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March came in like a lion and went out like a librarian buried under a to-be-read pile — which is to say, chaotic but bookish. Between the last gasps of winter weather and the slow creep of spring, I managed to squeeze in five reads this month, and what a range it was. Direwolves, fae kingdoms, hockey players, and a webtoon adaptation all made their way onto my reading stack. Not bad for a month that also tried its best to keep me busy! Here’s everything that made it onto this month’s Checkout Counter!

Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen

Star Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis: When Meryn Cooper’s little sister is kidnapped across the border by immortal enemies, she enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials — her only chance to get her back. Bound to a feral direwolf, surrounded by rivals who want her dead, and tormented by a cold and punishing instructor, survival is far from guaranteed. The crown prince’s attention offers an unlikely lifeline, but in a castle where every smile hides a knife, it only paints a bigger target on her back.

My Review: Dire Bound was an absolute blast to read — though I’ll be honest, if you’ve read Fourth Wing, you’ll notice some familiar bones pretty quickly. The setup feels very similar: a game-and-trials structure that culminates in a bonding, except here it’s a direwolf instead of a dragon. Even the relationship between Meryn and her direwolf has that same electric, hard-won dynamic that made Violet and Tairn so irresistible

And if that wasn’t enough déjà vu, I also picked up some serious ACOTAR energy in the two MMCs — a brooding dark-haired one and a golden-boy blonde who gave me major Rhys and Tamlin vibes. I am very curious to see how that particular tension plays out in book two!

Does it tread familiar ground? A little. But honestly, if you love Fourth Wing and ACOTAR — and let’s be real, who doesn’t — that’s not exactly a hardship. I really enjoyed this one and cannot wait for the sequel to drop in May!

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Star Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Brilliant but guarded faerie scholar Emily Wilde has spent her career uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones — including the biggest secret of all: her fellow scholar Wendell Bambleby is actually an exiled faerie king hiding from his murderous mother. When assassins invade Cambridge and upend Emily’s plans to map the faerie realms, she and Bambleby flee to the Austrian Alps in search of a door back to his world. But navigating dangerous Folk, new alliances, and her own complicated feelings for Bambleby may prove the greatest challenge of all.

My Review: Emily and Wendell are back, and honestly, I couldn’t have been happier to return to their world! This time the fae shenanigans take them to Austria, and the setting adds a lovely new layer to the cozy, charm-filled atmosphere that made Encyclopaedia of Fairies so easy to fall into. Fair warning though — this one has a bit more of an angsty edge to it, which I did not mind one bit.

Their relationship has grown in some really satisfying ways since we left them in book one. We get to see Emily learning more about Wendell’s kingdom — and what it would actually mean for her to live there as a human — and let’s just say it raises some very interesting questions. The push and pull between them is chef’s kiss.

If you loved the first book, I think you’ll find this one holds just as much charm, but with a little more adventure baked in. It also does a great job of setting the stage for what’s coming when Emily and Wendell finally make their way to the Otherlands — and now I am absolutely desperate to get my hands on the next one!

Under the Oak Tree, Volume 2 (The Novel) by Suji Kim

Star Rating: 3.75/5

Synopsis: As Lady Maximilian settles into her first spring in Anatol, she finds herself daring to hope — her magic is growing, her marriage to the stoic war hero Sir Riftan feels closer than ever, and for the first time, she believes she might be worthy of love. But peace is short-lived when Princess Agnes, the powerful sorceress who nearly became Riftan’s wife, arrives unexpectedly at Calypse Castle, bringing with her a tangle of complicated emotions and politics that threaten everything Maxi has only just begun to build.

My Review: I really wanted to love this one — and I didn’t not enjoy it, exactly, but I have to be honest with you: Under the Oak Tree, Volume 2 left me a little frustrated. Seeing Maxi continue her journey was genuinely great, and there were moments that reminded me why this story has such a devoted following. But the ratio of pages to actual plot felt way off to me — a whole lot of words doing the work that, in the original Korean Webtoon, a single panel handles effortlessly.

And that, I think, is the core issue. This is an adaptation of a visual medium, and sometimes the novel format just can’t replicate what pictures do so naturally. It started to feel a bit like reading a very detailed description of a movie instead of just watching it.

So here’s my honest librarian recommendation: if you’re curious about this story, seek out the Webtoon first — or hold out for the printed graphic novels. If you’re already a die-hard fan and need every version, go for it, but just temper your expectations a little.

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

Star Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis: Princess Odessa has spent her life kneeling — to the gods, to her father, to a role that never included ruling or fighting. But when a legendary monster hunter arrives and a prince’s actions force her into an ancient blood treaty, everything changes. Now bound to a future she didn’t choose, Odessa must cross dangerous lands alongside a warrior who despises her, expected by everyone to be a queen, a spy, or a sacrifice. But with every step, she begins to wonder what might happen if she stopped playing the role assigned to her and finally reached for her own power.

My Review: I honestly don’t know what took me so long to pick this one up — but better late than never, right? I suspect part of it was me waiting for the second book in the series to come out before committing, and now that it’s here, I am already deep into the audiobook (which, by the way, I highly recommend as a way to experience this series).

The romance between Odessa and the Guardian is the kind that just gets under your skin — so much longing, so much tension. It’s not quite the slow burn that some readers might be hoping for, but honestly? I didn’t miss it. The chemistry does the heavy lifting just fine.

As for the plot twists — I’ll admit, most of them I saw coming. But here’s the thing: predictable doesn’t always mean unsatisfying, and the final twist? That one had me immediately reaching for the next book. I genuinely needed to know what happened next, and that’s really the highest compliment I can give a series.

Scoring the Princess: A Hockey Romance by Siena Trap

Star Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Hockey superstar Jaxon has never wanted for anything — except the one woman he can’t have: Natalie Remington, a princess already married to a prince. He tries to forget her, until the day she shows up on his doorstep and changes everything. Now she’s finally within reach, and Jaxon is determined to show her what real love looks like — even as the shadow of her toxic ex-husband looms large. He’s scored plenty of goals in his career, but winning Natalie’s heart will be his greatest accomplishment yet.

My Review: Well, I finally did it — I jumped on the hockey romance train! And while it wasn’t Heated Rivalry (a tough act to follow, let’s be honest), Scoring the Princess was such a delightful ride that I have zero regrets about the detour.

Natalie and Jaxon have the sweetest romance — and it’s one of those “he falls first and harder” situations, which I am an absolute sucker for. There is just something about a man who is completely, utterly, wonderfully obsessed with someone in the best possible way. Does that type of man exist in real life? Probably not. Do I love reading about him anyway? Absolutely.

The hockey element is present but doesn’t dominate the story — the real heart of it is Natalie herself, and watching her navigate relationships after escaping an abusive one with her ex. And oh, did I mention that her ex just happens to be the crown prince of a European country? Which means her children are actual royalty? Because yes, that is a plot point, and it is a lot in the best way possible.

This one surprised me in all the right ways, and I have a feeling it won’t be my last hockey romance!

That’s a Wrap on March’s Checkout Counter!

And that’s everything that made it into my reading basket this March — direwolves, fae shenanigans, and hockey romances. My TBR clearly has range! Drop your recent reads in the comments below, and if you’ve read any of these, I want to hear all your thoughts. Next month I’m already deep into Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry and The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow — so stay tuned! Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a Checkout Counter, and I’ll see you back here next month with a fresh stack of reads!

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