Hello friends! As you may have noticed, I’m not posting as regularly here, but I’m still around. My new position at work is keeping me super busy, but I’m not complaining. I enjoy a good challenge, plus time flies by; I’m loving it! Still, although I post less frequently, I’m managing to read a decent amount. Therefore, here is my March 2025 reading update.
I read six books in March, with an average of 3.5 star-rating. I gave three of the books four stars, and the others received three stars. If I had to pick a favorite, that would have to be Hidden in Shadows, by Viveca Sten, the second instalment in the Are Murders duology. And, if you guys read one of my previous posts, ‘books to tv or movie adaptations’, then you know I also love the Netflix series based on those books. I will link it here in case you missed it:
Books To Movie Or TV Adaptations
Other than that, the third Tracy Lange book came a close second, but some of the redundant storyline kept it from becoming a favorite. I’m glad that out of the six books I read, three of them were arcs from netgalley, so I’m working on clearing these shelves as well.
What about you guys? What are some of your March reading highlights? Feel free to leave your recommendations in the comment box below, as per usual.
Without further ado, this is my March 2025 reading update:
What Happened to the McCrays by Tracy Lange
I have read and loved the author’s previous two novels, so I had to get my hands on her latest. What Happened to the McCrays is a family saga, like the other books by the author. It was a well written, intricate family drama with likeable characters. The thing I enjoyed less, as I previously mentioned, is the redundancy towards the last quarter of the book. By the end, I couldn’t wait for the suspense to end and to find out how the story unfolded. But I was so glad it did and it put an end to my misery. So sorry to those who loved it, but this was my least favorite of the authors three works so far. Despite that, it was still one of my favorite books of the month.
Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon
As I previously mentioned in an older post, I won this book in a giveaway on Instagram. To be honest, the story had me intrigued, but I didn’t end up loving it. It was ok, but it wasn’t for me. Although the ending was quite surprising, it made up for the slower start to the book. The characters were all unlikable, which didn’t make it easier to get into. I’m still glad I found out what happened, but it wont make up any of my favorite books’ lists, unfortunately. This mystery/suspense thriller was very slow-paced. While the main characters were described in depth, this time it didn’t do much to help the story, as far as I’m concerned.
Hidden in Shadows by Viveca Sten
The second book in the Are Murders duology, Hidden in Shadows follows the same two detectives, Hannah Ahlander and Daniel Lindskog, from the first book, Hidden in Snow. In this instalment, they have a new case on their hands, but one as intricate as their first one. The pace of the book is fast, with short chapters, which makes reading it so much more enjoyable. That is, if you love short chapters. They are my preference, as I find I breeze through the book a lot faster. Atmospheric in the way Scandinavian authors have a knack for setting, this is my favorite book of the month by far. I devoured it in just a couple of days, even though it’s close to 450 pages.
Penitence by Kristin Koval
I liked the premise of this book, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. It was ok but not great, in my humble opinion. The writing was good and the pace of the book fine, but I couldn’t warm up to any of the characters. It makes readers wonder how they would react if faced with such a tragedy, and different points of views are described at length. Sad and heartbreaking, Penitence will make you shed a tear or two. Read the synopsis below to see if it’s something you would enjoy reading, as its subject matter is not for everyone.
The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indidrason
The older Icelandic writer has quite a following, and with good reason. He writes solid police procedurals that are well plotted, with a good mix of equally likeable and insufferable characters. The pace is perfect: not too fast but not too slow, and the short chapters make the story very easy to follow. The Darkness Knows is the first Detective Konrad instalment in the series. I enjoyed it quite a lot, so I will be continuing with the series. He is a new-to-me Nordic Noir author to keep in mind if you’re looking to give the genre a try.
I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones
This is my last book of the month. Seing that it is my first Sandie Jones book, I must say I was disappointed. At least, from reading some fellow readers’ comments, this is not her best work, so I’m not going to set her aside yet. But, to be honest, if I didn’t read those comments about the author’s books, I would probably not be interested in giving her another chance. I literally finished reading this book yesterday, and I already forgot what it’s about. If I didn’t read the synopsis again, I would literally have no idea. That should pretty much say it all.
Concluding Words
This sums up my March 2025 reading update. Are you familiar with any of these books? If any of them are on your radar, I’d like to hear what you thought of them once you’ve read them.
Until next time, fellow bookworms!
