March Reads + Reviews
I’m a Virgo so I’m too practical for romance and too grounded for fantasy.
I’m an overall harsh critic.
Buckle up.
There were TWO FIVE STAR BOOKS + I also dipped my toes into cozy fantasy + I’m not sure how to feel
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
5/5
At first I was a bit confused by the number of characters and had low hopes for the rest of the book. But once I got my bearings, less than 10% in, I was hooked.
One thing that drew me in was the writing itself. The author lingers on small details, like the shape of a button, in a way that feels true to how our minds actually process the world. We notice and categorize things like that internally, even if we would never say them out loud. That attention to detail makes the narration feel thoughtful and intimate.
Lines like “…injecting the tiny word with steroids, so it was robust.” might seem unnecessary without context, but in the moment Fagan perfectly captures the emotional atmosphere. The writing often slows just enough to let you feel the texture of a scene.
Then there is Cate. Her story, writing, and past completely pulled me in. Her family relationships and love life are messy and complicated in a way that feels very real. The huge decision she makes early on is easy to judge from the outside, but in the panic and adrenaline of the moment, I am not sure anyone can say they would have done differently.
Amanda’s resentment and Cate’s completely false understanding of her fate add another layer. Cate carries that misunderstanding for years, and it shapes her writing in a way that is creative, subtle, and full of longing.
That is what this book does best. It feels human.
I also loved, even when it was frustrating, how misunderstanding after misunderstanding shapes the characters’ lives. People misinterpret things, make assumptions, and move forward with incomplete information. Relationships twist because of it.
That happens all the time in real life.
I believe you never know the full story, and this book really leans into that idea. The dramatic irony highlights how little each character truly knows about the others, which makes them more relatable and the story feel far more believable.
Loved. Remarkable. And for a debut novel? Simply outstanding.
Discipline by Larissa Pham
5/5
This book was art. I read it slowly, and then all at once.
Discipline is not for everyone. At first, I felt disoriented, trying to piece together a story told in fragments through acquaintances, old friends, and past relationships, moving between past and present without much warning. But once I settled into it, the structure started to feel intentional.
The novel follows a young woman reflecting on a brief but intense affair with an older painter, a relationship that reshapes her sense of self. The distance in how the characters are presented, even the delayed naming, creates space for the reader to project their own experiences onto them. At least that’s how I experienced it.
I found myself doing a lot of self-reflection. Why was I judging her so harshly for changing her life over a few months? Why did I feel conflicted about the painter, even sympathetic at times, while she held onto resentment?
The ending is beautiful and gut wrenching. Pham builds such a complex attachment to both characters that the sense of peaceful closure lands alongside a real feeling of gut wrenching loss loss.
I did not expect this book to make me cry.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
2.5/5
I feel so indifferent about this book that I can’t even muster the passion to write about the things I enjoyed or the things I hated. It just… was
It gave the energy of The House in the Cerulean Sea in terms of endearing characters, but it seemed much more superficial and childlike in its main plot intent.
The romance was cheesy and I wanted to stick needles in my eyeballs.
It did its job: gave me a vanilla palate cleanser after a few denser books
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
2/5
I picked up A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping wanting something cozy. Cottage vibes, witchy magic, nature, found family, low stakes comfort. I have learned that finding all of that without romance is basically impossible, which is frustrating.
I had already read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and didn’t love it because the romance felt cringey. But I was told this one barely had any.
Oh my GAWD.
The premise was perfect. A disgraced witch rebuilding her life at a magical inn, surrounded by quirky guests, slowly forming a found family. It was cozy, sweet, and a solid palate cleanser.
But the romance. I cannot.
The flirty banter felt forced and unrealistic, and it just kept escalating into scenes I did not want. I am not against romance, but this kind of contrived flirting pulls me right out of the story. I don’t need you to tell me about your boyfriend’s boner that you feel in your leg!
Which is frustrating, because everything else worked. The found family was endearing, the diversity was great, and the cozy inn vibes delivered.
So yes, good palate cleanser. But also yes, the romance made it worse for me.
Most people will probably love this. I fully accept that I am picky and a little heartless about romance. This one just did not hit.
I picked up A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping wanting something cozy. Cottage vibes, witchy magic, nature, found family, low stakes comfort. I have learned that finding all of that without romance is basically impossible, which is frustrating.
I had already read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and didn’t love it because the romance felt cringey. But I was told this one barely had any.
Oh my GAWD.
The premise was perfect. A disgraced witch rebuilding her life at a magical inn, surrounded by quirky guests, slowly forming a found family. It was cozy, sweet, and a solid palate cleanser.
But the romance. I cannot.
The flirty banter felt forced and unrealistic, and it just kept escalating into scenes I did not want. I am not against romance, but this kind of contrived flirting pulls me right out of the story. I don’t need you to tell me about your boyfriend’s boner that you feel in your leg!
Which is frustrating, because everything else worked. The found family was endearing, the diversity was great, and the cozy inn vibes delivered.
So yes, good palate cleanser. But also yes, the romance made it worse for me.
Most people will probably love this. I fully accept that I am picky and a little heartless about romance. This one just did not hit.
The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski
3/5
I did it! I’ve found a cozy book that gives my brain a break, feels warm in my tummy, and does not have cringey flirting in cringey romance scenes. We did it!!
Was this book a work of art? No. Was it ridiculously well written? No. Did it give me the coziness and palate cleanser I needed? Absolutely.
The story centers on a magical tea room run by witches, with a light thread of conflict around keeping the shop going, protecting its magic, and navigating relationships. Nothing is too heavy, but there is enough happening to keep you invested. It leans into found family, small comforts, and the quiet magic of shared space rather than big dramatic stakes.
And my favorite character? THE HOUSE DUH.
The house is creaky, charming, and just a little sentient, and it honestly feels like the heart of the whole story. I would read an entire book about the house alone.
The setting of a cozy tea shop run by witches was perfect. The plot was engaging enough to keep me reading but not so detailed that it felt like work. It was simple, but not YA simple, which I would have been so over. Just sweet and simple in the best way.
It was not trying to be profound. It was just trying to be cozy, and it succeeded.
If you are looking for a cozy read and a palate cleanser, this is a good one.
