Reading Update Part 2 | March & April 2024

Part two of my massive reading update is here! My most recent post outlined some of my favorite books in January and February of this year and today will be covering March and April. Despite how quiet my blog has been, my reading life has been ignited this year. If you read my last post, then you’ll know that my interest in romantasy has exploded and it’s opened up whole new worlds for me!

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March was full of more fantasy! I continued my obsession with Sarah J. Maas after devouring A Court of Thorns and Roses in February. In March, I read several more books in the Throne of Glass series and the first two books in the Crescent City series.

Despite spending so much time in the Maasverse, my favorite book of the month was by Rebecca Ross. In Divine Rivals, two rivals at a newspaper fall in love via their magically connected typewriters. It was gorgeous! And I was on the edge of my seat, hoping that Roman and Iris would figure things out. I recommend this if you’d like to dip your toes into romantasy, especially if you’re a fan of You’ve Got Mail. There were so many similarities! Its sequel, Ruthless Vows, was equally amazing. I listened to them both via Audible and am looking forward to listening again in the future. Those two characters captured my heart!

If you’re interested in fantasy but aren’t sure about all of the romance, The Grace of Wild Things might be a good place to start. It’s an Anne of Green Gables retelling, but imagine Anne and Marilla as witches. It was a sweet story and a lot of fun.

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April felt like an exceptional month of reading and it’s hard to know where to start. I read more in the Throne of Glass series, including a tandem read of Tower of Dawn and Empire of Storms (the 5th and 6th books in the series). Many readers recommend reading these two at the same time because they’re set during the same time period. I used this guide (in the third post) and enjoyed the experience!

I also finished the Crescent City series and I’m still confused about everything that happened in those three massive books. They are packed with world building and complicated information that hints at different aspects of the Maasverse. I think I’m going to need to reread everything before fully understanding what happened! So many people have asked me what the series is about and that’s really hard for me to answer. I’ve been thinking of it as a futuristic merge of Zootopia and Harry Potter, full of magical creatures set in what feels like the distant future.

I dipped my toes back into literary fiction by reading Enter Ghost, a modern Palestinian perspective on the unrest in the area. So beautifully written, so earnestly shared, and so timely. It was a reminder that the politics of the region are complicated and dangerous. I have so much to learn! (This won the Aspen prize and has been shortlisted for the Women’s prize.)

A fun romance this month was The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. Like Divine Rivals, this one had serious You’ve Got Mail vibes, with certain scenes pulled straight from the movie. I love how authors are also huge You’ve Got Mail fans and are using it in their work! But this is set in a fantasy world, so imagine Kathleen Kelly as an undertaker, Joe Fox as a zombie hunter, and several steamy scenes between the two. I really, really liked it!

Our morning readaloud in April was Heartwood Hotel – a very sweet story about a mouse who is seeking a place to call home. We saw how much can be accomplished with open hearts and minds and a willingness to be honest about our feelings. This was equally enjoyed by everyone around the table!

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What’s next?

Normally March, April, and May are reserved for reading the books on The Women’s Prize list, but that hasn’t been my priority this year. The shortlist has been announced and I’ll slowly be making my way through those books as they become available to me. I’ve got Restless Dolly Maunder out from the library right now and have requested The Wren, The Wren via interlibrary loan.

I am slowly making my way through Kingdom of Ash, the last in the Throne of Glass series. I’m preparing myself for a broken heart. I’m also listening to A River Enchanted, as I try to make my way through Rebecca Ross’ backlist. And I’m planning a reread of Ninth House as a buddy read with Mary!

Once I finish all the Sarah J. Maas books, I’m going to dive into The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, another massive fantasy book. I’m also interested in reading the Bone Season series by the same author. I was worried about where to go next, but it seems like Samantha Shannon books will keep me busy for quite a while!

How about you? What are you reading lately?

My next update will be one focused on the stitching I’ve done over the last several months. I haven’t done a ton but have finished another sweater, a few more Mandolin blocks, and have been working on a cowl. I can’t wait to show them to you! I’m hoping I can have that post finished before Monday? We’ll see how things work out for me over the next few days. And until then – take good care!