THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOL’S POST || MARCH WRAP-UP FT. MINI REVIEWS

Hullo, bookdragons!

Let it be known that I DO NOT LIKE APRIL FOOL’S DAY. I’m actually better at reading an 800+ page book in a day than dealing with pranks and whatnot. People are 14,000,605 times annoying today and maybe that’s the point of April 1st but I just don’t have the energy to handle all the screams of, “LMAO HAPPY APRIL FOOLS” everytime I round the corner. No sir thank you.

I’m sounding like a bitter eggplant again so I better stop. Now that y’all know my April Fools lament, let’s move on to my equally tragic March wrap-up!

March is my most inactive blogging month by far which is… kinda understandable because aside from staring at my TBR pile (come on that takes A LOT of time), I conquered my midterm exams and grappled with my research paper until it finally surrendered in a pool of its own tears.

Now let’s get to my reading and blogging life in March! 

READING

So, I seem to be cursed to read six books per month. I have no idea which reading deity I offended but COME ON LET ME READ 10+ BOOKS IN ONE MONTH PLEASE. I’m drowning in backlist books, ARCs, author requests, and my own tears over here. I hope I can read more books next month but I can’t be sure because I have my final exams to worry about. PLUS COLLEGE TOO. I don’t really like to think about the future. It’s dark and full of terrors.

Anyway, even though I’m complaining about the quantity of books I’m reading, I actually have no complaints about the quality of my monthly reads. All of them DESTROYED me so you can tell just how much love I hold for these children. Oh I do love all the painful books.

Here are the books I read in March:

1. ‎The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews

What I loved about this book: Literally everything about it—the characters, the banter, the food, the glitter, the pain, and the laughter. This is a story about broken boys and shattered dreams. This is a tale of hope and suffering. Sam is a soft cinnamon who makes the worst decisions but he’s also someone I want to hug. He will steal your heart just like he steals houses so PREPARE YOURSELF.

Read my review here and my interview with C.G. Drews here!

Why you should read this book: It’s funny and heartbreaking. This is the brand of the necromancy queen who is C. G. Drews. It’s full of heart and touching lessons. THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES COMES OUT ON APRIL FOURTH. Pre-order it now!

2. ‎Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

What I loved about this book: I enjoyed reading about the new characters (Nik and Hanna are LEGENDS). The audiobook is also the eighth wonder of the world, okay??? Not to mention that I nearly jumped out of the atmosphere when I heard AIDAN’S somber voice. The pacing is perfect and THAT plot twist? Utterly mind-blowing.

Why you should read this book: You don’t want to miss this sequel to Illuminae. It gives a broader insight to the world Kaufman and Kristoff created plus all the horrors their brilliant minds invented. Prepare tissues. Prepare your brain cells too. This one’s going to be one hell of an adventure, chums.

3. ‎A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman 

What I loved about this book: I can’t describe just how much this anthology means to me. It’s a collection of Asian folklore retellings written by Asian authors and my Asian heart inflated about a hundred times while reading. It features folklores I’ve grown up with and seeing my culture represented within these pages is nothing short of fulfilling.

Why you should read this book: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings will give you 25 Asian folklore retellings that will tug at your heartstrings. I will post my full review of this book soon because it deserves everything. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. I will thank you forever if you do.

4. ‎The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

What I loved about this book: Okay so this one’s a reread and I appreciated this book a million times more. The Poppy War is a bloody masterpiece which portrays the brutality of war in great detail. The complex characters and the well-woven storylines made this book one of my favorites of all time. I don’t have enough words to describe the greatness that is The Poppy War.

Why you should read this book: R. F. Kuang is a genius and it would be a shame if you won’t be able to read this one. It’s an emotionally heavy book but it’s also filled with action and twists. It will make your brain cells healthier and your heart more shattered.

5. ‎Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 

What I love about this book: This conclusion to the Illuminae Files made me cry like a baby. I will surely miss AIDAN’s creepy voice, Kady’s snark, Ezra’s cheesy jokes, Nik’s wit, Hanna’s brilliance, and Ella’s unapologetic cursing. I love this trilogy so much and I can’t wait to read Memento. More AIDAN content? YES PLEASE.

Why you should read this book: It gives a great conclusion to a well-loved trilogy. The stakes are so much higher in Obsidio which makes it all the more thrilling. It gives a realistic portrayal of what happens to a planet after its invasion. I definitely recommend this series. If you’re looking for an audiobook recommendation, start with this trilogy now.

6. ‎The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

What I love about this book: I literally cried when I got an eARC of this book. The Dragon Republic is one of my most-anticipated releases and it definitely exceeded all of my expectations. R. F. KUANG DID IT AGAIN, FOLKS. It’s another bloody book which made my brain and my heart race. It portrays the chaos of warfare in great detail. In this book, the lines between good and evil are blurred and you will never know who to trust.

Why you should read this book: I’m just going to say this in advance: Y’ALL WILL NEVER BE READY FOR THIS. It’s been days since I’ve finished it and I’m still wounded and bruised. You should read The Dragon Republic because there’s hardly any book that can compare to it. It shows how all the characters from The Poppy War are faring after the end of the Third Poppy War. All effects of war are accounted for in this book. I can’t stop being amazed of the world R. F. Kuang created. Watch out for my full review soon.

BLOGGING

As I’ve mentioned before, I was hardly active in March because school got in the way. Nevertheless, I’m still thankful that y’all still support me despite my irregular blogging. Being a student and a bookdragon ain’t easy chums. It’s really difficult to hide my fire-breathing tendencies at school.

In March, I also introduced something new to the blog. I introduced my new feature called Who Stokes the Fire where I talked to content creators who keep the flames burning in our bookdragon hearts. I’m really happy about the progress of this feature because I actually got to talk to two of my favorite authors. I FINALLY GOT THE COURAGE TO CONTACT AUTHORS FOR INTERVIEWS WHO AM I.

I already have one interview set for this month so y’all should watch out for it. I’m so excited to share more bookdragon content so keep your wings posted!

Here are my posts for the month of March:

There you go! I spectacularly failed at blog hopping in March so I’m going to try harder this month. I’m actually going to exert more effort on blogging itself. I WILL BE MORE ACTIVE NOW I SWEAR. Just… cross your fingers for me.

I’m also happy to share the news that I  got into a scholarship program that will help me get through college! Plus I ALSO PASSED THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION TO MY DREAM UNIVERSITY! I’m feeling extremely thankful right now. I’m allowed to eat all the chocolates and ice cream I want, right??? I think there’s also nothing wrong if I reward myself with a book or two. I deserve to make myself happier and my wallet suffer even more.

Have a great April, y’all!

How was your March? How many books have you read? What’s your favorite read of the month?