[Paperbackstash]

March has been my strongest reading month for years. I had a lot of time off and was trying to complete a long-term challenge on Goodreads that was set to end in March on a challenge group.

March Total Read - Variety of novels and a few short stories - 21 are free reads or subscription services, 16 purchased sources

In March I read 6,541 pages, 37 books

March Source Breakdown
13 Kindle Unlimited, 3 Scribd, 1 Library

Year-to-Date Source Breakdown Stats
Total Read 90
Pages: 23,174
ARC: 2/10
Average Rating: 3.5, Average Dates to Read: 6.62
Books Read This Year Purchase Stats - 61% purchases not this year, 25% in January, 13.9% in February
Store Sources for Read, Purchased books: Amazon 66.7%; Audible 4.4%; Library Sale 2.2%; Mob 5.6%; Scribd 7.8%; Used Bookstore 8.9%
Publishing - 48.9% Indie, 6% Small Publisher, Other 5%; 22% Large Publishers

March Format Stats - Goals met for Rental Goals (Both) - Also checked audio from library for first time (Hoopla)
E-Book - 23, Paperback - 8, Hardcover - 1, Audio - 7

Diversity Stats
March Author Gender: Female 26, Male 12, Both 1 (Yearly Female 76.7%; Male 21.1%; Both 2.2%)
March Protagonist Gender: Female 15, Male 13, Ensemble 11 (Yearly Female 48.3%; Male 32.6%; Ensemble 19.1%)

Year to Date Diversity - None 57.8%; Disability 10%; Combo 3%; LGBTQIA 20%; Foreign 1.1%; Race 6.7%

-- In March, contributed to LGBT and Race Diversity primarily, 1 Disability

Year to Date Country Settings - United States 65.5%; Scotland 2.3%; Unknown 2.3%; United Kingdom 20.7%; Germany 2.3%; Turkey 1.1%

--- In March, as is usual, main country is United States. Also read a mystery set in Ireland, a Harlequin Romance set in Spain, horror and mystery in United Kingdom, a romance in Fantasy setting (no country), and a mystery Murder On the Orient Express in Turkey

General Settings
Contemporary - 77; Historical - 5; Retro - 7; Future - 0 --- In March, added to these year to date numbers with 2 retro and one historical
Adult: 95%; Young Adult: 1.3%; Middle Grade: 2.5%; Children: 1.3% --- In March, all adult except 1 Kids, and 1 YA


I'm happy with my goals for Author Specific:
Continue Agatha Christie Project (No Set Number)
Finished Thirteen at Dinner and Murder on the Orient Express
Read More Dean Koontz (1/3)
Finished In the Heart of the Fire Novella
Read Mario Puzo (Minimum 1)
Completed The Godfather Re-read
Continue Perry Mason Goals - 6/8
In March finished The Case of the Substitute Face and The Case of the Borrowed Brunette
Read at least 1 Harlan Coben for the year to see if need to read more of author-
Completed --- Finished The Woods

Other Goals:
Finished 1 Ebook Anthology - Goal update 2/6
Finished 1 Harlequin for Goal - 2/15

Money Spent

I spent less money in March. I purchased 2 physical books, not yet read, Later by Stephen King (Amazon) and Color by Numbers (Thriftbooks)

Total for bought e-books and physical is 45.86, $18.98 for monthly services fee


The Books:

This month is mainly about the mysteries and several series.

I have fallen in love with the White House Mysteries series by Julie Hyzy and read the first five of the series. The book set in Ireland, Murder in G Major, is a good start to the series and I plan to continue reading the series in April. My monthly book club meeting (Physical) was for Escape from Happydale (Horror). I re-read a few horror - The Exorcist audiobook based on recommendations, through Scribd, well done audio. I listened to the audio of Murder on the ORient Express as a re-read as well on Hoopla. For Kids horror, I did the Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine re-read on Scribd.

I read a few older stuff --- The Case of Jennie Brice is a classic mystery, two short stories by M.R. James (both narrated by David Suchett - Oh, Whistle, and I'll come to you Lad, and Casting the Runes). I finally did the Kindle Original Series Shorts for Dean Koontz, In the Heart of the Fire, there are four left. I completed one anthology, Worst Laid Plans.

I gave up on the m/m romance cop series by Josh Lanyon with the third book in the series, Blood Heat. I love most of her books, but not this series. I did read more of this author this month, Mystery at the Masquerade as the third book, released in 2021, was enjoyable, and the standalone A Ghost of a Chance was well done as usual, and re-read The Mermaid Murders (another favorite series from this author). Other romance reads --- m/m re-read My Boss is a Grumpy Werewolf, Captive Mate m/m second in a series by a new favorite author, Deven and the Dragon (5 star beauty and the beast type retelling, m/m, dragons, excellent book!), a harlequin Deep Harbour by Sally Cook, Unicorn Mates - a short erotica for a challenge goal (awful),

Highlights was also my re-read of The Godfather, with my new physical edition as a birthday present from my best friend. Proof of Love was a great Audible Short, but the ending was frustrating and cut off - was only about a 40 min listen. My first read of Harlan Coben went well with the Woods, and I'm going to check out the show next. Finished the second from Death in Demand series, Design for Murder, 3 stars. Have more physical books to read of this series and it's cute, but not addicting. Was not impressed with the first of Black Dog series by Hailey Edwards, but will try the next book. I enjoyed both Erle Stanley Gardner reads with the Perry Mason goals very much --- especially The Case of the Substitute Face. Definitely one of my top favorite mystery authors and authors in general.