The Books I Read In March 2022
The Books I Read In March 2022
March has to be my favorite reading month so far this year (although I did really enjoy January, too)! Even though my ratings varied this month, every story was unique and individual, and I can still distinctly remember details and plotlines of every one (including the ones that didn’t really resonate with me). I also got to read several of my favorite genres which I'm beginning to notice really helps! Here are all the books I read in March 2022.
Blog Contents
The Stats
The Books
AT A GLANCE
THE HAUNTED HOUSE THRILLER
THE ONES WITH HIGH STAKES
THE SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
THE HEARTBREAKING & BEAUTIFUL ONES
THE ROCKSTAR ROMANCE
THE MAGICAL FANTAsies
The Stats
NUMBER OF BOOKS: 9
BEST OF THE BUNCH: I think it’s a toss up between Playing With Fire and All My Rage.
STUNNING SERIES SPOTLIGHT: Crescent City
RE-READ: 0
PRINT: 5
E-BOOK: 4
PAGES: ~3,716
WORDS: ~1,672,200
GENRES: Contemporary Romance (4) // Contemporary YA (1) // Mystery Thriller (2) // Fantasy (2)
AVERAGE RATING: 4.17★
The Books
AT A G L A N C E
🙌🏻 OBSESSED 🙌🏻
📖 This May End Badly
📱 Parks and Provocation
📱 Playing With Fire
📱 All My Rage
😍 HEART EYES 😍
📖 The Inheritance Games
📖 House of Sky and Breath
🤍 ENJOYED/JUST OKAY 🤍
📖 Home Before Dark
📖 Together We Burn
🤷🏼♀️ NOT SURE 🤷🏼♀️
📱 Backstage Pass
THE H A U N T E D H O U S E THRILLER
HOME BEFORE DARK BY RILEY SAGER
So, I was really excited about this one, but was left feeling very underwhelmed by the story.
The concept was great!
I loved the creepy, mysterious house with secrets and a haunted past. I loved seeing alternating timelines of events in the house.
But I just wonder if some of the twists were drawn out for too long...
At times, the writing just felt dense and repetitive with zero plot development. I felt very stuck along with the story's characters.
And the character interactions and development themselves felt, at times, ingenuine and forced.
But SO MANY people have loved this one! It’s definitely a Bookstagram darling, and I’ll still definitely check out other works by Riley before totally giving up.
RATING: ★★★
THE ONES WITH H I G H S T A K E S
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This was exciting and completely not what I was expecting!! I loved it!
A fast paced, riddle-filled, YA mystery with high stakes and romance - so many good things - set on a sprawling estate with secret passage ways and so many enigmatic characters, you won't know who to trust!
NGL this cover fooled me into thinking it was a fantasy book for way too long (😂), but while it's not a fantasy story, it felt utterly magical from start to finish.
I can't wait to continue the game with Avery and those Hawthorne boys!!!
This May End Badly by Samantha Markum
This was SO MUCH FUN. I had *such* a great time reading this book!!
The premise and setting were so unique: high stakes prank wars between rival boarding schools that leads to some fake dating and other shenanigans…
And it’s really so much more than that!
The elements I really enjoyed — the fake dating chemistry, small town/college feels, a bookish love interest, those snarky jokes, the "more than a rom-com" vibe, Doe’s growth.
And, really, who knew I needed some high stakes, prank wars in my life!
Coming April 12, 2022
SHOP THE BOOKS:
the inheritance games
Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
this may end badly
Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
THE S E C O N D C H A N C E ROMANCE
Parks and Provocation by Juliette Cross
I loved this!! Every minute. It was so good.
A small town, second chance romance with steam, a hunky fireman and fake dating podcaster with history that's so, so fun and also serious and heartfelt!
Juliette has a way of creating intense chemistry and the best banter so effortlessly, it makes it hard to put the book down. You’ll just want to devour every word nonstop.
Her fast paced storytelling not only keeps you hooked but feels raw, genuine, and true from start to finish.
Be ready for: high school frenemies getting a second chance, "the one that got away" trope, steamy romance x HEA, cozy, small town feels, fake dating until it’s not!!
RATING: ★★★★★
THE H E A R T B R E A K I N G & B E A U T I F U L ONES
Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen
This story has everything I'm beginning to really love and look for in my romances: tragic backstories, strong yet flawed characters, suspense, angst, drama, and intense feelings and chemistry.
I NEED MORE. And could definitely take more of Grace and West's story!
It was beautiful and raw, broken and messy, and at times, stressful and definitely not easy.
And Shen's writing! I was completely drawn in and hypnotized from the onset of the story and didn't look back once.
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
This book hurts… a lot. It’s filled with so much pain and grief and hurtful things. But also so many small, beautiful and wonderful things.
It speaks volumes. It’s powerful and moving and will definitely leave its mark.
I devoured 95% of this story in one sitting. It consistently left me hand-to-mouth gasping, tearful and gut-punched throughout, and by the end, bittersweetly and completely whole.
I felt for these characters, longed and grieved with them, hoped for them, dreamed with them.
I'd love to get their next chapter.
Please be sure to check all the content warnings at the start of the book!
THE R O C K S T A R ROMANCE
Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning
Kindle rabbit holes after dark are always interesting and sometimes weird (😂).
This is a really smutty/filthy, rock star romance that I think I mostly enjoyed, but still really can't tell if I did or not lol.
I did like the beginning and first half but I'm not sure how I felt about the second half nor if I'll continue the series.
This series follows the 5 or 6 guys in The Sinners, a metal/rock’n’roll band, and totally has potential.
And I am interested in some of the other guys’ stories though, so we’ll see. It’s definitely not a priority though.
RATING: ★★★
SHOP THE BOOK:
THE MAGICAL FANTASIES
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez
It's paining me to say that I wanted to like this more than I did.
The concept of the story was great! I loved Isabel's writing as usual and the magical feel of the world she created.
But, overall, the story just fell a little flat for me.
I had some issues with the "killing animals for entertainment" premise for so long in the beginning that I think I started to feel a little jaded about the story as a whole (I did love how all that turned out in the end, though, but I think it needed to happen sooner for me to be fully on board).
Arturo and Zarela's grumpiness with each other and their relationship was definitely cute at times, and I did love Zarela's determination and the fact that she never gave up!
But her personality was just tough to swallow a lot of the time for me personally.
I also wish the mystery of sabotage could have been fleshed out more or taken more seriously by the characters.
However, if you love dragons, hate to love, and coming of age stories, this might be for you!
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
UM WUT. Holy crap! That ending was something. And this installment overall was pretty intriguing and attention-grabbing.
The first half really captured my interest, but I noticed by the 3/4 mark, my enthusiasm was starting to wane. I feel like it was partially the length, partially feeling lost at where the story was headed.
BUT. I really loved being back in this world and the story definitely took me by surprise. Forever glad I reread House of Earth and Blood!
SHOP THE BOOKS:
together we burn
Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
house of sky and breath
Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
Most of these, for me, were "more than" stories, too. More than what they seem, more than the few words that describe the main genre of the tale. Just more than what I was expecting. And I love that. Those are my favorite kind.
Have you read a story lately that felt "more than" to you? Or tell me the book that left it's mark on you in March.
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I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Leggings, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a bookworm and homebody at heart with a knack for content creation & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
When the nights are longer and darkness falls sooner, having a tale of magic to dive into makes all the difference for my mental health and well-being. There’s nothing better than an immersive fantasy read in the heart of winter and I’ve got 15 winter fantasy book recommendations lined up here – for every type of fantasy reader — to keep your spirits bright this chilly, cozy season.