I Bought A Lot of Stuff in March, Let's Talk About the Books ....

OH BOY.

March had me feeling some serious spring fever. I don't know, it's never actually hit me like this before... but I was restless to my core. I needed to move. I needed to travel. I needed to shop. I needed to make plans. To be busy. To get out of the house. It was pretty intense!

You might be thinking, but didn't you take a trip at the end of February/Beginning of March? Why yes, dear reader... I definitely did. I got home and less than a week later I was aching to get out again. I'm always thinking about traveling... but this is a new post-trip-wanderlust-kick-in record.

...

Anyway, so I bought a lot of things. I bought clothes, seeds to plant on the balcony, bras, underwear, gifts, and SO many books. SO many books. So many books that I "took pictures of them" and forgot a solid 8 books at least.

Here we go .. ..

Non- Fiction:

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen

Oh boy, can we just talk about this cover for a second? It's gorgeous. The font alone made me want to buy this. When I flipped through it at Target I had to purchase it. It is filled with tons of modern takes on homestyle recipes, as well as global flavor infused more exotic picks. Her style of writing is really funny, almost like she is talking with a girlfriend or tweeting. As someone who knew nothing about her, it is pretty entertaining just reading the little blurbs ahead of each recipe. I haven't tried any recipes yet, but I can't wait to! I'll keep you guys posted on that!

Pretty Happy by Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson was always an actress I liked, so I was intrigued when she released her book. I didn't know much about it, but after flipping through it I went ahead and bought it. This book is about her pillars of keeping herself healthy and centered. It includes some of her daily rituals and research she did over the years to come up with things that worked for her. I am not very far in the book yet, but I like what I have read. She writes in an approachable way, explains that perfection isn't possible and shouldn't be desired anyhow, and that there is no one right way to take care of yourself. You have to figure out what works for you. All that being said, she gives insight into how she figured it out for herself, which (as far as I have read) is interesting and useful. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

Hong Kong Travel Guide by CITIX60

These are some of the most interesting travel guides I have ever seen. I picked this one up in Houston, because on of my best friends recently moved to Taiwan. Flights often route through Hong Kong, so I thought, why not have this on hand?! We would love to visit her! :) I also got her a copy at that beautiful bookstore in Tampa (pre-move). :)

Bubbly on Your Budget by Marjorie Hills

This book was written in 1937, and is filled with timeless lifestyle advice on how to live within your budget. It is written in that adorable manner of days past. Since this is one of my favorite books, I would love to see what this one has to say! I have had this on my wishlist for AGES, but finally found a used copy at a bookstore for just $3.

Fiction:

The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy

This book is one that knits two plots together, one from the past, the other from the present. It follows John Brown (KANSAS!) the abolitionist's daughter as she turns her talent for art into a way to write maps for the underground railroad. In the present it follows a woman who has moved with her husband into an old house to save their marriage. As they discover their new house, they find remnants of the past. I think this sounds really interesting, I can't wait to read it. :)

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

This was the first book of SAA's that I read. It had me hooked, and I have since been reading her other novels. It is still one of my favorites. I never bought it, and now it has a sequel, so when I found it for $1 at half price books in Texas... I couldn't pass it up. This story follows a family in North Carolina, where the women are known for their strange gifts. Claire is a caterer who uses unusual ingredients in her cooking, to affect those who eat it. Ex. Nasturtiums to aid in keeping secrets. Her cousin, an eccentric old woman, gives mysterious gifts to the people of the town, revealing things that have not happened yet. When Claire's sister comes back into town with her daughter everything changes. It's a story of sisters, family and following your heart. I like that the magical realism in this one is subtle. I can't wait to re-read it and then read the sequel.

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

I have heard mostly good things about this one. It takes place in a small Wisconsin town, and centers around four friends who grew up there, as adults they are all in different places in life but find themselves back in the town for a wedding. There is also a woman who meant something special to each of them. I don't know a ton about this book, and I'm glad.. because I just want to dive into it. I think being from a small town, and enjoying small towns and the great lakes/Midwest will help me love this book.

YA Fiction:

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

This came recommended by a friend who will remain unnamed. This is the first in a series of vampire-y novels. I don't know much about it other than there is a group of humans with magic who are responsible for protecting vampire secrets, and human lives. I has teenagers in it, so I am sure there will be plenty of drama... we'll see how it goes! I had to pick it up when I found it used!

Entwined by Heather Dixon

This came recommended by the same friend, who will remain unnamed. She likened it to the Selection Series, but said that she liked it better. It was also listed on Marissa Meyer's website in a list of YA books that she likes. So that seems promising. I knew nothing about it, other than it is a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I'm excited to see what it's all about, I'm certainly on a fairytale kick right now... :)

Mid-Grade Fiction:

Kasunomiya: Prisoner of Heaven & Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars - Part of the "Royal Diaries" Collection

I read these books as a preteen. I loved the beautiful hardbacks with the golden edged pages. Each one is about a different queen, princess, etc. from around the world. Some are of well-known figures like Cleopatra or Marie Antoinette, others are about figures I had never heard of lie these two. They are written in the style of a diary, and contain a lot of good historical information in the back section as well. I did not have these two, so I picked them up to add to my collection.

Graphic Novels:

Northanger Abbey

I have only read one graphic novel in my lifetime so far. It was for an English class in college, and it was horror... so ... there wasn't a ton going on. However, I did pick up some Sense and Sensibility comics a long time ago, and have always wanted to read them. So I found this Northanger Abbey one, and I needed to add it to the collection. I really like the idea of classic novels and stories put into new formats. It makes them accessible to a new audience, and gets people interested in novels. I think the cover is a lot more beautiful than the inside art... but I'm excited to read this all the same.

iZombie: Dead to the World

When we were in Texas we went to a lot of card shops, game stores, and comic shops. We just tend to do that sort of thing, and during that time we were watching iZombie.... pretty regularly. The show is really awesome, so I decided to check out the comics the show is based on. Just flipping through I can tell there are some pretty big differences, but I am excited to check it out eventually!

The Ones I Forgot About:

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett wrote Bel Canto, which is one of my favorite books of all-time. I posted it here, with 4 others I highly recommend! The book is about a magician who dies suddenly, leaving his wife and assistant behind. She realizes that the family he claimed died in a tragic accident is indeed alive. She takes a journey across the country to meet them, and learn of her late-husband's hidden life. I think that this book sounds really interesting. I already know that I love her writing. I can't wait to open this one!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I know a lot of people who have read and enjoyed this book. From what I know about Mindy Kaling, I think she is pretty darn funny... so, I am excited to give this a read, I expect to laugh a lot!

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

I feel like I see these books a lot, but rarely the used versions, I found this used the other day and decided to pull the trigger. This book is about a teenage girl who lives with her extended family in London. She believes that the family trait of  time-traveling has skipped her, until she starts being thrown into the past uncontrollably. Of course, there is a male counter part who she runs into... so that's bound to happen. Overall, this book looks interesting. There are a few more books as well. But not 9... which is always a plus! hehe

The Lunar Chronicles books by Marissa Meyer

I also bought ALL of the Lunar Chronicles books, except Stars Above. I finished Winter in March, and begged KC to read Cinder. He did, and is now reading Scarlet. So, obviously we needed to own them. They will also be books that I "make" friends and family members read... so having them on-hand is good. :)

That's All Folks!

Did you guys buy any books in March? What were they?

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Confession: I may or may not have purchased 16 books during the first few days of April... more on that later. : /

XO,

Alexandra