This year I’ve decided to tackle my TBR pile by reading thirty books from it that are the first in a series and assess my eagerness to read the rest of the series in terms of Yes / Probably / Maybe / No.

Of the four books from my list that I read in March, three are for series that I really want to follow up on and one was a definite no. I also read a first in a series book that wasn’t on my list and that also gave me a new series to follow.

“A Curious Beginning” was a bit of a departure for me as I don’t normally enjoy lighthearted historical fiction but I’m glad I made an exception for this book. It is a splendid late-Victorian romp introducing the indomitable Veronica Speedwell: adventuress, lepidopterist and reader of crime mysteries.

“The Steerswoman” has been around for a long time but is new to me. I was taken by its ability to present a robust sword and sorcery adventure that acts as a vehicle for exploring how science works as a way of seeing the world and the choices that those who curate knowledge have on whom to share it with and why.

“Leviathan Wakes” was the biggest wow of the month. It turned me into an instant “Expanse” fan. The nineteen hours of the audiobook sped by, keeping me completely engaged and leaving me truly hungry for more.

“Bone Dust White” had the makings of an interesting crime series but I abandoned it at the 55% mark from lack of interest.

“Minimum Wage Magic” was a huge smile of a book: clever and original plot, engaging main character and wonderfully narrated. It took me back to the Detroit Free Zone (DFZ) that I first read about in “Nice Dragons Come Last” but with fresh characters and challenges. This time it’s a tale of magic users scratching a living at the margins of the DFZ, which I found much more engaging.

In the first three months of the Reading Challenge, I’ve read fourteen of the thirty books I’d selected and another five that I picked up as I went along. In the process, I’ve found eleven new series that I’m keen to follow.