March 2022 Reads and Recommendations
March was a rather slow month for me, but here are the books that I read and what I thought of them! As always, these are my opinions. You may have loved something I didn’t and that's okay! All love to every author ever because I know it's extremely difficult to write a book.
So let's get into it!
- Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
I am a Karin Slaughter stan through and through and this was no exception! I really enjoyed this super creepy stand-alone. I picked it up because I heard someone say it was the most disturbing book they have ever read and while it didn’t take that title for me, it did give me the chills a few times (and a gag once). Make sure you check the trigger warnings on this one, but if you are looking for a thriller that goes very deep into family secrets, lies, and the bonds of sisters. This is the book for you! 4/5 stars.
2. Bully (Fall Away #1) by Penelope Douglas
This was my second P Douglas book and I have to say that it wasn’t my favorite. The story was okay and you definitely root for the main couple but it didn’t give me butterflies like I was hoping. The spice level was like a 2 out of 5. If you are wanting something spicy and with a sweet story I would skip this book and opt for number 3 on my list. 2/5 stars. (Check trigger warnings).
3. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
THIS. BOOK. I devoured this in a day and I LOVED every second of it. The story is absolutely adorable and the characters are so loveable and related. I laughed out loud, I teared up and I got butterflies. Their love story is so real and down to earth that you feel like you know them by the end. Applause for Ms. Hoang on this masterpiece. Extra props for her accurate portrayal of someone with Autism and their struggles for intimacy. This was the first book I have ever read that addressed that topic and I think she did it beautifully. This earns the title of my 4th 5-star book of 2022.
4. The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
I received this audiobook from NetGalley (If you don’t know what this is- Google it right f*cking now and you’ll be glad you did!) knowing nothing about the prompt or author. I did read a few reviews and found that people didn’t love this book. However, I did. If you are wanting a thriller with a big ole twist at the end; meh maybe not this. I did call the twist. BUT the family relationships. Man, this might be some of the most interesting and well-written character development I have ever read in a stand-alone novel. It's a fun ride for that aspect alone. If you love the drama of a messy family structure, you’ll want to add this one to your TRB. 3.5/5 stars.
5. This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore
Again this was a grab that I knew nothing about going in. As far as YA thrillers go- I’ll be honest it was my favorite. I thought the twist at the end was a little bit of a stretch. The love story aspect between the two main characters is kinda fun and you do root for them at the end. But all in, it was a slow burn and there wasn’t anything super special about it. I will say that I liked her writing style and would probably read more from her. 2/5 stars.
6. Sabriel (Abhorsen #1) by Garth Nix
JK Rowling WHO??? This book gave me serious Harry Potter flashbacks but dare I say I might have liked it better? I was not expecting a bad-ass, magic-wielding absolute QUEEN to be the main character and to keep me hooked the whole time. I read this one and listened to it because I wanted to see the names spelled and spoken. This is a fantastic fantasy story with characters you’ll end up loving. Catch me reading the rest of the series and seeing how it stands up against HP. Highly recommend this book (Thanks, Ashley). Did March hold two 5 stars reads? It sure did. 5/5 stars. (Note: Tim Curry narrates the audiobook so like…come on. You know it’s going to be good).
7. 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion
This was another NetGalley gift (thanks NG!- seriously did you google it yet?) I was super excited to read this one and had such high hopes- dare I say too high of hopes? It was okay. I think my problem was that I had almost fabricated an ending to this book before I read it and then when that didn’t happen I was disappointed. It is a very unique concept for a mystery and I will say that the characters are great. The ending just didn’t live up to what I wanted it to be. Is it worth the read, just don’t ruin it for yourself! 3/5 stars. (Side note: this book releases today!)
There’s the big 7 from March! All in all, I would say it was a pretty successful month. Admittedly I was also supposed to read Sand by Hugh Howey in March for our book club but…. I didn’t finish it. You’ll have to hear about that one in April because I am only human.
Let me know which books you loved in March! Always looking for new suggestions!
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