Book Talk: March Wrap Up

So much for taking advantage of my spring break... I mean, I did, just not for reading. Prioritizing is hard. And now there aren't any breaks until Memorial Day. Looks like I'll just have to make a greater point of carving out time in my day. One day I'll restore my reading life to its former glory, but today is, unfortunately, not that day.

Stats:

• Books Read: 4
• Genre:
• Fantasy: 2
• Science Fiction: 1
• Contemporary: 1
• Page Count: 1,508

Books:

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Maybe this wasn't the best choice to start off the month with a series I wasn't in love with. One of the best pieces of advice going into The Raven Boys is to give it time because the writing style takes some getting used to. Now in the final book of the quartet, I am well accustomed to the writing style, but now it's the world building that wasn't doing it for me. There was nothing I could do to get myself to care about anything that was happening. Then when we got that moment in my favorite ship (no spoilers!) that really could've been the end for me. Reading on, I realized that was what I was waiting for all series long. Typically I have a hard time DNFing a book but no trouble dropping a series if I'm not into it. For some reason it was the exact opposite with this series. Maybe because I knew that this is a good series, I just didn't want it to be one that wasn't for me. Dead week + finals week + The Raven King = reading s l u m p. It was brutal but now it's over with. I never have to think about this series again. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This novel was brilliantly captivating. By the time I finished the first ten pages I was so deep into this world, there was no returning to reality. I thought this book would be a stand alone, and it very well could have been, but I'm glad it wasn't because now I'll get to spend at least another book in this world. While this book and its ambiance are stunning, there was just a lil something that I was missing that made it feel a little off. I've been thinking about it but I still cannot put my finger on it. Honestly it could just be the tone the author was going for, now that I know what went down. Without giving too much away, Caraval is the story of a magical, elusive, by-invitation-only carnival that Scarlett has been desperately dreaming about for years. When, at long last, those tickets arrive, Scarlett is torn between security and adventure. We all know the choice she makes (actually... you know what? you'll read about it.) and what happens in Caraval is an experience to say the least. I really have to bite my tongue to avoid spoiling anything here. A lot happens. I'm being as vague as the game itself. Julian is hot. That's all I can give you for now. Caraval is definitely worth the read, especially if you liked The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Black Moon by Romina Russell

It seems quartets are on trend right now because I have been duped many a time by the third installment of a series. Coming to this realization did ease my growing panic when, halfway through the book, we were nowhere near tying up any loose ends (and we hadn't seen any of Hysan except for in Rho's angst). We have been through a lot alongside Rho and there were reveals all around in this book. I want to remember one in particular without giving anything away so I'll just say "Yarrot" and hope that's enough for future me to decipher. This installment takes a deeper dive into the worlds of Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces. I cannot even fathom the amount of time it takes to build these worlds and apply the unique characteristics to the peoples of each House. If ratings were based on world building alone this entire series would consistently get full ratings. I guess I should tell you a little bit about the plot (no spoilers!!!). Now that the Zodiac is in a tenuous peacetime, a political party with questionable motives has emerged and causes 99 problems for Rho and the Guardians. Their agenda seems utopian at its surface, but is anything in young adult fiction as it seems? Black Moon ended in the steepest of cliffhangers so I'll be here twiddling my thumbs until August when Thirteen Rising (which already has a stunning cover) is released.

By Your Side by Kasie West

This late into the month, I realized just how few books I had read. It was embarrassing. Despite still having library books on my shelf, I knew I needed a cutesy contemporary to lift me out of my slump. Good thing for me I had just received one from Uppercase in February. It wasn't difficult to get through this book, but I can't say this was what I wanted this book to be. Expectations ruin yet another book. I say that, but it wasn't all that bad. Just not as much emphasis on the main relationship as I would have liked. For as much as Dax was mentioned in the blurb, he was on such bad terms with Autumn for so much of the book that it felt manufactured when he finally did warm up to her. I also got the manufactured-vibe from all of Autumn's friends. Then I felt Autumn spent too much time pining over Jeff for me to invest in her budding relationship with Dax. It wasn't until far too late in the game that we learned why Jeff wasn't right for her. And her brother? What was he there for? Just a guilt trip? I'm not sure what purpose he served. Those are a lot of complaints, but I do like the premise of this story. It was just that the execution did not match my expectation. It wasn't all bad, though. Shout out to Jeff for being a genuinely great and crush-worthy guy. And once we got over that weird "I'm suddenly cool with having you in my life!!!" phase, Dax and Autumn were really good together. I wish we would've gotten more of that. I also appreciated how Autumn's anxiety played into the story. It's always nice to get some representation in there. Overall, it's not the best read, but there wasn't anything overtly bad about it either (despite half this paragraph being complaints). If you want a quick, easy read, Kasie West is the way to go. This book only took me nine hours to finish, including breaks, two meals, and a dentist appointment.


This was an underwhelming reading month (March was very busy in all other aspects!) but it could have been much worse. Just think, if I hadn't picked up By Your Side, I would have been looking at a measly THREE BOOKS. At least now I'm looking at an average of one a week. Not great, but I can manage. Maybe I should make my monthly reading goal to read one book more than the month before until I'm actually successful. I have to finish a book at some point, right? In the meantime, have you read any of the books in this Wrap Up? Know of any I'd enjoy? Share your thoughts in the comments below! I'll be reading them. 😉

Talk to you soon!

xo, Yvette