More than halfway through April and finally posting this because it's just that kind of quarantine. Thanks for reading anyway! Hi everyone! So March was a TIME huh? Like many of you, I had a pretty hectic month. But I don’t necessarily want to get into all of that. The bright side? I read A LOT last month! So today’s post is my wrap up of all 5 (published) books I finished last month, including my lowest rated book of the year so far :/ womp womp. 1. Immersive by Becky Moynihan
One sentence synopsis: In the final book of the Elite Trials trilogy, Lune unravels the mysteries of Tatum city and chooses her allies carefully. Genre: YA Dystopian Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Unlike the other books in the Elite Trials series, I didn’t get a chance to beta read this book before it came out. I was on the edge of my seat with nerves at how it would end because I low-key don’t trust Becky at all. But this book was SO. GOOD. Honestly, I think each book in this series gets better and better as the world and characters develop complex layers. This was a fantastic conclusion to a series I adore. I highly recommend you pick it up! I have also posted a full review on GoodReads here. 2. The False Prince by Jennifer Nielson
One sentence synopsis: A smart-mouthed street-rat orphan is selected by a noble to pose as the prince of their nation after the king's death--but he has to compete with other look-alikes to earn the crown. Genre: MG/YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I borrowed this book from the library simply because it was available and I was desperate for something to listen to on my walks to work (throwback to when I had WORK lol). I had never heard of this before--but it surprised me in the BEST way. I have to admit, I guessed the ending pretty early on, but even for someone like me who hates spoilers, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all! It was so fun to read and I love the main character, Sage. He is such a great unreliable, witty, snarky protagonist. One notable thing about this book is that though it set in a fantasy realm, there is no magic. So if you’re looking for high fantasy, this isn’t necessarily the book for you. This book focuses much more on the characters and politics. I absolutely loved it! 3. Little Birds by Hannah Lee Kidder
One sentence synopsis: A debut collection of short stories and flash fiction Genre: Contemporary short story collection Rating: ⭐⭐ This book was free for a limited time, and since I’d been hearing so many good things, I quickly snapped it up. Kidder is a YouTuber who gives pretty good writing advice, so I had high hopes for this collection. Unfortunately, the book really wasn’t for me. The stories read very bland to me. It is extremely short, so I was able to read it all in one sitting, but I honestly wouldn’t be able to recall any of the stories. They were flash fiction and microfiction pieces, with one or two longer stories thrown in. None of them were richly compelling or had notable prose. To me, it felt a bit like someone’s Creative Writing 101 final portfolio. I appreciate what Kidder is about, but I am just not impressed by this collection. I gave it 2 stars because I didn’t like it, but I recognize it’s technically proficient. I do think I’d be willing to give her writing a try if she publishes a novel in the future. Her straightforward prose seems like it would be better suited for a full-length speculative fiction novel rather than contemporary short fiction. 4. The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielson
One sentence synopsis: The sequel to The False Prince -- and every bit of this book is a spoiler for the first. So let’s just say: pirates! Genre: MG/YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This sequel to The False Prince was an excellent addition to this series. I will admit, it didn’t have the same flavor as book one for reasons that will be obvious to you if you’ve read book one, but I still enjoyed this. Though on its own it’s not as good as the first, I cared enough about all the characters introduced in book one that I was happy to see what became of them. I don’t have much to say about this without spoiling book one, so I’ll suffice it to say that I recommend picking up this series! 5. Prodigal Storm by Kate Sheeran Swed
One sentence synopsis: In the final book of the Toccata System trilogy, the SATIS sisters set out on a Treasure Island-inspired adventure to bring down Keyes once and for all. Genre: Science Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You’re probably sick of hearing me rave about this series but I am just so in love! This book follows a new protagonist, LJ, who is just as snarky and fun as Astra and Claire. Bonus: we get an enemies-to-lovers relationship here with one of my favorite characters from the series. Ugh, I just adored this book! It was a great ending to a fantastic series. I have a full review on GoodReads here. Highly recommend for SciFi lovers, especially if you’re interested in classics retellings. - Overall it was a good reading month for me! I started several books that are carrying me into April, as well as completed a beta read critique. Unfortunately, I had two DNFs that I won’t get into. But despite all the craziness of last month, I was able to find some peace and solace in the books I read <3 Shout out to authors, getting us through this wild time! Until next time! Peace out, Grace Kaye