I tried to be ahead of the game this month and prewrote a section of my March’s Stoked for this. When I finished it and posted it last night, WordPress went and “published” it on the day I originally started the draft (which was February 16). I’m reposting this now so it shows up in the right spot on my website.
Here to TRIPLE CHECKING EVERYTHING before posting y’all!
I’m cutting this a bit late on the posting day but I’m really trying this year to post these all by the first Tuesday of the month.
This is a pretty big month for releases as it’s the publisher’s spring burst. I don’t know if I’d call any of these beach reads, which is usually what I think of when I think of March releases – maybe one of my YA romances, but I think it may be pushing the definition of “beach read”.
Some historical fiction (duh), stories with mental health, stories of science fiction, a book with actual science (hello eight legged sea alien), and a mystery thriller I could see a Netflix deal with (if it’s done properly).
You ready to see what I’m stoked for??
Release Date: March 5, 2024
The Fragility of Light
By: Heather S. Lonczak
Why am I stoked for this release?
This book is supposedly an unforgiving dive into mental illness. And I like that about books – ones that tell it exactly how it is and don’t sugarcoat anything.
Mental illness was such a taboo when I was a growing up and it makes me happy that hopefully people can see themselves more and more in text and media.
Hidden Yellow Stars
By: Rebecca Connolly
Why am I stoked for this release?
Historical WWII Fiction – but Alisha, I thought you were trying to get away from this time period?
I’ve been trying not to read WWII historical fiction novels since 2010. It’s not happening. So I’m going to enjoy it.
This one is based on a true story of two WWII heroines who ricked their lives to save Jewish children from the Gestapo in Belgium.
Tell me you don’t want to read that!
The First State of Being
By: Erin Entrada Kelly
Why am I stoked for this title?
I read We Dream of Space when it came out in 2020 and I still think about those siblings to this day.
Set in August 1999, in the loom of the Y2K crisis, Michael and his babysitter Gibby, meet Ridge – the world’s first time traveler.
We all know how I feel about time traveler books (love them) and the fact that this will be a teenage time traveler right before the turn of the century? What could go wrong??
Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal
By: Gretchen Schreiber
Why am I stoked for this release?
This is a teen romance so I may not be in love with it, but I’m willing to give it a try!
Why?
It’s being marketed as The Breakfast Club meets Five Feet Apart.
I enjoy both of those things, so let’s see what mashing them together can mean.
Coyote Lost and Found
By: Dan Gemeinhart
Why am I stoked for this release?
This is the second book to the Coyote Sunrise series and i absolutely adored the first book.
This one is picking up a year later when Coyote finds her mom’s ashes and wants to not scatter them in her chosen place. The only problem is the secret place is hidden in a book that Coyote mistakenly sold the year before while riding around the country. Now she must find it without telling her dad.
If I remember correctly the first book was filled with a cast of characters I loved so I’m ready to meet them again and go on this touching journey.
The Poisons We Drink
By: Bethany Baptiste
Why am I stoked for this release?
I’ve always loved witches and this one is about a witch who brews magic potions (even though it has painful side effects). After her mother is killed by an enemy’s bullet, she has the chance to punish her mother’s killer with potions.
I’m sure there will be lots of corruption and the mix between magic and power questioned.
The Girls We Sent Away
By: Meagan Church
Why am I stoked for this release?
Another historical fiction novel but this one set in the 1960’s about a young woman who gets pregnant out of wedlock. To hide their family from shame, she gets sent to a maternity home.
The library just did a maternity home event about the one that was here in KC and this is just an interesting topic, so of course when I saw this as an ARC come in I grabbed it and hopefully will be able to get to it here soon.
Release Date: March 19, 2024
In the Orbit of You
By: Ashley Schumacher
Why am I stoked for this release?
Another YA romance? Are you sure??
Yes – this one sounds like it will be cute and full of little childish memories and stuff okay??
There’s also recovering from past trauma – which, aren’t we all?
Rainbow Black
By: Maggie Thrash
Why am I stoked for this release?
I’m just going to leave you with the little marketing snippet this book has and tell me you also wouldn’t be intrigued.
“Rainbow Black is part murder mystery, part gay international-fugitive love story—set against the ’90s Satanic Panic and spanning 20 years in the life of a young woman pulled into its undertow.”
Secrets of the Octopus
By: Sy Montgomery
Why am I stoked for this release?
This is a companion to the highly-anticipated National Geographic television special will beautiful illustrations.
Octopus are freakin’ amazing and cool and WEIRD, but I love them. I’m excited for the tv show and I’m excited for this release.
The Woods All Black
by: Lee Mandelo
Why am I stoked for this release?
This is a queer, trans romance novella that’s historical horror with blood-soaked revenge all set in the 1920’s Appalachia.
Historical fiction? Check.
Revenge? Check.
Appalachia? Also check.
James
By: Percival Everett
Why am I stoked for this release?
This is said to be a “reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and that’s got me curious.
We all know the story of Huckleberry Finn, and it’s set in Missouri – so let’s go!
Release Date: March 26, 2024
What Happened to Nina?
By: Dervla McTiernan
Why am I stoked for this release?
Nina and Simon are the perfect couple until they leave for a weekend trip in Vermont and only Simon comes home. And his story doesn’t add up.
Now, Simon’s family is doing everything they can to protect their son while Nina’s family is doing everything they can to find their daughter.
This has potential Netflix deal written all over the description – if it can be done right of course.
I’m a true crime television addict, you would think I would also be into mystery thrillers. I tried one last year and it didn’t blow my hat off, but I’m willing to try again on this one.
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