It’s so hard to believe that we’re already a quarter of the way through 2019. I feel like it was January 2 minutes ago. I am pleased to report that for the third month in a row, I am on track to hit my reading goal of 52 books this year. I am still so excited that there’s a possibility that I accomplish this goal. As a busy grad student, finding time to read wasn’t always my top priority but it’s honestly amazing how much reading I can get done just by dedicating 30 mins a day to a good book.
If you want to catch up on what I’ve read so far this year, here are my posts from January and February. And if you like keeping up with what I read in real time, you can follow me on Instagram where I post pics of what I’m reading all the time or you can add me on Goodreads! AND in case you forgot, I’m participating in the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge this year… so I’m including what prompt I read the book for if you were curious!
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry.
5/5 stars.
“A book that makes you nostalgic.”
I picked this up at the library because I haven’t read it since I was a kid. This was one of my favorite books growing up and it was so interesting to read again but from an adult’s perspective. If you haven’t ever read this book, you should. It’s one of those books that makes you think and is unlike anything I had ever read before. It’s a futuristic/dystopian sort of book which is funny because this is totally NOT the genre I enjoy reading nowadays. This was a fun book to go back to that took me a couple lunch break reading sessions to finish. I am hoping to do more re-reads this year like this one!
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it now
11. The Library Book by Susan Orlean.
4/5 stars.
“A book recommended to you by a celebrity you admire.”
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought it would be more about the crime of the Los Angeles library fire, but it was more about the history of libraries in general with some specific stories about the Los Angeles libraries. I liked this because I got a look into the lives of librarians (something I’ve always been curious about): how they became librarians, what’s in a days work, and what the behind-the-scenes of a library looks like. The book was well written and interesting, although some parts went more slowly than others. I enjoyed how much I learned through reading this book and have a stronger appreciation for libraries and everything they do for people.
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it now
12. Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippencott.
5/5 stars.
“A book becoming a movie in 2019.”
First, let me preface the review by mentioning that this book is YA. I am not holding the sort-of-annoying, sort-of-whiny character traits of the teenagers in this book against it. I truly enjoyed reading this because it was about subject matter that is not talked about often. I was expecting John Green TFiOS vibes but I think this was better. I really liked the different characters, the emotions that played a part in their relationships, and learning about Cystic Fibrosis in general. I have yet to see the movie but I’m hoping to catch it soon. This was a quick, sweet read that I think most people would enjoy. Plus, the cover is one of my all-time favorites. It’s so gorgeous.
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it now
13. Beartown by Fredrik Backman.
5/5 stars.
“A book set in Scandinavia.”
This is the first book I’ve read by Fredrik Backman and he has written a lot of books that are on my TBR list. This was my IRL book club pick for March although I didn’t get to attend the actual book club meeting. It was nice to commit to reading something in a month and actually do it!
This book was amazing. The characters, the setting, the subject matter, the focus on hockey… I loved it all. The book was so raw and real and I appreciated the way he handled the sensitive subject matter in the book. It didn’t seem forced or cliche. It was interesting and, in my opinion, well done. My brother played ice hockey growing up so I could relate to/understand some of the boys on the team. My favorite part was how committed Backman was to developing each of the characters. And there were a lot of them. But it never felt overwhelming like it can be with some books. The first quarter of the book sort of drags because there’s a lot of backstory and build-up. I promise it’s worth it! I really liked this and I hope to read the sequel ASAP.
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it now
What did you read in March? Will you try reading any of these books? Let me know!
