March Wrap Up

 This month I read 10 books. I'll discuss the 4 middle grade books first.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani. This was a story about a little girl in India who must make the treacherous journey to Pakistan during Partition. I found it a compelling story, but would've liked more explanation of how these decisions were made and more facts. I enjoyed it and gave it 3 stars.

I love listening to the Wizards of Once series and enjoyed the third entry: Knock Three Times by Cressida Cowell. I found some of it a bit unbelievable but really enjoyed the deepening lore in the magical world. I rated it 3 stars.

Another book I listened to was Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horowitz. This was a fun story turning tropes on their head. She was the daughter of a Dark Lord and is understandably, not liked. She has to save her father from a curse and finds friends along the way. 4 out of 5 stars!

Lastly, I read Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. This was a spooky book about children who are sent to a parallel world where scarecrows can move and do the bidding of their master. I love Katherine Arden but only felt this was fine. I gave it 3 stars.

I picked up Girl at War by Sara Novic. This focused on the Yugoslavian civil war in the 1990s. It had a non-linear sequence which I felt was unnecessary but I found the book informative and enjoyable. I awarded it 4 stars.

After re-reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, I decided to pick up his short story collection The Egg and Other Stories. These were mostly really short. Some were good and some forgettable. I gave it 3 stars for one story that I felt was phenomenal and wish it had been longer.

One brand new release I was excited for was The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. She writes good paranormal mysteries. This one focused on a true crime blogger who gets to interview a potential serial killer who was acquitted of the crimes. This had the makings of a excellent story but the "ghostie bit" was not really believable or necessary. I assigned it 3.5 stars.

Another new release I wanted to read was The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. I loved her first book with that crazy good twist so I went in with high expectations. It's a story about maps and paper towns and somehow the paper towns become real. None of the magic bits are explained which felt a bit lazy. I predicted the first twist, didn't see the second, and guessed the third. It's probably my fault for having such high expectations but my enjoyment was worth 3.5 stars.

After waiting three months for my inter-library loan, I was able to read Doreen by Barbara Noble. This is a forgotten classic about World War 2 in London and how children were sent out to the countryside to keep them safe from the bombings. A mother sends her young daughter to live with a family but regrets it when her daughter forms close bonds with her temporary parents. I gave it 4 stars.

Saving the best for last, I want to tell you about What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris. This is a coming-of-age story for a young black girl named KB in the 1990s. After her father has overdosed and died, her mother drops KB and her sister off at her estranged grandfather's house to focus on her well-being. That summer KB learns so much about family history, racism, and relationships. This felt like an instant classic. I gave it 5 stars and can't wait for the author to write some more books!