March Wrap Up | Books and Baking

March has been a great reading month for me, I managed to read 7 books and I also participated in my first readathon which was over on bookstagram. It was really fun and has made me look forward to doing more readathons in the future. Do you participate in any readathons? I’d love some suggestions in the comments if so! 😊

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Let me know what your favourite reads of March were in the comments! My reviews are below:

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Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

This was a £1 World Book Day prequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and I really enjoyed it. I have reviews for both A Good Girls Guide to Murder and the sequel Good Girl, Bad Blood which you can read if you are interested. This book has definitely got me excited to read the last book in the series which comes out this summer. Kill Joy is set before the events in AGGGTM, and it was really nice to see that the characters were the same – I love Pip as a character and her personality really shines through. Pip is at the beginning of her sleuthing journey in this book as she attends a friends 1920s themed murder mystery party which is full of fun and of course…murder!

Rating – ★★★★

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Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

I buddy read this sequel to Dear Martin with some friends, and we all enjoyed it even more than the first book! This book is relevant, important, and educational and I would highly recommend the series to anyone. The book explores race, inequality, and the sheer effects they have on young black lives. The story is both hopeful and heart-breaking and for me, this is a story that needed to be written and needs to be read.

Rating – ★★★★.5

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Now You See Her by Heidi Perks

I’ve been staying away from thrillers recently because I’ve found them to be quite predictable and unfortunately this one did not restore my love for the genre. The story was gripping at times but for the most part it was predictable and didn’t really have that ‘wow’ factor for me. I would say this falls under the psychological/domestic thriller genre and I usually enjoy reading them but I just did not like the marriage dynamic at all which was a big part of the story.

Rating – ★★★

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Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

This was my other buddy read for March and we both really enjoyed this. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and I’ve also got Emma on my tbr – so I had a good idea as to what I was getting myself into. I really loved the traditional Austen wit and humour which carefully critiques society. This novel is a satire of the gothic novel which is emulated through the heroine Catherine who is beyond obsessed with gothic novels. I think that the story was fun and also easy to read. If you are starting out with classics I’d say this is a great place to start!

Rating – ★★★★

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The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey

I help to co-run a book club at my university and this was our book club choice for March. I really enjoyed both reading and discussing this story, especially because I managed to get the author and editor to join. It was really fun hearing about both the creative writing and publishing aspects of the book. The story is about love, loss, acceptance, hope and faith and just so much more. Set on an imaginary island in the Caribbean, this is a story of how one person can change the lives of those around them. I really enjoyed this one, it’s not like anything I’ve ever read before!

Rating – ★★★★

Rumaysa: A Fairytale by Radiya Hafiza

I read Rumaysa: A Fairytale as an ARC on Net Galley and I loved it! I want to get into children’s publishing and I am always on the look out for amazing children’s books to read and this one did not disappoint. This is a #ownvoices retelling of three fairy tales which are intertwined and connected through the protagonist: Rumaysa. I absolutely loved the representation in this, we definitely need more of it in children’s books. The line “Rumaysa, Rumaysa, let down your hijab” is one of my favourites! I’d highly recommend this one. Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out on April 1st in the UK.

Rating – ★★★★

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When Life Gives you Mangoes by Kereen Getten

This contemporary middle grade novel covers a plethora of important issues, from friendship to mental health to religion and it is done really well. Longlisted for the 2021 Jhalak Prize, this book is set in a seaside community in Jamaica. It really captures the culture and told from the eyes of twelve-year-old Clara, is honest and funny. I loved that there was a little bit of a mystery that underpinned the narrative, and the twist was amazing. It was authentic, fun and I would highly recommend!

Rating – ★★★★

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So that’s my March Wrap Up! For the most part it was a great reading month as I enjoyed all of my books, I am hoping for some 5 star reads in April though as I’ve mainly had 4 star reads so far this year! What is on your April tbr? Let me know 😊.