March is a long month. Add in a five-hour road trip for spring break and I got a significant amount of reading done including a number of excellent reads! Check out my book reviews and ratings below to see if there is a title that strikes your fancy.
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Published Date: September 2022
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read: Paper
Elspeth was born in the kingdom of Blunder, a place being taken over by a mist of dark magic. The mist won’t stop unless a complete set of Providence cards can be found and offered with the blood of an infected person.
The king has ordered the death of all infected individuals but Elspeth has managed to hide away at her uncle’s home in the woods. It’s a nightmare trapped inside her mind or rather, HE is a nightmare trapped inside her mind. The story is that of a quest, romance, balance, magic, and everyone is running out of time. I will immediately be reading book two in this duology.
Published Date: February 2025
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read: Paper
Speaking of duologies, this book was even better than the first!! I was giddy throughout while reading. It has short chapters and a perfect ending.
Rune, a witch, has left her home where she was hunted for being a witch. More specifically, she is the Crimson Moth, notorious for assisting other witches in escaping. She’s now engaged to a prince to get his forces to help Cressida (the cruel witch) take back the Republic.
Gideon, the witch hunter, has orders to kill Rune to redeem himself for letting her escape. The tension between the two is as hot as ever. Will they kill each other, or will their feelings for each other get in the way? Is there any future for a witch and a witch hunter when their leaders are both extreme and violent?
Published Date: January 2025
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Kindle
Two elementary teachers have been feuding since college. Finally, Jack has moved away and Emily can have her hometown back to herself but it feels different with him gone. Now she hears that his wedding was called off and he’s returning. Will their constant bickering resume or will feelings change as Jack becomes her next-door neighbor and they realize how much they have in common?
I really enjoyed this enemies-to-lovers romance. It’s a third in a series but it can definitely be read as a standalone. The only thing that truly bothered me was Jack’s horrible wardrobe and the fact that the author seemed to need to point out his weird clothing/accessory choices – not sexy.
Published Date: April 2018
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Paper
I love a romance that takes place at a summer cabin over many years. I teared up a few times while reading. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall it was excellent.
A chance meeting 11 years after a major breakup begins the story. Through time hops, the reader learns how the couple originally met and eventually fell in love (boy next door). It’s very sweet and emotional. The girl lost her mother at a young age which had a profound impact on her.
But then something(s) terrible happens (you don’t find out until the end) and the two don’t speak for many years. Will the romance be rekindled or is what happened in the past too painful to ever move on from?
Published Date: September 2011
Genre: Magical Realism
How I Read: Kindle
Two magicians select and train their newest contestants for a competition. The children selected never agreed to the competition plus the rules and outcomes are unclear.
The setting ends up being a traveling circus. The story takes place over many years. While Marco is mostly stuck back in London with the backer of the circus, he manipulates the setting from afar while Celia is the circus’s illusionist. But what happens when the opponents fall in love with one another and everyone in the circus has come to deeply depend on their future? It’s unique, dark, and lovely.
Published Date: June 2023
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read: Paper
This was a slower book for me but I do plan on reading book two in the series. As a reader, you figure out a few of the secrets right away. I appreciated a big twist at the end that I hadn’t predicted – bravo author!
Silla witnesses her father fight off numerous men trying to take her for the Queen but he dies in the process. She learns he wasn’t truly her father and she needs to travel far along the Road of Bones to a safe house. She has absolutely no idea why the Queen wants her dead
To shorten her journey, Silla hops in the wagon of a ruthless Viking war band. Against their better judgment they decide not to kill her and keep her on as a cook. She promises to assist them in getting an important book from the former leader of their gang.
Survival is the only thing that matters but handsome men could provide some good distraction from being hunted by an assassin.
Published Date: January 2024
Genre: (Sports) History
How I Read: Paper
This non-fiction book is short and full of interesting sports history I never knew before.
The Tigerbelles were the women’s track and field program started by coach Edward Temple at Tennessee State University. The book describes how with little money and resources he built the most incredible team that rose to Olympic glory at the 1960 Olympics.
Ed Temple ran a strict program ensuring the girls put their academics first and always, always acted and looked proper to the public. There was no room for error while fighting racism and sexism in a new sport while getting very little financial support from their school.
The women featured in this book are incredibly inspiring, as is the coach, not just for their tremendous success in the sport but in their achievements for women in athletics as a whole. Also, for the mindset of giving back to their communities, building others up (especially other women), and the family they built as Tigerbelles. I thought the Olympic Games sections were especially interesting.
Published Date: April 2024
Genre: Mystery
How I Read: Kindle
A documentary is being filmed about Bel’s mom who mysteriously disappeared 16 years ago when Bel was two. But during the filming, Rachel Price reappears with a story of being kept in a man’s basement. Bel doesn’t think her mom’s story quite adds up.
Did Rachel fake her disappearance and if so, why did she come back now? Many family secrets and plot twists occur as Bel searches for answers.
I didn’t love it and I wasn’t invested in the characters. I thought the twists were good and were not predictable to me. Overall, the story didn’t hook me. The ending fell flat though the reader does get all the answers spelled out.
Published Date: February 2025
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Audio
This is definitely my least favorite of the three Campus Diaries books out so far. Hockey romances are HOT and threesomes are my jam but this fell so flat for me. The ending was not what I expected at all. Also, I didn’t care about the female main character and I am not sure why – maybe because she is not an athlete? Her adoption storyline was lackluster for me and felt grasping. Sorority shit drives me crazy – just leave! I love the two male leads but wish they had a better girl. I hope the next book redeems the series again.
Published Date: December 2024
Genre: Fiction
How I Read: Audio
I liked the first half of the book a lot but then it dragged. Thankfully, the ending was satisfying and I appreciated that the book felt realistic. The story was advertised as humorous – I would disagree, no laughing out loud here.
Set in Britain, Gemma is a history teacher who counts things when she gets anxious. This year is extra hard for her as it is the year “Baby,” the daughter she gave up for adoption when she was 16, turns 18. Will they contact each other and find out how her life has been? Gemma has felt guilty about giving her daughter up, fearing how her life might be, and stressing over whether she’ll ever know. When a new girl starts in Gemma’s class, her life could be completely changed.
Published Date: October 2024
Genre: Memoir
How I Read: Audio
Bethany Joy Lentz is mostly known for her role on the popular show One Tree Hill. This memoir discusses her life mainly featuring how she got sucked in and spent a large chunk of her adult life in a small cult. It’s fascinating but the whole thing is about religion and this cult. You feel terrible and angry reading it. Don’t expect juicy tidbits about the show it’s truly all about the cult.
Published Date: May 2023
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Kindle
I read this book after first reading book three in the series (this is book two). This didn’t measure up.
Youngest sister Annie wants to be settled down with a husband but she is terrible at dating and has very little experience with everything relationship-wise. Her soon-to-be SIL arranges for her to fake date her hot bodyguard for practice. Obviously, they both catch feelings. The good, small town flower shop girl falls for the emotionally unavailable adventurous tattooed guy who is only in town temporarily.
Want to check out more of my favorite books? Take a look at my February book reviews and ratings!
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