March Reading Wrap-Up

March was a great reading month for me, quality-wise. I read some of my favorite books of the year (so far, anyway)! I'd recommend every book on this list (NEVER FADE is a sequel, though, so if you're looking to start the series, read THE DARKEST MINDS first).

 

Here we go!

 

THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore

This story has been described as Romeo and Juliet meets THE NIGHT CIRCUS, which is spot-on. Lace comes from a family of mermaid exhibitionists (they wear tails and swim underwater) while Cluck’s family straps on wings and scale the tallest trees. The family rivalry runs deeper than performance competition, and with a touch of magical realism and romance, this story finds the perfect balance. So, so unique and beautiful.

 

NEVER FADE by Alexandra Bracken

Continuing my Darkest Minds series reread. I enjoyed this much more the second time around. Loved seeing Ruby’s character development!

 

KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Moldavsky

Four fangirls of boy band The Ruperts accidentally-kind-of-on-purpose kidnap a member of the band. Things escalate. It’s hilarious, slightly terrifying, and reminiscent of Libba Bray’s BEAUTY QUEENS. A great examination of celebrity/fan culture and validation of fangirls. I loved every second of this one!

 

THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

I reread this in preparation for THE WINNER’S KISS release. Five stars once again! The writing is flawlessly crafted: so much symbolism and sharp prose. Kestrel is becoming one of my all-time favorite female protagonists. I’m planning to do a full series review (non-spoiler) once I read the final book, so stay tuned!

 

LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare

Book one in Cassandra Clare’s new Shadowhunters series, The Dark Artifices. Emma tries to solve a series of Los Angeles murders that connect to her parents’ own deaths. Meanwhile, she fights her growing feelings for Julian, her parabati, and questions the strict rules of the Clave, the Shadowhunter governing body. Well-developed characters and a rich new piece of the Shadowhunter world.  

 

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND by Katarina Bivald

Imagine Belle never met the Beast and instead opened a bookstore in the town where everyone thinks she’s strange. You’ve got this book. It’s charming and full of bookish references from Jane Austen to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO to Harry Potter. If you love books, you’ll like this. (Fun fact: it's a translation! Originally published in Sweden.)

 

 

EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR by E.K. Johnston

After Hermione Winters is drugged and raped at cheerleading camp, she has to cope with her lack of memories surrounding the assault. Thankfully, she has a best friend to lean on. Such a powerful book. I really loved this one. Check out my full review here.

 

 

I loved all the books I read this month. They're all so different: satire, magical realism, urban fantasy, tough issue contemp... Not sure I can pick a favorite!

 

What's your favorite March read? Have you picked up any of these? Are they on your TBR?

 

 

 

My Auto-Buy Authors

You know those authors. They announce they’re publishing a new book and, without even knowing what it’s about, you count down the days until you can run to Barnes and Noble and buy it. No matter the story, you MUST have that book. These are the authors you trust.

Here are my auto-buy authors:

1. Sarah Dessen (The Moon and More, This Lullaby, The Truth About Forever). I can count on her for solid female narrators, secondary characters with colorful personalities, and plots I can reach out and touch. They feel real. Much of what I know about writing internal conflict, I learned from reading Sarah's books. I own all of them, and SAINT ANYTHING is my most anticipated book of 2015! 

2. John Green (The Fault in Our Stars, Looking For Alaska). Snarky humor and stories that make me think, question, and reevaluate my point of view. So far, he's published a great mix of funny books and sad ones. I can't wait to read whatever he comes up with next!

3. Jandy Nelson (I'll Give You The Sun, The Sky is Everywhere). New to my auto-buy list. After I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, I would read that woman’s grocery lists. Any piece of paper her words touch, gimmie! Lush prose and imagery, complex and well thought out characters, emotional resonance. I read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN twice in four months while writing my thesis. It never ceases to inspire me! 

4. Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire). I’ll be testing my auto-buy tendency with her in May, when her new series A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES launches. I’m so enthralled by THRONE OF GLASS, and I can’t wait for more well-developed high fantasy with action and delicious character development. I used to consider myself someone who was easily overwhelmed by high fantasy, but after reading Sarah's books, I've learned that I love it!

5. Cassandra Clare (City of Bones, Clockwork Angel). This is cheating a little bit, because she has a few books I haven’t bought (like THE IRON TRIAL, which she co-wrote with Holly Black), but I’m game for anything set in her Shadowhunter world like THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS and THE INFERNAL DEVICES. I love her humor and talent for world building in the urban fantasy subgenre. I've been reading her books since high school, and every time I pick up CITY OF BONES, I'm eighteen again (in a good way).  

How about you? Whose books do you automatically buy?