March Reads

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
used for my author of a different ethnicity than you prompt
So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.
Wow this book will hit you in the feelers for sure. It definitely pulled me in from the beginning and didn't let go until I was done. This book looks at family secrets in a way I never thought about, the relationships between parents and kids and the relationships between parents. Then you have to throw in the neighbors who had a say about everything. The struggle to live lives and understand the lives that they are living. This was the first book by Ng, and I want to read more, the way that she set the story was like a movie playing in my head. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants an inside like look at the average family that's hiding things from each other.

Columbine by Dave Cullen
used for my previous good reads award winner prompt
What really happened April 20, 1999? The horror left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, Goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on scene, and spent ten years on this book-widely recognized as the definitive account. With a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen, he draws on mountains of evidence, insight from the world's leading forensic psychologists, and the killers' own words and drawings-several reproduced in a new appendix. Cullen paints raw portraits of two polar opposite killers. They contrast starkly with the flashes of resilience and redemption among the survivors.  
I wish I had read this book sooner. This book took you deeper into the minds of the students who did this and why they did it. No it wasn't because they were bullied, or because they listened to Manson. It was because they had so much hate in them, and they that this was the only way out. I find it strange how opposite they boys were. Also that Harris fit the psychopath persona so well, he could lie to your face and make you believe it, but that's also what got him caught. I also find it upsetting that the neighbors called the cops on them multiple times and had a file on them and knew what he was capable of but never did anything about it. They just slapped them on the wrist when they did something and let it go. I think had the cops actually did something the first time that Brooks Brown parents went to them this could have been avoided in some ways. The boys knew how it was going to end, I mean they left a goodbye tape to be found and journals so that they could some what understand what was going on in their lives. They had been planning this for a year, so they knew what they were doing. If the bombs that Harris had made would have went off like planned it would have been a bigger massacre than it already was. I also am not really sure I understand why they didn't try to save Sanders, I mean they could have moved him and he might have had a chance at a life. I was happy to see that the survivors banded together and went on to lead normal lives. The fact that the principal was such a part of their lives I think was also really important, he showed that he cared by just having lunch with them. More administration needs to be able to just sit around with their students and see what is happening first hand. They need to let the kids know that they are in a safe environment.  I also think that kids need to read this book as bad as that sounds. They need to know what happens, and they need to know that if they don't feel safe they can go to an adult and not feel bad or like a snitch for telling. 

Coraline by Neil Gaimen
Used for my childhood classic that I never read prompt
The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring....
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.
The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only it's different.
At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.
there children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.
This was a cute story and I am glad that I chose this one for my prompt. It makes me want to watch the movie now. There isn't much to say about it.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
book by two authors prompt
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
OMG this book was absolutely perfect! I am so glad that I chose it for a prompt and that my library had it lol. This book like some of the reviews said it was like The Last Mrs. Parrish BUT it had so many more twists that I never saw coming especially the last one! At the beginning I was a little confused but once I kept reading I straightened things out and then I could get tangled up in the twists again. I didn't really care for the husband nor did I care for the husbands sister either. You definitely do not need to assume anything when going in to this book at all. This is definitely one of my favorite books this year. I read it in one day so that must say something. I cant say much  more or I will give it away, just read the book!

Where They Found Her by Kimbelry McCreight
book that was given to me
An idyllic suburban town A devastating discovery Shocking revelations that will change three lives forever At the end of a long winter in well to do Ridgedale New Jersey the body of a newborn is found in the woods fringing the campus of the town s prestigious university No one knows the identity of the baby what ended her very short life or how she came to be found among the fallen leaves But for the residents of Ridgedale there is no shortage of opinions When freelance journalist and recent Ridgedale transplant Molly Sanderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the disturbing news for the Ridgedale Reader the town s local paper she has good reason to hesitate A severe depression followed the loss of her own baby and this assignment could unearth memories she has tried hard to bury But the disturbing history Molly uncovers is not her own Her investigation reveals a decades old trail of dark secrets hiding behind Ridgedale s white picket fences.
I have wanted to read this book ever since I read Reconstructing Amelia by her. I just never could find it and luck was on my side I think it was either the Goodwill or a thrift shop that I finally found it in. I read through it in one day. I loved the twist and turns that it took me through. The story is told by three women Molly, Barbra and Sandy. I thought I had it figured out but at the last minute she throws out a curve ball and I was like WOAH. I really liked how she added in the comments from the newspaper articles, that was one part that I thought I had figured out but nope. I really enjoyed this book and will look forward to anything else that she writes.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
Nordic Noir book prompt
One night, after the first snowfall of the year, a boy named Jonas wakes up and discovers that his mother has disappeared. Only one trace of her remains: a pink scarf, his Christmas gift to her, now worn by the snowman that inexplicably appeared in their yard earlier that day.  Inspector Harry Hole suspects a link between the missing woman and a suspicious letter he’s received. The case deepens when a pattern emerges: over the past decade, eleven women have vanished—all on the day of the first snow. But this is a killer who makes his own rules . . . and he’ll break his pattern just to keep the game interesting, as he draws Harry ever closer into his twisted web. With brilliantly realized characters and hair-raising suspense, international bestselling author Jo Nesbø presents his most chilling case yet—one that will test Harry Hole to the very limits of his sanity.
WOW is all I can say about this book. Yes I liked it, no it wasn't my usual read and I may or may not read anything by him again. I am not sure how I felt about this book actually. Maybe it was because like I said not my usual reading choice, it was a little out of my comfort zone for sure... and it was the 7th book in the Harry Hole series. I did like the ending though, I liked the twist a lot, I didn't see it coming at all. I kind of would like to watch the movie to see if I like it better than the book, I know that hardly happens but I want to know lol

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Used for my animal in the title prompt
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
This was my first John Green book that I have ever read, and I would like to someday read his others. It was very well written and I liked the main character. I felt connected to her in a way. After reading the blurb I thought it might be a mystery but in the end it was about Aza finding herself and being true to herself. When I said I felt connected to her, she has anxiety and some of the things that she does I can relate to. I really liked her best friend Daisy who helped to balance Aza out, and was there for her when she needed her. I like how the author used the analogy of the turtles for her way of thinking like everything dwindles down in the end. I also liked how it gave you a view of how different people live their everyday lives with the things that they are going through.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Prompt from a previous challenge( Book with a number in the title)
Ginny Blackstone never thought she’d spend her summer vacation backpacking across Europe. But that was before she received the first little blue envelope from Aunt Peg.
This letter was different from Peg’s usual letters for two reasons:
1. Peg had been dead for three months.
2. The letter included $1000 cash for a passport and a plane ticket.
Armed with instructions for how to retrieve twelve other letters Peg wrote—twelve letters that tell Ginny where she needs to go and what she needs to do when she gets there—Ginny quickly finds herself swept away in her first real adventure. Traveling from London to Edinburgh to Amsterdam and beyond, Ginny begins to uncover stories from her aunt’s past and discover who Peg really was. But the most surprising thing Ginny learns isn’t about Peg . . . it’s about herself.
Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.This was a cute book, much lighter than the books I have been reading so it was a nice change. I liked this book a lot. I liked that even though she was mad at her aunt she went ahead and did what she asked. I think that she learned a lot about herself while traveling around following the advice from her aunts letters. I would do this in a heartbeat no doubt. I have recently learned that there is a sequel to this book and its about the last letter, which is returned to her, I will be reading this book as soon as I find the time and find it at the library lol.

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides
Used for a book made into a movie that I have seen
The shocking thing about the girls was how nearly normal they seemed when their mother let them out for the one and only date of their lives. Twenty years on, their enigmatic personalities are embalmed in the memories of the boys who worshipped them and who now recall their shared adolescence: the brassiere draped over a crucifix belonging to the promiscuous Lux; the sisters' breathtaking appearance on the night of the dance; and the sultry, sleepy street across which they watched a family disintegrate and fragile lives disappear.
I watched the movie first and I really like it. The book was just as good I felt. I felt that this was just as much about the boys that are trying to figure out why all five of the Lisbon sisters committed suicide, even twenty years later, as it about the girls and why they did what they did. It never really tells but you can make an assumption based on the things that you read and the interviews that the boys did with the people who were involved. And while I say its about the girls and the boys its also not at the same time, its about  memory, nostalgia, reminiscence, childhood, mystery, loss of innocence.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
book with an ugly cover prompt
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.
This book wasn't anything like I was expecting....it was so much more. It had so many different twists and turns. I wasn't really sold on some of the characters and really didn't care for the professor. I could somewhat figure things out but at the same time I was lost and confused. I felt bad for the main character for a while just because he couldn't see the things that I could see were happening, I was glad when he finally started to put two and two together to get four. I cant say much with out giving spoilers but I really liked it a lot.

The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
book title with alliteration in it prompt
When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. After working with the bestselling crime writer for years, she’s intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. An homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Alan’s traditional formula has proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job.
Conway’s latest tale has Atticus Pünd investigating a murder at Pye Hall, a local manor house. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but the more Susan reads, the more she’s convinced that there is another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition, and murder.
This was a charming whodunit for sure. I liked that it was like two mysteries in one and it was. I hadn't figured things out until I read the last page, that's how good it was. I was guess the entire time but everything that I guessed was wrong. I liked that it linked new age with old age writing. I don't normally like old age like the British language that they use but this one was good, I think it was because it kind of reminded me of Agatha Christie's work, which I have recently found that I am rather fond of. I hope to read more from him.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
book set in the decade I was born prompt
Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.
Wow when I first heard of this book, I was like the reviews were raving about it and I was a little scared to read it because of all the hype that it had connected with it. It really was as good as everyone was saying. I really liked both characters a lot and was happy to see them grow and learn about each other. I didn't care for Eleanor's mom and step dad at all, I mean you put your children first above any guy, there is no way I could live knowing that my children are unhappy because of that. I was happy to see that everyone in the community kind of knew what her stepdad was like and they understood what she was going through and they didn't give Park a hard time for doing what he did. I really enjoyed the part where the girl that she didn't like even came to her aide and took her side. I think that lots of kids coming of age need to read this book, I fell in love with it as a 31 year old, I know it will speak to their tender hearts lol.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Book set at sea prompt
The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new -partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple-murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades--with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal counter moves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems
WOW! This book had me going for two days and when I finally finished it I just sat there shook. I didn't see that coming at all, I had started to guess what was happening by the time the author let us in on his little secret. It was all tied together so perfectly. I mean once you realize what you just read, it kind of made me want to read it again just to see where things started to shift. I definitely want to watch the movie now, just to see it with my own eyes.




The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
book about sports prompt
At Westish College, a small school on the shore of Lake Michigan, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for big league stardom. But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended.
Henry's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners' team captain and Henry's best friend, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert's daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.
As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. In the process they forge new bonds, and help one another find their true paths. Written with boundless intelligence and filled with the tenderness of youth, The Art of Fielding is an expansive, warmhearted novel about ambition and its limits, about family and friendship and love, and about commitment - to oneself and to others.  
I was a little worried about this book going into it because its about sports, I mean like watching but I didn't think I would like to read about them at all. but this story pulled me and I couldn't stop reading. There were so many different stories going on but some how he managed to tie them all together perfectly. I liked learning about the families that these people came form especially how the made the book what it was, how they were all involved. I didn't really see the ending twist that happened coming at all but I can see why it happened. I think that Owen was my favorite character out of all of them, mainly because he was so straight forward about everything that was going on in the plot. This book is more than football its about life and every curveball it throws at you.


Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes
book set in a country that fascinates you
Anna Walsh is officially a wreck. Physically broken and emotionally shattered, she lies on her parents' Dublin sofa with only one thing on her mind: getting back to New York. New York means her best friends, The Most Fabulous Job In The World™ and above all, it means her husband, Aidan.
But nothing in Anna's life is that simple anymore... Not only is her return to Manhattan complicated by her physical and emotional scars – but Aidan seems to have vanished. Is it time for Anna to move on? Is it even possible for her to move on? A motley group of misfits, an earth-shattering revelation, two births and one very weird wedding might help Anna find some answers – and change her life forever.
It might have been a stretch to use this for the prompt that I did but I couldn't find one that I wanted to read or that really grabbed me from the title or blurb. omg this book was so good, I really want to read more from her and about this crazy family. It took me a little bit to figure out what had happened but once I did I was still surprised. I liked the emails from her mom and sister. I loved the best friend. I loved that she tried everything to talk to him and when she finally realized, she became a better version of herself. I cant say more without giving anything else away but you need to read this book, I read over 80% the first day that's how good it was!


I read a total of 16 books this month, which means I am 9 away from finishing the 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge and 19 away from my Goodreads goal for the year, I think I am going to have to up my goal because I have been buying books left and right and hiding them in my trunk so my best friend doesn't see them lol I do think that I will be putting the titles of said hidden books in my book jar, I think that is what has contributed to my reading so much and so fast so far this year. I will probably hit a slump at some point in the next 7 months but I am ahead for the time being. That's all for March, see ya in April, Happy Reading!