I did really well with my priority reads on my February 2026 TBR. I hope to keep that trend going for my March 2026 TBR. My March 2026 TBR is a bit more ambitious because I’d really like to get some ARCs off my plate so I can have more of a choose my own adventure in the spring. Unless someone emails me a very tempting NetGalley widget, I don’t think I’ll go ARC hunting on my own for a couple months.
In fact, I’ve been going back on forth about taking a hiatus from my blog for a month or so. I don’t think I will, but I might not bother with WWW Wednesday posts this month just so there’s one less thing on my to do list. Lately I’ve been going through a lot of mental gymnastics and highs/lows due to circumstances out of my control. And maybe taking a step back from the parts of my hobby that feel kind of like a chore will help me feel more calm. (That and maybe I should just avoid the news altogether. :-()
Anyway, enough of that! Here’s my March 2026 TBR. Some of it is backlist reads and some is ARCs.
Priority Reads
LONG LIVE EVIL by Sarah Rees Brennan: I started this back in January, but paused it after not being in the mood. But this time around I’m going to buddy read it with Caitlin, so I hope that keeps me motivated. The side goal is to see if I like it enough to want to order the special edition sequel from Fairyloot.
PARABLE OF THE SOWER by Octavia Butler: This is always mentioned in the SFF bookstagram space. So I think it’s time to read it, especially since I have it sitting in my house from the library.
THE DARK LORD’S GUIDE TO DATING by Tiffany Hunt: I’m late with even starting this ARC, which hits stores on March 3 in the U.S. But this looks like fun…and hopefully I like it more than ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAIN, which is a comp in the synopsis. “A conflicted villain and his unstoppable bride form the realm’s most chaotic alliance in this riotously funny dark romantasy perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, but darker and spicier.“
THE STARS TOO FONDLY by Emily Hamilton: I’m trying to incorporate more LGBTQ+/queer books into my reading, so I looked at my indie bookstore’s Queer Lit book club schedule and this is March’s pick. I already bought a used copy on Pangobooks, so I’m ready to go. Now to fit it in between a buddy read and everything else! “In her breathtaking debut—part space odyssey, part sapphic rom-com—Emily Hamilton weaves a suspenseful, charming, and irresistibly joyous tale of fierce friendship, improbable love, and wonder as vast as the universe itself.“
TWO CAN PLAY by Ali Hazelwood: This is an audiobook I already have lined up from the library. So there’s a high chance I’ll finish this novella this month. “An enemies-to-lovers spicy novella set in the world of video gaming from the New York Times bestselling author of Problematic Summer Romance—now in print and ebook!“
Hopeful Reads
THE GEOMAGICIAN by Jennifer Mandula: This is another March ARC, but it comes out on the very last day of the month. “When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.“
THE DEMONIC INVENTIONS OF AURELIE BLAKE by Mara Rutherford: I’m reaching for my only April ARC here in the hopes I can catapult ahead a little bit and give myself some breathing space. I don’t reach for a lot of YA anything these days. But the synopsis for this one looked too good to pass up, and it looks like it might be more upper YA, which is usually more enjoyable for me to read. “In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation–art, music, engineering–conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.”
THORN SEASON by Kiera Azar: I received a free, finished copy from the publisher of this book maybe a month ago now, though this book was published in September 2025. It’s rare (for me), but really nice when I receive a finished copy. So I’d like to read this sooner rather than later since I appreciate the outreach. It looks like the deluxe edition is still available, too. The author is also an actress from the Netflix adaptation of Shadow and Bone. “Shadow and Bone meets The Selection in this first book in Kiera Azar’s sharp, sexy, and twisty debut YA romantasy trilogy!“
And that’s my March 2026 TBR! Have you read any of these, or are any of these books on your TBR?
I like your well rounded TBR, it seems good for mood reading. I will also be reading The Geomagician, and wow, I love the cover for Thorn Season! Good luck 😁
Thanks!! I like my TBR, too, but I’m definitely ambitious with it, lol!!
I hope you’re okay given what you said in your introduction. Sometimes it’s tricky finding the balance that works for you blog wise – I definitely have a tendency to try and do too much 🙈
I’ll be interested in hearing what you think of your TBR options, there are a few Im already curious about and a couple that are completely new to me. Plus we have a title in common via your hopefuls- The Geomagician, just got my acceptance through this morning 😍
I hope you have a lovely month ❤️
Thanks, Charlotte, that’s very sweet of you. I’m ok all things considered. It’s mostly personal life stuff that’s out of my control, though the doom of the news doesn’t help, either. I want to stay informed, but it’s really taxing on mine and others’ mental health.
I finished TWO CAN PLAY last night and it was fun, as far as Ali Hazelwood goes. I didn’t think it was anything amazing, but it was a good time. And PARABLE OF THE SOWER was a bit of a let down for me (thoughts on my IG). Congrats on getting your approval for THE GEOMAGICIAN!
Im glad you’re okay overall and hope the personal life stresses improve soon. The news is definitely a constant downer lately. I totally get what you mean about wanting to stay informed too though.
I’m glad you enjoyed Two Can Play but am sorry to hear avout Parable Of The Sower. I’ll check out your post about it when I go back on Instagram later on today 😊 and thank you, very excited to check it out soon.
I hope you’re feeling okay. I undertsand what you say and burnout can affect a lot of other aspects of your life, so if you feel like you need to take a break, do so! We will be here when you get back❤️ I think sometimes we do need a break, and maybe if you feel bad about it, try it for a couple of weeks first, to see if it helps you, you could always prolongue it, or have shorter breaks but more often.
Thanks, Anna! Most of my burn out is coming from personal stuff, though the news doesn’t help. I do like blogging, etc., but it does take time, as hobbies do! I’ve never been super strict about my posting schedule here, but I think I’ll be even more lax this month.
So sorry to hear that, Celest, but now even more reason to take that much-needed break! I am hoping to not see as many posts from you these upcoming days, that would mean you’re actually taking time for yourself.
I hope your little break helps you heal and that you have someone to talk to if you need❤️ Take care!
I hope you take a break if you feel you need it! I’m excited to see what you think of The Parable of the Sower… although maybe not the best choice if you’re feeling overwhelmed by world events? It’s an excellent book, but very heavy and difficult at times.
Thanks, Lisa! PARABLE OF THE SOWER was a bit of a let down for me. I don’t know if you’re on bookstagram (?), but my thoughts are over there (@alitescape). The TLDR is the philosophizing of religion blindsided me when the synopsis didn’t really indicate that’d be a main theme of the book. I wanted more from it, like why the world was the way it was.
I am excited for the Geomagician!
Me too!
I think taking a step back from what’s not bringing you joy is a good idea (including stepping away from the news, even though that might be hard to do)! Sending hugs 🫂 I hope you have a brilliant reading month though. The Geomagician looks great and I’m keen to see what you think of The Stars Too Fondly—it’s on my Kindle but I haven’t seen anyone talk about it. I read Two Can Play in Feb and it was a fun cute sexy little novella. I hope you enjoy the audiobook 🤭
The thing is I like blogging, but it can be so time consuming! I even like doing WWW Wednesday, but maybe having an even more lax posting “schedule” will be nice this month. Probably good for me since I have such an ambitious TBR right now!
I get it. The news is constantly heartbreaking and it is so hard to dissociate like I used to. I’m struggling with reading this past week and other things. I’m always behind and I’m wondering if I should take a good hiatus from the blog too. Who knows! If you feel like you need it, you should do it. Sometimes it helps a lot after taking some time off. Just know, you are not alone. There are may of us feeling the same about things. <3
Yea, it’s hard to dissociate, particularly because things are so much more dire now…or, those dire things are out in the open, for better or worse. It’s also personal stuff for me that’s out of my control…the news doesn’t help, that’s for sure! So, I’m sorry you’re also feeling similarly. 🙁
Personal stuff… ugh.. it’s been a tough two years for that too and maybe that’s why the world feels so much dire now?? Going from a huge family to being isolated is quite something. I really hope things get better for you! <3
I need to read, “Long Live Evil,” A.S.A.P., too!
I hope you like it when you read it. I’m not sure what to think about it yet!
I’m excited to read The Geomagician. So, I look forward to seeing your thoughts. I also totally get wanting to avoid the parts of hobbies that feel like a chore. I stopped doing WWW Wednesday posts on the blog a while ago for that very reason. Everything is pretty shitty right now, in general, and I don’t think anyone will blame you for only focusing on the things that bring you joy.
Thanks for the support, Chris! I like doing WWW Wednesday, but like every part of this reading hobby, it does suck up time. I’m not super strict about my posting schedule on here, but maybe eliminating that weekly meme will be a nice “let go” to give me some extra time.