Lion or lamb is the big question, both for the weather and March’s reading. In Seattle we often had lion-like winds and cold temps but with the bright sunshine-y fun that feels as cute and welcome as lambs. In reading, I have to say if I look at the two to mean strength versus weakness then it was a lamb-y March. Only one new release made it to 4 stars while the others rested at or below 3 stars (which is just a good, not great). Hopefully, the old saying about March showers bringing April flowers means there’s great reading ahead.
Published by Soho Teen
Publication date: January 16th 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Social Issues
Love, Hate, and Other Filters is a well-written young adult novel about 17-year-old Maya, an Indian-American Muslim, living in a small town in Illinois. Despite being the only Indian and Muslim at her school, her life is relatively normal—college prep, boys, and making movies. She’s even dealing with her mother’s fervent desire to find her a husband, Not too get married just yet, but to have the deal locked up before she goes to college. Except Maya’s in love with a white boy. When a suicide bomber destroys a nearby government building everything changes for Maya. Sometimes, YA reads the same for adults but this doesn’t. Not bad, but definitely meant for teens.
Let's No One Get Hurt by Jon Pineda
Publication date: March 20th 2018
This novel falls into the ‘young girls being raised off-the-grid in odd, possibly abusive situations’ premise that standout novels like My Absolute Darling and Our Endless Numbered Days delivered with power and finesse. Only it doesn’t. It comes off as creepy and weird and I gave it up at the halfway point.
Sunburn: My review
Case Histories: My review
The Italian Party: Review to follow
The Broken Girls: Review to follow
The Punishment She Deserves (Inspector Lynley #20) by Elizabeth George
Published by Viking
Publication date: March 20th 2018
Genres: Mystery
I need to make something perfectly clear: I love Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley mysteries and in those mysteries, the rumpled, frazzled, foul mouthed Barbara Havers is one of my favorite characters. But…The Punishment She Deserves was not one of my favorites. George is such a highly skilled writer that she can pour 6 different plotlines in one novel, but should she? In this case, no. The novel is set in the city of Ludlow in Shropshire, England where a church deacon has killed himself. Havers, who is on very thin ice in the department, is sent to investigate. From there, The Punishment moves into detailed side plots about marriage, motherhood, pedophilia, alcoholism, rape, police force funding cuts, binge drinking, parenting, and religion. George ties it all up with a neat bow, but at 704 pages I wish she had opted out of at least two of these subjects. I feel as if she’s ready to write something other than mystery, something deeper on social issues—which would be amazing.
Anatomy of a Miracle: My review
A Guide for Murdered Children: Review to follow
Alternate Side: Review to follow
Published by Minotaur Books
Publication date: January 20, 2009
Genres: Mystery
Did you think I’d go more than a month without reading Louise Penny? Hell, no! A Rule Against Murder is back in Three Pines, this time looking into the life of Peter Morrow, Clara’s husband, via his viciously dysfunctional and wealthy family. For the first time Penny leaves one of the smaller ancillary mysteries in the novels unsolved and as little as it was, I felt cheated.
I Was Reading
In March 2014:
A book so filled with quirky characters and odd scenarios that I fell madly in love
A story of love, loss, and marriage with more emotional twists than I ever expected
In March 2013:
A debut novel that knocked me over with its power and beauty
A novel that had me laughing all the way through
That, fabulous readers and bookish people, was my March. How was your reading?
Well, I guess March could have been a little better for you in terms of books, but then there was Anatomy of a Miracle. I’ll be interested to read your reviews of The Italian Party and Alternate Side. (i only have about an hour and a half left in the audio of that one and still don’t know quite what to think about it.) Here’s to great April books!
I know you’re new to Quindlen so I’ll admit- it wasn’t one of my favorites.
Wow – this really puts into perspective how different our wavelengths were in March…I think we only overlapped with one book, which is unusual for us. But, I do want to read Anatomy of a Miracle now thanks to you and Susie. Cheers to April reading improving immensely!
I know! My sense is you’re reading more non-fiction, but that might not even be accurate. I think you’re also DNFing more than I am.