March Wrap Up (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with possibly the best reading month I've had in a while (other than my HP re-read, because that was hard). But I managed to finish my first series this month, I started the Series of Unfortunate Events series, and I didn't fall into a reading slump! 

Not to mention, it's finally Spring and the sun has been shining! 

Without further ado, here's what I read this month! 

I hope you enjoy it, and of course, feel free to post in the comments what you all got up to this month! 

1. The Mapmakers (Cordelia Hatmaker #2), by Tamzin Merchant

Having bought the first book in the series purely so I could get to this one, I think it's safe to say I was expecting a lot. And although I enjoyed it, I feel like my expectations were a bit high for this. 

I enjoyed the coming together of all the maker families, that it was the children that finally brought everything together, and the fact that the storyline in the first book was resolved, but I was starved of the ship jounrey that I thought I would be getting in the first book. Like with the first book, great storytelling, with a plot that moved forward gradually, but didn't feel rushed, I was a firm fan of Tamzin Merchant by the time I finished this. (So much so that I had the third book ready to go when I felt the need to pick it up- which happened to be later that month.)

2. The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1), by Lemony Snicket

3. The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2), by Lemony Snicket 

 

With 80 books as my Goodreads reading goal this year (thanks again, Jordan), I knew I needed to have a few tricks up my sleeve this year. Cue the fast paced, exciting, unfortunate, 13 book series that is Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket! 

Reading 13 all in one go felt a bit overkill, so I planned to read the four smaller books in March, then three per month until I finish in July. 

I read both of these within a day of starting them, absolutely flew through them, much to my delight. 

I have to say, it was absolutely lovely be introduced to the Baudelaire orphans once more, and read about the start of their adventure/misery- especially after I realised that it had been six years since I'd read them last. 

4. The Troublemakers (Cordelia Hatmaker #3), by Tamzin Merchant

After the plot for the first two books was resolved in The Mapmakers, I found myself wondering what would be in book three. 

I was still invested in Cordelia's story, along with her family, all of her new friends and their family, but I was a little hesitant to pick this third and final book up, in case I didn't enjoy it as much. 

Little did I know, it would actually become my favourite of the three. I finally got my boat trip journey, but it was much more intense than I thought, filled with plot twists and unpredictable characters, that were as savage as the waves of the ocean. 

I found myself wishing that the book was longer, that I got to spend more time with Cordelia Hatmaker and her ship of stowaways, but at least I get to read about her ancestors- in a book called The Mythmakers, which is out in early July. 

5. The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3), by Lemony Snicket 

6. The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4), by Lemony Snicket 

After finishing The Reptile Room, I wanted nothing more than to marathon the rest of the series, and forget about everything else. But, I was already in the midst of the Cordelia Hatmaker trilogy, so I took a short break from these so I could focus my attention on that. 

Of course, after finishing The Troublemakers, I immediately started on The Wide Window. 

Surprisingly, these two are the novels I struggle to read the most. Because the 2004 film covers the first three novels, I find those to be almost too familiar. As for The Miserable Mill, it always feels like a book I need to finish before events of the overall story start to unfold. In The Austere Academy, which is the next book in the series, you meet some very important characters that help shape the rest of the books. The Miserable Mill feels like it follows the same linear direction as the first three. Nevertheless, I enjoyed them all the same, and I'm eager to continue on. 

7. Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games #0.5), by Suzanne Collins

I'm sue I'm of of just one of many that has already read this and loved it. From what I've seen, people bought and read it on the day of release. Some of us have even starting constructing their own dream cast for the film, which I love the idea of. 

I will be writing a review for this in April, so forgive me if I don't give you many details now, but I promise, they're coming. All I will say now is, President Snow is the worst, Haymitch is such a readable character, I was engrossed from page one, and I gave it 4.5 stars. Genuinely made me want to re-read the original trilogy again, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to. 

Okay! Those are all the books I read in March! I'm very happy I managed 7 this month, and I'm very much hoping for another successful reading month in April! As always, if you read lots, some, enjoyed one particular book-or hated one- let me know in the comments! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx