March 2021 Reading Wrap Up

For March, I chose several ambitious, long reads and a few shorter reads to balance them.

I read on 31/31 days and completed 15 books. Spread even across the challenges this month: I read 5 for the Meridian Library Challenge (MLD), 5 for the Garden City Library Challenge (GCPL), and 5 for the PopSugar Challenge.

 MLD CATEGORIES:

1. The current or a past year Treasure Valley Reads book:  A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Short Story Anthology, Family, Death, Cancer, Addiction/Alcohol Abuse, Sexuality, Survival
Quick Summary: A very large collection (40ish) of short stories that take place in laundromats, hospitals, shelters, resorts, etc. Most of the stories follow one family through various stages of life.
Thoughts: This one was definitely not my cup of tea. I found it to be very bleak and depressing with very little hope to round it out. I had a hard time with the infant death, the sexual advances toward a young girl by a much older man, the seedy abortion clinic, and the rape...

9. A book you've never heard of before: Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Memoir, Release of Control, Self-awareness & Individuality, Divorce, Family, Sexuality
Quick Summary: Glennon Doyle's memoir explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet the expectations of the world, and start trusting the voice deep within us.
Thoughts: Another one that I was not a huge fan of. A few interesting thoughts were expressed throughout, but I found it to be a bit condescending and selfish.

45. A book with 500+ pages: The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Historical Fiction, Time Travel Romance, Family, Marriage, Religion, Community, Murder Mystery
Quick Summary: This sequel (#5) follows the extended Fraser family during the years leading up to the American revolution.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this one, but man, it takes forever to read 979 pages, especially when the pages are huge and the print so tiny that it actually probably works out to be some 1500 pages. I loved #1 (Outlander) and then only liked #2 and #3  okay. Thankfully #4 was excellent and this one was also much more my speed. Part murder mystery, part Romance-- a lot to love.

48. A book with a meal in the title: Ask Me What's for Dinner One More Time by Meredith Masony
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Memoir, Parenting, Humor
Quick Summary: A collection of essays featuring inappropriate thoughts on motherhood covering topics from anxiety, sex, aging, friendship, special needs, etc.
Thoughts: It's so very nice to know that you are not alone. The struggles you face as a parent are the same struggles other parents are facing. Don't trust those perfect instagram family photos. Their kiddos also ruin all their nice things, follow them into the bathroom when they're trying to do their business, and generally drive them crazy. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls and wouldn't trade them for the world, but parenting sure can be challenging.

50. A travelogue: Wild: From Lost to Found on the PCT by Cheryl Strayed
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Memoir, Travelogue, Death, Infidelity, Divorce, Drug Use
Quick Summary: At age 22, Cheryl Strayed had hit rock bottom and decided to hike all by her lonesome more than 1000 miles across the Pacific Crest Trail, from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State.
Thoughts: Mixed feelings on this one, but it was a good book. I try not to be judgy because everyone walks their own path and we're only human, but I had a hard time not being judgy in this one. I had to keep reminding myself that her life is not mine and the choices she made were influenced by other happenings that I myself have not experienced. What Cheryl did was certainly powerful and healing and quite a feat (that I could not do myself). I hiked a very small portion of the Pacific Crest Trail as a teenager and well, backpacking is not my thing. I do not like carrying tons of weight mile after mile and sleeping in the snow and eating crappy food. Anyway, I was proud of myself for surviving the tiny bit of trail I hiked (not alone), so I can understand how a complete run could make someone feel very empowered.

GCPL CATEGORIES:

6. A book that has been translated from another language: The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larrson
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Espionage Thriller, Police Procedural, Mystery, Suspense, Rape, Abuse, Sex Trafficking, Relationships, Violence
Quick Summary: Mikael Blomkvist, publisher of Millennium magazine has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation and will also call out several prominent figures. On the eve of its publication, the article's author is murdered and the fingerprints on the gun belong to Mikael's friend, Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, sure of Salander's innocence, begins investigating.
Thoughts: Just as good as the first one. As in the first one, there is a lot of backstory that could probably be cut, but at least in this one it is spread throughout the book and not front-loaded as in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I will definitely be completing the trilogy. Not sure yet if I will read the second trilogy in the series, which was written by another author.

15. A book with a child narrator: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Elements of Fantasy, Death, Family, Imperfection
Quick Summary: Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letter apologizing to people she has wronged. The letters lead Elsa on quite an adventure full of fairy tale heroes and monsters.
Thoughts: This was cute and enjoyable. I've been enjoying Backman's stories. Elsa is definitely an unreliable narrator, though, and I spent a lot of time wondering what was really going on.

18. A book written by a debut author: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Mystery, Gothic Historical Fiction, Dual Timelines, Siblings, Twins, 
Quick Summary: Reclusive author Vida Winter spent sixty years telling outlandish tales of her past. Now old and ailing, she plans to tell her truths. She hires biographer Margaret Lea to write her story and together they confront the ghosts haunting them.
Thoughts: This was quick read with a mystery that had me stumped. I liked it and I'm a little embarrassed that it took me so long to read it. It's been on my shelf for ages.

36. A graphic novel: Monstress by Marjorie Liu
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Fantasy Graphic Novel, Identity,  Matriarchy, Family, Friendships, Child Abuse, Violence, War, Oppression, Alternate history
Quick Summary: Maika Halfwolf, linked to an eldritch monster that lives inside her, navigates a war-torn alternate1900s world brimming with danger.
Thoughts: Umm, still processing. So weird. So complicated. The matriarchal society is weird, because men practically don't exist-- they make up maybe 10% of the characters (and I'm including background characters with no speaking lines). It's eerie. Where are they hiding all of the men? How are they procreating? I don't know. Anyway, super violent and lots of death and child death.

42. A book that is inspiring: The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Spirituality, Adventure Fantasy, Self-Help, Dreams, Fate, "Personal Legends" 
Quick Summary: Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, travels from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure near the Pyramids. What starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within.
Thoughts: I was a little underwhelmed. For me, it didn't live up to the hype of all the 4-5 stars my goodreads buddies rated it. I didn't not like it, I just wasn't really sure what the ultimate message was: A) everything you need is close to home OR B) if you want something badly enough, eventually the stars will align and you'll get it.

POPSUGAR CATEGORIES:

5. A dark academia book: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clara
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Young Adult Steampunk Fantasy, Family, Romance, Angels vs Demons
Quick Summary: The Shadowhunters seek Mortmain before he can use his infernal devices (automatons) to destroy them. He needs Tessa Gray to complete his plan. Will and Jem will do anything to protect her.
Thoughts: I read the first couple books in this series 6 or 7 years ago and at the time, the final book was not available. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pick it up after this long, but my fears were extinguished when I finally got started. Everything (well, almost everything) came back to me and I was able to enjoy this conclusion to the series.

13. A locked-room mystery: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Mental Health, Suicide, Second Chances, Compassion, Competition, Connection, Hope
Quick Summary: A failed bank robber bursts into an apartment open house looking for a place to hide and takes a group of misfits hostage.
Thoughts: I listened to this one and highly recommend the audio format. The narrator really brought the characters to life. It was funny. I kept rewinding so I could play back lines for my husband (which I'm sure he appreciated). My favorite Backman book so far.

22. A book set in multiple countries: Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism, Loneliness, Depression, Suicide, Hope, Love, Second Chances
Quick Summary: Nora finds her life unsatisfying and chooses to end it, but wakes up in a library of regrets. She is then faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one: following a different career path, undoing old breakups, pursuing missed connections, etc.
Thoughts: I enjoyed following Nora through her different life paths. This was a pleasant read and had a nice message: That those things you regret-- those "what-ifs" you think about on lonely nights-- probably wouldn't turn out the way you expect-- and that the life you have now is the life you're meant to have.

34. A book found on the Black Lives Matter reading list: Stamped by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Nonfiction Race Relations, Racism, Anti-racism, Social Justice, History, Politics
Quick Summary: Stamped traces the history of racism and the political, literary and philosophical narratives that have been used to justify slavery, oppression, and genocide.
Thoughts: This was a quick listen and while it targets a young adult audience, I found it to be engaging. My husband and I both listened and discussed. They definitely pack a lot of information into this short book. Now, I need to do more research, but it was definitely a good catalyst.

50. A free book from your TBR (gifted, borrowed, library): Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Mystery, Humor, Some Romance, Bond Enforcement, Death
Quick Summary: Bounty Hunter Stephanie Plum is on the hunt for Jimmy Poletti, who is out on bail and skipped his court date. Stephanie can't stand Randy Briggs, but as Poletti's bookkeeper (and yes, those books have been cooked), she intends to use him as bait.
Thoughts: I binged the first 19 books + the 4-5 novellas in 2014 or so. I haven't picked one up since until last month. I really want to catch up and mark the series off my list, but after two additional books, I'm just not sure I still like it. It's a bit silly and I just don't care for the super strange love triangle.

Here's how I did on Bookish First Bingo: 4 bingos! I think this is my best yet!