My book picks for March started off not so good. It was bad book after bad book for me and I just wasn’t feeling it. Finally by the end of the month things had turned around with a few good ones such as Fangirl, Reality Boy, and All the Bright Places. Now, onto what I read last month!
What I Read: March 2015
Wake by Anna Hope – ★★ – Honestly, I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but I just could not get into it. Every time I tried to listen to it, even when I was just folding laundry, I couldn’t focus on it. It just was… boring. I gave up.
Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker – ★★ – There wasn’t anything particularly bad about this book, but there wasn’t anything remarkable either. A tragic bus crash starts the novel out with a bang, and the new family in town, The Snows, are blamed. The eldest son’s car is found totaled near the wreck, and he escapes to the woods until his name is cleared. The “savior” of the town is the McAllisters who own the local paper mill and employ many of the townspeople. A lot of boring and unremarkable things happen, and then it comes to light whom the real perpetrator was.
c/o NetGalley
Miss Buncle’s Book (Miss Buncle #1) by D.E. Stevenson -★★ – Apparently I am the only one in the world who did not enjoy this. Perhaps I should have known better than to pick this up – it just doesn’t even sound appealing to me. however I chose this for a challenge, and I couldn’t finish it.
The Good Boy by Teresa Schewegel – ★★ – A mystery, a thriller, a crime novel… and totally not my cup of tea. I tried to get into this one, I really did, but it was just a snooze. I have so many books on my TBR list that if I can’t connect with something at 25% or more of the way through, I give up. This was one of those.
The Last Winter of Dani Lancing by Phil Viner – ★ – Oh my. Don’t get me started. Okay, fine: For the love of all that is sacred, do NOT purchase the audio version of this. It is absolutely the worst “performance” I’ve ever listened to. I finally had to turn it off after the third time of the female performers “wailing” which really sounded like animals dying. Nope, not worth it.
All Is Bright by Sarah Pekkanen – ★★★ – This was a short story centered around a relationship “Ghost of Christmas Past” if you will. It was short and sweet, but not particularly riveting.
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult – ★★★ – Honestly this book was a little hard to follow for me, which I don’t find typical of Picoult’s writing. Maybe this was just a bad one for me, but I got a lot of information about elephants, psychics, and a girl on a quest to find her mom and not a lot else. Based on other reviews, it seems most either loved it or were like me, left confused.
Bingo’s Run by James A. Levine – ★★★ – I’m going to be honest – I picked this one for the cover, and wow, it was a surprise. Bingo is a drug runner in Africa who is notorious for his fast pace and his quick fingers… in the wallets of unsuspecting tourists, that is. While it wasn’t what I expected, it was well written and quite an interesting peek into the (fictionalized) underground world of drug runners.
Reality Boy by A.S. King – ★★★★ – Gerald and his family are famous for being the family from a reality TV show. Gerald acted out by hiding fecal matter in interesting places like in shoes, and was then known as the “Crapper” during his stint on tv. He’s now older and is dealing with the aftermath of his unique moniker. I really enjoyed the premise – it really made me wonder how some of the “famous” children of mommy blogs and reality TV will adjust as adults to their unique fame as they age.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven – ★★★★ – A difficult book to read: One teen who keeps planning their suicide, and another who is discovered, about to jump, at the very start. This is the story of Theodore and Violet, two high school students who have been through a lot. After reading this book, I really loved it and was touched. Now that I’ve had some time to sit on it, I’d say it was just average. It didn’t stick with me like I expected (as say, Fault in Our Stars, as it was compared in the book summary.) For that, I’d say it’s worth more like 3.5 stars. Still a good YA read.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – ★★★★ – I think this now means I have read all of Rainbow Rowell’s books. Yay! I really enjoyed this fun spin on a fan fic writer (Cath) who finds herself in some hot water when her creative writing teacher isn’t a fan of her “recycled” stories. What I didn’t love was the departure between chapters into the Simon & Baz stories. I would have preferred them integrated in some other way, honestly. I preferred the “real life” story and would have loved to see a bit more character development and conflict.
The 2015 e-Reader Reading Challenge
Trish let me know about her e-Reader challenge a couple of months ago that started at the beginning of March. I picked (almost) all of my books from downloads I already had on my Kindle (…I have a lot!) and I’m hopeful to finish this before the end of May!
Rules:
The challenge will run from March 1st to May 31st. Books you are currently reading are not eligible to be used in this challenge. You must start these books on March 1st.
All books MUST be available on e-readers. I will check to make sure it is as I am offering a prize at the end of this.
You must finish all books by the deadline.
Additional points will be added to those who do pick all books from books already downloaded onto their e-reader.
1. A book with a one-word title (5 points): Breakable by Aimee Salter (already owned +5)
2. A book already downloaded that you have not read (4 Points): Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid (already owned)
3. A book you would be embarrassed to admit you read (And tell us why) (3 points): The Host by Stephanie Meyer (I have some shame that I’ve already read the entire Twilight series… may as well embarrass myself more by trying out her other novels.) (already owned +5)
4. A book with a color in the title (4 Points): The Ghost with the Electric Blue Suit by Graham Joyce (already owned +5)
5. A non-fiction book that will better your life (4 points): Eat Move Sleep by Tom Rath (already owned +5)
6. Pi Day is March 14th- Pick a book with 314 pages (4 Points): The Belief in Angels by J. Dylan Yates (already owned +5)
7. Daylight savings is ending and Spring is coming- Pick a book with the word Spring, Daylight, or Savings in the title (4 Points): Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (already owned +5)
8. April Fool’s day is coming, read a humorous book (4 Points): People I Want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann (already owned)
9. April 22nd is Earth Day. Read a book about Nature, the Earth, or living “Green” (4 Points): The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
10. May is the kickoff of Summer and a time where we remember our veterans. Read a book with Summer or Remember in the title (4 Points): The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry (already owned +5)
My Reading Challenge Updates
Total Books this month: 11
Total Books read this year: 38 / 150
Total Books Read for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Challenge: 5 / 12
Total Books Read for the e-Reader Challenge: 1 / 10 | (Points: 4)
Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy
Week’s End Link Up
And finally… I’m co-host of this week’s link up with Oak & Oats called Week’s End! Link up your favorite post from last week and meet some new bloggers.
1. Link up ANY POST from last week!
2. Make sure it is a POST and not your BLOG URL. We love your blog but we want you to share a post.
3. Click on one, two, three, or more posts and LEAVE ENCOURAGING COMMENTS. The whole point of this is to find new blogs, make new friends, and all that good stuff! You MUST read the post right before yours and comment.
What have you been reading lately? Any recommendations? P.S. let’s be friends on Goodreads if we aren’t already!
I just bought Fangirl recently and can’t wait to read it. I read Attachments and LOVED it. I read a couple stinkers this month too, but I bought a couple of ones that are supposed to be really good for next month! I’ve still never read any of Picoult’s books but I found a few at a library sale, I just don’t know what one to start with. I got: The Tenth Circle, Nineteen Minutes, and Salem Falls. Have you read any of those??
Attachments was one of my favorites last year, and Fangirl was a good one too! I started The Tenth Circle after finding it at a sale like that too – I never finished it though so I’m not sure if it’s any good. The only other one of hers I’ve read all the way through is My Sister’s Keeper!
Fangirl is probably my favorite Rainbow Rowell book! I agree with your thoughts on the Baz chapters; I found myself skimming them or skipping them because I just wanted to get back to the real story, but I found the characters believable and relatable (I used to fangirl hard over the Jonas Brothers, haha).
Did you see she’s working on a book about Baz and Simon? I think it comes out this year… Kind of interested in reading it, even if they weren’t my favorite part of Fangirl.
I hate when I read so many so-so books back to back. I’m glad you were able to turn it around at the end of the month! I’ve been wanting to read Fangirl so I was glad to hear you liked it! :)
I know right? And it always seems to work out that way. Luckily I’ve been reading some much better books this month :)
I love that you are doing this challenge!
Thanks Elizabeth!
I finally got Fangirl from the library! Along with five other books that are due back sooner than I think I can read them.
I hope April brings more enjoyable books for you! Too many two stars up there.
Thanks Breenah, me too! Hope you enjoy Fangirl and the other books you picked up!
oh hey new reading challenge!!! i want to join that one.
gosh darn it you read some crappy books!! that really sucks. i haven’t read all the bright places or fangirl yet so glad to hear you liked them!!
Yay, hope you join in! Figured it was a good way to try and catch up on Kindle books. :)
I’m so impressed that you are able to get all of these books in! I can’t even find the time for one these days. That’s having a kid for ya!
Hoping to get back into regular reading soon. I’ve been working on a book for a month now. It’s awesome, The Art of Happiness.
Anywho. Hope all is well with you!
V
Thanks V! I imagine that makes things difficult – my trick is just to listen to a lot of audiobooks! :) I’ll have to add The Art of Happiness to my list, sounds like a good one!
I have Reality Boy on loan from the library now, I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it! It sounds really interesting! I feel like I read a lot of stinkers last month. :/
I think The Host wasn’t too bad. The ending was a little weird but the book itself was fine. Do NOT rent the movie, though–it was terrible!!!
Bummer, stinkers are the worst. I hope you end up enjoying Reality Boy – it’s not particularly “enjoyable” but it was very interesting!
Haha good to know about the movie – I will stick to the book! :)
Hopped over from Oak and Oats because you are from Seattle…so am I! I love finding bloggers that are from my area!
Oh how fun! I’ll be checking your blog out too :)
I really need to read Fangirl. It’s been on my list for ages and I seem to keep seeing one positive review after another. I can already tell it’s the type of book I’d probably enjoy too. I need to just go download it now onto my reader so I don’t keep forgetting about it.
Haha yes do it! It’s a good one :)
I loved Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, so I definitely need to read Reality Boy. I enjoyed Fangirl too, but I gotta admit, I wish Reagan (the roommate) had her own follow-up book. I thought she was fantastic!
Oohh that would be interesting! I see that Rainbow Rowell is writing an entire follow up finishing out the Simon & Baz story. Not sure how I feel about that, but it could be interesting!
I do all my reading the old-fashioned way by visiting the library so no e-reader challenge for me. I do have a Goodreads challenge of 100 books this year goin though but you’ve so got me beat with 150! I just started my 29th book!
Oh that’s awesome! I do a lot of my reading from visting the library… online! I use the Overdrive app ;) Dang girl, doing work, congrats on 29!
ugh, the jodi picoult one…i had to stop. i just read one called golden boy, which was about an intersex teen boy, and the chapters are all narrated by different, rotating people. i like that.
b
Oh that sounds super interesting, I’m going to have to add that to my TBR list! Thanks B!
Okay, it was a bad month for books, eh? The Fangirl and Reality Boy sound good, I will have to put them on my “to read” list! I am amazed with the amount of words you read or listen to. Impressed. Hopefully one day I will get back to my growing stack of books!
Unfortunately it started off that way! I listen to most of them, though I try to read a few eBooks and regular books during the month too. I get a lot of listening done at work and in the car :) Hope you enjoy Fangirl and Reality Boy!
This is an awesome challenge and I love this idea! I really need to find the time to get back to reading. Here lately, I start a book, and I never finish it. I’m thinking this reading challenge just might be a good idea for me too. Thanks for the post :)
Of course, glad you enjoyed it and yes, I hope you join! :)
i think my e-reader challenge totally flopped. I love the books you chose though! I think it is just you and 2 others participating at this point. I am such a bad marketer! Thanks for joining :)
Trish
Well that’s alright, 3 is better than none! ;) I thought it was a great idea, and it got me reading a few books that have been sitting on my Kindle for too long!