This month I read a total of 7 books. This blog will give you my quick thoughts on the books I read as well as some overall stats. Let me know what books you read in March and what books you want to read this April!
Pages Read This Month: 2,428
Average Monthly Rating: 8.75/10
Must Reads of The Month:
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
1. The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall (324 pages) (Rating: 8.25/10)
The first book in the Conspiracy of Us trilogy follows protagonist Avery West who learns that she is part of an elite secret society known as the Circle of Twelve. These twelve families are the heirs of Alexander the Great and are in search of his tomb and the treasure inside. This was my second time reading it.
2. Map of Fates by Maggie Hall (309 pages) (Rating: 8.25/10)
The second book in the Conspiracy of Us trilogy that picks up right where the first one left off. This was my second time reading it.
3. The Ends of the World by Maggie Hall (309 pages) (Rating: 8.5/10)
The third and final book in the Conspiracy of Us trilogy. This was my first time reading it. After finishing the series my quick thoughts are that there were aspects of the novels that I enjoyed such as the travel and the mystery. However, I felt the overall pacing was awkward, characters who were important to the story were underdeveloped, and the main character, Avery, was impulsive and frustrating. I definitely enjoyed the series more when I wasn’t as critical of a reader as I am now.
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (358 pages) (Rating: 9.5/10)
A contemporary novel written in verse (in poems) following Xiomara, a young girl with Latin roots (Dominican Republic). The novel follows her as she rebels against her strict Catholic mother by dating a classmate, joining the slam poetry club at school, and questioning her faith. This was a wonderfully unique coming of age novel and I would absolutely recommend it. The only negative was the pacing. As it was all written in verse it was a very quick read. However, I felt like the ending was too abrupt and things were too neatly resolved in a way that didn’t feel wholly realistic.
5. Renegades by Marissa Meyer (552 pages) (Rating: 8.75/10)
This young adult science fiction novel takes place in a future where there are people with superpowers known as prodigies. They are divided into two groups: Renegades (heroes) and Anarchist (super villains). The main characters we follow are Nova (an Anarchist) and Adrian (a Renegade), both of whom have secret identities. I enjoyed the characters and the writing and felt the powers were unique. However, the plot itself was not super original and the twist ending made little sense to me.
6. Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (303 pages) (Rating: 8.75/10)
A young adult contemporary novel following protagonist Simon Spier who is gay but in the closet. He begins a romance via email with a classmate, though neither knows the other’s true identity. The novel tackles important issues like coming out and homophobia. I enjoyed the story but found the execution lacking. The novel could have easily had another 100/150 pages to expand on the characters and story.
7. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (273 pages) (Rating: 9.5/10)
This young adult contemporary novel tells the story of Amanda Hardy, a young transwoman in high school who moves in with her estranged father to have a fresh start. She begins a romance with classmate Grant but struggles with whether or not to tell him about her past. I truly cared for Amanda and was immersed in her story. The novel addresses topics like transphobia, sexual assault, and underage drinking/drug use. My only complaint was the novel was far too short and oft times felt rushed.