What I Read In March 🍃 | The Book Castle | 2025

🕯️ BOOKS MENTIONED 🕯️
The Will of the Many by James Islington
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
A Spoonful of Murder by J. M. Hall
Matrix by Lauren Groff
The League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin

🦉 IF YOU WANT TO GET YOURSELF A BOOK... 🦉 (AFFILIATE LINKS)

🍂 WHERE TO FIND ME 🍂

⚔️ MYTHOLOGIE CANDLES ⚔️

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS 🕰️
00:00 Intro
00:32 The Will of the Many
07:29 Intermezzo
12:42 The Hollow Places
17:04 Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
19:20 A Spoonful of Murder
21:41 Matrix
24:07 The League of Lady Poisoners
26:31 Outro

🌙 ABOUT ME 🌙
Hi! My name is Alice and I love books! I read just about everything from classics to contemporary fiction, adventures to mysteries, fantasy to all kinds of non-fiction - and I love reviewing and recommending books, and just generally having a chat about literature. I also adore baking, hot chocolate, crafts and basically everything cosy, soft and peaceful. I currently live in Oslo, Norway.

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This video is not sponsored. Links to Waterstones, Taschen & Mythologie Candles are affiliate links.

[Naraya]

I have some poison book recommendations for you:

- The Poisoner's Handbook / Deborah Blum (and basically all her books)
- Poison / Ben Hubbard
- A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie / Kathryn Harkup
- A Taste for Poison / Neil Bradbury

And there's a podcast I think you would love. It's called "The Poisoner's Almanach" and the hosts Rebecca and Adam are just fantastic!

[astoldbykat]

I'm glad you enjoyed "Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop!" It was one of my favorite books in January. I lived in Korea for 5 years as a teacher, so some of the commentary from the book hit me based on interactions with coworkers and friends.

March was a pretty good month of reading; some of my favorites I read were "Network Effect" (#6 in the Murderbot diaries in publishing order), "Wisteria" by Adalynn Grace, "We Free the Stars" by Hafsah Faizal, and "Winter of the Witch" by Katherine Arden.

[wildandwitchyreads]

You've convinced me. I'm gonna pick up something by T. Kingfisher. You make her writing sound very intriguing.

[shastakendall]

Please don't give up on Lauren Groff! I have read all of her books. I love them all but my favorites are Florida and The Vaster Wilds (quite the character study for sure). Also, you've given me a reason to pick up Intermezzo again. I soft DNF'd it but I think I'll try it again. Thank you for such wonderful videos.

[artlesscalamity]

Kingfisher fan = instant sub.

It has been hard for me to set aside reading time, but here are two standouts for me lately:

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton - somber near-future climate survivalist dystopia. It's beautifully written but sad, so it depends on what mood you're going for. With everything in the world/country today, sad is my vibe.

Crypt of the Moon Spider by Nathan Ballingrud - weird sort of alt-historical horrorish sci-fi? Unique and hard to classify, but worth attention.

P.S.: cool hair.

[TLS-us]

You talk so beautifully about books- I could listen to you and listen😊 thank you so much for this video❤

[jennaotherwise]

Books about poisons - the first two being very good introductions:

Poison, Ben Hubbard
A Taste for Poison, Neil Bradbury
A Is For Arsenic, Chris Woodyard
A Is For Arsenic The Poisons of Agatha Christie, Kathryn Harkup
The Poisoner’s Handbook, Deborah Blum
The Secret Poisoner, Linda Stratman
The Royal Art of Poisons, Eleanor Herman
The Most Delicious Poison, Noah Whiteman

[nonisnest]

I’m glad to hear your review of Intermezzo as I was on the fence as to whether or not to read it. I’ve read The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Goff and really enjoyed it. I’m now going to be on the hunt for the lady poisoners book.

[AnnArcher-db]

I haven’t read Matrix, but highly recommend The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. Beautiful writing, and even though you could say not much happens, I still found it to be a page turner.

[ArtemisC.DAragon]

Thank you Alice!!! Great lectures! All gone to my never ending list, except Sally Rooney's that I've read and enjoyed already! 🤗📚🐨

[felina]

Hi Alice, I've got a recommendation for you - The Royal Art of Poison by Eleanor Herman. It's written in a very accessible way for a broad audience, it's not sciency or boring. I think you would like it a lot. It's full of curious information about all sorts of elixirs, potions and poisons, disgusting practices as well as the way some royalties died by poison and why and who wanted to get rid of them etc.. it's brilliant and a treasure in my book collection. Highly recommend it! 👌

[GabrielTheMagolorMain]

If you haven’t read 84 Charing Cross Road I highly recommend it. The audio is 3 hours and the audio is great. It’s about a woman in the US writing letters between her and a bookshop in London I believe in the 50s, it’s nonfiction and I smiled so much listening to it.

[deblawrence]

I like slow paced books too (sometimes). Every day is about rushing here and rushing there. It's nice to be able to relax in books like Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop. I'm totally going to check this one out! Have to get through Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell first. 🙃

[udishaverma]

I was intimidated by The will of the many too, didn't know if it was worth the read, but I guess I can pick it up now.

[katrina]

Love this! Totally agree about The Hollow Places! I’m in the middle of The Will of the Many and wanted to remark on your comment that the 17 year olds feel older. It’s fantasy but inspired by ancient Roman history in many ways. Keep in mind that aging is very very different today than it was at any other point in history. In many cultures in ancient times, 18 to 20 was considered middle age, no exaggeration. 9 to 13 was considered entering adulthood. So a 17 year old at that time would be like a 30 year old today, if not older. Just something to remind people about…anyway, thank you for this video! Very insightful.

[РоманПаляниця-кэ]

I am pleasantly surprised by how much you read in March!
I also try to read, but you read much more:)
You motivate me to continue reading. I have already started a new book - "King Lear" by Shakespeare. And I like this book from the very first pages, it is very relevant even now. It describes interpersonal relationships so skillfully.
I also try to read books by Ukrainian authors.
And this is despite what is happening around. Every day the Russian army attacks our city with the help of drones and missiles.
As for the situation in our city, you may already know...
At least all the leading media outlets reported on our city of Sumy. I also wrote about this to various bloggers: оn Monday, in the middle of the working day, at about 2 p.m., a Russian ballistic missile hit right in the middle of a residential area. I saw it from my office (my office is on the 7th floor). Smoke from fires filled the sky. It was a ballistic missile, it flies very fast, so the air raid alert was only given at the moment of impact. 100 civilians were injured, 24 of whom are in critical condition, including children. 56 buildings were destroyed.
Usually, information about the city of Sumy is hushed up or mentioned in passing, but in this case, even the president of Ukraine himself informed the entire country about this explosion.
I have written to you about similar cases before, but this particular case happened in the middle of the working day, before my eyes. And, most importantly, the air raid warning signal was not given in time.
Where the missile hit, there was very dense civilian buildings: a school, residential buildings, a hospital building.
I share this information so that people know what is really happening in the world, in the 21st century, on the doorstep of Europe.
Despite what's happening, we do not give up, we work here, try to play sports, and I also read.
I hope that people in Norway, as well as in other European countries, knowing what is happening in Ukraine, will take care of their security: they will introduce modern air defense systems, build bomb shelters for the population.
While there is time and opportunity, while Ukrainians are holding back the advance of evil from the east.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for another very informative and interesting video! I also especially thank you for your image, which I like so much!

[sandyokey]

The will of the many is high up on my want to read lists. And it just got higher😊

[cindystephens]

I read the League of Lady Poisoners this month too- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[chigangrel]

I need to finish Jacquelyn Benson's Tomb of the Sun King on audiobook, and then I'm starting The Will of the Many audiobook! I'm really looking forward to it, I've heard so many interesting things about this book, watched so many reviews and I STILL don't know quite what to expect, which is fascinating I think lol You're making me think I need to move The Hollow Places up on my list as well!

I'm so glad you enjoyed Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop!! I was so torn at first but gave it a 4 star, after listening to the audiobook (it's so chill and relaxing), but I realized I can't stop thinking of it. It was the first book I read this year and it's remained at the top of my brain, which makes me think I need to re-rate it a 5 star at this point lol. It made me rewatch You've Got Mail, because it reminded me a lot of the first half, minus the romance. Like it's following Kathleen in her day-to-day bookshop life. I really, really enjoyed it in a relaxing way and look forward to relistening to the audiobook as well - I super recommend checking it out, the narrator is excellent!

[cecethompson]

I love your Sunday morning videos! You always have interesting book reviews.