Books I Want to Read in March 2021

Earlier this year I talked about seven books that I want to read this year; however I thought it’d be fun to begin a monthly reading challenge for myself here on the blog. You’ll get to see what books I’m reading (or hoping to) and I’ll get be a bookworm and share those books! Win win.

Let’s start with a quick roundup of what I read in January and February of 2021. I actually read some pretty awesome books already this year, and am pretty proud of myself for returning to a much loved hobby. It’s proved the perfect self care a lot of the time.

books to read 2021, January

You may know I was ill in January, but while I was in hospital I was able to read and was happy to do so to make the day less boring and scary. It sure beat sitting around waiting for the vampire nurses to come and take my blood. While in hospital I borrowed a couple of ebooks from the library, and I was able to read three books in the five days I was there. I didn’t sleep much sadly.

One of those books was The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell and it was one of those books that just drew you in because it was…creepy. Highly recommend. I also read I Found You by Lisa Jewell, and while the plot was different, it was equally gripping because it was so mysterious. Also, highly recommend. And then I read The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox which was so, so, so good. I mean, it far exceeded my expectations. A perfect blend of historical fiction, magic and romance. Oh, and I also somehow squeezed in The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson before the month was out. Not like the Netflix series at all, but so worth the read. Psychological as opposed to thriller. Feel free to follow me on Goodreads.

my read shelf:

Books to read in 2021, February

In February, I read less books admittedly. I read Hungry Hill by Daphne du Maurier, a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years and so it was high time I read it. Not the usual style of du Maurier, but a good read nevertheless. If you haven’t read this author, certainly don’t start with this novel. Try Rebecca or Jamaica Inn. I also read Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell, and that was pretty darn good.

What I want to Read in March

Now that we wrapped up what I read already in 2021, let’s talk about what I want to read in March. Now, I’m going to try and be realistic and pace myself because let’s face it, I don’t spend hours reading anymore like I did once upon time. I have a blog to write now! But, I certainly do want to continue to be a reader for life, and that means reading consistently in my books. So this month, I want to read two books.

Yes, only two, sorry to disappoint. It’s not a super long list. But check out what I have chosen!

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

The first book I want to read is The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. Books written about China and Chinese women fascinate me because their world at the turn of the twentieth century was so different than ours. While women in the West were fighting for the right to vote, fighting to have access to birth control, these women were still suffering bound feet, and arranged marriages or being sold into pleasure houses. And then wham! Politics changes their world, war comes to their doors and hard choices have to be made. I’m off topic now, but this is what draws me into these novels, and The Valley of Amazement is no different. I’ve already started and so far the novel is excellent, dealing, as so many of these novels do, with the bounds between female friends, sisters, mothers and daughters.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyell and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

The second novel I want to read is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyell and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. This is a classic I’ve had sitting on my book shelf for many years now, and I think it’s time it got dusted off and read. Plus, it’ll be a change from the kinds of books I’ve read so far in 2021. I enjoy reading novels written in the nineteenth century, I find the pace enjoyable and the style is quite natural to read. So for me, it’s a refreshing change from today’s novels.

And these so far are the books to read in 2021! Of course, next month you’ll get to see what else I have chosen to read and I hope that this will be a fun little series on my blog.

Read any good books lately? Share in the comments below.