March 2026 Book Reviews!
- Christine
- 2 minutes ago
- 17 min read
The days are getting warmer and longer! If you remember from last year, we undertook a huge project in our backyard to expand our lanai and build an outdoor kitchen. Because of the construction, we weren't able to use our lanai from April through about August. The lanai is my favorite place to read. I can sit and watch the sunset and listen to the frogs around the pond. It's my happy place!
I'm so glad to have it back and even better this spring! I've already been spending a lot of time out there reading - which is why my book count is so high so far this year - and I'm looking forward to many more evenings out there with a book.
I hope you have a special spot where you love to read. Let me know if you do. I'd love to hear about it!
I hope you find a book from my reviews this month that you want to read in your own reading nook! And remember that if you don't want to wait for my monthly post to see what I'm reading, just follow me on Goodreads or The Story Graph.
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Yellowstone Down by Richard C. Dieter
Shawn Colwin is the Deputy Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. When one of the park rangers gets a notification in the middle of the night one night that there are some abnormal readings happening in the park, that sets into motion the threat of a possible disaster that would not only destroy the park, but possibly have effects around the world. Colwin is faced with helping navigate through the emergency, while she also contemplates the effect the potential disaster will have on her and her beloved park.
If you aren't aware, Yellowstone sits on top of a dormant volcano. In fact, the volcano is the size of the entire park. The park is constantly monitored for things like ground temperature changes, seismic activity and changes in the patterns of its erupting geysers. In this fictional story, the changes in these things are significant enough to cause the scientists to be concerned about a super eruption.
I thought the topic of this book was very interesting and I learned a lot about Yellowstone National Park. However, the writing - and especially the dialogue - is very mechanical and scientific. While the story could have had a lot more intensity, it kind of dragged on a bit. And there really wasn't any emotional connection built with the characters. Good and interesting story, but not one that I felt really connected.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
To purchase this book on Amazon, click here: Kindle.
The Benin Pirate by Brian Kerr
This short book follows the adventures of Antonio. His great-grandfather was one of the original owners of a McDonald's franchise and his grandfather owned and operated one as well. Antonio's family are all members of a family traveling mariachi band. Antonio is much younger than his siblings and the only one not musically inclined, so he is raised by his grandfather. When he turns 18, Antonio decides to go out in the world and make his own way. The remainder of the book follows those adventures.
The problem with this book is that it is just very poorly written, which makes it difficult to follow the plot and distracting to even read the book. There are a significant number of grammar, punctuation and spelling errors throughout the book. The writing alternates between first and third person, not just from chapter to chapter or paragraph to paragraph, but literally within the same sentence. It makes it difficult to keep track of characters and who is saying what dialogue. The book also seems to be just written in stream of consciousness form. It jumps around randomly from time period to time period. There is no cohesiveness in the story.
I almost gave this one star because it just is so difficult to read, but maybe people will get some enjoyment out of the story itself. Just be aware that it's tough to get over the writing part of this book.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Two out of five stars.
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
This short novella is the story of Robert Grainier over the course of his adult life. Grainier is a laborer at the beginning of the 20th century in the American west. He leaves his wife and baby daughter to go out to work on building the railroad for several months, and when he returns he finds the small town he lived in has experienced a devastating fire. It appears that his wife and baby died in the fire.
Throughout the rest of the book, you get brief snippets of how Grainier continues on with life - people he encounters, jobs he works, how he lives, etc.
While this book is well written, it really does a disservice to the main character because it's so short. Trying to tell a life story of a character in just over 100 very short pages, just isn't possible. This would have been better either focusing on one specific period/incident of his life or as a full novel.
The positive news is that this is very short and took me about an hour to read, so I didn't feel like I wasted much time on it. This book is number 52 on the New York Times list of the "Best 100 Books of the 21st Century". Three out of five stars.
Chosen Family: A Novel by Madeleine Gray
When Eve shows up to her all-girls school two weeks into the term, Nell knows immediately that she wants to be friends with her. The girls quickly connect and become best friends. However as time goes on and Eve starts to question her sexuality, she realizes that her feelings for Nell might go beyond friendship. And when Nell suddenly brings a third friend - Naomi - into the mix, Nell ends up turning away from Eve and Eve never fully understands why.
Flash forward to college and Eve and Nell reconnect. As the years progress, their relationship remains complicated. And as the chapters that alternate to the present day indicate, something happens as adults that again cause them to break apart.
I'll start by saying that Eve's character can definitely be pretty annoying. The story relies a bit on you needing to root for her, and she's difficult to root for. And as both the past and present timeline is really told from Eve's perspective, it's a bit tough and I would have liked to see the story from Nell's perspective as well.
Having said that, this book is full of things that pull you in - the pain of being in high school and being the one with no friends, the confusion of trying to figure out who you are, the complexities of all of the different kinds of love you can feel - platonic, romantic, parental, etc. - and the complexities of trying to navigate what a family looks like in an unconventional way.
I did feel like after all the investment I made in the book and these characters, I would have liked to see a bit more of a wrapped up ending. It felt a bit rushed and left my wanting more. But, this book kept me invested in the characters and wanting to know how life works out for Eve and Nell.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be published July 14, 2026. To pre-order your copy on Amazon, click here: Kindle, audiobook or hardcover.
They Killed My Wife by Ivy Glass and Hiroshi Yamamoto
Despite having just gotten a raise and promotion, Lorenzo is having the worst day of his life. It's his wife Natalie's birthday, and they are heading to Aspen to celebrate with her sister, Kelly, and her boyfriend, Tony (who happens to have a wife and kids at home). One mishap leads to another for Lorenzo. It all culminates when he spots his wife in the VIP room at the nightclub they went to with another man, who has popped up several times on her social media and while they've been traveling.
Lorenzo ends up leaving the club and leaving Natalie and the others behind to return to the hotel. He's woken up in the morning by a loud pounding on his door, which is the police, who are there to inform him that they suspect his wife is dead. That leads to Lorenzo, Kelly and Tony trying to track down what's happened to Natalie.
This is an action-packed thriller and mystery with some definite twists. Also, lots of dark humor, which I found entertaining. The whole scene from the eating at the Indian restaurant to going back to the hotel on the train was really funny. I won't give it away, but those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about.
On the downside, I did find the story to get a little confusing at times. I was especially confused during the last chapter. While I understood some of it, I was definitely missing some of it. The author actually adds a "reveal" chapter at the end to explain exactly what happened that you can choose to read or not read.
Fun book and a pretty short read if you are looking for a thriller/mystery that is a bit different than what is typically out there.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
To purchase this book on Amazon, click here: Kindle.
Restless Bones (A Shaw Connolly Mystery, Book 2) by Gillian French
Shaw Connolly is a fingerprint analyst. The book starts with her being called in to try and obtain fingerprints from a car that was submerged and contained the body of a young woman that has been missing for a year. As Shaw grapples with that case and another involving the suspicious death of an old woman, her past is also coming back to her. The man who killed her sister and is currently in jail has told the police that he murdered other young women and can lead them to where they are buried. But, the only one he'll talk to is Shaw.
This is book 2 in this series, so there are some missing pieces on the backstory. However, I found it fairly easy to figure things out and didn't feel like I had to read the first book to understand this one.
I did feel like the pace of this book was very slow and it was a bit unfocused. It had several story lines going, and I didn't feel like any of them were developed as much as they could have been if the author had focused on one of them more. It just all felt a bit disjointed. I also just didn't care for Shaw's character much, which made it so that I wasn't really rooting for her.
The writing is good and I thought the ending was a nice twist, but just a middle of the road mystery/thriller for me.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
This book will be published June 16, 2026. To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here: Kindle or hardcover.
The Reflecting Pool (Marko Zorn Book 1) by Otho Eskin
Marko Zorn is a homicide detective in Washington, DC. When he shows up at the scene of a dead secret service agent who has been left floating in the reflecting pool on the mall, Zorn becomes determined to find her killer - no matter what the cost.
This is an action packed thriller with lots of twists and turns. Zorn's character is witty and no holds barred. You also get the feeling that there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. It looks like this one is going to become a series, and I'd be interested in reading more.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
Valerie Gillis is a nurse who worked during the Covid-19 pandemic and has decided to hike the Appalachian Trail, even though she's not an experienced hiker. Her husband, Gregory, is following her by car and meeting her at checkpoints along the way. When Valerie doesn't show up at the next checkpoint, her disappearance turns into a desperate search by Maine state game warden, Beverly and her team. Lena, who lives in a retirement community in Connecticut, realizes she may have a clue about what happened to Valerie. But will it help Beverly find Valerie in time?
This book is a bit slow and the various POVs throughout the story can be a bit confusing. But the characters and the story are compelling. Definitely worth the read! Four out of five stars!
The Seeker Of Lost Paintings by Sarah Freethy
Beatrice is caring for her mother, Maddalena, during her last days. They have fallen on hard times, so Beatrice is looking to sell her father's photograph collection (her father had passed away several years earlier) to try and make some money to help with the bills. Beatrice enlists Jude to help with the sale of the photos. However, when Jude comes to visit Beatrice and her mother, he may have discovered something that is much more valuable and raises a number of questions about Beatrice's parents and their history.
This book is told in a dual timeline - the more current timeline centers around Beatrice and Jude and discovering more about her parents. The other timeline occurs during WWII in Italy. The book includes stories not only of life and survival in Italy during the war, but stories about art and the Vatican as well.
I loved the author's previous book and I loved this one as well. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and this one does not disappoint. It is very well written and you can tell that it is also very well researched. The characters are very likeable and the story keeps up at a good pace. A little bit of romance, intrigue and mystery are all thrown in. Another great historical fiction novel to add to your list!
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Ursula Todd is born in the middle of a snowstorm in 1910. But in the first page of the book, you learn that she dies during the birth - the first time. As the book goes on, Ursula is born again and again (hence the name of the book). In each instance, she lives a bit longer before she dies again and is born again. As the length of her life increases and she lives to see WWII, Ursula's paths cross with Hitler and she sees a number of tragedies both for herself and those around her. In each of her lives, she has times where she feels impending doom and the feeling that she's been someplace before when she never has.
The premise of this book is really good and the writing is excellent. I can't even imagine the planning that the author had to go through to plot out the story. And even though I liked the book, I felt it was lacking in several ways.
First, it's just way too long. At over 500 pages, it's just too many repeats of the same life - with small changes - over and over. Second, it's extremely confusing. It's hard to keep track of the characters and the time period and how the versions of Ursula's life all fits together. Third, the ending doesn't really resolve anything and is even more confusing than the beginning of the book. I thought we were marching towards a kind of final ending, and it really never got there.
Worth my time to read, but I didn't like it as much as I hoped knowing how hyped this book was. Three out of five stars.
Another Civil War: Why Our Instincts Choose Trumpism Over Democracy by Joonhong Park
In this book, the author looks to analyze the rise of Trumpism and why people have chosen it over a traditional democracy and the beliefs that come with that. His theory and analysis goes back over the history of the country and the various shifts in ideological beliefs that have happened over time. He believes that the current shift in beliefs began with Reagan and have escalated since then.
While I think the topic of this book was extremely interesting and important, the book itself is just way too technical. There needed to be more of a connection from the author's theories and research to real life. It was just very dry and difficult to get through.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created The Toy Industry In America by Michael Kimmel
This book looks at the history of the toy industry in America and the fact that the majority of the entrepreneurs that started it were of a Jewish background. Specifically, they were mostly Yiddish-speaking Jews who had immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While the title of the book implies that it focuses on the toy industry, the book also takes a very in depth look at everything from comic books to baseball cards to children's books.
While I enjoyed learning about the history of the toys - some of which I played with when I was growing up in the 70s - I thought the book spent more time on the lives of the people and the history of Jews in America, than it did on the toys themselves. I think if the book would have focused more on the toys, it would be more appealing to a broader audience. However, it's very well written and researched and worth a read if the subject is something that interests you. I think it's particularly suited to people in the baby boomer generation who grew up with a lot of these toys.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
Now That I Know You By Heart by Amy Hagstrom
Shelby lost her husband, Josh, to a brain tumor a year ago. His dying wish was that she buy the Merrick Inn on San Juan Island - which is where they spent their honeymoon - and start a new life there. Shelby is carrying guilt, however, as she told Josh that she finally needed to be honest with herself and him right before he got sick, and admitted that she is gay. As Shelby works to figure out who she really is and live the life she wants to live, she learns she has to deal with the guilt she carries for not being honest with herself or Josh their whole marriage.
This is a sweet and touching story with lots of great characters. You really get a true sense of Shelby's struggle as she navigates her new life, re-opening the inn, and finding new love. Just the right level of detail to make you feel for the characters, but keep the book moving.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Coyoteland by Vanessa Hua
Jin and Kai have moved their family into a home in El Nido, CA, which is a privileged community outside of Berkeley. With the help of his friend Chen back in China, Jin has decided that his next "get rich quick scheme" is going to be flipping houses in the community. Their neighbors - the Belles - have lived in the community for years and are building a new housing development in El Nido - Bellevista. When Jin finds out about the housing development and the fact that it might decrease the value of his home, he goes on a secret campaign to sabotage the development.
At the same time, Jin and Kai's daughter Jane and her friend Tasha, are struggling to fit in at their predominantly white and rich school. They want their classmates and the residents of El Nido to acknowledge their privilege and unconscious biases, and realize the struggles they have. But will their scheme to show the others what they really are go too far?
While the story in the book is about what I've described above, the book is really about a number of issues - racism, privilege, the pandemic, eating disorders, domestic abuse, etc. To some extent, it's almost shoved too many big issues into one book. But the book is very well written and does a great job of shedding light on these issues in a way that feels like a story being told and not a lecture. Definitely worth a read!
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be published May 12, 2026. To pre-order your copy on Amazon, click here: Kindle, audiobook or hardcover.
The Flightless Birds Of New Hope by Farah Naz Rishi
Aden left his family home in New Hope, PA when he went away to college and law school to get away from his parents. He's never gone back until now. When his parents die in an auto accident in California, Aden goes home to take care of the estate and his younger siblings - Aliza and Sammy. But when he gets home, he's reminded of everything that made him leave in the first place, including his parents cockatoo bird - Coco. His parents were always obsessed with the bird and make Aden feel like Coco was more important to them than he was.
The night of his parents' funeral, everything comes crashing down on Aden and on an impulse, he lets Coco out of her cage and lets her fly away. But when Aliza and Sammy find out, they insist that they have to find Coco and bring her home. What results is an unexpected cross-country road trip by the three siblings to find Coco and to repair their relationship and the hurt that their parents left them with.
This is a really sweet story about kids from a dysfunctional family that only have themselves to rely on. While the whole story of an exotic bird flying off and being chased down is a little bizarre, it's really just the background to the real story. The author does a great job of making the characters real and making you want to cheer for them. And the challenges they face chasing down Coco are just enough adventure to keep the story moving.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
The Dreadfuls by A. Rae Dunlap
After her parents died, Dell went to live with her aunt and uncle. After her uncle burned all of her books because he said they were immoral, Dell took to stealing books from a local bookstore to replace them. But when she got caught, her aunt and uncle sent her to Whitechapel Hall, which is a reform school for girls.
As there are no more beds in the regular dormitory room, Dell is sent to room with Pippa up in the annex. The girls quickly form a friendship and discover they both have a love of detective stories. They also make friends with Noah, whose family owns the local butcher shop. When young women start getting murdered in the area, the three friends decide to try and solve the mystery of who "Jack the Ripper" is themselves.
First, as others have commented in their reviews, this should 100% be classified as YA rather than adult fiction, and I'm basing my rating and review of the book as a YA book. If you go into this thinking it's adult fiction, you will be disappointed as it's told from the perspective of Dell - who is likely a young teen. The writing and the plot itself very much give you the feeling of YA, not adult.
Having said that, the story itself is fun. Dell is a fun character who gives you a goth Nancy Drew kind of vibe. She's over the top, but in a teenager kind of way. I would have liked to have seen a bit more development of the other characters - particularly the other girls at the reform school, who really just existed in the background. But I found the book entertaining for what it is.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Hope everyone is enjoying some spring weather and reading in your reading nook!
What books do you recommend I read next? Let me know! Did you check out any of these books? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or e-mail me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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