We’re a couple of weeks into March, and I can already feel the spring knocking at my door. Today is a lazy Sunday, it’s cloudy and it rains a bit now and then. Staying inside is one of the best things to do on a day like this. I can do some reading, some studying, and enjoy the atmosphere of my favorite season coming.
I am also looking at some of March’s new releases and as usual, I cannot contain my need to read more and more and more books.
Here’s a list of some of March’s new releases that I think we should keep an eye on.
Table of Contents
Young Adults
1. Internment by Samira Ahmed
Internment by Samira Ahmed is a YA dystopian novel set in the US, where Muslim American citizens are sent into labor camps. I think this is a must-read book that should make us reflect on some of the aspects of modern society, and help us understand the way in which we don’t want to go.
2. Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds is another YA book rising in March that fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green will appreciate.
3. Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cory McCarthy
Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cory McCarthy is a YA retelling of the story of King Arthur and Excalibur. I’ve seen it a lot around blogs and booktubes lately, and I think it’s worth mentioning.
4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sànchez
Winner of the National Book Award, I am not your perfect Mexican daughter by Erika L. Sànchez fits in the range of the books I love, because it pictures the discrepancies between two different cultures living together.
5. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The last YA book for this selection is The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, which is finally out. I’ve talked about it at the beginning of the year in my post 12 Most Anticipated Books of 2019 and I’m now happy to add this to my neverending pile of TBR books. It’s described as “an epic feminist fantasy perfect for fans of Game of Thrones” and I don’t think there’s anything else to say about this.
Fiction
1. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is definitely a must-read in March. I’ve already ordered it, it’s supposed to arrive sometime next week and I really can’t wait to start it. It’s this month’s choice for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, and I keep reading everywhere that is a fantastic book, maybe one of the best of the year.
2. The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
To be added to my list of African writing, The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell is a novel set in Zambia; it narrates the story of a small colonial settlement where history, fairytale, romance and science fiction all play their parts.
3. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
From Zambia we fly to the Korean island of Jeju, where The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See is set, spanning over many decades and telling the story of two friends with different backgrounds who live through several years that have marked Korean’s history.
4. A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum is one of the most anticipated books in March. The main characters are Arab-American women that have to deal with their past and their culture.
We Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
The last novel that I’ve chosen is something different than the usual genres I talk about. Say nothing: A true story of murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe is a story about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions.
Non-Fiction
1. Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
The only nonfiction book that I’ve chosen for March is Girl, stop kapologizing, by Rachel Hollis, who says “I believe we can change the world. But first, we’ve got to stop living in fear of being judged for who we are”. I strongly believe in these words. Women are often too afraid of showing who they really are and live in the constant need of pleasing the others. There’s no need for that, the time of apologies is in the past now.
What do you think of this selection? They’re mostly stories about women and written by women. As usual, I tend to choose books that narrate about different cultures and point of views. I think that it is really important to get out of our comfortable nest and put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Only doing this we can practice empathy and compassion, and live our best lives in harmony.
