What I Read in March 2024

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Hello! I read 13 books in March and DNFd three of them. March was an unusually slow month for me, but hopefully, April will be better and it'll be back to normal. Anyway, let's talk about them!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on March 1st. This is the second book in the Throne of Glass series. I read the first book back in August, so I knew reading this one so far after that would be a struggle, but I was surprisingly remembering things as I went along in the story. Celaena is kind of a badass, which is always cool, and I think I'm Team Dorian over Team Chaol now. I'd recommend this one for anyone who loves fantasy, or who has read the first one in this series. I'm very excited to see where the rest of it goes!

"From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil. Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart. Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for."

Paris by Paris Hilton: I rated this audiobook 5/5 and finished it on March 3rd. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect with this one. I didn't know anything about Paris Hilton going in, and I was so amazed by how crazy her life was; she literally came out of the womb famous. I'd recommend this one to anyone who enjoys celebrity memoirs, especially if you prefer them on audio rather than in paperback.

"Heiress. Party girl. Problem child. Selfie taker. Model. Cover girl. Reality star. These are labels that have been attached to Paris Hilton by others. Founder. Entrepreneur. Pop Culture Maker. Innovator. Survivor. Activist. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Mom. These are roles Paris Hilton embraces now as a fully realized woman. Paris rose to prominence as an heiress to the Hilton Hotels empire, but cultivated her fame and fortune as the It Girl of the aughts, a time marked by the burgeoning twenty-four-hour entertainment news cycle and the advent of the celebrity blog. Using her celebrity brand, Paris set in motion her innovative business ventures, while being the constant target of tabloid culture that dismissively wrote her off as "famous for being famous." With tenacity, sharp business acumen, and grit, she built a global empire and, in the process, became a truly modern icon beloved around the world. Now, with courage, honesty, and humor, Paris Hilton is ready to take stock, place it all in context, and share her story with the world. Separating the creation from the creator, the brand from the ambassador, Paris: The Memoir strips away all we thought we knew about a celebrity icon, taking us back to a privileged childhood lived through the lens of undiagnosed ADHD and teenage rebellion that triggered a panicked--and perilous--decision by her parents. Led to believe they were saving their child's life, Paris's mother and father had her kidnapped and sent to a series of "emotional growth boarding schools," where she survived almost two years of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. In the midst of a hell we now call the "troubled teen industry," Paris created a beautiful inner world where the ugliness couldn't touch her. She came out, resolving to trust no one but herself as she transformed that fantasy world into a multibillion-dollar reality. Recounting her perilous journey through pre-#MeToo sexual politics with grace, dignity, and just the right amount of sass, Paris: The Memoir tracks the evolution of celebrity culture through the story of the figure at its leading edge, full of defining moments and marquee names. Most important, Paris shows us her path to peace while she challenges us to question our role in her story and in our own. Welcome to Paris."

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas: I rated this book 3/5 stars and DNF'd it on March 8th, about 75% of the way through. This is the third book in the Throne of Glass series. This book took me a long time to get through, and I couldn't even finish it. I know part of it is that I'm not really a fantasy person, but for some reason, I just couldn't get through it. I don't think I'll continue with the rest of the series unfortunately, but I am going to try her most recent series that just finished and see how I like it. If you're new to fantasy, I'd recommend her acotar series rather than this one.

"Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak-but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life-and her future-forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?"

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on March 11th. This is the first book in the Crescent City trilogy. I loved this book, I loved it so much. I loved Bryce, I loved Hunt, I loved everything and everyone. I loved the government, I loved the magic, I loved the whole thing. It was a little slow at first, but gradually it built over the course of the book. When stuff started happening toward the final 25-30%ish of the book, none of it felt rushed. Honestly, I'd totally recommend this. I'd recommend her ACOTAR series first, but then read this afterward. This felt like if ACOTAR had been written in the style of a masters thesis, that's the best way to describe the writing style of it. I loved it, I want you to love it as much as I did. Please read this.

"Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it."

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on March 14th. This is the second book in the Crescent City trilogy. I felt like this one was more fast-paced than the first one, but I also didn't enjoy it as much. I feel like it didn't wow me like the first one did, though the cliffhanger at the end was enticing. However, I haven't heard great things about the third book in this series, so I think I'm only going to read the first two. I'd recommend it to anyone who's read her ACOTAR series since they're connected.

"Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds. The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent. In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it."

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on February 18th. This is the first book in the Big Shots series. When I found out Tessa Bailey was writing a golf romance, I knew I had to have it immediately. My dad loves golf so it already had a special place in my heart before I started reading it. I've always loved her writing, so I was curious about her newest release and honestly, I loved it. I loved Josephine and Wells together, I thought their romance was very believable and I loved the type 1 diabetes representation with the FMC. I think my favorite part was how accurate it was when it talked about golf; you could tell she didn't modify the rules at all and stuck close to the real rules of golf. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves sports romance.

"Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life. Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?"

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on March 20th. This is the first book in the Housemaid series. This is one of her most popular books and I can see why. I think the hype is worth it, because honestly, it was pretty good. The plot was good, the twists were good, and I liked Millie a lot. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys her books or anyone who wants a fast-paced thriller.

"Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…"

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on March 20th. This is the second book in the Housemaid series. I think I liked this one more than the first one, just in terms of the twists surprising me more. I'd still recommend it though, especially if you're looking for a fast-paced thriller.

"It's hard to find an employer who doesn't ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It's almost perfect. But I still haven't met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I'm sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I'm doing laundry. And one day I can't help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything...That's when I make a promise. After all, I've done this before. I can protect Mrs. Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It's simply a question of how far I'm willing to go..."

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on March 22nd. When I picked up this book, it was initially because the cover was beautiful. I had no idea what it was about. However, I was surprised to find it was about a woman getting divorced and becoming a single mom, and finding poetry through that. It was..beautiful, moving even. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to, maybe people who enjoy poetry? Yeah, I recommend this to people who like poetry or maybe people who have gone through a divorce. I can't relate, but maybe this will make you feel seen.

"In her memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, poet Maggie Smith explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself in lyrical vignettes that shine, hard and clear as jewels. The book begins with one woman’s personal, particular heartbreak, but its circles widen into a reckoning with contemporary womanhood, traditional gender roles, and the power dynamics that persist even in many progressive homes. With the spirit of self-inquiry and empathy she’s known for, Smith interweaves snapshots of a life with meditations on secrets, anger, forgiveness, and narrative itself. The power of these pieces is cumulative: page after page, they build into a larger interrogation of family, work, and patriarchy. You Could Make This Place Beautiful, like the work of Deborah Levy, Rachel Cusk, and Gina Frangello, is an unflinching look at what it means to live and write our own lives. It is a story about a mother’s fierce and constant love for her children, and a woman’s love and regard for herself. Above all, this memoir is an argument for possibility. With a poet’s attention to language and an innovative approach to the genre, Smith reveals how, in the aftermath of loss, we can discover our power and make something new. Something beautiful."

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on March 23rd. This is the first book in the Magnolia Parks Universe and the first book about Magnolia and BJ. I loved Magnolia and BJ together; they're like the toxic couple that shouldn't be together but are because they can make it work. The characters are so well-written and I loved it so much. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes the show Gossip Girl.

"She is a beautiful, affluent, self-involved and mildly neurotic London socialite. He is Britain's most photographed bad-boy lothario who broke her heart. But Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine are meant to be, and everyone knows it. They're in the stars... just suspended in a strange kind of love that looks like hurting each other a lot of the time: She dates other people to keep him at bay; he sleeps with other girls to get back at her for it. But at the end of their every sad endeavour to get over one another, it's still each other they crawl back to. But their dysfunction is catching up with them, pulling at their seams and fraying the world they've built; a world where neither has to ever let the other go completely. As the cracks start to show and secrets begin to surface, Magnolia and BJ are finally forced to face the formidable question they've been avoiding all their lives: how many loves do you really get in a lifetime?"

King of Pride by Ana Huang: I rated this book 2/5 stars and DNFd it on March 25th at around 40%. This is the second book in the Kings of Sin series and follows Isabella and Kai. I was really looking forward to reading this one because I loved the other two in the series. However, this was a major letdown. It was so slow and I felt like nothing was happening. I also strongly disliked the male main character for some reason; I'm not sure what it was about him but I couldn't get behind it. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this one.

"Reserved, controlled, and proper to a fault, Kai Young has neither the time nor inclination for chaos—and Isabella, with her purple hair and inappropriate jokes, is chaos personified. With a crucial CEO vote looming and a media empire at stake, the billionaire heir can’t afford the distraction she brings. Isabella is everything he shouldn’t want, but with every look and every touch, he’s tempted to break all his rules…and claim her as his own. Bold, impulsive, and full of life, Isabella Valencia has never met a party she doesn’t like or a man she couldn’t charm...except for Kai Young. It shouldn’t matter. He’s not her type—the man translates classics into Latin for fun, and his membership at the exclusive club where she bartends means he’s strictly off limits. But she can’t deny that, beneath his cool exterior, is a man who could make her melt with just a touch. No matter how hard they try, they can’t resist giving into their forbidden desires. Even if it costs them everything."

Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham: I rated this audiobook 2/5 stars and DNFd it on March 28th at around 65%. Last year, I read All The Dangerous Things by her and loved it. Because of that, I was eager to read her newest release this year. Unfortunately, I was let down by it. It was just so slow! I felt like nothing was happening the entire time. The characters were boring, the plot was boring, and the whole thing was boring. I wouldn't recommend this one either.

"Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. Margot is the shy one, the careful one, always the sidekick and never the center of attention. But when Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, a year Margot spent studying and playing it safe, and asks her to room together, something in Margot can't say no—something daring, or starved, or maybe even envious. And so Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It's a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered... and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace. A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense."

Magnolia Parks, Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on March 29th. This is the third book in the Magnolia Parks Universe and the second book about Magnolia and BJ. Somehow, this book was better than the first one. The writing is spectacular, I feel like every character's storyline is important and they're all growing together while Magnolia and BJ are growing themselves. The end was insane, but definitely worth it. I'd absolutely recommend this book, as well as the entire series.

"It's been nearly a year since everything happened between Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine on the steps of the Mandarin Oriental, and it seems like everything since then has changed. Magnolia has a life in New York now, BJ appears to have finally let go and moved on -- but when they both wind up back to London and are thrust together once again, they find themselves asking their age-old question? How many loves do you actually get in a lifetime, and most importantly— are they each others?"

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So, that's it! Again, I'm not sure why March was so slow. Maybe because school picked up more than it had, so I was busier than usual. April will be better though, and I have a lot of fun books planned. I hope everyone has a happy Easter! See you next month!