What I read in March 2026

Well, as the title suggests this blog is about the books, I read in the month of March 2026 and key takeaways if any :)

The Books:

1. The Art of Being Alone - Renuka Gavrani

2. The Girl in Room 105 - Chetan Bhagat

3. Never Lie - Freida McFadden

The Art of Being Alone

This was my first book which I completed reading in the year 2026 😅, and it is a Self-Help book suggested by My good friend Eekshitha.

Summary

In this book, the author tells about how one can convert their loneliness (sorry alone time) into solitude, and that solitude into achieve the things you want, learn new things or build hobbies. And we can't blame people for not staying, but can be grateful for their time with us.

I read somewhere,

"You can read a Book completely only when the Book wants you to complete it".

If I have bought this book last year, I might not have finished this, but I read this when I required the most, where I am unable to differentiate between the loneliness and being alone.

This book helped me look at things differently. It made me realise that what I once considered a weakness or something I felt vulnerable about could actually be turned into a strength.

Key Takeaways

• Being alone is not the same as being lonely

• Solitude can be used for self-growth

• Alone time helps in building clarity and focus

• Vulnerability can sometimes become strength

• Learn to enjoy your own company

If the first book is all about self-help, the next two books are completely opposite genre i.e Crime Thrillers/Mystery Thriller 😅

The Girl in Room 105

This book was suggested by Manogna, and my first book written by Chetan Bhagat, who is famously known for the books like 2 states, Half girlfriend, how I know because there are movies based on these two books 😎. So, with the knowledge I have, I thought it would be Chetan Bhagat's classical RomCom, but turned out it is a Mystery Thriller, which I would not have guessed in a thousand years.

Plot

This book revolves around the character called "Keshav", a coaching tutor & ex-IITian who can't get over his ex-girlfriend "Zara", and what starts as a simple birthday visit takes a dark, unexpected turn and Keshav finds himself pulled into a mystery he never saw coming.

Then the story revolves around:

• How Keshav and Saurabh (keshav's bestfriend) solves the mystery.

• How Keshav evolved through out this investigation.

• What happened between Keshav and Zara in the past.

What I like

This novel is around 300 pages and I wasn't got bored even for a single page. I like how author left some clues for us to think, it actually helps us to involve in the story and feel the characters. And the plot twist, I didn't see that coming, I mean we can guess some things, but not the twist.

I would rate this book a 4.4/5

Never Lie

Once your Instagram feed starts showing books, every reel that you see will mention at least one book written by Freida McFadden. So I thought why not, let's give a try and that is when I decided to read the book "Never Lie" a Crime Thriller.

Plot

The story follows newlyweds Tricia and Ethan, who are searching for their dream house.

During their search, they visit a remote house that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who mysteriously disappeared years ago.

Due to a snowstorm, Tricia and Ethan get stuck inside the house. As they explore the place, they begin uncovering hidden recordings, clues, and secrets related to Dr. Adrienne Hale.

The story then revolves around:

• Discovering what really happened to Adrienne

• The secrets hidden inside the house

• And whether Tricia and Ethan are truly safe

What I like

This book is narrated in First-Person POV, which makes the story feel more immersive.

One thing I particularly liked was how the narrative switches between:

• Present - Tricia and Ethan

• Past - Dr. Adrienne Hale

This back-and-forth storytelling helps us:

• Understand what is happening now

• Slowly uncover what happened in the past

• Build suspense gradually

Although I felt the narration was a little slow in some parts, overall it was still a good and engaging read, especially if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

I would rate this book a 4/5

March turned out to be an unexpectedly rich reading month: three books, three completely different worlds. The Art of Being Alone taught me that solitude isn't something to escape, but something to sit with. The Girl in Room 105 reminded me that good storytelling can surprise you even when you think you know an author. And Never Lie proved that a well-placed plot twist can make even a slow burn completely worth it.

If I had to pick one to recommend, it would depend entirely on where you are right now. Need some quiet perspective? Pick up Renuka Gavrani. Want to lose a weekend to a thriller? Either of the last two will do the job.

Here's to April and whatever the next book decides it wants me to read. 📚

Thank you for reading.
Until next time ❤️