Hello, reader!
We made it through another month of 2022! I feel like March went by super fast which was not at all what I wanted, haha. I feel like I got nothing done because the month just slipped through my fingers! At the same time, I’ve been unusually stressed with nothing added to my daily routine that would explain all the stress. It was a weird month, y’all. Here’s hoping April will be a bit more chill.
In the reading department, I read quite a few books but not nearly the amount I was hoping to achieve. I only read a few books from my Magical Readathon and WomenInMyth-Athon TBRs, but I still had a lot of fun participating in both! I suppose I shouldn’t be too hard on myself because I still managed to read nine books. Nine books in one month would have made me from a few years ago die of shock! And the quality of those books what top tier. I had three five star reads last month! I gotta remind myself of these things when I’m being too down on myself for how much I read. After all, it’s quality not quantity that counts.
Anyways, let’s get into all the books I read in the month of March!
Books Read
Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page
Book: Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noelle Weir/illustrated by Myisha Haynes
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: This was such a cute, fun graphic novel! It’s a retelling of Anne of Green Gables, which I haven’t read. Still, I know a bit about the character of Anne and I think this duo captured her spirit to a T! The art is beautiful, the story was touching, and I had a blast reading it. You can read my full review here.
Book: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: Well, this was quite a thrill to read! From the very beginning, I was invested in Priya and Malini’s stories. They are incredibly well-written and compelling characters that made me want to keep reading. Beyond them, the lush world-building and the intriguing politics had me absolutely captivated. I’m excited for the next book in this series!
Book: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts: This book took me by surprise! I got it in my Book of the Month box and signed up for a blog tour simply because I liked the cover. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the tour, it probably would have languished on my shelves for awhile. I’m so glad it didn’t, though, because it absolutely blew me away! You can read my full review here.
Book: Odriel’s Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: I read this as part of the BBNYA finalist blog tour hosted by The Write Reads. I can see why this fantasy made it all the way to the finals because it was such a great read! I had a lot of fun with this one, even though it can get pretty dark at times. It was action-packed and had great characters. You can read my full review here.
Book: Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: I spotted this book on Twitter and, within the same week, noticed it at my library. It seemed like too much of a coincidence to not give it a read! I’m glad I did, too, because this thriller was freakin’ wild. It’s also set near where I live and I do love reading a book where I recognize the landmarks, haha. This is a trippy tale of drugs, rich people doing rich people things, and revenge. I loved it!
Book: Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: I read the second book in the Small Spaces series during the Magical Readathon: Gear Up week long readathon. I needed a book that was part of a quartet for my conduit and this fit nicely! I’ve been wanting to continue the series for awhile and I was not disappointed with this installment. Katherine Arden is a master at creating a perfectly creepy atmosphere and this had great wintery vibes.
Book: The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts: This was the other book I read for the Magical Readathon: Gear Up. It was for my animal familiar legacy and, y’all, I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! Why have I put off reading this series for so long?! This was such a wonderful read, full of all the things I love in a fantasy: compelling characters, fantastic world-building, and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. And the found family aspect was just *chef’s kiss*
Book: Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid
Rating: ★★★
Thoughts: After finishing The Gilded Wolves, I have to admit I was in a bit of a book hangover. Which was probably not the best time to try and continue my one non-fiction read of the month 😅 This was an impactful and emotional read, though the way the information was presented left me feeling a bit confused and all over the place. Still, it seemed like a well-researched book and the subject matter was certainly very compelling. It made me want to learn more, that’s for sure.
Book: Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts: I ended the month with another five star read! This was such a heartwarming and fun middle grade fantasy. It was action-packed, a little dark, and brought up some tough issues that I thought were important lessons for the intended audience. I loved everything about this book, but my favorite aspect has to be our three main characters, Seven, Thorn, and Valley. I adore them so much and can’t wait to continue their story! You can read my full review here.
Book of the Month
With three five star reads this month, this was a tough decision. But, if I’m honest with myself, there is one book of those three that I haven’t stopped thinking about (or recommending) since I finished it. That’s why the Book of the Month for March is…
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
This book has certainly left an impression! I loved the writing, I loved the mixture of mystery and fantasy, and I loved how we got glimpses into the past while our main character was figuring out her present. It was such an interesting and unique tale that had me wrapped up in its pages. The fact that I read it in one day and it’s 400 pages is a testament to how much I could not put it down!
Challenge Update
22 Books in 2022:
I only finished one book from my 22 books in 2022 TBR, but it was an excellent one!
- The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
12 Friends, 12 Recommendations:
Funnily enough, I only finished one book from my 12 friends, 12 recommendations TBR, as well, and it was the exact same book 😂 I’m going slowly but surely with this one…
- The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Popsugar Reading Challenge:
- Two books set in twin cities or “sister cities”, book one (The Cartographers)
- A book published in 2022 (Anne of West Philly)
- A book about witches (Witchlings)
- A book set in Victorian times (The Gilded Wolves)
- A book you know nothing about (Highway of Tears)
- A book featuring a party (Tripping Arcadia)
- An #OwnVoices SFF (Science Fiction and Fantasy) book (The Jasmine Throne)
Read Your Shelf Challenge:
- An author’s 2nd published book (Witchlings)
- A book published in February (Tripping Arcadia)
- A book published 2 years ago (Odriel’s Heirs)
- A book with two different covers (The Cartographers)
- A book that takes place in two days or less (Dead Voices)
- A book involving a same sex couple (The Jasmine Throne)
- A book that includes at least 2 seasons (Anne of West Philly)
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge:
- Read an adventure story by a BIPOC author (Witchlings)
How was your reading in March? Did you find a new favorite? Make any progress on some challenges? Let me know in the comments!
And, as always, happy reading!
Kerri McBookNerd 
I totally agree about March giving off those weirdest vibes. I’m hoping April is much better too! BUT look at all your 4-5 star reads! That’s amazing 😍 And you’re slaying all the challenges too! I hope you have an amazing April, Kerri!
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March was a weird but good reading month, haha! Thanks, Dini 😊 I hope April is a great reading month for you, as well!
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