I am returning to this book blog after a long period of changes and a shuffling of life priorities. I have found myself unexpectedly homeschooling one of my kids and working on my husband’s business – it’s been a big year. It has also meant leaving behind my work in libraries and feeling a little lost without books and reading being part of my professional life. To fill this book-shaped hole, what better plan than breathing new life into my book blog? I’m starting from where I am and jumping in with what I read in March 2024. It feels so good to be here! I have many ideas for sharing so many wonderful books here that I’m looking forward to each month. I’m also posting regularly over on Instagram so if you’d like to see what and where I’m reading in (almost) real-time, head on over and say hello.
For now, though, let’s get into my March reads.
I read Jane Harper’s Exiles last year which, unbeknownst to me at the time, is the third in the series that starts with The Dry. Oops! I loved Exiles so much, I was happy to go back and read The Dry. I was so pleased to discover it didn’t matter that I’d read them out of order. Aaron Faulk is an Australian Federal police officer who returns to his small outback town after a tragedy involving his childhood best friend and family. His time there reopens decades-old wounds and finds him solving current and past crimes that devastated the town and Faulk’s own family. The Dry was certainly a winner with Faulk as a solid protagonist and plenty of other detailed characters building an intricate story and satisfying double mystery.
I’m not usually one for descriptive writing about the scenery but I felt this was done especially well by Harper. Her writing about the intensely hot, dry, and desolate landscape was wound into the story and felt so uncomfortably real, almost like another character in the book. It fits so well with the rough townspeople and the hardship of living in such trying conditions. The Dry is a slow-burn mystery that gradually unfolds until all the pieces come together in a satisfying conclusion. Readers who enjoy mysteries that also feature well-thought-out characters and multiple storylines will enjoy this one – and if you like it, there are two more in the series. As a bonus, The Dry has also been turned into a Netflix miniseries with Eric Bana.
I think if I’d read The Dry first, I might have given it a higher score, but I can’t help comparing it to Exiles. I give The Dry 3/5.
The Maid, by Nita Prose (2022)
The Maid was the second mystery I read in 2024 but this time in an entirely different setting, style, group of characters and with a unique point of view. The story begins with protagonist Molly the Maid discovering the body of a guest in a hotel room as she is doing her daily clean of the Regency Grand Hotel. What follows is a who-dun-it style of story that I would say is a classic cosy mystery.
Molly is described as socially awkward and lacking in her understanding of social cues, which would likely mean she is neurodivergent. I have read some criticism of the author not defining Molly as autistic and none of the characters recognising that she is on the spectrum. I had these thoughts too but felt like in this story, it fit with Molly’s upbringing by her grandmother and her limited exposure to resources that may have changed her experience. The story is told entirely from Molly’s point of view, so I trusted that this was how she interpreted her world.
Molly is a fantastic and very likeable character and a delight to read. I did feel sad reading the story though as life is hard for Molly. She faces many unfair challenges, awful discrimination and is treated poorly by her workmates and other characters in the story. I may be extra sensitive to this as people close to me have recently been diagnosed with Autism, but I found it hard to read when Molly was often disrespected. However, the book takes a very satisfying turn as she works to solve the mystery with her new friendships and finds the respect she deserves. This of course is a little idealistic, but I enjoyed it in a cosy mystery.
I give The Maid 4/5. The unique point of view made it an excellent reading experience and it had a solid mystery. I can’t wait to read the follow up book, The Mystery Guest!
The Ex Hex, by Erin Sterling (2021)
For a complete change of pace and something a little lighter, I read this witchy romance, The Ex-Hex. It may have been almost too light and romantic for my tastes, but it was an easy, fun read and I do love anything witch related. The story begins nine years earlier when Vivienne is a teenager and has her heart broken by Rhys Penhallow, who is visiting on a student exchange. In the midst of her dramatic break-up, she accidentally curses Rhys, leading to all sorts of magical havoc when he returns to her small town in the current day. Together with her witchy cousin Gwen and Aunt Elena, Vivienne and Rhy must reverse the curse before the entire town is taken over by bad magic.
If you enjoy a bit of steamy romance and light-hearted magic in a picturesque small-town with SERIOUS fall vibes, then this is the book for you. You will enjoy the banter, quippy humour and ultimate romantic finale. I don’t want to criticise a book for not being quite my taste, but I will say that if you prefer something with a little more depth and character development, another book may be more your choice.
In an attempt to be impartial, I give The Ex-Hex 3/5.
Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach (2000)
Radical Acceptance was published over twenty years ago and has been on my TBR for a good long time. I have heard the term in relation to parenting, sobriety, relationships – basically life in general. So, it was finally time for me to find out what it was all about.
I want to be transparent first up and say I did find it hard to stick with reading this one. The content is brilliant and truly life changing, I can’t say enough good things about practising the techniques and meditative activities in the book. I just didn’t feel very engaged with the theory. However, I recognised early on that I was feeling so much peace when I tried any of the suggestions in the book that I was compelled to stick with it.
My favourite one was the practice of saying ‘Yes’ to anything that happens throughout your day. It sounds so simple, but it is amazing how many times a day I complain about what is happening, either out loud or in my head. I particularly liked the stories about author’s life or her client’s experiences that served as practical examples for how the techniques can be effective. When I saw how this played out in people’s lives, I was so keen to try it for myself.
What score do I give a book that was tough to read but gave such life changing knowledge? I think I’ll go with 4/5 because I am forever changed after reading Radical Acceptance.
Thank you so much for joining me this month, I’m so glad to be here. I have a lovely TBR ready for the year ahead, so I look forward to blogging about what I read each month. I’m heading off on a family cruise so hoping to get some poolside reading done in between said family activities.
Following on from what I read in March, coming up in April, I’m reading –
Fiction
The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette (2024)
The Opposite of Success, Eleanor Elliott Thomas (2023)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe, Oshikazu Kawaguchi (2017)
Non-Fiction
