March 2014 Recap
March ended a week ago and I can't believe how fast this month flown by! Mostly because I was SO busy with work! I won't go into specifics for several reasons but let's just say I basically worked and slept - either working A LOT of hours than crashing to sleep or returning home after a regular hour work day and crashing from exaction! I tried reading but it was no use, after 10 pages I was asleep. This weekend I became sick so that's my body's way telling me I have to stop. Lucky for me the most of the stress is over and now I can lay back a little and return to my regular routine.
So basically I read about half of what i had planned..
I did manage to listen to 5 audio books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward -
I had my hopes I'll finish the series in March allowing me to delve into the 12th book which was released on the 1st of April but sadly this book will probably wait until May..
I did read one more book I haven't mentioned in my March Goals. I basically didn't think I'll get to read it in March only in the beginning of April but that one being by Ruthie Knox made sure that a book published on the 25th of the month WILL get read just then! I must say it took me more that it would have because of my schedule but it was SO worth it. I'm talking about Roman Holiday.
As in previous months, if you go to my March Goals you'll have a link to any book I've read and made a review on. The black ones with no links are the ones I didn't read... I'll post their names again when I'll be planning to read them.
So let's do the summary!
Author of the Month: (Covet) Tracey Garvis-Graves:
I'm giving this one my favorite author and not my favorite book (as I thought of when I started planning my recap) because when I think of what Tracey brought me into, how different the characters and the place in life they are in compared to me, and yet how much I related to them made me realize just how amazing she is as an author. I also read "On the Island" by her (and the next short novella) and I HIGHLY recommend it. That book as well, deals with conflicts that in a way are common yet I haven't seen any books that relate that sensitively to them. In my eyes Tracey is an artist and I can't wait to read more by her!
Favorite Book of the Month: Yours to Keep by Serena Bell
I had a hard time thinking which book I want to choose for this category and to tell you the truth, Yours to Keep has been one of the first books I've read in March which means he is farthest from my memory as the others I've read more recently (and this month being such a killer means my memory isn't working as it should..) and yet when I just looked at the cover and thought of this book I felt this smile spreading on my face. I enjoyed this one so much! I felt each one of the characters and even though we had a kid in this book (something I usually dislike) I thought that he had a really good part in moving the plot along. I loved how realistic this one felt. I don't know anything about migration certainly not in the US so I mostly talk about it from the emotional side. How it affected Anna and her family but also how people around her reacted to her situation. Serena has a new book "Hold on Tight" which will be published in June. Naturally I'm NOT going to miss this one out!
Disappointment of the Month: Ball & Chain (Cut & Run #8) - Abigail Roux
Last month my disappointment have been the last book in the Night Huntress series and this month I have the 8th book, prior to last, in the Cut & Run series. I was really waiting for this one and when it did and I delve into it I felt that this one has been more about getting the ground ready than a "real book", ready for the last novel as well as getting ready for the spin-off series. I felt Abigail spent WAY too much time on the "new couple" Nick and Kelly and less about the MAIN couple - Ty and Zane which I missed terribly and really wanted to get a nice dose, not just a snippet. and the other thing was that the plot was, well, strange, it basically made no sense and when we got the idea of what/who was behind all this it felt unreal and as I said a prelude to the next one. I felt like this one could have been a great novella with less "around and around" and more of Ty and Zane but as a whole book I was disappointed.
Discovery of the Month: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
I REALLY didn't know where to put this book in.. First off, I thought, yeah, it was my favorite book! and in a way it was! Then I thought, no, I should put it in my favorite author since Katja blew my mind off especially since it is her debut novel. Then I realized this category is the best. I didn't know what to expect from this one. I really didn't. I knew it would be a tormented heroes kinda book (which I generally like) but I wasn't sure what to expect and when I started reading and got hooked I knew this would be a book to remember. I keep thinking about the way Nastya looked at the world after she was hurt, the decisions she made, and even if they were the "wrong ones" I felt she is probably one of the bravest heroines I've ever read if not THE bravest.
Fun Break of the Month: Roman Holiday by Ruthie Knox
I made this category last month especially for the Backup Boyfriend which was SUCH a joy to read. Even if it HAD it's dark sides basically it was fun and games and I do think that I should read more books like this and maybe a little less of the tortured kind. It's so me reading those gloomy stories yet there is something about reading something for the fun of it, for the laugh. It always takes me to "I do.. or die" by Donna Cummings - I remember that I wrote in the review that it wasn't a maser piece and I always feel bad writing that. Like if it's not THAT amazing then it's "just a book" but actually I meant that it was a fun book to read, I enjoyed it even if it doesn't speak of something that breaks your heart or deals with a heavy subject or something like that.. That being said - let's get back to Roman and Ashley. This book, in parts or as a whole has a lot of fun and games to it. It's not really the life changing book (for the reader), it's a journey that both Roman and Ashley goes through and end up together - better together than apart but also better on their own than they used to be. So there is a dept to this one FOR SURE but there is also a fun story to just read and enjoy.
Before I off and go I have to mention "Headstrong" By Meg Maguire, why? because it was good, because I really enjoyed it and I have no freaking Idea where to put it so I'll just put it here :)
So that's it for March. I think I mentioned most of what I read this month in this review (well, except for two books i gave about 3 stars) not like the previous months were I actually read twice as much as I did this month but well, that's life for you, always interfering with our precious reading..
I'll probably post tomorrow my goal for this month. I don't have a lot planned but I do hope I'll make it. When I look on my yearly challenge for 2014 on GR I can see not just how many books I've read but how I'm doing so for now I'm 7 books behind schedule :D I mostly find that amusing I don't mind that much. I'm the most noncompetitive person I know, even toward myself :)
