March Books 2020

Well.

I'm not even clear on what I thought about these books because I read them like a million years ago. However, Instagram was there to remind me. This is why I always write reviews as I go but I really dropped the ball in March. 

I also gave up on 4 books this month. I'll mention those at the end.

The TL;DR version is that I would recommend I'm Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris
c/o Netgalley, will be released June 30th

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

I'm Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It almost reminded me of Judy Blume...started in one place, lots of conflict and growth, resolved in some way or another.

It's YA but wasn't annoying. There's a lot on Goodreads about how racist it actually was...stereotyping Mexicans and immigrants and how the main character was actually kind of awful. However, teenagers are actually kind of awful and narcissistic (not in a BAD way but in a their-brains-aren't-developed kind of way) so it makes sense since it's her POV. 

Spoiler in white: I found it to be incredibly immature and idealized that the MC wanted to go to NY to be a writer and her parents worked their limbs to the bone and she couldn't even go out and find a job to help out the family.  But even if she was getting a full-ride (which is incredibly non-believable, by the way) to a college in NYC, she'd end up unemployed most likely because no one cares if you want to be a writer. Seriously. It just showed the perfect immature nature of  those with excessive college debt for degrees that are worthless. End rant. But that problem didn't really crop up until the last third of the book. The first chunk of the book was more about family dynamics and was more interesting.

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
c/o Netgalley, released last week

Onto the books I didn't read but had in my possession for a bit...

I got these two books from the library and then was just not in the mood for them. I had been on the wait list for months, so that was frustrating. I read a bit of the Costi Hinn book and did a scan of Essentialism, and realized I wasn't going to get anything out of them right now. They have value, sure, but not right now for me. I didn't add them to a DNF list but I'll circle back to God, Greed, and the Prosperity Gospel for sure. I don't know if Essentialism is for me. I'm in a place where self-help isn't helpful.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert I made it about 4 chapters. The author's constant use of parentheses really bothered me. I could never get going because she was always interrupting. A book-loving friend of mine also quit this book a few chapters in and I feel validated knowing she had the same struggles.
I feel like *I* use parentheses a lot but I'm a blogger, not a supposed acclaimed novel writer.

Malevolent by Jana DeLeon I read almost half of it and realized I didn't care at all. It wasn't a bad story. I just didn't find it to be put together in a compelling way. I didn't like the characters, maybe? Lifetime movie to the extreme. Also, I really dislike the word "malevolent" the way some people dislike the word "moist". It was a turnoff.

How about you? 
Have you been reading extra lately? 
I've been burning through podcasts instead. 

Linking up with Jana and Steph!