the actual biographical parts of his life and less in the philosophical parts although I do enjoy his outlaw wisdom. I probably should have listened to this, which would make it the second book I ever listened to outside of Michelle Obama's. OCNJ library hard cover

Inheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman - There are a lot of books on my kindle that I have literally no idea how I got them or when. This is one of them. It ended up being a fine story, very light despite some heavier themes. Sort of Elin Hilderbrand-ish. kindle book

The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington - It's not going to sound like I enjoyed this when I say it, but it was like a watered down version of a Pat Conroy drama. If you know how much I love Pat Conroy, that might make more sense? Anyway I liked it. OCNJ library hard cover

All Girls by Emily Layden - I love a boarding school book. It drug in some spots and I had little interest in some of the players (too many to track sometimes), but overall I enjoyed the way this story was told. Examination of sex and consent and what women are told vs what actually happens in society. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

A Killer's Daughter (Agent Nadine Finch #1) by Jenna Kernan - This was not a good start with me - lots of repetition and just some completely unrealistic expectations on the part of the main character concerning her identity - but I attribute that to first in a series blues. Repetition will absolutely kill a story for me - we get it, you've told us MANY TIMES - but this story was interesting and the good stuff was really good. I will give the second book a go. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Midnight Library by Matthew Haig - I loved the concept and the story, and it was devoured quickly despite Nora being on my last nerve at times. I love to think about the possibilities that are connected to different choices, small and large.  OCNJ library hard cover

Not Worth It

Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3) by Rachel Caine - I am a believer in reading every book in a series in order but woof. I'd skip this one. OCNJ library paperback

The Good Neighbor by R.J. Parker - I thought this was going to be a quick DNF, but a nice little turn grabbed my interest.  It turns out it should have been as a little over halfway through it devolved into repetitive WTFness. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Call Me Elizabeth Lark by Melissa Colasanti - The idea was good, the execution less so. It was difficult to follow and felt strung together in spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did Not Finish

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Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, April 13, 2021. 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, and check in with as many in our reading circle as you can - give some love to the later linker uppers! 
2. Link back to us in your blog post - if you want the button you can get it from that link

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