Photo by Dan Farrell on Unsplash
March was a wonderful, hope-filled month for me. I got my first vaccine shot and could finally begin seeing the light at the end of the very long and twisted COVID-19 tunnel. It was also the month where I regained some reading momentum which allowed me to finish eight books. EIGHT! And I enjoyed all of them! Keep reading to see the titles.
What I Read
This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
Format: Audiobook
This new release is about a woman who sees a man standing on the ledge of a bridge, about to jump. She pulls over, talks him down, and invites him to get a cup of coffee with her. They end up spending several days together as they explore their secrets and heartbreaks.
This Close to Okay reignited my love for audiobooks, thanks to the book’s excellent narration by Kamali Minter and Zeno Robinson. Though I didn’t find the ending wholly satisfying, this is a good story about two people who meet at just the right moment in time.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Format: Hardcover
The Midnight Library is a bit of a departure for me, but I loved it. It’s a sci-fi tale about a woman named Nora who’s attempted suicide, only to be stuck in a unique library in which she can live different versions of her life depending on which book she pulls from the shelves.
Matt Haig’s story is deeply engaging and moving, the perfect blend of realism and magic. This novel will be especially delightful to book lovers who have a particular love of libraries and librarians.
Good Apple: Tales of a Southern Evangelical in New York
by Elizabeth Passarella
Format: eBook
Good Apple is the true story of a conservative Southern belle who moves to New York, marries a Jewish husband, and deals with her evolving beliefs. This book is a quick, easy, and funny read, but it could have benefited from being more cohesive. Despite my issues with it, I still enjoyed this book, partly because I’m a sucker for almost anything set in NYC.
Little Threats by Emily Schultz
Format: eBook
Little Threats is a slow burn of a suspense story about the 1993 murder of a teen girl. When the book begins, Kennedy has just been released from her 15-year prison sentence for killing her best friend, Haley. Kennedy has claimed innocence the entire time, but even her twin sister Carter is suspicious. Kennedy returns to her father’s house and her teen bedroom and faces the town’s anger and questions that are revived when a true-crime show comes into town to film an episode about Haley’s murder.
I enjoyed this story and welcomed the slower pacing. The conclusion wrapped things up nicely, making the reading journey very much worth it for me.
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
Format: Audiobook
Helen is a writer who’s had smashing success with her first novel, Mississippi Foxtrot. She goes by the pen name Maud Dixon and wants to keep her success under wraps. A wannabe writer named Florence becomes her assistant, promising to keep her real identity a secret. When the two take a research trip to Morocco, a car accident claims a life and opens up opportunities and adventures for the survivor. Though it started a bit slowly, the fast-paced ending more than made up for it.
This thriller was another excellent audiobook, read by Thérèse Plummer.
The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton
Format: eBook
This no-recipe cookbook is the perfect cookbook for me. When I’m in the kitchen, I like to be creative and make recipes my own. Sam Sifton gives cooks that option by presenting “recipes” that are more suggestive than essential. I enjoyed this book a lot because it reminded me why I like cooking so much.
The Downstairs Neighbor by Helen Cooper
Format: eBook
This compulsively readable thriller is about the lives of three different families living in one London apartment building. There’s Steph, Paul, and their teenage daughter Freya. Emma, a former shop-owner who feels entirely unmoored, lives below them. Then there’s Chris and his wife. Chris is a driving instructor who was teaching Freya how to drive. He becomes a person of interest when she disappears, and he was the last person to see her alive.
The Downstairs Neighbor had me glued to my Kindle. The twists kept coming and coming, and the way all the characters tied together was satisfying. This book was just such fun.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Format: Audiobook
I’d only heard praise about Know My Name, the memoir of the woman formerly known as Emily Doe, who Brock Turner assaulted. With this book, the world meets Chanel Miller as she describes how the assault affected her, what the court case was like, and how being a victim and survivor has ultimately changed her life. Miller is a gifted writer; her prose is beautiful and places readers right in the courtroom alongside her. Her story was hard to read at times, but I was surprised by how hopeful parts of the book ended up being, too. Know My Name is an unforgettable memoir that deserves all of the positive attention it’s received so far.
What I Loved
TECH: OverDrive/Libby
Thanks to my local public library, I’ve been an OverDrive user for years. I fell in love with the app all over again in March, though. I had the opportunity to introduce some students and staff members to it, and that reminded me how great it is that so many library cardholders have access. Books you can get with the click of a button and take anywhere you go? Isn’t that fantastic?!
HEALTH: The COVID-19 Vaccine
I can’t even begin to express my gratitude to the scientists and doctors who are responsible for this vaccine. It’s given me hope that felt so distant, even just a couple of months ago. Sorry for all the mean stuff I said about you in high school and college, science!
cw: abuse
DOCUMENTARY: Athlete A via Netflix
The abuse that occurred in U.S. gymnastics is horrific. Athlete A does a wonderful job explaining what happened and who failed to protect the young girls whose lives were forever changed by an evil doctor. Though definitely hard to watch at times, the courage of the survivors is incredible and deserves our attention. Watching them read their statements in court brought me to tears. If you’re a documentary fan, don’t skip this one.
That’s it for me! What did you read and love in March?
Andrea Is Reading 