Here are my book reviews for March! As of the end of March, I’ve read 35 books this year, so I’m well ahead of schedule to read 100 books in 2017. I actually read 10 books last month, but I’m just going to highlight my five favorites. If I wrote about every book I read, I’d have to write a book myself 😉

1. When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin | I’ve talked before (here, here and here) about how much I love all of Sarah Sundin’s books, and I was so excited to read her newest book that released in March! When Tides Turn is the conclusion to the Waves of Freedom series. It’s the story of Quintessa, a bubbly, fun-loving girl who wants to be known for more than her pretty face, and Dan, who puts his career above all else, especially romantic relationships and having fun. They end up working together, both officially at the Boston Navy Yard, and unofficially on the case of a French spy in their midst, when Tess joins WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) during World War II. I loved how the story highlighted an aspect of the Navy I hadn’t heard much about, and how Dan and Tess were able to help each other grow in their careers and in their faith and personal lives. Sarah Sundin does a great job of writing historically accurate stories with relatable characters. I can’t wait for her new series to start next year!
2. The One True Love of Alice-Ann by Eva Marie Everson | This is another WWII story, with a twist, because it takes place entirely in the United States. It tells the story of Alice-Ann, who is in love with her brother’s friend Mack, although he’s several years older than her. She admits her feelings to him right before he heads overseas, and he agrees to write to her. Several years pass, but before he makes it home, his letters stop and she fears the worst. Meanwhile, her brother’s other friend, Carlton, does make it home, but with wounds on both the inside and the outside. I don’t want to give too much away, but close to the end of the book, Alice-Ann is faced with a choice and has to consider what true love really is. I was kind of surprised by how much I loved this book! Not that I was expecting to dislike it, but even as I was reading it I thought, this is a book I’m definitely going to read again. It was a really sweet, wholesome story that dealt with some tough issues and included characters I wish I could be friends with.
3. The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert | This was a book I got on sale on Kindle, and I ended up really enjoying it. It covers some tough issues: infertility, relating to aging relatives, growing up with an alcoholic parent, and marriage struggles. It goes back and forth between the points of view of two half-sisters, Carmen and Gracie, who are both facing major struggles in their lives and are learning to trust God instead of trying so hard to maintain control. I think that’s something we can all relate to, no matter what we’re facing! This is a really well-written story that everyone can learn something from.
4. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly | I wanted to read this book after I went to see the movie based on it, and it’s a true story so that made me feel a little better about my goal of reading more nonfiction 🙂 The movie follows the story of three African-American women who worked at NASA in the 1960s. The book talks about the same women, but with a lot more detail and a lot more background. It turns out that a lot of African-American women started working at what was then called NACA, or National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, as mathematicians or “computers” during WWII. Back then, they were developing new technology for airplanes, but after the war their focus eventually switched to space travel. It’s a fascinating story about how much these women accomplished that we never hear about. They enabled the United States to put a man into orbit and then on the moon, not to mention their contributions to our WWII victory. If you like history, you would love this book!
5. If I Run by Terri Blackstock | I actually read this for the second time, because the second one in the series came out this month and I wanted to refresh my memory. It’s not your typical suspense plot, that’s for sure! It starts out with the main character, Casey Cox, on the run after she found her best friend murdered. It turns out she has good reason to, when we find out that her friend was killed after looking into her father’s supposed suicide many years earlier. Another interesting twist comes in when the victim’s childhood friend, a veteran suffering from PTSD, is hired to help find Casey. Luckily, he realizes that there’s more to the story and that there’s a bigger conspiracy involved. I don’t want to give too much away, but you will definitely want to read the next book! After reading the second book, I found out there’s a third one coming out next year…I can’t wait to finally find out what happens!

What have you been reading lately?