March Book Haul || Reward Yourself

TBR Status: I deserve a reward for good behavior. How about … a book! Awww, but what if the book’s lonely? Make it a few books! The more the merrier!

To celebrate the halfway mark of my first semester of grad school, I ordered books! Huzzah! Even though being in grad school means a marked lack of time to read said books. Listen, I never claimed logic was involved in this decision, okay? I just saw books, blacked out, and ended up with a box a few weeks later.

I will admit, even though it feels like my reading has sort of fallen off, I’ve still managed to read more than I figured I’d be able to. As much as I need to keep up with my ever-expanding TBR? Ha, no. Still, I remain optimistic that my quest for the Philosopher’s Stone will bear fruit at some point and I will be able to live long enough to catch up on all these books. Some of you may need to be sacrificed for the greater good. Sorry, but that’s how these things work. If you haven’t figured out that I’m a villain by now, you deserve to be sacrificed for the cause. 😂

Anyway, on to the books that somehow found their way onto my shelves in March!

Physical Book Haul

I got several wonderful finished copies for blog tours this month! I’ve already finished City Spies: Golden Gate (read my review here) and also The Accidental Apprentice (read my review here). Both were fabulous examples of middle grade kidlit (though one adventure and one fantasy).

The Helm of Midnight

I actually just started this one! It’s fantasy meets a serial killer along the lines of Jack the Ripper. Yes. So much yes. So far, it’s been a fun sort of mystery/horror in a super interesting fantasy world.

Missing Presumed Dead

Queer romance/thriller with ghosts and powers. What’s not to love? I’ve basically been meaning to read this book since it came out. Even though I think I might have a digital copy. But I couldn’t resist picking up a hardback when I saw it on sale!

The Emperor’s Wolves

I actually received this as a giveaway for a program from the library! Which is handy, because I’ve been staring at the library’s copy thinking I should check it out. This will likely go back to the library once I’m done with it, but in the meantime, it’s around friends. I haven’t read the series this is a spin-off of, but from what I understand, I shouldn’t have to. Severn sounds like a character I’m going to like, though!

Titanshade

Noir fantasy thriller. Yes. I’ve heard wonderful things about this series, and I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a copy for a while now. Mission successful! I’m fairly certain I’m going to absolutely love this series.

The God Game

I actually already read this, but I enjoyed it so much that I thought I’d grab a copy to re-read and then donate to the library! It was on sale, so my frivolous spending was obviously totally justified. Also, the cover is metallic and shiny and super trippy and I absolutely love it.

All Those Explosions were Someone Else’s Fault & They Promised Me The Gun Wasn’t Loaded

I’ve been wanting to read the Dark/Spark series foreverrrrr, but I couldn’t find a copy. Problem solved! I was able to find both books. These are superhero comedic fantasy, so obviously exactly the sort of book I would read. Also, the titles make me laugh. I’m hoping the books will, too!

Fate of the Fallen

Another one I’ve been meaning to read since it came out! It’s come highly recommended by several people, so when I saw it on sale, I decided to just go ahead and snatch it up. Hopefully having it in front of my face will inspire me to read it sooner, right? That seems like perfectly sound logic to me.

Quintessence

I’ve been kind of on the fence about this one and whether or not I’ll like it, but I decided to give it a chance. It touches on some really big themes that I absolutely love and feel are super important in middle grade, and it’s got good reviews so far, so I just went for it.

The Good For Nothings

I’ve heard great things about this book, and I just can’t ignore the Guardians of the Galaxy vibes it gives me. I actually hadn’t even though about buying this, but it popped up on sale and I was like … why, yes, I would like this book, thank you very much. A little YA space adventure with a ragtag team sounds good for the soul.

Silver Batal: Race for the Dragon Heartstone

My library has book 1, so I decided to go ahead and grab book 2. Not that I’ve read book 1 yet, but hey, now I can read them back-to-back and then the library will have the up-to-date series. See? Perfect. I astound myself with my reasoning skills sometimes. 😉

Twist

Loved this book so much I had to own it! Read it as an ARC and wanted my own copy. I’ve sort of considered the idea of donating it to the library (since I could read it whenever I want there anyway, and so could children), but I’m not sure. My selfish desire to keep books I love is butting up against the idea that if I donate it, I can share it with people who will also love it (and also throw it at people to force them to read it). Decisions are hard. Why does no one talk about this part of the struggle of being a librarian?!

Odd Gods: The Oddyssey

Again, have I read the first book? No. Although, I’ve been assured I will love it. Still, I couldn’t not grab this when it was on sale, right? I mean, if I’m going to love the first book, I’m obviously going to want the second one. That’s how this woks.

The Dragon Egg Princess

Dragons. I rest my case. Also, Ellen Oh. I’ve been trying to get a copy of this for a while without paying an arm and a leg for it, and I was able to catch a sale, so this baby is now miiiiine. Muahaha! I definitely need to start a dragon shelf on my bookcase somewhere.

Kindle Book Haul

                   

School of Phantoms

The first book of this series, No Place for Monsters, was super cute! I’m looking forward to continuing it and seeing what new trouble these characters get into. I absolutely love the author’s art style for these books. It’s so well-suited to middle grade horror. I’m also completely on board with creepy snowmen and bizarre blizzards. I hate the snow, so it makes perfect sense to me that it should be the setting of a horror book.

Warrior’s Ransom

I absolutely loved the first book, Knight’s Ransom, so when I found out it was on NetGalley, I just had to request the second one! I’m so excited to have been approved. I’m going to be honest and admit that I’ve forgotten how the first book ended, so I’ll probably glance at the last couple of chapters to jog my memory before picking up this one, but I’m so ready for it!

Blessed Monsters

I didn’t love the second book, so I kind of went back and forth about whether or not to read this one. I ultimately decided I really needed to because, one, I kind of need to see how this is going to end, okay? I’ve made it through two books now. I’m invested. But also … Serefin. Duncan’s Goodreads review has a teaser of things in this book, and it includes, “Serefin is gifted an entire bottle of vodka. He’s delighted. This is maybe bribery?” I approve of this and must find out the scenario now.

Project Hail Mary

I could’ve sworn I’d been approved for this a while ago, but NetGalley says no. I may have just hallucinated it? Either that or March was sooooo long that it feels like it’s been several months. That one’s a definite possibility. I think pretty much everyone is looking forward to this book at this point, so it probably needs no explanation as to why I am. I don’t read a ton of sci-fi, but I think I’m going to love this one!

Under the Whispering Door

NEW KLUNE BOOK! AHHHHH! I can’t even begin to tell you how pumped I am to have been approved for this. It comes out in September, and as per usual, I’m trying to wait until closer to read it, because otherwise, I end up wallowing in sadness longer waiting for the next one. But guys, it’s so haaaaard. *whines* I just want to sit down and read the whole thing in one go.

                   

Flash Fire

Another Klune book, because March was obviously my month. This one fills my need for superheroes, hopeless protagonists, and ADHD rep. Also, super sweet M/M friends-to-lovers that makes me want to melt, it’s so stinking cute. I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this book, but whatever it is, I know I’m going to love it!

Pahua and the Soul Stealer

A new Rick Riordan Presents book! I’ve already said that I plan on reading every single thing this imprint releases. This one is not only based on Hmong mythology (which is one I am sorely unfamiliar with and should definitely take more initiative to learn about), but it’s also by Lori M. Lee! You know, the author of Forest of Souls, the book that absolutely destroyed mine. Soul, not forest.

In Deeper Waters

This is for an upcoming blog tour, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you! I’ve already started. It’s pitched as The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean, so obviously I’m going to love it? I’ve only just started it, and I’m definitely enjoying it so far. Can’t wait to get the chance to get further into it!

Shards of Earth

Another upcoming blog tour book! I haven’t read a book by Adrian Tchaikovsky yet, but I’ve heard they’re good. I haven’t been one for space opera in the past, but the more I’m giving the genre a second chance, the more I’m finding books I love, so I’m ready to dive into this one. Sounds like it’s going to be a thrilling read!

Imaginary

A middle grade book told from the point of view of an imaginary friend! Sounds like fun, right? I’m also super interested in middle grade books that deal with grief, and this one has Zach trying to move past his father’s death. Which ties into his imaginary friend. I’m really curious to see how it’s handled!

       

The Wolf’s Curse

I like wolves and I like curses. See? Obviously, this book was meant for me. This cover is so darn cute and whimsical and charming that I just can’t resist it. This sounds like a perfectly whimsical and charming book, too. Something about souls being stolen by the Great White Wolf and an afterlife called Sea-in-the-Sky. Everything about this book sounds perfect!

The Keeper of Night

This book absolutely had me at a character that is half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami. Yes. Yes to all this. I didn’t even need to read the rest of the blurb (though I did, of course). It includes Death and Yokai and historical fantasy set in Japan, and I am so into all of these things!

Do we have any upcoming reads in common?

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