March had a couple of great books in store for me, one in particular was a huge standout. I predict now as we only end the first quarter of the year that We Being At The End will be in my top 5 books of 2021, perhaps even #1. We shall see. I suggest you don’t miss it.
Overall it was an okay reading month for me in regards to quantity. With a couple of larger snowstorms, I would have thought I could get through another book or two, but alas, I have finally become fairly enamored with streaming television. It only took a year. In case you are wondering, I really have enjoyed Schitt’s Creek, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, The Queen’s Gambit, Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy (currently airing on CNN), Mad Men and Killing Eve. We have recently started Cobra Kai and Ozark so we will see how those go. I also have been watching a great deal of college basketball this month – Go Zags!
We also had to say goodbye to our sweet darling cat, Luna, this month. She blessed us with over 18 years of unending purring. So for now, we are pet-less and true empty nesters and missing her very much.
Here are the seven books that I read in March.
We Begin At The End – Chris Whitaker
It can be a little scary to start a book with so much hype. I often find myself questioning the buzz and don’t connect in the same way others do. That was most definitely not the case with We Begin At the End. As I have said elsewhere, it is a beautiful book that is haunting, sad, lovely and inspirational all at the same time.
You will meet Duchess Day Radley, a 14 year old self professed outlaw. She has a crappy life and cares for her 5 year old brother because her mom is a hot mess. Walk is the sheriff that keeps an eye on them – he too has a crappy life. Sounds great, right? 
It is. There is also a mystery.
I have read some criticism about some of the fragmented sentences and writing style. It did not bother me – felt more like a train of thought. Go get this book right now.
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Before She Disappeared – Lisa Gardner
I have read a few books by Lisa Garner in her detective series, but this was the first stand alone I have picked up – and I liked it. We meet Frankie Elgin, a recovering alcoholic who moves from city to city to find missing people. She is not a detective, but just a woman who searches for those that others have forgotten and remain missing. She lands in a rough Boston neighborhood to search for Haitian teenager Angelique Badeau who walked into her school building one afternoon and disappeared. Frankie quickly learns that there are definitely people that do not want her asking questions and her quest to find Angelique is a race against time.
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Are We There Yet? – Kathleen West
A sometimes light – most often times not – story of suburban families, centered around moms and their middle school aged children. The kids get in deep, fast, with inappropriate behavior online and things very quickly get out of control. There were a few characters I didn’t like, especially Evelyn but she sort of grew on me by the end. I would have liked to get to know Nadia a bit more, she seemed to be the mom that was the most familiar to me. I also thought overall what was happening to these kids seemed a bit much for 7th grade – but I know its been 8-10 years since my own kids were that age and things change fast. So I am willing to suspend my own reality that this could be on target. It was an entertaining family drama that got me thinking and most definitely relieved I am past this age of parenting. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest option. Are We There Yet? is now available.
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The Perfect Nanny – Karen Clarke & Amanda Birttany
The Perfect Nanny is a fairly entertaining page turner. Liv is bitter and wants revenge for her brother’s death that occurred many years prior. She blames Sophy, his girlfriend from his university. Meanwhile, Sophy is a new mom and not handling motherhood, or anything, well. Liv is able to manipulate her way into Sophy’s home to become her nanny. All in all, a good domestic suspense drama that will keep you wanting more – however I found they give you too much more. There is so much going on, things will be coming at you from everywhere. And even with all the red herrings, it is pretty obvious what is going on. I did enjoy the book but would have loved it more if it had been a little tidier and not so obvious.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Perfect Nanny is now available in kindle format.
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The Elephant of Belfast – S. Kirk Walsh
I have read a great deal of historical fiction about WWII but this may be the first one about the bombings in Northern Ireland. Belfast was under attack from the Germans and this is the story (inspired by the true story of Denise Austin) of Hettie, a young zookeeper that works to save Violet the elephant. They have a deep and unique bond and it is an emotional look at the events with great character development. I especially liked the beginning and ending but did get a little confused during the middle of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and CounterPoint Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Elephant of Belfast is available on 4/6/2021.
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This Is Going To Hurt – Adam Kay
I have pretty mixed feelings on this one. While it started off making me laugh, I was quickly horrified. This book made me fear ever walking into a hospital again. It was a pick for one of my local bookclubs and we had great discussions about it as one of our members is in the medical profession. My biggest beef with this book is I felt the author at times crossed the line in what he revealed about patients, in an often disrespectful way. Overall, it was just ok for me.
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Winter Garden – Kristin Hannah
I always enjoy learning about history through stories, and that’s the only reason for me to rate it above a 1 or 2. I did stick with it and finish but I disliked Meredith and Nina quite a bit and it was difficult for me to look past that. I did read this one audibly, and I wonder if it would have been a better pick for me in physical book form. Maybe. Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors but I have learned that I tend to enjoy her latest books more than her earlier work.
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Book of the Month: We Begin At The End – Chris Whitaker
