march in review

Hey! You’re here. Thank you!

My friend and fellow Broadside bookseller, Brenna, made this sign for the store this month and I’ve been thinking about it everyday.

We are getting there, friends, we really are. I don’t know where there is exactly but I know there is goodness behind and ahead of us, and however yesterday felt there is probably more to the story tomorrow.

Anyhow, speaking of yesterday, here is a little round up of what I was reading and loving in March.

Favorite Read(s)

Okay I’m a big cheater!!! These are the four books I’ve read so far in March and instead of picking one favorite, I am going to tell you briefly about all of them. It’s my newsletter so I make the rules!!

These books are each so singular and impactful in their own distinct way, I simply couldn’t pit them against one another. I’m proud of the vast territory I covered this month in my reading life.

So far 2025 has been a slower reading year for me and part of me feels sad about that, but I am trying to have just a smidge of grace for myself. In the bookseller, bookish internet space there is sometimes a pressure to read as many books as possible (admittedly sometimes this pressure is self-imposed). This year I am trying to focus on quality over quantity, and just really digging into the books I am reading. I think I achieved that goal with these four books.

Challenger by Adam Higginbotham // If you know me you know this is not the kind of book I generally reach for. If you know me you also know I listen to

Traci Thomas

point blank period. When she tells me to read a book, I do. And that’s the story of how I found myself deeply obsessed with and immersed in this 500+ page brilliant chunker about the Challenger explosion. The research and storytelling here is top notch. I was gripped from start to finish.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El-Akkad // I wrote about this book in depth here. Last week, Omar was a guest on my north star podcast, The Stacks - a brilliant conversation that’s worth your time. I also got to hear Omar read in person, hosted by the wonderful Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. After listening to both these conversations I am all the more convinced that this is going to be a book of the year at the very least. I think you should read it.

Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones // I wrote about this one last week and I can’t wait for this lovely, generous, wise memoir in essays to hit the shelves on April 22nd.

Stag Dance by Torrey Peters // This quartet of three short stories and a novella is like nothing I have ever read before. The New York Times said that, “reading a great Torrey Peters story is like punching yourself in the face,” and I don’t know how to explain that this is exactly right and a deep compliment. Torrey Peters is officially one of my favorite writers working today (she was on the stacks this month, too!), and it was an absolute thrill to watch her play and let loose on the page. I think it’s best to go into these stories without knowing much except you are in for some surprises.

In addition to deeply influencing my reading life this month (and every month let’s be honest),

Traci Thomas

gifted me the influencer book merch of the moment - The Stag Dance hat!! As per usual, Yaya stole the spotlight.

One Bright Glimmer

What is a glimmer?

Just looking at this photo lowers my blood pressure.

Book I’m Looking Forward To

When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris // Due out April 15th

I am so looking forward to reading this debut novel by Denne Michele Norris, a podcaster and editor I have long followed and admired. Here is the publisher’s summary:

“I got tired of running away from what I should’ve been running toward.”

The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis, to be touched by any man, let alone a white man. He did not raise his son to whisper that man’s name with tenderness.

But on the eve of his wedding, all Davis can think about is how beautiful he wants to look when he meets his beloved Everett at the altar. Never mind that his mother, who died decades before, and his father, whose anger drove Davis to flee their home in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for a freer life in New York City, won’t be there to walk him down the aisle. All Davis needs to be happy in this life is Everett, his new family, and his burgeoning career as an acclaimed violist.

When Davis learns during the wedding reception that his father has been in a terrible car accident, years of childhood trauma and unspoken emotion resurface. Davis must revisit everything that went wrong between them, risking his fledgling marriage along the way.

In resplendent prose, Denne Michele Norris’s When the Harvest Comes reveals the pain of inheritance and the heroic power of love, reminding us that, in the end, we are more than the men who came before us.

How good does that sound?? I can’t wait. My reading life in March was rich in non-fiction and I’m not mad about it, but I am ready to dive into fiction (and poetry!) in April.

Biggest Surprise

Rebecca found some snowdrops in the yard and put them in this little vase by the window. It’s not really a surprise because she does things like this all the time.

And yet, I am surprised. Surprised by the delight it brings me to stand at the sink and see these little blooms. Surprised by her attention and care, by my great fortune to share a home and a life with her.

I hope I keep being surprised.

Don’t forget to tell me your reads, your glimmers, your surprises in the comments below.

I love you.

I’m glad you’re here.

Love,

Rosamond