March Wrap Up: 18-31

*NOTE* I know that this picture says 18-25, but I was planning on updating last week, but didn't get around to it, and I returned my library books before I could take an updated shot. On the upside, only 1 book didn't make it into this shot!

So, throughout the month of March, I read 10 books! I talked about the first 5 earlier this month, but I'm excited to talk about these in particular, because I did the Rereadathon during these weeks, and also discovered a few different books that I fell in love with!

The Princess Diaries- Meg Cabot

This was the first book I read for the ReReadAthon, for the "Reread an old favorite" challenge. If you've ever seen the movie, this is a slightly different tale (and I definitely prefer this one). Mia thinks of herself as a freak: she's the tallest girl in the freshman class, she has hair that looks like a yield sign, and she's flunking algebra. She doesn't think her life can get any worse, until her dad tells her that she's the princess of Genovia, and the only heir now that he can't have anymore kids.

I prefer this version of the story because it is absolutely hilarious! Mia has a lot of issues of her own, but when you add in being a normal princess, with having to take princess lessons with her crazy grandma, and her parents getting on each others'-and her- nerves, it is absolutely brilliant. 100% recommend. 

The Selection- Kiera Cass 

This book fulfilled the "Reread a new favorite" challenge. I read this book for the first time in 2016, and I read the trilogy in like, 4 days. This is kind of a dystopian version of the Bachelor. America Singer lives in a country where everyone is divided into castes. America and her family are 5s. When the monarchy announces that it is time for the Selection, a contest in which all of the eligible girls in the kingdom compete for the Prince's affections, America feels nothing but disgust at filling out the forms. Not only does she think there could be nothing more boring than being queen, she's already in love with Aspen, who is a 6, and he begs her to fill out the forms. When Aspen breaks her heart, America fears that things cannot get any worse, until she learns that she has been chosen for the Selection. Amongst the glitz and glamour of the palace, America learns that her country, and The Prince, are not all that they seem.

Basically, I love this book. This is one of those books that's quick to read, doesn't require a whole lot of thought to go into it, and is beyond entertaining. If you're looking for something light and fluffy to read, I highly recommend this series (But just the first 3, because I don't feel that it was necessary to continue on with the tale after the trilogy).

Flame in the Mist- Renee Ahdieh

This was another book I read for the ReReadAthon, to read something in preparation for a new release. Flame in the Mist is a Mulan retelling, with fantasy elements thrown in. Mariko understands that because she was born a female, she is seen as "lesser" in everyone's eyes. So when her parents arrange a marriage to the Prince, she knows that there isn't much she can do. But when her party is attacked by a band of bandits called the Black Clan, everyone is killed, and she is presumed to be dead. A furious Mariko resolves to dress as a boy and infiltrate the Black Clan, to understand why they tried to kill her.

As you may know, Renee Ahdieh is one of my favorite authors. Both of the Fairy Tale Retellings she has done have been original, entertaining, and have quickly become favorites of mine. That being said, for those who are interested in Retellings, give it a try. I am beyond excited for the sequel to this novel to come out!

Truly, Devious- Maureen Johnson

Ellingham Academy is a school steeped in mystery. In the 1930's, the founder's wife and a student were found murdered, and his daughter was kidnapped, and never heard from again. In present day, Stevie Bell, a true crime aficionado, is set to start school at the mysterious academy, and has one goal: to solve the mystery of who Truly, Devious- the one who kidnapped the Ellinghams- was. But when a fellow student dies, and the evidence suggests he was murdered by Truly, Devious, Stevie realizes that her goal is much more dangerous than she thought.

This book is told in chapters that are set in present day, as well as chapters that are set in 1939. For the first half of the book, the present-day chapters were a little slow, and I was pretty much only interested in the flashback chapters. However,  when the student died, it picked up A LOT, and got really, really good. I think I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads, but now that I've had a little more time to reflect on it, I would say it's probably closer to a 4 or a 4.5

Rebel of the Sands- Alwyn Hamilton

Amani knows that as a poor, female orphan, options for her future are extremely limited. So, she made herself the most gifted gunslinger in the region. It's in a shooting contest that she meets Jin, a handsome foreigner who is being hunted by the king's army. Amani sees him as the perfect escape plan, to get out of her town and out of marrying her aunt's husband. But being with Jin makes Amani realize that being with him is more thrilling, and more dangerous, than she ever could have anticipated.

The biggest complaint I have about this book is that it was very, very fast paced. Pretty much from page 1, things start happening. That being said, I feel like the fast plotline really worked for this story. Amani was a really awesome character, and Jin was the type of love interest I would like to see more of. I'm excited to continue with the series! 

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Finally, I'm going to talk about How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather. I read this for the ReReadAthon, for the "Read Something to Give It Another Chance" prompt. This book follows Samantha Mather, a descendant of Cotton Mather, who has to move to her deceased Grandmother's house in Salem when her father goes into a coma. She is immediately blacklisted by the rest of her classmates because of her lineage, particularly by a group called the Descendants, the grandchildren of those who were executed during the Witch Trials. If that weren't enough, Sam is also being harrassed by a ghost that is living in her house. But when she finds herself in the center of a centuries long curse that affects those whose ancestors were involved in the Witch Trials, she must work with the Descendants to stop the cycle of bloodshed, and free their families.

I first read this book at the end of 2016, and I originally gave it 4/5 stars on Goodreads. But as the months passed, I thought more about the book, and began to like it less and less- so much less, in fact, that I was planning to get rid of it. But when the ReReadAthon came along, I figured I would give it another try, because I tend to like books that have witchcraft in them, and I didn't want to give away a book that I could love. This time around, when I tried to read it, I ended up DNF-ing it on page 82. 

This book probably would've been fun to read if I was younger, like 15-16 younger. But the writing style was definitely... immature. The characters weren't relatable or even likable, and the plot might've gotten me through it if it would've started earlier. I truthfully, can't figure out how I gave it 4 stars before. But, I am happy that I gave it another chance, because now I won't ever have to wonder if I made a mistake getting rid of it.

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Well, there's my Wrap-Up for the month of March! Of course, I'm running a week late, but at least I got it done. If you've read any of these books, I'd love to hear your thoughts!