Hi, friends! Thanks for joining me today; I’m so glad you’re here 💙. Today I’m sharing my March 2021 Wrap-Up and myApril TBR. March started off strong on the heels of a binge-filled final week of February. Unfortunately, I have found myself in a bit of a slump in the back half of this month. Hopefully I snap out of it soon. Keep reading to see what I’ve been up to!
What I Read in March 2021
Almost everything I plan to read this year is part of my 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. You can check out the full list of prompts and my selections ･ﾟ✧here✧ﾟ･.
Hood Feminism: Notes From the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
— 3.0 out of 5 stars
The first book I read in March 2021 was Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall. In this book, Kendall attempts to highlight how traditional (read: white) feminism has either failed or forgotten economically disadvantaged women of color. Kendall does an excellent job putting faces and personal stories (often her own) to the often faceless group of “poor black and brown women.” However, I found myself wishing the book was more intersectional and more evidence-based than it was.
If you are a white or otherwise non-marginalized feminist looking for ways you can be a more effective ally to your marginalized brothers, sisters, and siblings, Hood Feminism might be for you.
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Hood Feminism on Bookshop.org.
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
— 4.0 out of 5 stars
The next book I read in March 2021 was The Devil and the Dark Water, the sophomore novel from the author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I, like many, adored Evelyn Hardcastle. So, it thrills me to say that I loved this book too! As a somewhat paranormal murder mystery on the high seas of a seventeenth-century East Indiaman, this book could not be more different from its predecessor. Stu Turton does it again, however, and is now officially an auto-buy author for me.
If you like locked-room mysteries and always wanted one with a little more ghost shenanigans and the added layor of grime that comes with being trapped on a colonial-era cargo ship, The Devil and the Dark Water is definitely for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing The Devil and the Dark Water on Bookshop.org.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
— 4.5 out of 5 stars
The final book I managed to finish in March 2021 was the late, great chef Anthony Bourdain’s memoir: Kitchen Confidential. I don’t read many memoirs, so I don’t have much to compare this book to. However, I thoroughly enjoyed Kitchen Confidential and am happy to report it didn’t make me too sad! Throughout the book, I could just hear Tony’s voice in my head, telling me all the awful and hilarious stories he writes about in his book. It made for such an enjoyable reading experience, and I’m glad I picked this one up!
If you’re interested in chef culture, if you love and/or miss Anthony Bourdain’s hilarious irreverence, or want a well-written memoir to entertain you for a few days, then Kitchen Confidential might be for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Kitchen Confidential on Bookshop.org.
What I’m Currently Reading
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I started reading Crime and Punishment in the final week of March. Of course, as soon as expressed a determination to finish the book by the end of the month, my brain chemistry decided to trash all my reading plans. So, yeah, I’m still making my way through this one, though that is through no fault of the book. The book has a very quirky writing style, and I can’t tell how much of that is Dostoevsky and how much is P&V. Still, I’m finding all the characters quite interesting and am really invested in seeing this one through. It just might take me a while.
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Crime and Punishment on Bookshop.org.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
At the moment, I’m also currently reading Hilary Mantel’s Tudor Era historical fiction: Wolf Hall. When I started struggling with Crime and Punishment, I thought something more familiar and less intellectually demanding would pull me out of my slump. Turns out it was mental health issues all along, and now I’m stuck in the middle of two books with nothing to show for it. Wolf Hall is incredibly well-written, though. I’m reading the Kindle version along with the audiobook, and Ben Miles’s narration is *chef’s kiss*.
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Wolf Hall on Bookshop.org.
What I Want to Read in April
- Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (continuing)
- The Future is History by Masha Gessen
- Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
- Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (continuing)
Wrapping Up the March 2021 Wrap-Up
And there you have it! This is everything I have read recently, am currently reading, or will be reading soon. My favorite book I read in March The Devil and the Dark Water, and my most disappointing read was probably Hood Feminism (though I still think it has plenty of important things to say). If I had to say what book I’m most excited about reading in April, it would probably be The Future is History.
What about you? Let me know what your favorite book from this month was, and what you’re most excited to read in April.
I’ll be back soon with a new blog post, so keep your eyes peeled for that! In the meantime, you can keep up with my reading on Goodreads, where you can find me at @tassara_txt, or follow my other social media: I’m on Instagram as @thepaladinpages, Twitter as @tassara_exe, and Pinterest as @tassara_jpg.
As always: thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon. 💙
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