March was a great reading month for me, with three 5 star books and three that were over 4 stars! I can’t wait to share these books with you and hope that you might give them a try and enjoy them as much as I did. Five books were read in print, three were digital, and two were audiobooks. Hang onto your hats, this month we’ve got family sagas, hurricanes, desert islands, fairy tale retellings, online reputation sabotage, and so much more!

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins was a thriller perfect for those of you who want a book to take you somewhere else for a time. St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama, is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that have regularly decimated the town, the now struggling Rosalie Inn, which has survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, a local girl who was accused of murdering her lover, political hopeful Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984. When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn hears that a writer is coming to the inn to work on a current book about the past murder, she is hopeful it could help turn things around for her. When the writer turns up with aging Lo Bailey herself, things start to get interesting as a new storm is brewing off the coast. This was a fast-paced book with a mixed media format and multiple points of view. It was fun. 3.5 stars

This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman is a book of interrelated short stories about estranged sisters Helen and Sylvia, who quarrel at the funeral of their sister Jeanne. As with most family estrangements, the argument was seemingly petty. Syvia bakes an apple cake to serve at the funeral reception and Helen is furious, claiming it was her recipe. It seems that the sisters will never speak again. The stories that follow are from the point of view of other family members, detailing their struggles, relationship issues, job problems, etc. Despite each individual’s issues, they still manage to connect with one another and want to preserve the family bond. I enjoyed this book and found the structure interesting. If you enjoy a family saga with the underlying premise that family is everything, you might like this one. 4.5 stars

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser has been very heavily promoted recently, for good reason. This book was so good. It is being described as a Cinderella retelling, from the point of view of the wicked stepmother. It is, but it is ever so much more than that. Far from being a villain, our main character is a woman fiercely fighting for dignity, stability, and hope in a society that would rather see her fail. Lady Tremaine is flawed and full of pride, and sometimes her words can be sharp, but her every action is a move to provide a good future for her daughters and stepdaughter, despite their impoverished circumstances and their living in a crumbling mansion. There are no magical transformations or glass slippers in this story. It is about motherhood, the sacrifices, the sleepless nights of worry, and the ferocity of a woman who wants the best for her daughters. You will love this book if you like morally complex characters, survival despite great odds, and family devotion. This turns the fairy tale we know on its head, and will challenge everything you thought you knew about the story of Cinderella. 5 stars

Castle of Water by Dane Hucklebridge is a story of survival. Here’s the set up: French architect Sophie Ducel and her new husband Etienne are headed to their honeymoon in French Polynesia. Barry Bleecker has left his high-pressure job in Manhattan for a new beginning as an artist on the other side of the world, just like his idol, painter Paul Gauguin. The small plane they are on crashes in the South Pacific, and the two survivors of the crash, Sophie and Barry, end up on a small deserted island that has not had visitors for a couple of centuries. Sophie and Barry could not be more different from one another, but must reconcile their differences in order to survive. The reader definitely needs to suspend belief at some of the plot points in the novel, but the story is so compelling that you will do so easily. As the story unfolds, you applaud the characters’ ingenuity and pray for their rescue. The relationship between the characters evolves from a reluctant partnership to a deep emotional connection, and watching their transformation was fascinating. You can find this book on Amazon for your Kindle, but to find a physical copy you may have to try the library or used bookstore. 5 stars

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. No, just no. I am done with this author. I don’t care if the book was free on Kindle Unlimited; it made my head hurt. First, let me tell you about the author. McFadden is a best-selling author who specializes in psychological thrillers. She is incredibly prolific, releasing a couple of books every year. She is also a practicing physician, specializing in brain injuries. Let that sink in for a moment. Her books are fast-paced and often feature unreliable, unlikeable narrators. Her plots are always so far fetched they feel deranged. The plot of this book features Debbie Mullen a seemingly cheerful advice columnist who gives advice to troubled women. Debbie is hiding a darker side however and keeps a journal of alternate advice to these women that is far more violent. As her own life unravels, Debbie takes matters into her own hands and makes some unwise decisions towards getting revenge on those people who she feels have done her wrong. This book went completely off the rails. Who knows? Some of you might love it. 2.5 stars

Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is a multigenerational family saga, set in Rochester, New York, beginning in the late 1970s. The story centers on two neighboring families—the Larkins and the Finnegans—whose lives become irrevocably intertwined after a single impulsive decision. Nina Larkin, restless in her emotionally distant marriage to Sam, finds herself drawn to her neighbor Finn Finnegan, who is similarly dissatisfied in his own marriage. Their growing attraction culminates in a shocking elopement, abandoning their spouses and children and shattering the stability of both households. The fallout is immediate and far-reaching. The abandoned spouses struggle with betrayal and identity, while the children grapple with confusion, anger, and lasting emotional scars. As the years pass, the novel follows these characters into adulthood, tracing how that one act of passion reverberates through their relationships, shaping their choices, struggles, and sense of self. Ultimately, Lake Effect examines the long-term consequences of personal choices and the difficult path toward reconciliation, suggesting that while damage cannot be undone, healing—though imperfect—is still possible. The book captures the atmosphere of the 1970s and was well-written. If the subject matter of infidelity is triggering for you, don’t read this book. 4.25 stars

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum was an “edge-of-your-seat” mystery for me. Best friends Benny Abbott and Joy Moore are the charismatic hosts of a wildly popular podcast that shares extraordinary survival stories, blending humor with real-life danger. Their bond—and the success of their show—has made them beloved figures, with Joy’s husband, Xander, helping turn their project into a thriving business. But everything changes when Benny arrives one day to record and finds Joy and Xander missing, their home in disarray, and a mysterious, unfinished draft of Joy’s memoir left behind. As Benny desperately searches for answers, he quickly becomes the prime suspect in their disappearance. With time running out, he must unravel the clues hidden within Joy’s writing. Blending psychological suspense with emotional depth, the novel explores trust, identity, and the fragile line between storytelling and reality. The audio version of this book was sensational. I really loved it. 4.5 stars

The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty is a time-travel book retelling the story of Queen Guinevere in King Arthur’s court. The story follows Vera, a 22-year-old woman living in Glastonbury, who is grieving a recent loss and drifting through an unremarkable life. Everything changes when a mysterious stranger claims she is actually the reincarnation of Queen Guinevere and must return to seventh-century Camelot to save the kingdom. As Vera struggles to reconcile her modern identity with her historical role, she must decide what kind of queen she wants to be. Blending romance, adventure, and self-discovery, the novel explores themes of identity, destiny, and the enduring power of choice across time. Ok, this was a good premise, and you have to admit, that is a gorgeous cover. However, the book didn’t deliver the way it should have. First, at 500 pages, it was WAY too long. Second, the characters used modern language and expressions that were totally out of sync with the time period. Ultimately, this book was a let-down for me, and felt very YA at times. Barely 3 stars.

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman was a big hit for me.
Surprisingly, it has rather low reviews on Goodreads, but I loved it. The story takes place over the course of one day at the nicest restaurant in a Midwest college town. The day opens with the discovery that 22 rib-eye steaks have gone missing, and that there has been a spate of negative reviews for the restaurant on Yelp. In addition, this isn’t just any day for the establishment; tonight, the English Department has made a reservation for author John Grisham at the restaurant. Each chapter of the book zooms in on an employee and their role in making the restaurant run: from dishwasher, to server, to hostess, chef, and owners. Everybody has a story, and there is always a lot more to see than on the surface. Who is trying to sabotage the business? Is it an inside job? It was so good! 5 stars

The Picture House Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith is a new cozy mystery series that so many of you are going to enjoy. The first books are free on Kindle Unlimited, so give them a try. The books are set in the late 1920s in Newcastle, England. Clara has inherited her uncle’s detective agency and has jumped in with both feet. Clara is 30 years old, holds a degree in chemistry from Oxford University and has found that the world is not yet ready for a woman of her talents. The detective agency provides her with an opportunity to use her knowledge and build her confidence and reputation as a woman ahead of her time. My only criticism is that the author keeps recapping the clues we have been given so far, which I found tedious. I understand in future books, she doesn’t do this so much. 3.75 stars.

Overall, this was such a good reading month! As always, I hope you enjoyed the written reviews. Sara and I also did a podcast this week where I talk about some of the books I read. Give it a listen or watch us on YouTube!.