#SBS March Monthly Wrap-Up

Welcome to our monthly feature where we talk about what we read, adopted into our libraries, and what’s on our minds. After hosting #SignedBookSundays on instagram for 4+ years, we are transitioning to this format as a way to share signed books and talk about bookish (and personal) highlights. Join us the last Sunday or last day of every month (or whatever day today is…we are busy!)!

In Case You Missed It

• Author Interview with Amanda Panitch about Gone Dark!
• Book Review of Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton!
• Author Interview with Joy L. Smith celebrating the release of Turning!
• The where to buy signed books page has been updated and I have found as many April YA releases, as I could – of course I keep adding more and more when I find them…check it out!
• We curate a Bookshop page with most of the YA New Releases – please consider supporting us by buying books through our links or shop, or we have a Ko-Fi!

What We Read

Kelly: I feel like I read a lot in March…8 books seems to be a nice amount for me lately and I will take it! The standouts were:

• Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters – 5 stars – available now – Nerdy, fandom, Pride summer storylines with QBIPOC characters packed with growth and learning (oh and some yearning friends to lovers trope to)!
• Gallant by V.E. Schwab – 5 stars – available now – Dark and brilliantly atmospheric and like a nightmare wrapped in a dream.

Christy: Is this….is this a reading revival? I also just want to say I read BOTH of the books on my TBR from last month. Please clap.

• Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams – You didn’t miss this beauty, right? It’s been hanging out on special Target shelves and generally just being gorgeous. Like Agnes at the End of the World (Kelly’s debut), Mirror Girls shares sisterhood, family, origin, and perseverance through trauma. It is NOT to be missed!
• Gallant by V.E. Schwab – This whole vibe is what I live for. This is the kind of stuff I would have loved to read as a kid (and the best part is this book is for ALL AGES). I also got to see Victoria on tour at our local bookstore – my first book event since the pandemic began!

What We Hauled

You too can be obsessed with signed books, look here for where to buy a copy from your favorite author’s local indie or preorder incentives that include bookplates.

Kelly’s Highlights

• Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega – Middle Grade adventure full of magic and friendship – April 5th – Many thanks to Scholastic for the finished copy!
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – celebrate Tolkien Reading Day! – Many thanks to Harper Collins for the gifted copy!
• Loveless by Alice Oseman – available now in the US! – Many thanks to Scholastic for the gifted finished copy!
• Fierce Reads spoiled me with 4 finished copies thank you so much!! All are available now! One for All by Lillie Lainoff, Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie, The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta, Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
• Purchased signed copies of Right Where I Left You, and One True Me and You (and Wednesday Books was very kind to send a finished copy too!)
• I also bought some copies of Gallant…
  

Christy’s Highlights

• Big Bad by Lily Anderson – TY to Lily for supporting my Buffy obsession. 20+ years later and we are still here.
• Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman – TY to Quirk. Did someone say SANTANIC PANIC?
• Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi – I am living for this whole remix series.
• Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow – TY to Simon Teen. This book is comped with two of my favs and I’ve loved other books by Rebecca. Can’t wait.
• A Furry Faux Paw by Jessica Kara – TY to Pagestreet!

What We Hope to Read

Kelly’s TBR

I read nothing from my supposed hopeful TBR – bookworm problems am I right? So it stays the same and I keep adding the new books to the never ending list…

• The Kindred by Alechia Dow
• Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth
• The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian
• Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
• Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams
• Loveless by Alice Oseman

Christy’s TBR

I have a spring break in March but I am not hopeful I will get any reading done. But, here’s hoping!

• Very Bad People by Kit Frick
• Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
• The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman

On the Top of Our Minds

Kelly: I feel like i had a good reading month! My personal life is just scooting along, but i did return to the work office again and that led to extra exhaustion and stresses. Ps. I still haven’t shipped a damn thing and I hate this part of my new pandemic personality. It has to happen soon!

Christy: Wow a lot has happened!

I’m officially employed again! I joined a local org as the Director of Community Operations and am leading their affordable housing team along with the rental assistance programs and all future community engagement opportunities. It’s an AMAZING org and I am proud to be part of it.

It’s con AND race season! Catch me running/biking/swimming all the miles and dressing in all the cosplays.

I’m 6 weeks from finishing my Master’s and it’s gonna feel so weird to have letters after my name.

I’m also learning to garden (with a lot of help from Kelly). By learning I mean limping and I definitely killed my first set of vegetables. Here’s to spring flowers making it!