Looking Back: March Reading & Writing

I hit a bit of a reading slump at the beginning of March (and definitely a blogging slump), but some excellent reads towards the end of the month have picked things back up for me. Some of the best books I read in March:

The Bullet, by Mary Louise Kelly: Ok, I read this in February, but it published in March (which absolutely counts). This is a fast-paced, unexpected novel of suspense centered on the very odd but entirely believable premise of a woman who discovers that she has a bullet in her neck--and that it has been there for almost her entire life.

Sex Criminals, Vol 1, by Matt Fraction: I'd heard so many good things about this from the folks over at Book Riot and Hey Panels, and I finally scored a copy at the local used bookstore in town. Oh my god, you guys. Smart, sexy, and fun. I need to get my hands on Volume 2.

Saga, Vol 4, by Brian K. Vaughan: Continuing the unsurprising trend of loving Vaughan's work (and Fiona Staples' illustrations), and falling more and more in love with graphic novels by the day.

Half of a Yellow Sun, by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie: I've had Americanah on my shelf for over a year, but picked this up for a (new-to-me) book club at Curious Iguana here in town. Adichie is one hell of a writer, and I learned so much from this book that I really can't say enough good things. Americanah is now even higher on my already overwhelmingly long list.

Just Like Us, by Helen Thorpe: Thorpe's account of four Mexican girls growing up in the United States (two with legal status and two without) is long but easy to read, and though she wrote the book in 2009, the subject is just as relevant today.

The Summer Prince, by Alaya Dawn Johnson: The first book in my Paperback to the Future subscription, and something I'd never heard of in a genre (YA fantasy) I rarely read. It took me some time to get into Johnson's worldbuilding, but once I was there, I was hooked.

I read a lot of other books in March, but almost all of them were April galleys, so stay tuned for thoughts on these in the coming weeks, all of which I enjoyed for very different reasons: The Fishermen, by Chogozie Obioma; Under the Bus, by Caroline Frederickson; One Nation Under God, by Kevin Kruse; Orhan's Inheritance, by Aline Ohanesian; and Inside the O'Briens, by Lisa Genova.

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So far this year, I've read:

• 9 books for the Book Riot Read Harder challenge (including two in-progress reads)
• 2 books for my 2015 TBR Challenge
• Not a single book written before 1900 (and only 3 published before 2000)

Of the 40 books I've picked up so far this year:

• I've finished 28; 4 are DNFs and the rest are still in-progress in some capacity
• 25% are authored by non-US authors
• 25% are authored by non-white authors
• 57% have been by female authors

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Other March activity (here and elsewhere):

• I redesigned the blog! If you're reading on a feed reader or in email, pop over to the homepage and take a look. Accepting any and all feedback, of course.
• Beth of Bookworm Meets Bookworm is back in the book blogging world (not that she really ever truly left)
• The Socratic Salon launched as a site dedicated to spoiler-full discussion of books we've already read; the first pick was Hausfrau, which of course I haven't read yet, but I plan to join in on discussions of books I do pick up. Next up is Girl on a Train, then We Should All Be Feminists, and then Our Endless Numbered Days. Damn awesome site concept, and damn awesome book picks.
• I saw authors Maureen Corrigan (So We Read On) and Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, State of Wonder) in conversation for a Frederick Reads event and have listed out the books they recommended that night. Who doesn't want book recs from two smart, literate ladies?
• Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness talked about three things (apps and habits) that help her get things done. In the spirit of my new GTD life, I love all of this (and I can't wait to read David Allen's new, updated edition of Getting Things Done).
• I'm loving The Blacklist on NBC, and compiled a Spotify playlist of music from the show (because the show sports some fine music). 

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What were the best things you read in March?