I blinked and, somehow, it's April. Oof! How did March race by so quickly? I didn't have any specific plans to read bookish books in March, but I did manage to get to four of them:

The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan—This book is a murder mystery that revolves around a mythical lost treasure. It's not super bookish, but one of the main characters is a novelist with writer's block who takes on a beachside house sitting gig in the hopes that the beautiful, peaceful surroundings will be the inspiration she needs to get her next book written. Instead, she gets caught up in trying to solve a murder. 

Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber—In this series debut, a pair of twin sisters are desperately trying to save their family's dying bookshop. Allie Catt, also a caterer, comes up with the idea of hosting mystery-themed dinners to raise needed funds. Things are going swimmingly until Allie's aunt is murdered and Allie's best friend is accused of the killing. The well-read caterer must summon all the knowledge she's gleaned from her favorite literary detectives to solve the puzzling crime and clear her BFF's name.

The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor—Gaynor's newest historical is about a ship carrying British children to safety in Canada during World War II that is sunk by a German U-boat. One lifeboat, carrying several children, their female attendant, and a handful of men is left floating in the ocean, forgotten. The passengers must survive, somehow, until they're rescued, but when—if ever—will that be? Books come into play because the female attendant is a big reader. She entertains the kids in the boat by telling them the story of Moby Dick from memory. 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister—The star of this thriller, McAllister's latest, is a literary agent and her husband works as a ghostwriter. On the day she is supposed to return to work after nine months of maternity leave, she awakes to find her husband has left the house without saying goodbye, highly unusual for him. She soon learns that he is involved in a hostage situation taking place in another part of London. To her shock, her laidback, affable husband is not a victim, but the perpetrator. How can the man she loves be holding people hostage at gunpoint? Does she even know him at all?

I'm not sure what I'm going to be reading in April, honestly, but these two look promising:

The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White (available July 15, 2025)—When the Nazis begin banning books in Germany, exiled German writers start gathering in Paris, where they open a library to safeguard their books and ideas. Corinne Bastien has made the library her second home, but when Paris is overtaken by Nazis, she loses her precious escape. With the help of a reluctant German soldier, it's up to her to protect the precious library and all the secrets it hold from falling into the hands of the enemy.

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens—A librarian in the Midwest, Hana Babic goes out of her way to live a quiet, unassuming life. Her dark past is something she is desperate to keep hidden. When her best friend is murdered, Hana's afraid the secrets she's keeping about her previous life as a Bosnian militia fighter will make her a killer's next target. With her best friend's young granddaughter now in her care, Hana must protect herself and her charge at all costs. 

I was out of town for last week's Top Ten Tuesday, I'm late to the game today, AND I have no creative ideas for the prompt du jour, BUT I'm here. That counts for something, right? Today, we're supposed to be talking about the Top Ten Books That Include/Feature [insert your favorite theme or plot device here]. The sky is the limit with this one and, yet, I got nothin'. So, I'm going to get a jump on next week's topic: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2025 To-Read List. I'll post a Part Two next week.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

- Part One - 

1. Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber—I just started this cozy mystery today since I'm in the mood for something lighthearted and fun. The story's a little silly—I mean, the heroine's name is Allie Catt, after all—but it's entertaining so far. It's about a murder that takes place at a themed dinner Allie is catering. When her best friend is accused of the killing, it's up to Allie to use all the sleuthing she's learned from her beloved books to catch the murderer.

2. The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris—Ever since Rachel Willoughby first invited Jo Wilding to Clachan, her family's cottage in the wilds of Scotland, it has been a dream refuge for Jo. The rugged landscape captured her heart, as did Jo's brother. Years later, Rachel beckons Jo back to the seaside sanctuary to reveal a long-buried secret, one that could change their friendship forever.

3. Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita (available March 25, 2025)—This forthcoming middle-grade fantasy novel is the first in a new series about a 12-year-old girl who learns she's the heir to an unimaginable fortune. All she has to do is follow a set of clues, find an island that disappeared long ago, and break a 200-year-old curse. Easy peasy! What could possibly go wrong?

4. Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker—This is my book club's pick for March. It sounds intriguing and inspiring.

5. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien (available April 1, 2025)—This is the 11th installment in one of my favorite cozy mystery series. When a rash of thefts and murders descends on Asia Village, private detective Lydia Shephard is called in to help. Enlisting the aid of Lana Lee, she launches an investigation that seems to be pointing to a secret organization that might just have ties to Lana's own family.

6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown—Sci-fi isn't really my thing, but I do like a compelling dystopian story. I've heard so many good things about this book, the first in a series, that I finally just bought myself a copy. It's about a man who lives in a society on Mars that uses a strict caste system. When he discovers that his life at the bottom is a lie, he risks everything to infiltrate the institute, a proving ground for people wanting to be part of the top caste. Will his sacrifice be worth it if he has to become the very thing he despises? 

7. The Sasquatch of Hawthorne Elementary by K.B. Jackson—I need to read a book set in the state where I was born for a reading challenge. This middle-grade novel fits the bill and it just sounds like an enjoyable read. It's about a kid who moves from Florida to Washington State. Fearing he'll be teased for being a Sasquatch hunter, he's thrilled to find two new best friends with the same interest. Together, they form a Bigfoot hunting company and tackle their first intriguing case.

8. Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell—This mystery/thriller doesn't come out until July 29, but I have the e-ARC and I'm dying to read it! The story stars Aubrey Spencer, an architect who is fascinated by derelict and abandoned buildings. While photographing the Seabrink Hotel, a once glamorous edifice that has sat empty for decades but is about to be renovated, she meets an online celebrity who is equally fascinated by the old hotel. When the man's corpse is discovered the next morning at the bottom of a cliff, Aubrey is understandably shaken. Although the police think the death was an accident, she's not so sure. It's not the first time someone has been killed at the old hotel. Aubrey can't let it go until she finds out what really happened to the dead man.

9. Dust by Hugh Howey—I read Wool and Shift earlier this year, then took a break from the intense storyline. Now, I need to finish the trilogy by reading Dust. Jules is the star of the book as she leads Silo 18 in a war to save their lives from destruction.

10. Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander—I've been enjoying Alexander's Secret Bookcase Mystery series. This third installment sees Annie Murray hosting a spooky dinner party at an old farmhouse with a sinister past. Everything is going swimmingly until a guest is killed at the table. Who murdered the man and why? When her good friend is accused of the crime, Annie finds herself once again investigating a murder.

There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read this Spring. What do you think? Have you read any of them? What are your Spring reading plans? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

Happy October! I'm not sure how exactly it got to be October already, but oookkkayyy. Fall is my favorite season, even if we don't get a traditional one here in the Phoenix area. It's still over 100 degrees outside. Maybe if I crank up the air conditioning, cuddle up with a fuzzy blanket, and read some good Gothic novels I'll be able to convince myself it's REAL Fall. Wish me luck.

How did you do with reading bookish books in September? I ended up reading eight, way more than I thought I would, mostly because I didn't realize a lot of them had bookish elements in them. What a happy surprise! Since there are so many of them, I'll skip the book jacket photos and the plot summaries and just link the titles to my Goodreads review. Why yes, yes, I am feeling a little lazy this evening. 

Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler (editor) - 3 1/2 stars

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton - 3 1/2 stars

An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder - 5 stars

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green - 4 stars

Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman - 4 stars

Murder at the Library by Ellen Jacobson - 3 stars

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose - 4 stars

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter - 4 stars

This month, I'm mostly going to be working on making progress on my reading challenges and reading books for the Cybils Awards. I don't know how many bookish books I'll actually get to, but here are a couple I have my eye on:

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan—This cozy mystery sounds like lots of fun. It's set in a Halloween-themed town in Oregon and stars Bailey Briggs, who manages the local bookstore. Just as the festive Halloween season is kicking off, someone is murdered. The police have damning evidence that points to Bailey as the killer. She'll have to play amateur sleuth in order to clear her name.

Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber (available October 22, 2024)—Another cozy, this one centers around Allie Catt, a caterer and personal chef who creates feasts inspired by literature. When a woman is murdered at one of her parties, Allie turns to her favorite fictional detectives to guide her own amateur investigation into the crime. 

Even though I despise cutesy character names, I still think this one sounds entertaining.