The March Birthday Blog

Schedule e-Gift Cards and peruse the month's best gift books

Got any March-born friends and family to celebrate this month? Treat your loved ones to a bookish birthday! Choose something special for your March mates, from our roundup of some of the hottest titles of the moment, like the new Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. (It may be categorized as a YA title, but there are plenty of adults—like us—who can't wait to get their hands on a copy.)

New March e-Gift Card design!

If you'd prefer to go with ThriftBooks e-Gift Cards for your loved ones, we offer lots of fun designs you can choose from, including our new month-specific birthday e-gift cards to be delivered whenever you want. Purchase now and schedule for delivery on your recipient's special day. The process is quick and easy. This is a great way to get all your monthly birthday shopping done in one fell swoop!

This month's best gifting books

Here are some of the reads that are currently getting rave reviews from a range of readers.

Fiction finds

• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros—Book three in the blockbuster Empyrean series finds Violet braving foreign territory in search of allies.
• Bonded in Death by D. Robb—Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates a particularly perplexing murder in the 60th book of the In Death series.
• The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune—This supernatural road-trip thriller features an extraordinary young girl and her unlikely protectors.
• The Wedding People by Allison Espach—A woman who's hit rock bottom forms an unexpected bond.
• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon—In Maine, 1789, a midwife gets caught up in an intriguing mystery. Inspired by a true story.

Nonfiction gems

• Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates—The philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft shares his origin story.
• Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations by Alton Brown—The Peabody Award- and James Beard Award-winning chef and TV host chronicles his career.
• King: A Life by Jonathan Eig—This Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of the civil rights icon shares new details and reflections from his extraordinary life.
• On the Hippie Trail: From Istanbul to Kathmandu by Rick Steves—The travel writer and TV host recounts his 1978 journey on the legendary "Hippie Trail."
• Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks—A heartrending, lush memoir of sudden loss and a journey towards peace, from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Winsome picture books

• The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin—A beautiful celebration of a child's possibilities. (Ages 3–7)
• The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen—Swim along with the Pout-Pout Fish as he learns to turn his frown upside-down. (Ages 4 and under)
• Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase by James Dean and Kimberly Dean—Pete the Cat discovers how lucky he really is in this St. Patrick's Day adventure. (Ages 4–8)
• Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae—Gerald the giraffe longs to dance but his knees seem to buckle whenever he tries to twirl. (Ages 4–8)
• Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman—Beautiful illustrations by Kelly Murphy accompany this original folktale perfect for St. Patrick's Day. (Ages 4–8)

Middle-grade faves

• Priceless Facts About Money by Mellody Hobson—This fun book demystifies money for kids with a look at some weird and wild facts about what makes the world go round. (Ages 8–12)
• Heroes by Alan Gratz—Best friends Frank and Stanley fight for their lives, their dreams, and their friendship amidst the Pearl Harbor attack. (Ages 8–12)
• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison—Learn about 40 African-American women who made a difference. There's also an edition focused on celebrated African-American men. (Ages 8–12)
• The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs—Over 100 kid-tested recipes from America's Test Kitchen. (Ages 8 and up)
• All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson—A teenage girl named Sage copes with the death of her best friend. (Ages 10–14)

YA winners

• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins—In the new Hunger Games prequel, learn the backstory for fan favorite Haymitch. (Ages 12 and up)
• The Party by Natasha Preston—Bessie and her closest friends gather at a remote English castle for a secret spring break party that takes a lethal turn. (Ages 12 and up)
• All Better Now by Neal Shusterman—In this dystopia, happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure. (Ages 12 and up)
• Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli—Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love. (Ages 13 and up)
• The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith—In this Victorian-inspired romantasy, a young woman enters a high-stakes competition to win the hand of the prince. (Ages 13 and up)

Culinary treats

• Keep it Simple, Y'all by Matthew Bounds—60 quick and tasty recipes for hassle-free meals from the viral creator of Your Barefoot Neighbor.
• Mostly Plants by The Pollan Family—101 delicious flexitarian recipes that can be adapted to almost all dietary needs.
• Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa—Begin your sourdough journey with this bestselling guide, plus 60 unique recipes.
• From Crook to Cook by Snoop Dogg—Soul food done right! These recipes are Tha Boss Dogg's personal hits, straight outta his kitchen.
• Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten—The Barefoot Contessa presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey.

Deluxe special editions

• Our Infinite Fates: Deluxe Limited Edition by Laura Steven—The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story. Get this gorgeous first-run edition while supplies last.
• The River Has Roots: Special Hardcover Edition by Amal El-Mohtar—A beguiling fantasy about two magical sisters who cannot be separated, even in death. Beautiful interior illustrations and a foil case stamp.
• Tea You at the Altar: Deluxe Edition by Rebecca Thorne—The Princess Bride meets Bookshops & Bonedust in the third book in this lesbian pirate cozy adventure series. Gorgeous sprayed edges and a bonus short story in the deluxe edition.
• Deep End: Special First Edition by Ali Hazelwood—As the pressure leading up to the Olympics builds, so do the feelings athletes Lukas and Scarlett have for each other. Stenciled edges and gorgeous cover art!
• Watch Me: Deluxe Edition by Tahereh Mafi—Lose yourself in the breathtaking custom deluxe edition of this exhilarating return to the Shatter Me

Famous authors born in March

This month produced some of history's most celebrated literary luminaries. Here are some of these distinguished authors along with one of their highly rated titles.

• Ralph Ellison, March 1, 1914—Invisible Man
• Seuss (Theodor Geisel), March 2, 1904—Horton Hears a Who
• Tom Wolfe, March 2, 1930—The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
• John Irving, March 2, 1942—Cider House Rules
• Patricia MacLachlan, March 3, 1938—Sarah Plain and Tall
• Elizabeth Barrett Browning, March 6, 1806—Aurora Leigh
• Gabriel García Márquez, March 6, 1928—One Hundred Years of Solitude
• Douglas Adams, March 11, 1952—The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• Jack Kerouac, March 12, 1922—The Dharma Bums
• Edward Albee, March 12, 1928—Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• John Updike, March 18, 1932—Rabbit, Run
• Philip Roth, March 19, 1933—American Pastoral
• Ovid, March 20, 43 BC—The Metamorphosis
• Henrik Ibsen, March 20, 1828—A Doll's House
• Lois Lowry, March 20, 1937—The Giver
• Louis L'Amour, March 22, 1908—Sackett's Land
• Flannery O'Connor, March 25, 1925—A Good Man is Hard to Find
• Robert Frost, March 26, 1874—Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
• Tennessee Williams, March 26, 1911—A Streetcar Named Desire
• Erica Jong, March 26, 1942—Fear of Flying

Happy, happy birthday to all the March babies! Whether you're celebrating a loved one or yourself, we hope you can find something perfect here at ThriftBooks to bookify your special day!

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon