Most Anticipated New Books of March 2024
These new books are sure to cause a case of Spring Fever!
How are we already at March? Not only that, but I’m getting this out before March actually begins!!!
Spring is in the air! I am thankful enough to live where there is a month of daily Spring Training Baseball games, daily sunshine, and the Tucson Festival of Books.
I am so excited to be attending both days of the festival this year with my friend and Podcast Book Club buddy, Stephanie. I went for just a part of the last day last year, and had no idea what I was missing. I have learned the errors of my way.
However, with all these exciting events taking place, there are still so many exciting new releases that I am looking forward to. Guess, I’m going to have to relax in the gorgeous sunny weather to get some reading done.
No reason to wait any longer. Welcome to March’s Top 10 List where you will find my top book releases, don’t forget to check out my honorable mention list at the end and leave a comment letting me know what you are looking forward to the most!
Blank by Zibby Owens (March 1)
As you probably know by now, I enjoy books about family drama and dynamics. When I was looking at books coming out this month, there was just something about Blank that piqued my interest. I hope that it’s as enjoyable and ‘hilarious’ as it sounds. BLURB: A wife, mother, and frustrated writer faces an impossible deadline for turning her life around in a hilarious debut novel about family, friendship, success, and exhilarating self-(re)discovery. Pippa Jones is a fortyish former literary sensation who fears she will be a one-hit wonder. After the follow-up book she was almost done writing, Podlusters, had to be tossed (it ended up sharing a plot and title with superstar author Ella Rankin’s summer blockbuster!), she couldn’t write a thing. Months of staring at a blank page made her confidence vanish like a one-night stand. When she finds out that she has only five days left to finish (or rather, start) or repay an advance she’s already spent, Pippa has a brilliantly original idea. Okay, fine, her twelve-year-old son came up with it as a joke, but Pippa and her teenage daughter approved. Pippa’s not only going to make a bold statement, but she’ll change the book world while she’s at it! Can she pull it off? At this point, she doesn’t have a choice. When Pippa’s publisher gets intimately involved, it unlocks a series of plot twists she never saw coming. From the courtyards of posh Beverly Hills hotels and Malibu mega-mansions to Brentwood and Santa Monica bookstores, Pippa races against time—in her used Volvo—and discovers more about her career, marriage, family, friends, and herself than she ever could have dreamed up.
Murder Road by Simone St. James (March 5)
I’m a big fan of this author, so whenever I see a new book by her come out, I’ll always put in on my list. She has a talent for the spooky, and her twists don’t disappoint. The Sundown Motel is still one of my favorite thrillers to date! BLURB: July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them. When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.
The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black (March 5)
I have read every book in the Folk in Air series, which means that there is no way that I could possibly not read this one! I wasn’t as big of a fan of The Stolen Heir as I was the original three Cruel Prince books, but I liked where The Stolen Heir left off, and how could I not want to find out what happens with Oak? This is book 2 of a duology, so that makes it even more of a must read. BLURB: An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame. Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too. With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.
Baby X by Kira Peikoff (March 5)
What could someone do with stolen Celebrity DNA? Probably any number of things. Especially in a world that is evolving with technological advances the way ours is. I find these futuristic, sci-fi-ish, dystopian novels so interesting. Let’s just reflect for a minute on 1984, the classic by George Orwell. BLURB: In the near-future United States, where advanced technology can create egg or sperm from any person’s cells, celebrities face the alarming potential of meeting biological children they never conceived. Famous singer Trace Thorne is tired of being targeted by the Vault, a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. Sick of paying ransom money for his own cell matter, he hires bio-security guard Ember Ryan to ensure his biological safety. Ember will do anything she can to protect her clients. She knows all the Vault’s tricks–discarded tissues, used straws, lipstick tubes–and has prevented countless DNA thefts. Working for Thorne, her focus becomes split when she begins to fall for him, but she knows she hasn’t let anything slip–love or not, his DNA is safe. But then she and Thorne are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, who claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, and all bets are off. Brilliantly plotted and terrifyingly prescient, Baby X is an unpredictable and relentless speculative thriller perfect for fans of Blake Crouch and John Marrs.
Happily Never After by Lynn Painter (March 12)
This is my romcom pick of the month - and what a great premise. The main characters are “Objectors.” They are hired to break off weddings. This just seems like a really fun read with a fresh approach to the wedding scene. Clearly, I will prepare myself for all the obnoxious miscommunication that comes with this genre, but I’m hoping that the banter between the characters will make up for it. BLURB: When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!” During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in. The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all. And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
The Revenant Games by Margie Fuston (March 19)
Battling vampires and witches with humans caught in the middle. Competitions are one of my favorite tropes in books, and this one allows humans to choose their side. With the “prizes” that are on the line, I feel that there could be more negative outcomes than the preceded rewards would lead you to believe. BLURB: All of Us Villains meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this action-packed fantasy following a teen determined to win the competition held by warring vampire and witch kingdoms, only to develop complicated feelings for the vampire she’s supposed to hand over. Blood is survival for seventeen- year-old Bly, who lives in the poverty-stricken human villages caught between enemy vampire and witch kingdoms. Most of the time, vampires and witches live in uneasy truce, buying human blood for their food and spells. But for two weeks a year, the ceasefire dissolves, and they hold the Revenant Games. Any human can play in the games for either the witches or the vampires. Alongside life-changing riches, the witches will raise one person from the dead for whoever captures the highest-ranking vampire. In turn, the vampires offer immortality to whoever captures the most powerful witch. For most humans, the games are a ticket out of poverty. For Bly, it’s a chance to get back her dead sister, Elise, and save the life of her dying best friend, Emerson, would indicate. Nothing good comes from being able to raise someone from the dead.
Cursed Cruise by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren (March 19)
Ghost hunting on a cruise ship. I’ve been in the mood for a good YA book that is something other than fantasy, so I’m eager to see what the reception and initial thoughts of this one are. BLURB: Addictive YA horror about a group of teen ghost hunters who are invited to travel onboard a haunted historic cruise ship. All aboard… After their fateful stay at the Hearst Hotel, the Ghost Gang is back with more spooks and more subscribers. They’ve been invited to record onboard the RMS Queen Anne, a transatlantic luxury ocean liner with a colorful past of violent deaths of hundreds of passengers—souls that bought a one-way ticket to the afterlife (and never disembarked). When Chrissy, Chase, Kiki, and Emma board the ship, they have a funny feeling they’ve been sucked into a ghostly time warp—a theory that takes a frightening turn when Chrissy goes missing on the first night. Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Chrissy has been sucked into another time by a passenger who wants the Ghost Gang to know her untimely death was not an accident and the perpetrator is still alive—and on board this ship.
The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Vélez (March 19)
Again, a story of family and heritage. I love when characters return home after so long away and rediscover who they are and accept that the most important aspects of their lives have always been there. I just want to curl up in a blanket with this one. And, don’t overlook the gorgeous cover. BLURB: Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn’t approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes. After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in the first place. The journey leads her to rediscover her home, her grandmother, and even the flame of an old love.
Off the Air by Christina Estes (March 26)
There are two things that always catch my eye when I’m scanning books. 1) Books connected to some form of journalism. It was my college major, and I have a huge passion for it. 2) Books that take place where I live! Here we have a book about both, and I’m super intrigued to dig into this one! BLURB: Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, splitting her time between covering general assignments―anything from a monsoon storm to a newborn giraffe at the zoo―and special projects. Stories that take more time to research and produce. Stories that Jolene wants to tell. When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene and other journalists swarm the scene, intent on reporting the facts first. The body is soon identified as Larry Lemmon, a controversial talk show host, who died under suspicious circumstances. Jolene conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an advantage. But not for long. As the story heats up, so does the competition. Jolene is determined to solve this murder. It’s an investigation that could make or break her career―if it doesn't break her first.
Love Lessons by Katie Cawood (March 29)
This one is special to me. I have had the opportunity to be a member of Katie’s street team in promoting the release of her book Lesson Learned and now Love Lessons. I took an interest in these books initially because they revolve around teachers, now I’m just hooked because of Katie and her characters. These are fun stories about love, friendship and of course wild and crazy elementary school kids! Check out my interview with Katie in our latest episode of Speaking LITerally Podcast! BLURB: Kendall Devin is either too much or not enough—it depends on which of her recent boyfriends you ask. Fed up with relationships, she dives into the world of casual Tinder hook-ups instead. She’s horrified to discover the man she’s been sexting for the past week is the father of one of her kindergarteners. Mason Reed recently gained full custody of his daughter, Finley, and moved back into his overbearing parents’ house. He has no time for relationships—and he especially doesn’t need any added drama in his or Finley’s lives. So while Kendall has caught his eye, he knows getting romantically involved with his daughter’s teacher is a bad idea. The two attempt to forget about their connection, but with Mason volunteering at school at every given opportunity, that proves to be difficult. Not even planning the school’s fall festival can distract Kendall from Mason’s flannel-wrapped charm. And the more they’re together, the harder it is for either of them to resist temptation. Mason is the first man who makes Kendall truly feel seen, and he can’t stop imagining her becoming part of his family. To him, she's perfect. But how could this possibly work?
So there you have my top 10 of March! There are quite a few diverse books coming out to kick off the spring season. What are you planning on reading?
Want some more suggestions? Here is my list of Honorable Mentions!!
The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso (March 5)
The Extinction of Irene Rey by Jennifer Croft (March 5)
American Spirits by Russell Banks (March 5)
Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan (March 5)
A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Claire March 12)
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff (March 12)
Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner (March 12)
In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati-Alexander (March 19)
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle (March 19)
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (March 26)
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