March moved as slowly as February moved quickly – which is not a complaint. I discovered (and read) some great books, went on some fun day trips, and happily welcomed spring.
Next month is going to be a busy one here on There’s Something About KM, because it is my blogiversary. I have a giveaway planned and some throwback posts drafted, and of course, there are a few books I’d like to finish reading, too. But before all of that, here’s what went on during the month of March.
Books I Read
1. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry – Unfortunately, this is a book I could not finish. It was a pretty big disappointment, honestly; you can read more of my thoughts in my book review here.
☆
2. The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis – Spoiler alert: I’m going to be ranking the books in this series in an April post, so I started a reread in March. This has always been my favorite book in the series, and so far that still holds true.
☆
3. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – Don’t worry, haters, I love this one too. 😉
☆
4. The Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie – I listened to this audiobook for the #ayearwithchristie2019 Instagram series, and it was great! It’s basically a book of short Miss Marple mystery stories, strung together by a similar group of friends telling the stories at dinner parties and visits with each other. The late Joan Hickson narrated, and while at first her English accent was a bit thick for my American English ears, I quickly got used to it and of course, felt that she was a great voice for Miss Marple.
☆
5. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis – I love this book, too. Not just because of the story, but because it reinforces how well C.S. Lewis was able to portray his vast world both simply and enjoyably.
☆
6. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab – This is a sad one, friends. I could not finish it; actually, I couldn’t even make it halfway through. The initial chapter with Marcella is so strong, and then the ones that follow repeat a certain event to the point of exhaustion. Vicious was so gripping and exciting, and nearly from the outset Vengeful just, wasn’t.
☆
7. The Snow Maiden and Other Russian Tales by Bonnie C. Marshall and Alla V. Kulagina – This is a great book; you can read my thoughts on it here.
☆
8. Clever Maids: The Secret History of the Grimm Fairy Tales by Valerie Paradiž – If you are at all interested in the Grimm Brothers, beyond reading the fairy tales, I HIGHLY recommend reading this. It’s extremely well-written and entertains as much as it informs (my full book review is forthcoming).
In Other News…
For the first time I visited the Maine State Library, and my only regret is that I should have visited sooner. My fairy tale reading is going to be quite well supported by their selection.
After making some slight alterations to my policy and guidelines, I am accepting book review requests again. And the submissions for From Your Bookshelf are still open if you would like to share some thoughts about your favorite book (which I will then share here on my blog).
With March in the rear view mirror I am excited for real spring weather – or as it goes here in Maine, more spring weather and less temperamental weather (we’ve had a couple of snowstorms this month). Walks outside, windows open, plants turning green; it will be marvelous.
How was your month, reading-wise and in general? I’d love to hear some of your highlights, and stay tuned for a month of blogiversary and standard content here on There’s Something About KM.
Happy reading!
-Kelsey