My Goings On in March:
- My kids were on spring break. We didn’t go anywhere or anything (which I’m regretting now that I’m starting to look at our summer schedule–I should have taken advantage of the time they all had off).
- We went to a VR place, which was really interesting. I mostly let my kids do it, but I did spend 5 minutes or so as a clerk in a virtual reality convenience store, and it was great fun!
- I went to lots of track meets and my three writer’s group meetings (two groups, three meetings).
- Things I watched:
- I went to see Captain Marvel at the theater (very rare for me). My husband and I both really enjoyed it, even though superhero movies aren’t our favorite.
- I started watching Umbrella Academy with my mom. Really liking it, but we kind of stopped watching for no apparent reason. Need to get back to it.
- The whole family watched Ralph Breaks the Internet over spring break. It’s not as good as the first, but it’s cute. We also watched Kubo and the Two Strings, which was … strange. We all agreed that we liked it while we watched it, but the more we talked about the movie (and we did, a lot), the more we were like, “and wait, what was up with… (fill in random detail here)? That made absolutely no sense!” But it was fun to talk about, at any rate.
Features & Discussions:
March 2019 Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – A few days left to link up & enter the giveaway!
The Challenge of Running a Successful Meme (or Challenge!)
How Much Is Too Much? Sometimes Life Is Stranger Than Fiction. Let’s Discuss.
Top Ten Audiobooks I’ve Listened To
March 2019 Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up & Giveaway
My 2019 Reading Progress:
As of the end of March, I’d read 49 books, which put me 11 books ahead of schedule.
March 2019 Reviews
Lots of reviews posted in March!
- Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly | Review | Rating: Devoured It
- A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always by the Ocean! by Kir Fox, M. Shelley Coats | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- The Color of Lies by C.J. Lyons | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer | Review | Rating: Absolutely Addicted!
- The Revenge of Magic by James Riley | Review | Rating: Devoured It
- Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord* | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Geekerella by Ashley Poston | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien | Review | Rating: Devoured It
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander | Review | Rating: Devoured It
- Rebound by Kwame Alexander | Review | Rating: Devoured It
- Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Scheerger | Review | Rating: Absolutely Addicted!
- Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans by Russell Ginns | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Samantha Spinner and the Spectacular Specs by Russell Ginns | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
*A Dual Review with Danielle Hammelef
March Best of the Bunch:
(Best of the Bunch is hosted over at Cocoon of Books. We link up our favorite reads of the month!)
My MG choice for March was actually really tough because, even though I rated Operation Frog Effect slightly higher, it was only one little thing that made me rate Song for a Whale Devoured It rather than Absolutely Addicted (and I really loved the book). These two were very close for me. Still, I went with the rating to make things easier on myself.
My YA choice was clear. Don’t know why I waited so long to finish The Lunar Chronicles!!
2019 Reading Challenges/Goals Progress:
Progress: 6/21-30 Discussions (Chatty Kathy)
Two discussions posted this month puts me right in line with where I want to be.
The Challenge of Running a Successful Meme (or Challenge!)
How Much Is Too Much? Sometimes Life Is Stranger Than Fiction. Let’s Discuss.
Top Ten Audiobooks I’ve Listened To
Why Audiobooks Are Important.
Bookworm Confession: Swag Isn’t My Thing.
Why I Love the Book Blog Discussion Challenge (Even When I Fail)
Things I Learned About Fairy Tales By Reading the Grimm’s Versions
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Feed Your Fiction Addiction & It Starts at Midnight
Progress: 1/12 Classics Read
I really meant to read another classic at the end of the month … but then I didn’t get to it. Maybe next month?
19th Century Classic
20th Century Classic
Classic by a Woman Author
Classic in Translation – Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Classic Comic Novel
Classic Tragic Novel
Very Long Classic
Classic Novella
Classic From the Americas (includes the Caribbean)
Classic From Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia)
Classic From a Place You’ve Lived
Classic Play
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Books and Chocolate
Progress: 24/48 Library Books Read
I upped my goal on this challenge from 24 to 48, since I’ve already hit 24. Lots of library books for me!
As usual, I haven’t reviewed all of these on the blog (I don’t plan to review the Buffy graphic novels or The Library at Mount Char here, so if you want to see what I thought of those, you’ll have to click through to my Goodreads reviews).
These are the books I read from the library this month:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Predators and Prey by Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jim Krueger, Doug Petrie & Georges Jeanty
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Twilight by Joss Whedon, Brad Meltzer, & Georges Jeanty (reread)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Retreat by Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson & Georges Jeanty (reread)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Last Gleaming by Joss Whedon, Scott Allie & Georges Jeanty
Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
Earlier books for this challenge:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wolves at the Gate by Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard, & Georges Jeanty (reread)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Time of Your Life by Joss Whedon, Jeph Loeb, & Georges Jeanty (reread)
Winter by Marissa Meyer (audio)
Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (audio)
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
Rebound by Kwame Alexander
The Color of Lies by CJ Lyons (audio)
A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always by the Ocean! by Kir Fox
Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (audio, reread)
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (audio, reread)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (audio, reread)
Fairest by Marissa Meyer (audio)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home by Joss Whedon & Georges Jeanty (reread)
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondō & Yuko Uramoto
We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan
The Lonely Ones by Kelsey Sutton
The Language Inside by Holly Thompson
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures
Progress: 1/1 Connect 5 per month
My March Theme: Animals
Dragon Pearl – Min is a shapeshifter whose natural form is a fox!
The Simple Art of Flying – The MC of this book is an African grey parrot
Song for a Whale – This book centers on Iris’s journey to connect with Blue 55, a whale who can’t communicate with other whales.
Operation Frog Effect – As you can tell from the title, the classroom frog plays a big part in this story.
Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray – Once again, the title says it all. I love ferrets, and Nikki’s pet is no exception!
(NOTE: I haven’t reviewed Nikki Tesla on the blog yet, but it was a 2019 read!)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Book Date
Progress: 2/12 Books Read
I read Geekerella in March, but I’m still one book behind. Guess I’d better read The Serpent King next since Shannon got so mad at me.
- Truthwitch by Susan Dennard (2016)
- The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner (2016)
- Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab (2017)
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (2015)
- Winter by Marissa Meyer (2015)
- Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (2015)
- UnBound by Neal Shusterman (2015)
- Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes (2016)
- Geekerella by Ashley Poston (2017)
- History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (2017)
- Every Last Breath by Jennifer Armentrout (2015)
- Alienated by Melissa Landers (2014)
Alternates:
- The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis (2016)
- The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Roof Beam Reader
Goal: 12 TBR Books Read
My bookish resolutions for 2019:
- Write the first draft of new MG. I’m working on it! Slowly.
- Read 1 review book for every 1 that I receive. So far in 2019 I’ve received 17 books for review. I’ve read/reviewed 18 (including three I decided not to post reviews for on the blog). So, I’m now 1 ahead!
- Read at least 6 books on the craft of writing. I finished reading Story Genius, but I need to get going on some others!
- Read at least 12 books written in verse. (Since I’m writing my next book in verse.) I read 1 book in verse this month, for a total of 6 so far!
Query 50 agents. Or get an agent. ? (I was a wimp and I only queried 12 agents in 2018. At that rate, I might get an agent in like 2050.)Crossed this one off in February when I signed with East/West Literary!! Will I leave it here, crossed-off, for the rest of the year? I just might.
Non-bookish resolution for 2019:
(This one doesn’t count for the challenge, but I’m putting it here so it’s with my other stuff and I’ll hopefully pay attention to it.)
- Work out 3 times per week. Yeah, this is not happening. I keep telling myself I’m going to get back to it … any day now.
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Because Challenges Make Reading More Fun
Wrap-Up Round-Up!
Don’t forget to link your March wrap-up posts up to the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up. And enter the giveaway!
The Umbrella Academy is filmed in my city!! I love seeing all the locations in the series! I also like seeing the Lunar Chronicles in your mix of books. Happy April!
Oh, how cool!!
Some great books read!It was a busy month of reading and reviewing for sure.
Yes! Lots of reviews went up this month!
I love your middle grade recommendations and have also discovered many books in verse, which I love also, from you. I enjoy your ratings also and we seem to like similar books.
Yes, you have good taste in books. 😉 LOL!
Oh I so want to start Umbrella Academy. Just to find the time. Yay for WInter. Loved that book. Have a great April!!
I definitely need to keep watching–time is always an issue, of course.
So agreewith Kubo and the Two Strings, your reaction was mine. So glad you got to finish the Lunar Chronicles. Winter was great. Love you do middle grade. I come here for my nephew and a friend who has 2 boys, 8 & 10. She is always on the look for books for her boys. Thanks! ♥️♥️
Oh, I’m so glad that I’m helping people find great books for the middle graders in their lives! And, yeah, Kubo was just … strange. And the more we dissected it, the more completely unexplainable things we kept coming up with! Like, why was the mom practically catatonic sometimes (but not always)? Was that ever actually explained? We just kept thinking of more and more things like that.
Working out is such a struggle. I force myself to exercise 5 days a week, but I have absolutely no desire to do it. Congrats on being ahead with reading. Happy April!
I actually worked out yesterday after writing this because I felt so guilty. And I HAVE been taking the dogs on walks lately, but still … I need to get way better about working out consistently. This on and off thing is probably worse than not working out at all.
What’s your secret to read so much? I read 11 books and that’s about my max, even though I have no kids and no TV!!
I’m just a fast reader. I have to admit. Plus, lately a lot of the books I’ve been reading have been verse novels and graphic novels, which go a lot faster (last month I mentioned that I actually feel guilty about that when it comes to my Goodreads goal, but I still want to track everything I read, so … oh well?).
I agree that Ralph Breaks the Internet, I loved the princess scenes. My husband bought me the shirt that “modern” Tiana wears!
Oh, how fun! I agree that the princess scenes are hilarious.
I saw Captain Marvel last week and really loved it! I saw Shazam earlier today with my mom and we both loved that too – it’s a fun one. 🙂 Yay for a great reading month!
-Lauren
I didn’t even realized Shazam was coming out–I’m not usually up to date on all the superhero movies, but Captain Marvel got so much attention, I’d have to live under a rock to have missed it. 🙂
Working out is so hard!!! So I made the lamest rule ever for myself. I can’t watch t.v. unless I’m on the elliptical or I already worked out that day. It works but I don’t like it ha! I also started a squat challenge with my mommy friends and looking at day 20+ has me freaking out eeks!! If you want to join in we’ll be on Day 2 tomorrow.
This is basically what I do too, but it still hasn’t worked. I just don’t really watch TV lately. LOL!
Working out is so hard! I wanted to do yoga every morning but that only lasted like 2 days. I did walk my kids to school today and I am exhausted. Thank you for the middle grade recommendations! I’m trying to find new books for my oldest to read so this will help my ever-growing list.
I’ve been terrible about keeping up with working out. Sigh.
I’m just so glad you really loved the Lunar Chronicles and enjoyed the Kwame books! I need to actually try and see Captain Marvel and both of the Ralph movies eventually as well. I am so behind on watching things. Experiencing VR must have been so fun for the kids and I am glad you found it to be pretty cool too ^.^
I really loved the first Wreck It Ralph movie—it was a favorite around here. The second one was definitely cute too, though.
OMG FINISH UMBRELLA ACADEMYYYYY!!!!
Ha, I kind of love that show! Lol. 😉
I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to finish it. I am watching it with my mom, though, and we don’t always have a lot of time that we can watch TV together.
Love The Lunar Chronicles. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
Umbrella Academy is also fantastic. I’d be interested in a sequel season. I hope you enjoy the rest of it!
I’m enjoying Umbrella Academy, but I haven’t been getting through it very quickly for some reason. I need to watch more often!