March 31, 2020

March 2020 Reading Wrap Up

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

What Was Your Best March Read?

Did March feel like the loooongest March on record to you?

March was a mixed results reading month with one five-star read and several three and four-star reads. I read a total of seven books. Find all my March reads listed below in order of Star Rating and preference. Keep in mind that I normally recommend five- and four-star reads on the blog; three-star reads receive mixed reviews from me for various reasons; and two-star reads are books I finished but that were not for me. One star reads are usually shelved as DNF or perhaps quickly scanned.

I’m guessing that most of us can relate to the reasons why March was a challenging reading month thanks to COVID-19. (On the subject, I found this video clip very helpful, reassuring, and comforting!) I thought at one point that we’d never reach the “reading wrap up” part of the month! Are you under orders to stay home where you live? I am, and the first week my reading suffered greatly. I had difficulty focusing, especially with my heavier content reads and ended up setting several aside. I finally picked up This Won’t End Well by Camille Pagán and its light subject matter and snappy writing immediately engaged me! I read it in one day and it jump-started my reading!

My favorite fiction read of the month is The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton. (which I’m glad I read early in the month before my brain was preoccupied with COVID-19)

Did we read any of the same books?

Titles are Amazon affiliate links and my available reviews are linked.

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 The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton

5 Stars. Historical Fiction (WW11). An inspiring and memorable main character who worked with the Kindertransport that rescued children from Nazi-controlled Europe during WW11. My full review here.

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The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (post Civil War South). I especially loved the present-day teacher timeline. My full review here.

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This Won’t End Well by Camille Pagán

4 Stars. Contemporary Women’s Fiction. Quirky character + snappy writing = one great escapist read! My full review here.

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What You Wish For by Katherine Center

3.5 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Women’s Fiction (chick lit end of the spectrum) A school librarian main character for the win and a few poignant themes. Brief Goodreads review here. Blog review is scheduled for July 14, 2020 (pub date).

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Writers & Lovers by Lily King

 3.5 Stars. Contemporary Fiction. Highly hyped but I was a bit underwhelmed despite the good writing. (not yet reviewed)

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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

3.5 Stars. Contemporary Fiction (Migrants, Mexico). Relentless trauma, drama, grief, suspense, harrowing circumstances, fear…not an easy read. (not reviewed)

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Bitter Orange

1 Star. Fiction, Mystery, Thriller. I can understand why others have loved this, but it’s just not for me. (Thanks for the rec Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books …read her review…it might be exactly what you are looking for!). I was curious how it would end, so I did skim the last half of the story so that I could read the last chapter. (not reviewed)

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QOTD:

What did you read in March? Did you have a favorite?
Did we read any of the same books?
Which of these books is on your TBR?

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ICYMI

On the blog in March:

TTT: Ten Signs That I’m a Book Lover

March Blog Audit Challenge

The Book of Lost Friends: A Review

#throwbackthursday Glass Houses Review and Inspector Gamache Overview

TTT: Ten Favorite Books About Books

The Ride of a Lifetime Review

#throwbackthursday Before We Were Yours Review

Spring 2020 TBR

The Last Train to London Review

#throwbackthursday Reading Memories and One-In-A-Million-Boy Review

1st Line/1st Paragraph: American Dirt

Ten Inspirational Reads for Middle-Grade March

#6Degrees of Separation: From Wolfe Island to…

This Won’t End Well Review

#throwbackthursday Hillbilly Elegy

Rust: A Memoir of Steel and Grit Review

Ten Inspirational Reads For Women’s History Month

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Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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***Blogs posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photo are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

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