March 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

Hello bookworms!

Today I am here with my March reading & blogging wrap-up.  As I’m sure you all can relate, March was a LONG month.

Let’s get into what I read & blogged in March…

March 13th was the day my entire life came to a halt.  This was the last day of school for my children, and the last day my library was open.  Since I live in Ohio, we’ve been practicing social distancing for close to a month now.  Ohio acted early in response to COVID-19 and seems to be faring better than many of the states surrounding us.

I have so much to be thankful for during this difficult time…  So far my family has avoided illness since we’ve been able to “shelter in place.”  My extended family has also managed to stay healthy, even my mother & sister-in-law who both work in the health care field.  Unfortunately, I have had a few friends fall ill, but thankfully they have recovered.  I still have my job, and am still receiving my hourly wage for all hours I would have worked had the library not shut down.  My husband is able to work from home during this time.  I fully realize how fortunate we are.  My heart aches for the world during these times of uncertainty.

What have I been doing over this month at home?  I’ve been helping my children while they are distance learning, spring cleaning my house, reading middle grade books, doing webinars, and making cloth masks to donate to local essential businesses & health care providers in need.  Basically I am keeping myself as busy as possible to keep anxiety at bay.

» The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

A collection of deliciously dark short stories are inspired by classic fairytales & folklore.  I LOVED these stories!  They gave me Neil Gaiman vibes, so if you are a NG fan, I’d recommend these stories to you.  I also adored the illustrations throughout that really enhanced the story.

» What If It’s Us? by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

This was a sugar sweet YA romance.  If you enjoyed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, you’ll also enjoy this one too.

» The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

*4.5 Stars*

One of the best thrillers I’ve read, and I’m not a big thriller fan.  I did see one of the big twists coming, but it did not hinder my enjoyment.  I’m sure this will be turned into a movie at some point.

» Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts

*4.5 Stars*

This was a lovely historical fiction about Maud Gage Baum, wife of the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum.  I have never read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but this book made me want to read it ASAP!  This was a wonderful book to read for Women’s History Month!

» Girls Resist! A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution by KaeLyn Rich

This was a wonderful field guide for teens (and adults) to become involved in activism.  I found the information to be very practical, informative, and accessible.

» Beyond the Bright Seaby Lauren Wolk

This was a beautiful MG historical fiction book about identity & family.  I am a sucker for eccentric characters and unconventional families, so this book hit the right notes.

» Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

Far From the Tree is a beautiful YA contemporary about adoption, family, identity, and love.  Told in 3 different perspectives, I enjoyed the journey & development of each of these characters.

 » You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino

After reading George, I knew I wanted to read more of Gino’s work.  You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! centers around Jilly, a young girl who is learning about hearing difficulties and ASL after it is discovered that her baby sister is hearing impaired.  The best part of this book was learning more about the deaf/hearing impaired and the difficulties that this community faces in a world that is geared towards the hearing.  The hearing impairment representation was well done and handled with care.

» Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin

While I can definitely see why people are loving this book, it came up a bit short for me.  The storyline focused too heavily on the romance.  This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the romance, just that I don’t care for fantasy books where the romance is the central plot.  The world-building was also lacking.

» We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey

Don’t let the fact that this is a MG sci-fi fool you.  This was a powerful social commentary on immigration & the ways that media can skew perspective.

» The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

I was pleasantly surprised with the depth to this book.  The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali  tackles heavy topics like problematic family dynamics, homophobia, discrimination, arranged marriage, cultural differences, identity, etc.  I loved seeing all the Bengali culture woven throughout the book – food, dress, customs, etc.  I had a few complaints with regards to the plot, Arianna’s characterization, and how things were tided up a little too nicely, but overall a solid read.

Goodreads Challenge Update:

Technically I was at 35 books at the end of March, but I had already logged two books for April by the time I took a screenshot of my Goodreads challenge.

February 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

March 2020 TBR

Teen Librarian Archives: February 2020

Mini Book Reviews: March 2020 – Part 1

Mini Book Reviews: March 2020 – Part 2

Mini Book Reviews: March 2020 – Part 3

Which books did you read in March?

Have you read any of the books I read in March?  If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books?  If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂