Do you have a library card? 🪪 Ya girl is the self Do you have a library card? 🪪

Ya girl is the self-proclaimed biggest fan of the library to ever walk the earth 🌍 Okay, that could be an exaggeration, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like one. I cried with happiness over my first library card as a kid, and I won’t purchase a book until I’ve borrowed it from the library and loved it enough to own it. I have 5 library cards, swear by Libby and Hoopla for all of my audiobooks and ebooks, and at this point, I feel like an Arthur tattoo might be necessary (IYKYK) 😂

But I digress... February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and I think you should get a library card (or 5) and celebrate not only the perk of FREE BOOKS but also the countless ways public libraries are integral to our lives and communities! 🙌🏼

What was the last library book you checked out? 📖

—

#nationallibraryloversmonth #libraryloversmonth #bookcommunity #bookphotography #readersofinstagram support your public library, library lovers, bookish vibes, cozy aesthetic, book nerd
If you could only recommend one book for the rest If you could only recommend one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 📖

This one has been an easy answer for me since 2020, when I read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY. It completely changed my life.

Since then, I have recommended it to countless people, and have felt intense amounts of joy as I’ve seen those people recommend it to others, buy copies for friends, suggest it for their book clubs, and come back to me to tell me how it changed their life just like it changed mine 🥰

Which book would you say changed your life for the better? 🤎

—

#themidnightlibrary #magicalrealism #mentalhealthbooks #bookcommunity #bookishvibes Matt Haig, books with mental health rep, magical realism books, book recs, favorite books, escapism, book hangover, reread worthy, comfort book
Would you want to have the same occupation as the Would you want to have the same occupation as the main character(s) in your last read? 💼

I recently finished Thunderhead, and I absolutely would *NOT* want to be a Scythe! 🙅🏻‍♀️ I also definitely wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the royalty in my other previous read, A Psalm of Storms and Silence 😬

Is there a book character’s “career” that you know you would love to have? 💭

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyaesthetic #readersofinstagram current read, currently reading, cozy aesthetic, escapism, late-night chapters, what I’m reading
Is there an author who consistently writes books t Is there an author who consistently writes books that bring you to tears? 😭

I have cried while reading every single one of Amber’s books... and that’s only a small part of what keeps me coming back for more 🤎

I’m struggling with even knowing how to put in words what her books mean to me, because even thinking about it is making me tear up 🥹 So instead of trying to craft the perfect thing to say, I’m just going to urge you to read everything she’s written. You can thank me later 🙏🏼

What was the last book that made you cry? 📖

—

#theleavingroom #booklover #bookcommunity #cozyreads #bookishvibes poetry, Amber McBride, The Leaving Room, sapphic books, books that will make you cry, book hangover, book recs, reread worthy, late-night chapters
Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛ I absolutely Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛

I absolutely love when a book has animals in it—whether that’s someone’s pet, familiar, or when the animal is the main character 😻

I’m always absurdly happy when there’s a cat, and if they have a creative name it’s even better. I think the stand-out for me was a cat named The Darkling in Accidentally Amy. I’ll never forget it! 😂

Do you have a furbaby companion? Tell me all about them! 🐾

—

#cozyreads #readingescape #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic #booknerd book animals, cats of Instagram, book cats, fantasy books, romance books, cozy aesthetic
Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔 Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔

I’m always torn between excitement over seeing my favorite stories come to life and anxiety about what they might change and how it could disappoint me 😅

I fell head over heels in love with the adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation 🤎 For those who don’t know, this is not only my favorite EmHen, but it’s my all-time favorite romance book. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of it in 2021 and have inhaled every format of it multiple times since 🥰

I was nervous about the movie, but loved how they stayed true to the *vibe* of PWMOV 🏖️ Even with the changes they did make, Alex and Poppy were precisely as I had always imagined them, and I adored watching every second of their friends to lovers romance 🎥

This is a negativity-free zone! If you loved the PWMOV movie as much as I did, tell me your favorite part of the film! 🍿

—

#romancebooks #peoplewemeetonvacation #romancebooklover #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic romance books, romance reads, Emily Henry, popular romances, book adaptations, romance movie, Netflix
Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭 Do you w Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭

Do you want to open a bookstore? Write a novel? Become an editor? Get a bookish tattoo? Host an author panel? 

This is a place to put your hopes and dreams out there in the universe. You never know what might happen! 😉

As for me? I want to own a book bus that eventually becomes a brick and mortar bookshop with a café and apothecary. I want it to be the kind of comforting and safe atmosphere that allows people to feel like they can just *breathe* for a little while whenever they visit. That’s my dream ☕️

So, if this dream becomes reality, where should I take my book bus first? 📍

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyreads #readersofinstagram book dreams, cozy aesthetic, bookshop bookstore, book influencer, book blogger
Which books made it to your favorites list in 2025 Which books made it to your favorites list in 2025? 📖

The whole time I was away from this space, I kept having these moments of, “gosh, I wish I was active on booksta right now, if only to rave about the book that I’m currently reading!” 🙈

WHILE THE DARK REMAINS was definitely one of those books 🙌🏼 This story left me utterly speechless in the best way. I can’t wait to read the upcoming sequel. 

Do you have any sequels that you’re anticipating in 2026? 📚

—

#fantasyreads #fantasybooklover #bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookishvibes escapism, book hangover, fantasy world-building, book recs, reread worthy
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Books, Monthly Wrap-Ups · March 31, 2023

March 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

March 2023 Reading Recap and Ratings by The Espresso Edition cozy bookish blog

Despite picking up everything on my March 2023 reading list, this month’s bookish vibe was so incredibly average. In this post, you’ll find out how I felt about the 25 books I read.

Have you ever been in a slump, but not the kind where you don’t read at all? The kind where you just feel like everything you pick up is “meh“? That’s definitely how my March 2023 reading seemed to go. Not that there weren’t a few winners in there, but considering the fact that I read 25 books, I was a bit disappointed by the number of 3-star, super-so-so-reads throughout the month.

I think that the start of spring has me feeling off, since unlike most people, I tend to experience seasonal affective disorder during the warm months of the year. From now til October, I expect everything to just be a little lackluster – including the way I read. Here’s hoping April proves me wrong!

I did finish every book on my March 2023 reading list except for one (The Fifth Season – just not for me), which was an excellent feeling. I also completed my rereads for three series (Shadow and Bone, Shades of Magic, and The Hunger Games) and began a few more! The stand-outs this month were Concrete Rose, Funny Feelings, and The Neighbor Favor. Keep on scrolling to find out my ratings for the rest of the books I read during the month of March.


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March 2023 Reading Recap and Ratings by The Espresso Edition cozy bookish blog

The 25 Books I Read in March 2023

If you’re interested in more bookish content, follow my StoryGraph account for live reviews and reading updates, and take a look at my bookstagram – where I share aesthetic coffee and book photos!

March 2023 Reading Stats

Books That Got a 5-Star Rating (*rereads)

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)*

by Suzanne Collins
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Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #3)*

by Leigh Bardugo
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give #0.5)

by Angie Thomas
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Funny Feelings

by Tarah DeWitt
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3)*

by V.E. Schwab
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Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1)

by travis baldree
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Books That Got a 4 or 4.5-Star Rating

One Dark Window (The Shepherd King #1)

by Rachel Gillig
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The London Séance Society

by Sarah Penner
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Mysteries of Thorn Manor (Sorcery of Thorns #1.5)

by Margaret Rogerson
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Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1)

by Maureen Johnson
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The Liar’s Crown (Dominions #1)

by Abigail Owen
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The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

by Ashley Schumacher
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The Neighbor Favor

by Kristina Forest
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Books That Got a 3 or 3.5-Star Rating

Mixed Signals (Lovelight Farms #3)

by B.K. Borison
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How to Love Your Neighbor (Jansen Brothers #2)

by Sophie Sullivan
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100 Cupboards (100 Cupboards #1)

by N.D. Wilson
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

A Brush With Love (A Brush With Love #1)

by Mazey Eddings
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Chef’s Kiss (Chef’s Kiss #1)

by TJ Alexander
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Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1)

by Heather Fawcett
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Queen Among the Dead

by Lesley Livingston
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The Magician’s Daughter

by H.G. Perry
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A Guide to Being Just Friends (Jansen Brothers #3)

by Sophie Sullivan
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The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1)

by Marie Lu
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Charm (Crave #5)

by Tracy Wolff
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Books That Got No Rating

Attack on Titan Vol. 17

by Hajime Isayama
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Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble

Books I DNF’d

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1)

by N.K. Jemisin
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Spoiler Alert (Spoiler Alert #1)

by Olivia Dade
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April 2023 TBR

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins

All the Tides of Fate (All the Stars and Teeth #2) by Adalyn Grace [reread]

Bleeding Heart (The Cardplay Duology #2) by Brittany M. Willows

The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2) by Maureen Johnson

Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer [reread]

Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo [reread]

These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan

A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence #1) by Rebecca Ross

Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty #1) by Alyson Noël

Story Thieves (Story Thieves #1) by James Riley

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd


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March 2023 Reading Recap and Ratings by The Espresso Edition cozy bookish blog

What was the best book you read in March?

In: Books, Monthly Wrap-Ups · Tagged: book blog, book reviews, Books I Read in March 2023, Monthly Reading, Monthly Reading Recap, Monthly Wrap Up, Reading Recap, Reading Wrap Up, What I Read This Month

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Lucy @ Lucy Knows Things
2 years ago

What a great reading month for you. Lots of 5-star books! My favorite this month was Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane.

Reply
Stephanie Whitman
2 years ago
Reply to  Lucy @ Lucy Knows Things

It’s funny, because I felt like it was a super bleh month with hardly any five star reads haha. In comparison to most months, this was a letdown for me. But it’s all good. April will be better, I feel it in my bones.

I really enjoyed Just Last Night! It made me sob my eyes out, but I loved it haha.

Reply
Wendy Williams
2 years ago

Looks like you did read a lot during March. I still need to read Spoiler Alert.

Reply
Stephanie Whitman
2 years ago
Reply to  Wendy Williams

I hope you enjoy it more than I did! Since I DNF’d it haha.

Reply
Celeste | A Literary Escape
2 years ago

Oh no, I thought for sure you’d love H.G. Parry’s THE MAGICIAN’S DAUGHTER! I know it’s in your 3-3.5 star list, but it was so cozy.

As for Funny Feelings, I saw someone mention it on IG and share a quote and I was like, ok, I need to read this. I saw it’s on KU, so I’d like to try to squeeze it into my April reading. I’ve been meaning to finally cancel my KU sub because I hadn’t been using it…until March, go figure!

Reply
Stephanie Whitman
2 years ago
Reply to  Celeste | A Literary Escape

I think I might have enjoyed it more if I wasn’t coming down from my reread of the Shadow and Bone trilogy high. I was desperate for something fast-paced and it was just a little too slow and informational for me at the time. Oh, and I was craving romance, of which it had… basically none haha. I’ll probably reread it at a later date and wind up enjoying it a lot more!

I hope you love Funny Feelings as much as I did! It really blew me away. I wasn’t expecting to love it so much but it was such a perfect combination of friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and all the other things I love in a romance.

Reply
sumedha @ thewordyhabitat
2 years ago

I hope April is going better for you! I read the city we became by Jemisin recently & quite liked it, was planning to pick up fifth season soon. Maybe I will like it more. I am not in a slump but my March wasn’t a good reading month as well.

Reply
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Do you have a library card? 🪪 Ya girl is the self Do you have a library card? 🪪

Ya girl is the self-proclaimed biggest fan of the library to ever walk the earth 🌍 Okay, that could be an exaggeration, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like one. I cried with happiness over my first library card as a kid, and I won’t purchase a book until I’ve borrowed it from the library and loved it enough to own it. I have 5 library cards, swear by Libby and Hoopla for all of my audiobooks and ebooks, and at this point, I feel like an Arthur tattoo might be necessary (IYKYK) 😂

But I digress... February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and I think you should get a library card (or 5) and celebrate not only the perk of FREE BOOKS but also the countless ways public libraries are integral to our lives and communities! 🙌🏼

What was the last library book you checked out? 📖

—

#nationallibraryloversmonth #libraryloversmonth #bookcommunity #bookphotography #readersofinstagram support your public library, library lovers, bookish vibes, cozy aesthetic, book nerd
If you could only recommend one book for the rest If you could only recommend one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 📖

This one has been an easy answer for me since 2020, when I read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY. It completely changed my life.

Since then, I have recommended it to countless people, and have felt intense amounts of joy as I’ve seen those people recommend it to others, buy copies for friends, suggest it for their book clubs, and come back to me to tell me how it changed their life just like it changed mine 🥰

Which book would you say changed your life for the better? 🤎

—

#themidnightlibrary #magicalrealism #mentalhealthbooks #bookcommunity #bookishvibes Matt Haig, books with mental health rep, magical realism books, book recs, favorite books, escapism, book hangover, reread worthy, comfort book
Would you want to have the same occupation as the Would you want to have the same occupation as the main character(s) in your last read? 💼

I recently finished Thunderhead, and I absolutely would *NOT* want to be a Scythe! 🙅🏻‍♀️ I also definitely wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the royalty in my other previous read, A Psalm of Storms and Silence 😬

Is there a book character’s “career” that you know you would love to have? 💭

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyaesthetic #readersofinstagram current read, currently reading, cozy aesthetic, escapism, late-night chapters, what I’m reading
Is there an author who consistently writes books t Is there an author who consistently writes books that bring you to tears? 😭

I have cried while reading every single one of Amber’s books... and that’s only a small part of what keeps me coming back for more 🤎

I’m struggling with even knowing how to put in words what her books mean to me, because even thinking about it is making me tear up 🥹 So instead of trying to craft the perfect thing to say, I’m just going to urge you to read everything she’s written. You can thank me later 🙏🏼

What was the last book that made you cry? 📖

—

#theleavingroom #booklover #bookcommunity #cozyreads #bookishvibes poetry, Amber McBride, The Leaving Room, sapphic books, books that will make you cry, book hangover, book recs, reread worthy, late-night chapters
Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛ I absolutely Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛

I absolutely love when a book has animals in it—whether that’s someone’s pet, familiar, or when the animal is the main character 😻

I’m always absurdly happy when there’s a cat, and if they have a creative name it’s even better. I think the stand-out for me was a cat named The Darkling in Accidentally Amy. I’ll never forget it! 😂

Do you have a furbaby companion? Tell me all about them! 🐾

—

#cozyreads #readingescape #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic #booknerd book animals, cats of Instagram, book cats, fantasy books, romance books, cozy aesthetic
Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔 Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔

I’m always torn between excitement over seeing my favorite stories come to life and anxiety about what they might change and how it could disappoint me 😅

I fell head over heels in love with the adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation 🤎 For those who don’t know, this is not only my favorite EmHen, but it’s my all-time favorite romance book. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of it in 2021 and have inhaled every format of it multiple times since 🥰

I was nervous about the movie, but loved how they stayed true to the *vibe* of PWMOV 🏖️ Even with the changes they did make, Alex and Poppy were precisely as I had always imagined them, and I adored watching every second of their friends to lovers romance 🎥

This is a negativity-free zone! If you loved the PWMOV movie as much as I did, tell me your favorite part of the film! 🍿

—

#romancebooks #peoplewemeetonvacation #romancebooklover #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic romance books, romance reads, Emily Henry, popular romances, book adaptations, romance movie, Netflix
Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭 Do you w Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭

Do you want to open a bookstore? Write a novel? Become an editor? Get a bookish tattoo? Host an author panel? 

This is a place to put your hopes and dreams out there in the universe. You never know what might happen! 😉

As for me? I want to own a book bus that eventually becomes a brick and mortar bookshop with a café and apothecary. I want it to be the kind of comforting and safe atmosphere that allows people to feel like they can just *breathe* for a little while whenever they visit. That’s my dream ☕️

So, if this dream becomes reality, where should I take my book bus first? 📍

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyreads #readersofinstagram book dreams, cozy aesthetic, bookshop bookstore, book influencer, book blogger
Which books made it to your favorites list in 2025 Which books made it to your favorites list in 2025? 📖

The whole time I was away from this space, I kept having these moments of, “gosh, I wish I was active on booksta right now, if only to rave about the book that I’m currently reading!” 🙈

WHILE THE DARK REMAINS was definitely one of those books 🙌🏼 This story left me utterly speechless in the best way. I can’t wait to read the upcoming sequel. 

Do you have any sequels that you’re anticipating in 2026? 📚

—

#fantasyreads #fantasybooklover #bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookishvibes escapism, book hangover, fantasy world-building, book recs, reread worthy
How many times have you read your favorite book or How many times have you read your favorite book or series? 🤎

I’m a big fan of rereading, so my favorite books are picked up over and over again. I’ve read some of my favorites every single year for the last six years and some I’ve read countless times since childhood (here’s lookin at you, Narnia) 🙈

I love when I find a new book to add to my reread list. What was the last one you added? 🔁

—

#readersofinstagram #bookphotography #igreads #bookrecommendations #bookobsessed #cozyreads #bookaesthetic #flatlaylove #readingescape #readingvibes #bookishvibes #booknerd #bookcommunity #booklover cozy read, escapism, book hangover, book recs, TBR, reread worthy, late-night chapters, weekend read, comfort book
Are there any book small towns you’d like to live Are there any book small towns you’d like to live in? 📍

I think I’d sell a kidney to live in Inglewild 😂 Small towns give me such happiness and this one seems especially cozy and filled with so many entertaining people 🙈

I kinda wish this series would last forever, but simultaneously, I just live for ANYTHING BK Borison writes 😍 I adored First Time Caller as well and can’t wait for more of that story to unfold! 📖

Have you read any of this author’s books? 🤎 

—

#readersofinstagram #bookphotography #igreads #bookrecommendations #bookobsessed #cozyreads #bookaesthetic #flatlaylove #readingescape #readingvibes #bookishvibes #booknerd #bookcommunity #booklover #booksmalltowns #smalltownbooks cozy read, romance books, book recs, TBR, reread worthy, late-night chapters, weekend read, comfort book

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