It’s time for my first half of March 2026 book review post! I am sharing what I read in March so far, although I am skipping my 5 star reads to share later in the month. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: Sway With Me
Author: Syed M. Masood
Genre: YA Rom Com
Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, 11/9/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Backlist
My Rating: 4 Stars
In Swap With Me by Syed M. Masood, Arsalan asks Beenish to find him someone to date and she agrees if he will dance with her at a wedding where her sister’s fiancé and his family don’t want dancing.
“Arsalan has learned everything he knows from Nana, his 100-year-old great-grandfather. This includes the fact that when Nana dies, Arsalan will be completely alone in the world, except for his estranged and abusive father. So he turns to Beenish, the step-daughter of a prominent matchmaker, to find him a future life partner. Beenish’s request in return? That Arsalan help her ruin her older sister’s wedding with a spectacular dance she’s been forbidden to perform. Despite knowing as little about dancing as he does about girls, Arsalan wades into Beenish’s chaotic world to discover friends and family he never expected. And though Arsalan’s old-school manners and Beenish’s take-no-prisoners attitude clash every minute, they find themselves getting closer and closer—literally. All that’s left to realize is that the thing they both really want is each other, if only they can get in step.”
The characters in this are Pakistani Muslim and there are themes of loss and abuse. Arsalan lives with his great grandfather, and Beenish helps him find friends and grow. I liked the book, though not as much as a previous book I read by the same author.
Title: Wrong Friend
Author: Charise Mericle Harper, Rory Lucey (illustrator)
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second, 1/20/26
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Wrong Friend, a graphic novel by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey, is about Charise, who is best friends with Casey, until Casey goes to high school and ditches Charise. Charise wants a new best friend but when she starts getting to know other kids through various activities, she realizes it’s ok and even great to have more than one close friend.
“Charise and Casey have been best friends for years. It never mattered that Casey was older by two years―until she started high school. Now, the two barely talk, and Charise is on a mission to get a new best friend. But can she find that perfect person while navigating long-distance friendships, guinea pig allergies, and the embarrassing quirks of her family?”
I enjoyed this graphic novel on a familiar topic, as I too had friendships end when I was a young tween. This is actually a memoir, which I didn’t realize at first! I also liked Charise’s French grandma and the bits of French (with translation) included!
Title: Faker
Author: Sarah Smith
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Penguin Audio, 10/18/19
Source: Swap – Print, Library – Audio
Why I Read It: Backlist
My Rating: 3 Stars
Some versions of Faker by Sarah Smith name the author as Sarah Echavarre Smith and the main character’s name is Emmie Echavarre, which is interesting. Emmie and her coworker Tate go from enemies to lovers in the workplace, where Emmie is one of only a few women. She is Filipino and he is white and that seems to be one reason they like each other.
“Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. She has to be to survive as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men. From nine to five, Monday through Friday, she’s tough as nails–the complete opposite of her easy-going real self. One thing she doesn’t have to fake? Her disdain for coworker Tate Rasmussen. Tate has been hostile to her since the day they met. Emmie’s friendly greetings and repeated attempts to get to know him failed to garner anything more than scowls and terse one-word answers. Too bad she can’t stop staring at his Thor-like biceps…When Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project, things get…heated. Emmie’s beginning to see that beneath Tate’s chiseled exterior lies a soft heart, but it will take more than a few kind words to erase the past and convince her that what they have is real.”
I listened to this one and it was just ok for me.
Title: To All The Dogs I’ve Loved Before
Author: Lizzie Shane
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Forever, 11/30/21
Source: Publisher – Print, Library – ebook
Why I Read It: Backlist
My Rating: 4 Stars
To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before by Lizzie Shane is book 3 in the Pine Hollow series. I have previously read book 4 and book 1, which I read in January. This one is about Elinor and Levi and their 2nd Chance romance.
“The last person librarian Elinor Rodriguez wants to spend time with is her first love, Levi Jackson, but it seems her mischievous rescue dog has other ideas. Without fail, Dory slips from the house whenever Elinor’s back is turned. And in Pine Hollow, calls about a dog herding cars on Main Street go straight to Levi. The quietly intense lawman broke Elinor’s heart once, and now she’s determined to move on, no matter how much she misses him. As the kid who barely graduated—and still struggles to hide his dyslexia—Levi always believed that Elinor was way out of his league. Even though he ended their engagement all those years ago, Elinor still takes Levi’s breath away whenever he sees her. But with a little help from a four-legged friend, Levi and Elinor may just get the second chance they deserve.”
Elinor’s dog Dory brings her and Levi together and is very funny to read about! This was entertaining enough, though I don’t think I’ll read any more from the series.
Title: Missing Sister
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow, 3/3/26
Source: PR for Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
As a new cop on the job, Penny sees a murdered man who she knows as someone who was part of what lead to her sister’s death in the past. Soon after, she finds his murderer, but she lets her go, believing they both want revenge on the same people.
“Born three minutes apart, Penny and Nix Albright grew up doing everything together, close as only twins can be. But when Nix dies in a tragic accident soon after college, she leaves behind a cryptic voicemail that has Penny guilt-ridden and desperate for justice. Five years later, Penny has found new purpose as a rookie cop. She’s working to fulfill Nix’s dream of making the world a safer place, but following that dream becomes a nightmare when she’s called to her first murder scene. When she sees the victim, she knows him instantly. It’s Danny Bowery—one of three men she’s long blamed for Nix’s death—splayed in a pool of blood outside a posh Atlanta shopping center, almost as if she’d wished it so. Stunned, Penny steps away to catch her breath and discovers a blonde in blood-drenched clothes gripping a box cutter. Before Penny can arrest her, the woman reveals that Bowery’s murder is part of a larger story that is far from over. A story about sisters. And with that, the killer disappears. Now, Penny will stop at nothing to pursue this dangerous woman and learn why she’s avenging Nix’s death. The deeper she dives into the mystery, the less clear it becomes who is hunting whom in this captivating page-turner of hidden motives and deadly consequences.”
I thought Penny was kind of clueless, jumping to a lot of conclusions and trusting the wrong people. This was a gritty book about siblings and revenge and will be a well-liked thriller by many.
Title: Mia in the Middle – Cupcakes and Camp
Author: Coco Simon
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Publisher: Simon Spotlight, 3/17/26
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Mia in the Middle is a spinoff from the Cupcake Diaries series, which I have never read. I did feel like I was joining in the middle of a series, but this one is about Mia, who has to leave her friends at home and make new ones at sleepaway camp.
“Mia plans to spend the rest of her summer hanging out with her Cupcake Club friends and her fashionista friends in Manhattan. Who knows, maybe she’ll even be able to meet up with her crush, Aaron—the possibilities are endless. That is, until Mia’s mom tells her she’s going to sleepaway camp. Now, Mia has to spend the rest of her summer away from her friends, with no phone, and in an itchy uniform. The whole situation is enough to make even the most easy-going baker salty. Can Mia find a way to mix in some fun?”
Mia makes new friends by getting involved in activities at camp like art and swim team. She sends letters to her friends at home, which serve as end of chapter round ups. I found the dialogue to be a bit awkward in this, but I imagine young readers would enjoy the book, especially if they attend summer camp like Mia.
Title: How To Survive in the Woods
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Harper, 3/10/26
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars, Rounded up to 4
How To Survive in the Woods by Kat Rosenfield was a creepy, somewhat confusing, double crossing survival thriller set on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Emma’s husband is abusive, though she knew that when she got involved with him and for some reason wanted the control he held over her, until she met his ex Taylor and they decide on a plan.
“Raised by a doomsday prepper and hardened by the startup world, Emma Sharp has learned how to endure—especially in her marriage to Logan Grant, a charismatic tyrant who keeps her under tight control. To Emma, her marriage is a cage: it keeps you in, but it also keeps you safe. Until it doesn’t. When Emma forms an unexpected bond with Logan’s former girlfriend, the two women form a plan to help Emma take her life back. Destination: the punishing final stretch of the Appalachian Trail known as the Hundred Mile Wilderness. After all, bad things happen in the woods all the time. As the three venture deeper into Maine’s backcountry, desire and dread curdle into something unpredictable, dark, and deadly. Someone is lying. Someone is watching. And in the remote heart of the forest, someone is about to be lost . . . or found.”
I found this to be a bit slow and the omniscient narrator was strange for me. I also hated all three characters and didn’t know which one I was supposed to care about – if any! I generally like a survival story and wished there was more about actually surviving in the woods in this one.
Title: The Summer We Forgot
Author: Caroline George
Genre: YA Thriller
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 3/8/22
Source: BookSparks – Print, Library – Audio
Why I Read It: Backlist
My Rating: 3 Stars
This YA thriller from my 26 in ’26 list takes place along highway 30A in Florida. It is about a friend group who were counselors at a camp with their science teacher two years ago, but for some reason, they can’t remember anything about it. When the teacher is found dead, the group reunites to try to remember what happened that summer.
“Darby and Morgan haven’t spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers . . . and even fewer memories. No one remembers—or no one is talking. The group of reunited friends suspects that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they are desperate to recover their memories as quickly as possible . . . before their history they can’t remember repeats itself. Everyone has a secret. As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another . . . or if they can even trust themselves.”
I thought the characters in this book were immature for high schoolers and the book was too slow and too long so that I wasn’t even sure what was going on by the end. While the set up is interesting, this wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
This post includes eight of the books I read this month. Six were print books and two were audio. Four of these were adult books, two were YA, and two were Middle Grade. Genres included rom com, graphic novel, contemporary, and thriller.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?
