March 2023 Wrap-Up
Hey bookworms 😄
Holy cannoli, I can’t believe it’s already April! Did anybody do any fun pranks for April Fools’ Day? The most I did was just “BOO” at people lol. Anyhoo, I had a great reading month! I read practically every single day and managed to finish some eARCs on my TBR. In total, I managed to read 4 books and listen to 3 audiobooks. I enjoyed all the books I read this month, so it’s super hard to pick a favorite.
In terms of editing, I’m officially fully booked for April (yay) so I’m currently taking projects for mid-May and onward. If you’re interested in getting your manuscript edited, check out my Editing Services page for more details about my services and rates. Moving on to my wrap-up!
My Library
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Review:
This book was recommended to me by a friend who knows I love horror. He said it was going to be super scary and would make me want to stay up all night from fear of sleeping. I ended up sleeping just fine, but I admit there are some parts in this book that were quite disturbing and spooky. I really enjoyed how the spooky bits are mentioned so casually at the beginning of the story because the reader knows something is up even though the characters don’t realize it yet. I also thought the multiple POVs were interesting to read about and made for intriguing side storylines. I ended up watching the movie after I finished the book, and was sad to see that the side stories in the book weren’t mentioned in the movie. Anyhoo, the horror parts of the book with Regan and the exorcism were creepy AF, and the desecrations in the churches were definitely disturbing. I was also surprised with how long it took for the church to approve the exorcism, and the steps involved to even request one. I thought that bit where Father Karras tries to determine if Regan is really possessed or just ill was really interesting. I was really sad about the ending though, especially with what happened to Father Karras, but the ending wrapped everything up nicely which I appreciated.
4.5/5⭐
Netgalley eARCs
I was recently approved for a few eARCs, so I’m super excited to read them! Hopefully some of them will make it on my April wrap-up post 😄
Other (e)ARCs
From Simon & Schuster Canada
Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
Review:
I was super excited when I got an eARC of this book! I absolutely loved Sorcery of Thorns, so I figured this would be just as good. I reread a synopsis of the first book before reading this which definitely helped give me a refresher of who the characters were. The plot of this seemed a bit random, but I was totally here for the focus on Elisabeth and Nathaniel’s relationship. I loved their dynamic and I loved how playful they were. They had so many cute moments and great banter. One of my fav parts was with Elisabeth’s suit of armour 😅 I also liked how we got more of Silas and some of his backstory, and more of his bond with Elisabeth. I can’t believe Elisabeth is only 17 years old though, but overall, it’s a great little novella!
4/5⭐
Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius
Review:
TW: Graphic animal cruelty and death, racism, harassment, suicide, suicidal thoughts, dementia, intolerance, discrimination, etc.
This was such a powerful book. I thought it was quite informative too, and gave insight into the lives of the Sámi. I didn’t really know what to expect going into the story, but wow, it was good. I found it to be a super easy read in terms of complexity of language. However, the content was really tough to read at times, especially the moments of discrimination, the dealings with the police, and the animal cruelty. The ending really got to me too. I felt a tad conflicted about Robert because he seemed like such a monster, but how he acted toward his dog gave him an ounce of humanity that made me feel for him just a tiny bit at the end of the book. I definitely think he’s a despicable human being though, especially with how he treated the Sámi people and their reindeer. I really liked Elsa’s character and how her character grows throughout the story to become a strong woman who is willing to speak up about the injustices in her community. Overall, this was a really hard-hitting read, and I highly recommend it!
5/5⭐
From Brenna Bailey
A Tale of Two Florists by Brenna Bailey
Review:
I've never read a book with elderly MCs, but I absolutely loved this one! Thank you @brennabaileybooks for the eARC! The pettiness between the two ladies was so fun to read, and it was nice to see how they got over their fears to build a relationship. I really liked how the misunderstanding trope was done in this book, because it doesn't get blown out of proportion with both MCs feeding into the misunderstanding—if that makes sense lol. Also, Minnie and Dot's friendship is so heartwarming! I also really love how Brenna includes the acknowledgement of the land in her story as well. You can tell she really put a lot of work into making her characters and this story as authentic as possible 🤗 Great story overall!
4.5/5⭐
Audiobooks
Wishtress by Nadine Brandes
Review:
TW: Child prostitution
I follow Nadine on Instagram and love her account so much. I realized I should finally try to read one of her books because they always have such an interesting synopsis. I picked up Wishtress and couldn’t wait to dive in. Boy oh boy, this book was one wild ride. The beginning was intense, and I definitely had some choice opinions about Myrthe’s behaviour 😅 Luckily, she does go through quite a bit of character growth throughout the book, which definitely redeemed her. I was also a bit confused in the beginning with the switching POVs and the concept of the Stillness, but I understood it better as the story progressed. I really loved Anouk and Myrthe’s relationship and how they forgive each other. Forgiveness and humility is a big theme in this book, and I think it’s handled beautifully. One thing I was surprised about was that Nadine does not shy away from ripping out her reader’s heart through death and gore. Things get real bad for some of the characters, but I guess everything works out satisfyingly in the end. I totally called Runt’s story though, but he was one of my fav characters regardless. I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance because I felt like there wasn’t much buildup to it and I didn’t feel much for that couple. Overall, this was a pretty decent story with great character growth and beautiful worldbuilding.
3.5/5⭐
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Review:
TW: Death, cutting for blood sacrifices, creepy pedophilia vibes, abuse.
I saw this on Instagram and decided to give it a try even though I was only a little intrigued by the synopsis. However, I heard the voice of the male narrator and I was hooked—and I saw the cover and couldn’t resist. I LOVED this story. It was so beautiful and haunting and gothic. This story was definitely a vibe. It was pretty dark too, and that ending was unnerving AF. I loved the description of the fairies and the Otherworld. I really wanted to live in the House of Dreams and visit the Otherworld myself. I suspected the ending around the last few chapters of the story, so I thought that was pretty good for reveal pacing. I also have no clue why, but I was low-key tearing up at the end of the story. It was just really great. Highly recommend.
4.5/5⭐
Love at First Psych by Cara Bastone
Review:
As some of you may know, I love all the Audible Originals written by Cara Bastone. She is just such a great romance author and her stories always have such great banter. This story was no different. However, this story just hit me way too hard, and I was basically crying for like the entire thing—that's a good thing I swear 😅 It's just so sweet, and I loved the MC couple so much. Robbie is such a sweetheart and I loved Marigold’s passion for baking. I loved all the conversations they had about love, like the penguin convo, the part about small vs. grand gestures, and how people change so you should always look again. The ending was super romantic too 🥹 Overall, just a wonderful story and I want more.
5/5⭐
That’s a wrap on my wrap-up lol. I hope you found some new books to add to your TBR. If you read any great books in March, let me know what they were in the comments below 😊
Happy reading!
