After a slow start, I ended up finishing seven books during March, several of which I enjoyed quite a bit:

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

Not going to lie: If I’d known this was going to be Christian lit (albeit one that believes in women’s rights and science), I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. If you can put up with some mostly mild proselytizing with your steampunk, it’s worth reading this international scavenger hunt that Clara’s beloved inventor grandfather sets up for his uptight granddaughter, his footloose protege, and (in her role as chaperone) his animal-loving daughter (they’re traveling with a zoo by the end of the book). After realizing his granddaughter has become stuck in the role of caregiver (even when such a role is unneeded), he sets off anonymously in the gigantic owl flying machine he built with instructions that she and her traveling companions must follow in order to catch up with him before the newspapers do.

Paper from the library.

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

Yes, that Kate McKinnon. Yes, kind of like her character from Ghostbusters. Was it hilarious? Absolutely! Was it the wrong choice to listen to in the middle of the night without headphones when Rudi was trying to sleep? Yes! It was impossible to modulate the volume! In this delightfully madcap kid’s book, three adopted, scientifically minded sisters languish in schools where they are taught to walk with books on their heads and faint with finesse. When all hopes seem lost and they are about to be shipped overseas to an etiquette prison, they receive invitations to attend a new school, which turns out to be taught by the infamous mad scientist, Millicent Quibb, long believed to be dead. If you love Roald Dahl, this has a similar vibe. (And I do recommend the audiobook, even if the PDF of illustrations wasn’t included in my book — I chased them down in a print copy at the library later on.) Already eagerly awaiting the second book in the series.

Audio from the library.

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

In this novel for adults, the author of Moxie turns to the other denizens of the public high school: the faculty and staff. Early in the school year, an octagenarian substitute teacher (and retired English teacher) dies in the faculty lounge of a public school in Texas. With a new perspective in each chapter, we follow the course of the year with his former colleagues, from the young teacher who found his body to the principal who tries to honor the man’s final wish to the young custodian (in the country illegally) who had befriended the man. Interspersed between actions that directly resulted from the man’s death, we also encounter the day to day BS that school adults have to deal with these days, from overly involved parents and book bans to district officials who claim to want to celebrate educators while removing any opportunity for teachers to put their stamp on a classroom. If you liked Moxie or if you enjoy Abbott Elementary, track this book down.

Print from the library.

Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed-Media, and Travel Pages by Renee Day

Last year, I started keeping a journal and this year, I wanted to do more with it. A lot of this book is dedicated to various layouts that didn’t apply to what I wanted to do this year, but it was interesting to look through and to get ideas of what future journals might hold. A solid introductory reference book.

Print from the library.

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

If you were looking at kids books back toward the end of 2024, this book was *everywhere.* And, it turns out, for good reason. A wonderful fantasy novel about Christopher, a modern lad beloved by animals who goes to stay with his granddad in remote Scotland, only to learn that their family is the guardian of the portal to a magical realm — one that has accidentally been opened by a flying girl and her baby griffin. At Mal’s behest, he follows her back through the portal in an effort to figure out what’s been draining her world’s magic and to save her from the assassin who’s already murdered her aunt. With the help of a renegade ship crew and a shy marine scientist, the two children must find a way to save both their worlds. Highly recommended for the characters, plot, and beautiful writing, but with the caveat that upsetting things happen in the same way they do in many of the classics that we grew up loving.

Print from the library.

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

Another book from the hard knocks school of children’s lit, this is less traumatizing than Bridge to Terebithia, but it’s definitely something I’d have to think about before I handed it to a kid today. Written during my childhood, it focuses on Galadrial, a foster kid who’s bounced around the system, getting harder and tougher … and meaner … with each new placement. In what is implied to be her last chance before an institutional solution is found, she finds herself with an unbotherable foster mother and a little foster brother who somehow finds his way into her heart. With the addition of a young Black sixth-grade teacher who gives as good as she gets, Gilly might finally have found a home that works for her. And then it all changes. This is one of those books that feels like an exercise in, “What happens after the final page of a resolved story?”

Print from the library.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

In this standalone novel from an NPR host, a middle-aged D.C. podcast producer is finally offered the chance to host her own show, but it’s the very epitome of what she hates — a dating show being run by an influencer. But it’s a step in the direction she wants to go, and with layoffs a perpetual rumor, she’s desperate to keep herself and her best friend employed. Just as she’s about to embark on this new role, a gigantic dog runs past her, with a man in pursuit. She joins the merry chase, only to find that the guy was just a fit passerby when the dog escaped its foster owner. And then he turns out to be her waiter on her “test date.” Their paths will cross again and again, but with multiple dates airing a week and with a promise to her influencer to give the dates a chance, is there any air or interest left for a quirky guy she just happened upon? This was a great choice for D.C. readers of romance, and I’d recommend it for anyone else who likes smart, likeable characters with the promise of a happily ever after.

Print from the library.

So there you have it! Seven books done and dusted!