I had a great reading month in March, which encompassed the end of my vacation and crazy return to work. I even picked up 2 books in the 5-star range; let’s get into it!

Stats

Total books read: 8

2025 releases: 3

Physical books: 4

New-to-me authors: 3

BOTM: 2

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin (4.5 stars) – This was a short but impactful book about mental health and complicated family dynamics; the audiobook was very strong, and the structure of how the story was told made its messaging even sharper. It’s definitely my favorite book from this author out of her three.

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (4.5 stars) – I’ve been meaning to pick this one up ever since Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird made my best books of 2024 list, and it was just as unsettling, disturbing, and creative as I expected. This author really understands how to creep out and unsettle a reader while making important points about society, and I’m planning to read her newest novel, The Unworthy, in the near future.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (4 stars) – I haven’t been doing a great job reading books my brother recommends to me (mainly because I’m not wild about the idea of picking up a 1,000-plus page Brandon Sanderson book when the only book I’ve read from him so far was just OK for me), and I wanted to start to remedy that this year. He absolutely loved Project Hail Mary, and I had enjoyed The Martian when I read it years ago, so I thought this was a better recommendation. And I really enjoyed it! The friendship between the two main characters was especially great, and I really appreciated the emotional and unexpected ending. It reminded me that I enjoy the humor and science-heavy approach to Andy Weir’s books, and might even pick up another.

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (4 stars) – I certainly wasn’t expecting John Green’s next book to be another nonfiction, and he covers a very important and often overlooked crisis in this work. I’m a healthcare provider, however, so this book maybe wasn’t as informative for me as it might be for other readers. I do think it was well-written and about a topic that could use more attention.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (4 stars) – Despite being a huge Hunger Games fan, I actually never read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (I just wasn’t super interested in a young President Snow). I definitely knew I needed to know more about Haymitch’s story, however, and his story was somehow even more devastating than I’d imagined. It provided a lot of context and insight into so many characters, and was emotionally gutting.

Night Beast by Ruth Joffre (4 stars) – I’ve had this short story collection on my TBR shelf for years, and I was glad to have finally picked it up. I enjoyed several of the stories, particularly the more speculative ones, and also that all of the stories featured bi or Sapphic protagonists. I did expect more of a fabulism element to be present throughout, however; I think the cover influenced me in that direction.

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton (4 stars) – This historical fantasy romance from a new-to-me author was much funnier than I expected it to be, while having a fun and madcap plot and enjoyable romance. I think I’ll likely pick up the sequel.

Dungeons & Drama by Kristy Boyce (3 stars) – This was a cute YA contemporary that was just OK for me; I think readers that gravitate more towards YA would probably enjoy it more than I did.