Currently Coveting {March}

Spring is coming, spring is coming!

(Now if we all say it together, it might really be true.)

The uptick in our temperature recently has me longing for the days when it'll be warm enough to tuck a book into my beach bag and indulge in a few hours of peaceful reading by the waves. For now, I'll just keep daydreaming.

As you know, I've been trying to read more of the books I own rather than buy new books this year. So far I've been very successful -- no books purchased yet! -- and between the local library and my own personal stash, I feel rather stocked up with books to read. Below you'll find a few of the books that I have on my list for this month.

The Accidental Empress (Sisi #1) by Alison Pataki // This is an author that I've been meaning to read for some time, and I recently read this historical fiction novel featuring the famous Empress, Sisi of Austria (review to come next week). Since then, I've been interested in reading more about the Habsburgs, and I think this is just the place to start! It has mixed reviews on Goodreads, but you can't always judge a book by others' opinions, can you?

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler // I came across this in my Goodreads recommendations and have it on hold at the local library. There's a talking cat, a forbidden library (obviously), and a whole bunch of mystery. I've gotten out of the habit of reading middle grade fiction recently, so one of my goals in March is to read at least one book that I can (hopefully) recommend to my students!

The Fossil Hunter by Shelley Emling // I'm currently working on a rocks and minerals unit for my fourth graders, and delving into geology has me eager to learn more about Mary Anning, the woman who discovered the first dinosaur skeleton at the age of twelve. She went on to become a famous fossil hunter and the inspiration behind the tongue-twister "She sells sea shells by the sea shore." I love reading about women in history and though this is more modern than my usual picks, I am so looking forward to picking it up. 

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert // This has been on my virtual to-read shelf for quite a while, so I'm hoping to finally pick it up this month. Eat, Pray, Love is one of those books I go back to every few years, and I'm hoping Gilbert's talent for rich description comes alive in this historical fiction book as well.

Island of the Lost by Joan Druett // Another non-fiction pick, this time centering on two shipwrecks in the middle of the Southern Ocean and how the crews fought for survival -- one by banding together under incredible circumstances and one by falling apart into barbarism. This reminds me of one of my favorite non-fiction books, and since I'm always up for a tale of shipwreck & survival, I'll be adding this to my library list. 

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What are you looking forward to reading this month?

Happy Reading!

-Madeleine-