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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

March 2019 Reading Recap

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March 2019 Reading Recap // via Stephanie Howell

March was pretty great. I had trouble connecting with books this month, so there was lots of starting, stopping, and moving on to something new. I’m totally okay with that. It’s usually just a case of right book, wrong time. I found my groove by picking up some middle grade fiction that I absolutely fell in love with!

As always, my sweet Bloomers had me reading like crazy. They make me SO EXCITED about books. We are now doing Book of the Month Club swaps, so come join if you are interested!

Also, you can keep up with what I’m reading in real time on Goodreads and Instagram.

I’d love for you to check in and tell me your favorite this month!
March 2019 Reading Recap // via Stephanie Howell March 2019 Reading Recap // via Stephanie Howell March 2019 Reading Recap // via Stephanie Howell

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise – Dan Gemeinhart  (middle grade fiction) – Ohhhh my heart. I think I just cried my heart out right through my eyeballs.  I picked up this book under the pretense that I was reading it so that I could recommend it to Harper and Sadie…maybe even do a read aloud with them. I quickly fell in love and realized I was reading it 100 percent for me. This book has a pretty heavy topic at its core…grief. It covers heartbreak and loss and death and grief but not in a maudlin or depressing way.  This book is just beautiful. Simply beautiful. I highlighted passage after passage. There is a quirky cast of characters and woven through all of their lives is a thread of kindness and compassion. Do yourself a favor and read this right away. It might be labeled as middle grade fiction, but it’s a must read for everyone. 5 stars

 

 Love Poems for Married People– John Kenney – Jimmy and I sat on the couch and took turns reading every single poem in this collection. Most had us laughing so hard our faces hurt. A few were bittersweet and the last one (a heartfelt love poem for his wife) made me happy cry. Relatable and insightful and irreverent and accurate. John Kenney you’ve made a fan (two fans!!) for life. 5 stars

 

The Keeper of Lost Things– Ruth Hogan – This one just made my heart happy. I adored the cast of characters and it was just what I needed to read. Endearing and filled with wit and love. 4 stars

 

 Elevation– Stephen King – Such a sweet little gem of a book. Not even remotely horror so I’m not sure why it is categorized as such . I had a few problems with it – several parts of the book seemed super abrupt and odd but at its heart it’s a sweet read about love and connections. I’d read mixed reviews on this one but I’m really glad I picked it up – it warmed my heart. 4 stars

 

 The One and Only Ivan– Katherine Applegate (middle grade fiction) – This one hit me right in the feels. I can see why my oldest girls adore this one so much. What a beautiful little story this is – for children and adults alike! 5 stars

 

 Night of Miracles (Arthur Truluv 2)  – Elizabeth Berg – I adored this one. Adored it. I was worried because I loved Arthur Truluv so much, but there was no need for me to worry. Elizabeth Berg writes characters so very beautifully. She perfectly captures the essence of love and wanting to be loved and the ties that bind…I just think she is wonderful. Five happy, teary stars. 5 stars

 

 Allie and Bea– Catherine Ryan Hyde – This was a sweet and heartwarming tale. I’m eager to read more by this author. I had a few nitpick issues with it- I feel like Allie didn’t grieve the way one would expect her to, and I found all of the descriptions of her dietary restrictions tedious. Overall it was a great, easy palate cleanser. 4 stars

 

 Before She Knew Him– Peter Swanson – This book was super messed up and creepy. But I couldn’t put it down. I figured out the twist way before the end but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. 3.5 stars

 

 Forever, Interrupted – Taylor Jenkins Reid – So sweet and sad and beautiful and poignant. Man. I love how Taylor Jenkins Reid writes her characters. I can just see right into their hearts.4 stars

 

 Sunset Beach– Mary Kay Andrews (ARC, novel pub date is 5/7/2019) – Oh MKA how I love you. I’ve been hooked ever since I picked up Hissy Fit all those years ago. I love how you write your female characters. Spunky, fierce, sassy, and strong. They always come alive for me. Sunset Beach was no exception. I loved Drue, Brice, Jimmy, and Jonah. Even the supporting characters were interesting and relatable. Four and a half stars for a fun, sweet story with a little bit of mystery thrown in. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find and refinish a cottage on the beach. 4.5 stars

 

 One of Us is Lying – Karen McManus (YA fiction) – Great and suspenseful and kept me turning the pages. I wish Simon’s character had been fleshed out a bit more, I honestly didn’t care much about him because I never connected with him. 3.5 stars

 

 The Missing– CL Taylor – Unsettling from the get go and it made my palms sweat. Ultimately the ending was unsatisfying for me, though I’m not sure I can explain why. 3.5 stars

 

 Good Riddance– Eleanor Lipman – Quirky and witty and wry and interesting. For some reason I didn’t ever fully connect with it, though and I’m not sure why. I do look forward to reading other books by this author!!  3 stars

 

 

Codes this Month- Using code APRILSHOWERS, new members can get a free book when they join today.

If I didn’t already have a copy, Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson would have been my number one pick. I’m married to a West Pointer so a book about the women of West Point is a no brainer. PLUS, my friend Claire wrote it! She’s a member of our book group on Facebook as well.

I ended up going with:

 Miracle Creek by Angie Kim I’m a few chapters in and totally into it!

All That You Leave Behind by Erin Lee Carr

Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger

 

 

Happy Monday, happy April, and happy reading!

xo

S

 

Comments

  1. If you liked Coyote Sunrise, which I also LOVED, you have to read all of Dan Gemeinhart’s books. I teach 4th grade and read Some Kind of Courage to my class every year. I cry every time. He is one of my favorite children’s authors.

  3. I just finished a book called A Lite Too Bright by Samuel Miller… you have to read it! I hadn’t heard of it but a friend recommended it. It’s categorized as YA, but it didn’t feel YA to me. So many great elements- history, loss, remembrance, love, mystery… and the last 50 pages/ending that will just wreck you in the best way. Can’t say enough good things about this book. I think you and all of us Howell/Bloom readers will enjoy it.