These are my March 2023 book reviews.
March was a pretty decent month reading-wise. I discovered a couple of indie authors, which I’m happy I did, but I can’t say any of the books I read were spectacular. They were okay, but nothing I would re-read. A couple of them disappointed me, as I had high expectations for them.
If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you know that I generally do not give a synopsis of the books I talk about. I just share my thoughts.
Once you click on the links under each picture it will send you to Amazon, you can read the blurb and purchase the book if it seems like something that you would really like to read. But do not feel obligated to purchase. If you’re not sure about the particular book, borrow it from the library first.
For those who own a Kindle, there are a few books you can read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, so no pressure at all! I share the links in case you’re interested in a particular book.
Let’s see the books I read this March one by one.
The Fake by Zoe Whittall
This book is well written, as per usual, but I didn’t connect with the story as much as I did with the author’s previous two novels.
Con artist Connie goes through life taking advantage of people and lying her way to get what she wants. That is until Shelby and Gilford, her latest victims get together and try, for the last time, to come to her rescue. They thought by appealing to her from a good, honest place, they could help her. But their intervention fails, and they must accept that Connie is who she is and move on with their lives.
Whittall’s writing style is raw and poetic. She has a way of making you feel emotions while reading as if you’re living inside the story she’s telling.
I hope you understand what I mean because not many authors can achieve this way of reaching their audience. It’s a gift, and she’s got it.
I recommend any of her books, although my favorite is The Best Kind of People.
No Proof by Ashley McConnell
I’m going to start by saying that I really hoped to like this book. The author is sweet and she did her best. The book started off very well, but about halfway through it just seemed like a recount of Sadie’s days. It had an element of suspense, but it wasn’t well developed, and the twist was underwhelming.
I’m sorry to say, but this book disappointed me in a big way. There were a few plot holes that left me wondering if the author actually forgot whole chapters, plus the ending left me hanging. And not in a good way.
I was really looking forward to reading it, and the premise seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately, I do not recommend you run and buy this book. The best part of it is the cover art, in my opinion. Hopefully you will like it more than I did!
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
This third book by the author was better than her last one, Reckless Girls. It was a frenemies story that was well executed, with a touch of suspense. It wasn’t gory by any means, with just enough mystery to keep me involved. The plot was well executed and the suspense part kept me engaged with the storyline. The characters were well-developed as well, so it was a decent read overall.
If you haven’t read any Rachel Hawkins books yet, you should give her a try. She writes fast-paced, engaging books that are entertaining.
The Breaks Between You And Me by Taiya Collier
This book was not written very well, in my opinion. It is a poor attempt at a coming-of-age story, but the plot kept going back and forth without any real links between the different points of view. That made it pretty hard to follow and didn’t keep my attention for long periods of time. I skimmed through most of it because I just wanted to get it over with. Maybe it is because Collier is still a teenager, but she still has a long way to go to become a well-written author. This is another book I was hoping to like, but it felt very flat for me.
The Prisoner by B.A. Paris
This was my first book by the author, and it was just ok for me. Yes, the plot kept me involved, especially in the second part of the book, but it wasn’t my favorite story. It was well-written and kept me guessing, but I couldn’t find myself connecting with the main character. The other characters were even worse, so it was just a three-star read for me. Will I give the author another chance? Eventually, maybe, but there are lots of other books I need to read before thinking of another B.A. Paris book.
The Silent Boy by Cherryl Bradshaw
This is the first book in the Sloane Monroe Peril series. It’s a fast-paced mystery that is ok, but not great.
The book kept me engaged, but I find the writing could be improved. Mind you, I read lots of Nordic Noir authors who have a very different style, so I’m a harsher critic when it comes to murder mysteries. But if you’re looking for something that reads fast and it comes with a twist, then for sure you should give it a chance.
All That You Are by Elicia Roper
This is a coming-of-age, emotional, and heartwarming novel according to Goodreads. Well, it really didn’t work for me. The writing was choppy, and the story had no flow. It goes back and forth between the different characters without any real links. I had to go back and reread the last few lines of the previous chapter thinking I missed some important points. But no, the story was just hard to follow.
So I’m one of the few reviewers who really didn’t connect with this book because it has many five-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. You can be the judge of that, but it wasn’t for me.
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hildenbrand
I listened to this book on audio, and it was so, so long! This is the second book by the author, and I swear I’ll give up on her if the next one does not improve. The writing is okay, and there’s nothing wrong with her books per se. But it shows that the author is older and still holds a few prejudices that were common in the nineties and early 2000s.
Her books are full of cringe scenes that are borderline sexist, and not my cup of tea, to be honest.
I’m unsure how to categorize this book because I thought it was supposed to be a light romance, judging by the title. The first third of the book was pretty light and seemed to deliver. Then it ended up getting more and more mundane, and towards the end, I really didn’t know what to expect. But I was invested in the story, so I powered through till the end. The conclusion was super disappointing, so all in all a very meh read.
The Shadow Children by Cheryl Bradshaw
This is the second book in the four-book series Peril Awaits, featuring Sloane Monroe and Maddie LaFoe.
The book is ok, but nothing I would go and drop everything for.
The friendly duo is on vacation in Savannah, but they get caught up in the disappearance of a few 14-year-old girls. Just like the first book, it is very fast-paced and an easy read, but the writing is pretty basic. So, to sum up, it is nothing to rave home about, yet the story kept me engaged from the first chapter.
This sums up my March 2023 book reviews. These are the nine books I managed to read this month, so I’m pretty happy overall. Even though some of them were not as good as I expected, I can’t complain. April looks even more promising, so stay tuned for my next reviews! Until then, keep reading my fellow bookworms!
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