After two pretty bad months, March was a great month for me. I was highly motivated by the Trope-ical Readathon and then had some great books that kept me reading. I rea 13 books total, more than January and February combined.
Reading Stats
- Books Read: 13
- Pages Read: 4,262
- Average Rating: 3.50
- 1 – 1 star
- 1 – 2 stars
- 5 – 3 stars
- 3 – 4 stars
- 3 – 5 stars
- Genre Breakdown
- Fantasy – 7
- Science Fiction – 2
- Romance – 2
- Biography – 1
- Paranormal – 1
The Books
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
4 stars
I finally picked up my first Robin Hobb book and I had a great time. It was admittedly a little slow paced but for some reason, I was totally entranced. I’m looking forward to jumping into the next one if I can ever manage to get it from my library.
Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab
3 stars
Then I finished out the Cassidy Blake trilogy with Bridge of Souls. This one wasn’t my favorite. It was much darker and the setting/history wasn’t as compelling. Overall, this is a pretty good middle grade series but I would have been way to much of a chicken to read it when I was the proper age.
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I Lin
4 stars – Full Review
Then I read my ARC of A Magic Steeped in Poison. This was a wonderful idea with great atmosphere but the plot was a little rushed and got much too into the politics, pushing the awesome tea competition to the side. I enjoyed my time but I would have preferred to revel in this world with a tea competition than get into politics so quickly. Either leave it out or maybe a trilogy, I don’t know, I just thought it tried to do too much.
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
3 stars
I read this sci-fi since it was worth extra points in the Trope-ical Readathon. I absolutely loved the beginning. It’s really more a combination of short stories that progress through time than a novel which normally wouldn’t be my thing but I was hooked after the first few stories. And then I lost all interest. I’ve since found out that some of the stories were published first and then it was turned into a book. I think it’s the early stories that were published separately and it really showed, they were so much better. The end was totally nonsensical and weird and I was lost and skimming by the end.
Saga Vol. 4 by Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staples
3 stars
Then I read the next volume of the Saga graphic novel series. This one wasn’t my favorite. It didn’t seem cohesive and there was a lot of family drama. It was ok, 3 stars.
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
2 stars – Full Review
Then I read one of my most-anticipated 2022 releases and it let me down big time. I just didn’t like this. Too many things didn’t make sense. People are praising it for the rep and setting but they really weren’t used. The characters and plot read way younger than they should for YA or the characters ages which were close to new adult. There’s a really good middle grade read in here but as a YA novel, it didn’t work for me at all.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
5 stars
Then I tried something totally different and read some nonfiction. Like everyone else, I absolutely loved this although that seems so wrong to say. I found myself choking up weeks later telling my mom about this book. It was powerful and devastating and beautiful and important.
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
3 stars
OK, I might just have been too old to read this one but it was so over-the-top trying to be cute that it got on my nerves. I enjoyed my time but it just didn’t seem even remotely real so I wasn’t invested. And then the end put the Stanford swimming team on a bit of a pedestal which totally turned me off given my last read and that this was published after those events. This was fine but I’ve pretty much forgotten all of it.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
5 stars
I reread Black Sun in preparation for the reading the sequel. It was one of my favorite books of 2021 and one of the first adult fantasies I’ve read. I was a little scared what I’d think on reread but I still loved it. I’ve read quite a bit more adult fantasy since I first read it but this book and world are just so different from much of this genre. It was still 5 stars, I fell in love with it all over again.
This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender
1 star
Over the course of maybe a week, I listened to this audiobook. This was terrible. I loved Flex Ever After. If you’re interested in reading something by this author, read that and stay far far away from this mess.
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
5 stars – Full Review
Then I read my ARC of Fevered Star. I loved this sequel, it was awesome. The plot is a little slow, definitely slower than Black Sun, but the characters are so well done that I didn’t care. The world is wonderful and the ending was fantastic. Now I’m anxiously awaiting the third (and I think final?) book.
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
3 stars
Another Wayward Children series book and another uncertain rating. I liked that this one was more of a complete story and I got to see a full portal world. But the main character in this one had like no emotions, I just couldn’t connect or care.
Shadowblack by Sebastien de Castell
4 stars
Lastly, I read the second Spellslinger book. The plot in this one wasn’t the best but the characters and magic are so much fun. Plus, Reichis is amazing, every book should have a talking squirrel cat.
Knitting Update
I didn’t do much knitting in March, mainly because I read so much. However, I did have someone order two sweaters that I’ve already started on so more knitting to come.
What’s Up Next
I’m participating in the Realm of the Readathon (aka Realmathon) in April plus Eurovisionathon from mid-April to mid-May. I don’t have a set TBR but here’s some of what I think I might pick up (or have already picked up) in March.
Susan Lyn Knits and Reads 
I am thrilled that you gave Black Sun five stars! I have had the audiobook for ages and really need to get to it!
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It’s really good, mostly because it is so different from most fantasy. I’ve read it twice and 5 stars both times. Hope you love it!
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