I read 19 books in March and I’m quite pleased with the variety I managed to achieve. I read romance, sci-fi, literary fiction, historical fiction, mystery, and even nonfiction and struck a good balance between well-loved authors and new-to-me titles. One of my favorite reading experiences this month was the week of Hollywood-set reads I embarked on during the week of the Oscars and I’d love to do another themed week of reading when the fancy strikes me. (Suggestions welcome!)
I also completed the mini reading challenge I set for myself in March, including:
One classic I’ve never read before: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
One book on a prize list that I purchased and then promptly never read: After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz
One historical romance set outside 19th-century England: Difficult by Brianne Gillen
One book in translation: Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin
Two 2023 releases I was excited about but never picked up: Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch, Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
And, of course, one book by either Louise Erdrich or Maggie O’Farrell: The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich
In April, I’m slimming down the number of categories a tiny bit and hoping to fill in some gaps in my reading life. I’m aiming to read:
Two queer romances
Two books from the Women’s Prize longlist
Two books published before 1980
And, per usual, one book by either Louise Erdrich or Maggie O’Farrell
But first, let’s get to my March reads.
Favorites of the month
At First Spite by Olivia Dade
What a wonderfully funny, kind, and compassionate book. The set-up—woman moves into a tiny spite house and finds she’s living next door to the brother of her ex-fiance, who played a crucial role in convincing said fiance to dump her— is just delicious. Dade's giddy sense of humor is on full display, including the surprisingly important role that erotic monster romance audiobooks play in the story, but there's also a grounded feeling to this book that gives the tropes real emotional weight. I adored both Athena and Matthew so much and the way they cared for each other in both the little moments and the big. The thoughtful mental health representation and the soft, sincere love story had me deeply moved. Dade continues to level up with every book she releases and I can't wait for whatever she writes next. (Open door, medium steam on the higher side of medium.)
Piglet by Lottie Hazell
A darkly funny, perceptive take on appetite, ambition, and the shapes women painfully contort themselves into. I was completely sucked in by this and just loved Piglet, our heroine whose husband-to-be reveals a devastating betrayal two weeks before their wedding. (You never find out what he did and I think that’s kind of brilliant.) She’s messy and sympathetic and such a fully realized creation that she felt like a friend by the end of the book. The food writing in this is downright luscious and I loved the way that Hazell explores Piglet's desires through what she cooks and eats. Another highlight is the precise, astute way she writes about class, including her knack for picking the exact right detail to convey it. One of my favorites of the year so far.
Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch
A very smart, gossipy, and utterly compelling piece of historical fiction set during the Golden Age of Hollywood that follows a character actress turned gossip columnist and the damage she leaves in her wake. I absolutely devoured this. I think this is one of the best fictionalized takes on Golden Age Hollywood that I've read. It captures the glamour, the dark side, the business of star making, and the occasional moment of movie magic that makes all the yearning worth it. While you don't necessarily need to know a ton about the time period to enjoy this, there's some very clever Old Hollywood analogues and Lynch expertly blends the real and the fictional. It's layered and surprising and keenly aware of both the positive and negative powers of gossip.
Really liked
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Assured, ambitious, and told in deeply poetic language that somehow never feels overwrought, this is an impressive debut about grief, addiction, art, and the search for meaning. There's a warmth and expansiveness to this that I wasn't expecting and that actually made me feel its tragedies more deeply. There's some big craft swings--multiple dream sequences, switches between third and first-person POV--but I think Akbar's talent makes it work. This made me want to underline, discuss, and dissect on every page and it's challenging yet welcoming at the same time.
The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich
A meditation on jealousy, obsession, and love, a portrait of a town's transformation, and a look at the complexities of inter-generational relationships and the scars family can leave. I especially enjoyed the vivid depiction of North Dakota small-town life and the changes wrought by industrial agriculture. There's a specificity to every single detail that makes the book feel grounded and present, even though it's set in the past. This is more of a minor work in the Erdrich canon but the quality and clarity of her writing and the complexity of her characters is remarkable as always.
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster by Mirinae Lee
A gripping spy story, a look at the horrors of war, an exploration of familial and romantic love, a reflection on storytelling and narrative, and a personal yet sweeping look at 20th century Korean history. This book has an impressive number of strands to braid together and I especially appreciated how elegantly Lee makes everything fit together at the end. The narrative voice is great and there's some really well developed secondary characters as well, even those we only hear from for a chapter. I wouldn't have picked this up if it hadn't been on the Women's Prize longlist and I'm glad I did.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Simultaneously a brain-bending philosophical exploration of gender and society, a story of political intrigue and adventure, and a friendship story with a hint of romance. It's kind of amazing that this was written in the 1960's. It feels prescient in a way that's really exciting and rich and I was fascinated by how Le Guin teases out the implications of the world she's created and has the reader learn along with the primary narrator. Thought-provoking, suspenseful, and a classic well worth picking up.
An Impossible Imposter by Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell #7)
The reason that I'm a book or two behind in the Veronica Speedwell series is that I like to have one of them around for when I need to vanish into a witty adventure for a day. And Raybourn always delivers. This series is the perfect mix of cleverly plotted mystery, a touch of romance, smart commentary on Victorian society, and top-notch banter. Veronica is a wonderfully appealing heroine—capable, clever and armed with an arsenal of one-liners—and I especially liked how this installment delves more into her past and brings new complexities to her relationship with Stoker.
Reel by Kennedy Ryan (Hollywood Renaissance #1)
I talked about this one in my round-up of Hollywood reads but I so enjoyed this sweeping, sizzling romance between an up-and-coming actress and her director that celebrates Black creativity and artistry, dives into the challenges of living with a chronic illness, and builds an epic love story. (Open door, high steam.)
Everything I Need I Get From You by Kaitlyn Tiffany
An incredibly interesting, clear-eyed yet affectionate look at fandom and the ways that it shaped and continues to influence modern Internet culture, through the lens of the author's own One Direction fandom. I sometimes struggle to get into nonfiction but found this so engaging. Tiffany blends a conversational style and personal anecdotes with academic references and thoughtful research. As someone who spent a lot of time on Tumblr in my college years, I felt particularly seen by this.
Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
Also included in my Hollywood reads post, this is a vibe-heavy, lush, endlessly creative dark and magical version of Golden Age Hollywood. Vo’s writing casts the kind of spell that has the reader surfacing in a daze, a little confused about the fact that they’re back in the real world once again.
Two romances that I probably should have quibbles about but also adored the way they made me feel
Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
Unexpected pregnancy is one of my least favorite tropes but I liked Bastone’s previous release enough to give this one a try. There's a warmth and generosity to this book that felt like being wrapped up in a soft blanket and I appreciated the complexity in Eve's relationships with both her best friend and the father of her child. There's a great, funny narrative voice, a strong sense of New York, and a lovely slow-burn romance with a love interest who's human sunshine. I also loved the coming-of-age elements. The one thing I wanted was a little bit of more of a character arc for Shep, who's basically unfailingly kind and supportive for the entire book and who I wanted to get just a bit more complicated. (Open door, medium steam.)
Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday
A deeply cozy, warm, sincere romance about two extremely lovable main characters trying their best: a single dad grappling with grief and how best to be there for his daughter and a dance teacher learning to stand up for herself and build a new relationship to ballet. The third act conflict was a little weak and rushed but this was such a feel-good story exactly when I needed one that I didn’t really mind? I also loved the therapy representation and how thoughtful and well written both main characters' journeys were. Recommended for fans of Abby Jimenez. (Open door, low steam.)
Liked, with minor quibbles
Difficult by Brianne Gillen (Phoenix Pictures #1)
A charming marriage of convenience romance set against the backdrop of 1940's Hollywood, featuring an actress whose diva reputation has dogged her entire career and a former golden boy arrested for smoking marijuana who are forced to team up on a guaranteed disaster of a picture and decide to rewrite their story entirely. I quite liked Lois and Nick both individually and together, especially Lois' determination to rewrite her career on her own terms, Nick's sweet and supportive loyalty to her, and their sparkling chemistry. I did want a bit more conflict between them and obstacles in their path, to really make the dark moment land with a bit of emotional heft, but I'm curious to see what Gillen does with the rest of the series. (Open door, medium steam.)
Sex, Lies, and Sensibility by Nikki Payne
Parts of this were fantastic and parts of it felt a little more muddled. It's a very smart reimagining of Sense and Sensibility that both includes a lot of clever nods to the original and would work for a reader who's not familiar with Austen. Nora and Bear also have great chemistry, from their in-jokes to their powerful attraction, and I was really rooting for Nora. But what worked less well for me was the choppy writing, where I felt like I was missing chunks of story at times, and the plot holes, as there's almost zero detail about the inn renovation that brings Nora and her sister into Bear’s community. (Or how they're running it? I had so many inn-related questions!) (Open door, high steam.)
The Sunset Crowd by Karin Tanabe
A glamorous, high-drama piece of historical fiction set in 1970's Hollywood, full of wild parties, chic outfits, the beautiful people at the top, and the people who'd do anything to take their place. This is an engaging, well-paced read with major 70's atmosphere and an especially compelling final act that manages to pull off the right combination of plotty and vibe-forward. I don't think I was particularly fond of any of the main characters and didn’t completely buy the star-crossed lovers aspect of the plot but I also don't think I needed to in order to enjoy this book.
I appreciated what it was doing but I don’t know if I liked it? (But you might!)
Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin
This book is perhaps the epitome of "no plot, just vibes." It’s set in a Korean seaside town in winter and the sense of place is amazingly vivid. There's also some interesting reflections on identity, isolation, and artistry but I do feel like a lot of this book went over my head? The writing is incredibly sparse and stripped back, although I'm curious how much of that is due to the translation. (If I ever manage to get back enough of my French, I'd be interested in seeing how this reads in the original.)
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz
Told as a series of overlapping vignettes of real-life intellectual, feminist queer women around the turn of the 20th century, After Sappho highlights a fascinating array of mostly lesser-known historical figures and has some lovely line-level writing. But I found myself wanting a more straightforward piece of historical fiction, where I'd really get to spend quality time with these characters and dive into their lives and loves. I'd be fascinated by one woman and then in the space of a paragraph or two, we'd be on to something else. This is a really interesting look at queer history and creativity and meditation on the development of intellectual ideas that just didn't line up with my reading taste.
I’m conflicted and I’d like to discuss it
Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
I have a lot of complicated feelings about this one and it's a bit of a disappointment because I had very high hopes going in. There were parts of this book where I was totally invested in Rosie and Will's journey, and parts where I found myself getting irritated. Will and Rosie have great chemistry but we're asked to believe in this soul-deep connection between the two of them when we don't actually get to see many of those initial conversations that are supposed to forge this deep connection. The story also has a habit of throwing traumatic events in the characters’ way whenever they get close to getting together. It also suffered from the comparisons I couldn't help making with Normal People, which shares a lot of DNA with this book but is tighter, sharper, and deeper. But I’m still having a hard time separating my reaction to the book’s marketing and presentation, which felt very heavy on the “it’s a love story, not a romance novel, so please take this seriously” thing that drives me up the wall, with what’s on the page. Curious to hear what anyone else who’s read this one thinks!
Let me know your favorite read of March in the comments!
Currently reading: I just started Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong by Katie Gee Salisbury after reading Anne Helen Petersen’s great interview with Salisbury. I have a deep and abiding love of Hollywood history and this sounded fantastic.
Recommendations, miscellany, and little bits of joy:
I’m perpetually on the hunt for a good tinted lip balm/lip treatment and I’ve been really liking the new lip treatment from Tower28 Beauty. I’m still getting used to the applicator but it’s super hydrating and comes in a nice array of shades.
The gallery dedicated to New York on film at the Museum of the City of New York, which includes handwritten storyboards, a history of filming in the city, and a mesmerizing, cleverly themed, extended montage of clips from the many, many movies set in New York.
Stereophonic, which I loved so much at Playwrights Horizons that I went to see it on Broadway this week. It’s about a 70’s rock band making the album that might both take them to the next level and break them apart and it’s my number one recommendation if you find yourself in New York this spring and want to see a show.
I also loved Piglet this month! And I “really liked” Martyr as well. Your Louise Erdrich project has me wanting to join you.
I agree with your thoughts on Talking at Night, Natalie! I enjoyed it but I do think the hype hyped it up too much for me. What I loved about Normal People and One Day were that the characters have a hard time getting together because of normal ‘growing as a human’ reasons. But Talking at Night definitely had way more trauma in it. Not that that doesn’t happen in real life, but I always find it harder to believe when characters are experiencing traumatic event after traumatic event.