March Wrap Up + A Day in the Life (#33)

I don't usually do wrap up posts, but I thought since I haven't done regular reviews in a long time it might be a good way to let you guys know what I'm reading (if you aren't following me on Goodreads. Aka my family haha!) I'd meant to have this up Wednesday but well....I didn't and I have a TON of links for my Day in the Life post, so I figured pairing these up was as good as not.  So let's start with the March wrap up!

March Books
(I'm not including rereads or picture books in the this section, or we'd be here all day)

5 Stars
Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1) by Gail Carriger
The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson
Keys to the Kingdom (Locke & Key #4) by Joe Hill

4.5 Stars
Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1) by Pierce Brown
City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare
Head Games (Locke & Key #2) by Joe Hill
Crown of Shadows (Locke & Key #3) by Joe Hill
Alpha & Omega (Locke & Key #6) by Joe Hill
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

4 Stars
Whisper the Dead (The Lovegrove Legacy #2) by Alyxandra Harvey
Clockworks (Locke & Key #5) by Joe Hill
Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #1) by Dan Simmons
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 (Adrian Mole #1) by Sue Townsend
A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

3.5 Stars
One Dance With a Duke (Stud Club #1) by Tessa Dare
A Breath of Frost (The Lovegrove Legacy #1) by Alyxandra Harvey
Welcome to Lovecraft (Locke & Key #1) by Joe Hill
Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

2.5 Stars
Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

2 Stars
Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove #1.5) by Tessa Dare

1.5 Stars
The Waking Dreamer (The Waking Dreamer #1) by J.E. Alexander

Biggest Surprise

It's no hidden secret that I absolutely LOATHED books 4 & 5 in The Mortal Instrument series and that books 1-3 were fun, but since the characters I love technically aren't the main characters, they don't do much for me. Clary and Jace are super boring.  In fact, I wasn't even planning on reading this book, but it was the only audiobook the library had that I hadn't already read, listened to, or knew I would be unfit to drive due to crying, so I picked it up. And I am so, so glad I did because man, Cassandra Clare really pulled out all the stops for this one.  And can I just say that it feels like it had some Sarah Rees Brennan influence in it? Maybe I'm imagining it, but I don't remember any of the previous books being nearly as heart wrenching as the moments in this one.

Biggest Turn Around

I started out not liking this one very much, and it took some weird tangents where Brown spent way more time on certain sections that I thought he was going to, so throughout the book I was fluctuating around 2 - 4 stars (mostly around a 2.5) , and then by the ending he had me so invested that it swerved all the way up to a 4.5 and I don't even understand how he managed to do that. I don't think I've EVER changed my mind on a book so many times!

Favourite Picture Books

1. It was really, really hard for me to read The Goblin and the Empty Chair without crying.  It's definitely a powerful book, and I think it would be a great addition for a child who is experiencing or has someone close to them who is experiencing grief.  The clues are really subtle, and I think children are only going to pick up on what they're ready to, so it isn't going to like...punch them in the face with sad stuff.

2. First off, Hattie and the Fox has absolutely gorgeous artwork!  Secondly, the story sets up in a manner that will be very familiar to you...and then the ending comes and it's not at all what you expect.  The five year old and I definitely laughed really hard because of it!

3. What Do You Say, Dear? is so, so, so funny!  It teaches manners...in the most ridiculous way possible. It's exactly the sort of book I would have loved as a kid, and it's definitely a new favourite of mine as an adult. And I think Maurice Sendak is the perfect illustrator for this - in fact in a lot of ways, the tone is similar to his own books.  It does have some conventional gender roles, which I didn't love...but it was just so ridiculous that I couldn't bring myself to care enough about it.  

Notable Quotes

I don't usually pay a whole lot of attention to quotes - I never remember to mark them! But I did make a point of writing these ones down:

"You are picking dandelions and columbines outside the castle. Suddenly a fierce dragon appears and blows red smoke at you, but just then a brave knight gallops up and cuts off the dragon's head.
What do you say, dear?Thank you very much." - What Do You Say, Dear?

"I'm not sure how I will vote. Sometimes I think Mrs. Thatcher is a nice sort of woman. Then the next day I see her on television and she frightens me rigid. She has got eyes like a psychotic woman, but a voice like a gentle person. It is a bit confusing." - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 

What's been on my playlist

Foreign Song:

Rediscovering a favourite band:

What else I've had on repeat:

Bookish Things

Discussions

Appropriate Literature: Guest Post by Elana K. Arnold - Yes, yes, yes! (But also WOAH. I'm so glad I never had a problem like that with a teacher)

What 17 Adults Learned From Rereading Their Favorite Childhood Books - This is something I encounter fairly frequently since I reread so often. It's surpring though - a large amount of the picture books I loved as a kid, I definitely don't now.

Gender, books, and publishing - This just...covers everything. It's so well thought out and it doesn't only voice facts and opinions, Lark Bookwyrm's also put together a great list of things you can do to help promote changes in the publishing industry. I definitely recommend reading this!

Teen Library Advocates Get Booted Out of Missouri Governor’s Office -Wow. That's kind of crazy (also an 87% budget cut?!?)

LITERARY REFLECTIONS: WHERE MY GIRLS AT (PART II) - You can find part 1 here.

Bookish Thoughts: Reuniting with Books - Asti talks about seeing her old books for the first time in years. As someone who has bounced all over the country for the last few years, and then all of a sudden had to collect ALL of my belongings from said places, I can definitely relate.
YA SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAS & STARTALK - Christina talks about the science behind dystopias, and anti-science messages in books.
Bookish Thoughts: My Love of Villains - I'm definitely with Asti on this one. I LOVE my villains! (They're often the most complicated people - or they can be when well written)

GUEST POST: ERIN LINDSAY MCCABE TALKS DIVERSITY IN HISTORICAL FICTION - Yes!! I realized when thinking up diverse authors, that I really didn't have any diversity not only in authors, but also in characters when it comes both to historical fiction and romance (probably because I also only read historical romances).  I've read a couple of these already,  but I'll definitely be putting the rest on my list!

Guys you have to listen until just before the 40 second mark. Amber says frying pan and I don't have a clue why and it just cracks me up like crazy every time.  Also Amber is my favourite and this song has brass and that's pretty much enough to make me like a song. (Unfortunately, as one of the trainers pointed out, she bears a striking resemblance to Justin Bieber in this video. *sighs* Also GLITTER JORTS. WHYYYYY.  But man that girl can dance and she makes me happyyy)

Specific Books/Authors

Cinderella: Survivor - This is so interesting. I'm one of those that was never into the Disney Cinderella story (although I do like the original and many retellings). I had never thought of it this way and this is a really important point of view I'd never come across. I now want a Cinderella story that's a bit more brutal with what she deals with instead of kind of brushing it off.

‘Speak’ and ‘Waking Up to the Enduring Memory of Rape’ - This is powerful, and a really interesting lesson plan. I definitely recommend listening to Laurie Halse Anderson reading the poem she made out of people's letters to her. Probably not in public though, I was bawling haha

The Mary Sue Interview: Fairy Tale Expert and The Turnip Princess Translator Maria Tatar - Once again, bringing you all there is in fairy tale news!

SOME UPDATES: US & UK TOUR DATES, ACOTAR FULL JACKETS, AND AWESOME REVIEWS! - AGHHH and once AGAIN I'll be traveling when she's near me!

7 Fairy Tales That Seriously Need YA Retellings - Oh my I NEED THESE IN MY LIFE.  Please someone write these!

WHAT I THINK ABOUT ANDREW SMITH AND WHAT HE SAID - Chuck Wendig. This is just a list of things, but I agree with a lot of the stuff. I think it's a bit complicated when it comes down to it (or at least responding to what Andrew Smith said)

i finally got to a live at the met this saturday* - Robin McKinley's blog. Dear GOD I love this woman! And this post is particularly hilarious (although admittedly it probably helps that I am a classical musician and definite opera fan)
See the First Pages from the IllustratedHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - I. NEED. THESE. COPIES.  You hear me people who buy me Christmas gifts? It's a need. Not a want. NEEEEEEEED.
None of the Above: guest post + box of Harper ARCs giveaway - GUYS. This book sounds amazing!! 1. It features an intersex MC who's just learned that she's intersex (I really need to learn how to use intersex in a sentence!!). 2. There's an awesome giveaway.  3. You should go check out all the stops on the tour because they are all really thoughtful and are making me rethink my rules on book tours because this whole tour is great. 4. I WISH MY LIBRARY HAD THIS because this book doesn't only have a diverse MC, the author is diverse so it fits my rule for the month of April and the only reason I can't read it is no monies and no library copy *wails* (I might make a monies exception at the end of the month if I have some extra for this)

Blogging/Reading/Fun Stuff

Top 4 Tips for Blogging Safely - Always a good reminder!

Young Adult Meets Friends - It even picks out what character would enjoy which book the most (and they're great match ups I have to say)

The 18 Most Beautiful YA Endpapers in the World - Not gonna lie, these are really gorgeous. And some I own and hadn't noticed before! (I usually skip straight to the words lol)

Which Hogwarts Professor Would Be Your Mentor? - I got Lupin, unsurprisingly :)

A Tapestry Of Words: YA Reviews: YA Through The Ages: the '90s - A really interesting look at the trends and evolution of YA books.
#VeryRealisticYA Shows Youth Life Outside Of Carefully Constructed Teen Narratives - These range from thoughtful (Mara Wilson's) to funny (The Bloggess)

I'm like addicted to these videos.  Also this one in particular is really, really interesting (to me at least)

Nonbookish Things

MALEFICENT – REVISIONIST FAIRY TALE MOTHERHOOD - Wow. Stephie brings up some really interesting things that I hadn't even thought of when it came to this movie, and it definitely changes how I'm looking at it now.

Every Argument About “Buffy” On The Internet, From 1998 Until Now - So true hahah!

Texts You Send In Your 20s Vs. Texts You Send In Your Closet Hiding From An Enraged Yo-Yo Ma - . It's just so ridiculous!!

Sameface Syndrome and other stories - I hadn't noticed this before, but now I definitely am.
The Righteous Anger of Girls - Daniel Handler has an awesome conversation with his sister about "nice girls"

Steven Moffat Calls Sherlock Season 4 “Bloody Frightening,” SherlockFanfic “Creative & Exciting” - Holy cow. I think Moffat just had a whole interview where he didn't put his foot in it once! (Also so much yay on the fanfic response!)

IT'S SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR. RAPPING. AS CINDERELLA.