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March & Feather
At Stony Point Homeschool Academy, high school senior Audra Dunne spends her time hanging out with friends, cooking and baking, and dreaming of her not-so-distant future at the Culinary Institute of America. Sure, she wishes she were comfortable enough to talk to her much-older sister about something other than AP calculus. And sure, she wishes new kid Matthew Harwell would stop invading her friend group. But Audra finds comfort in her digital persona, Feather, exchanging texts with her best friend March, the pen pal she met on a homeschool forum four years ago. When March lets slip that he’s recently moved to her city, Audra’s curiosity begins to grow. What if she and March end their pact to stay anonymous? What if March goes to Stony Point? What if…March is someone she already knows?
As unexpected family developments and a personal crisis (or two) threaten to upend Audra’s life, she’ll have to decide whether turning away from all she’s used to is worth it for the chance at finding more.
As unexpected family developments and a personal crisis (or two) threaten to upend Audra’s life, she’ll have to decide whether turning away from all she’s used to is worth it for the chance at finding more.
- GenresRomanceYoung Adult
318 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2023
1 person is currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Emma Saska
2 books95 followersEmma Saska is a graduate of Asbury University with a degree in creative writing and history. She spends her days working for a children’s publisher and her nights devouring and creating stories. When she’s not surrounding herself with books, Emma likes to bake, explore museums, find the best pie shops in the country, and clown over Taylor Swift conspiracy theories. She lives in New York City with her dog, Ivy Jean. March & Feather is Emma’s first novel.
Visit her online at emmasaska.tumblr.com and on Instagram @awkwordly_emma.
Visit her online at emmasaska.tumblr.com and on Instagram @awkwordly_emma.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 14, 2023
February 14, 2023: Happy pub day to my beloved little story! I hope you all love Audra and March as much as I do. March & Feather is available to buy in paperback and ebook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Books-a-Million, iBooks, online from your local indie bookstore, and more.
December 14, 2022: M&F is now available to preorder on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, both in paperback and ebook.
I wrote this, so I'm a bit biased of course. But if you like slice-of-life romances, this is definitely the book for you.More details to come (including a cover!) as we get closer to the pub date.
December 14, 2022: M&F is now available to preorder on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, both in paperback and ebook.
I wrote this, so I'm a bit biased of course. But if you like slice-of-life romances, this is definitely the book for you.
June 30, 2023
Where to begin with this book…
The main character is intensely unlikeable. She’s close-minded, condescending, and snotty. She spends the majority of the book turning her nose up at other people’s food choices, and then has meltdowns whenever she’s even lightly teased for being a food snob. She weaponizes food at every possible moment, and then falls apart like a toddler when someone else dares to do the exact same thing. Towards the end of the book, when she’s finally called out by her best friend for her bad behavior (in what is clearly meant to be the ‘turning point’, but it comes way too late in the story), Audra lashes out and blames the friend for not telling her sooner that she felt that way. This could’ve been an opportunity for growth, but instead, Audra proves she’s in a state of arrested development. She spends entire chapters whining that her sister (who’s 12 years older than her) doesn’t make enough time for her. She feels entitled to be rude to everyone in her life with complete impunity, but falls apart when someone so much as looks at her the wrong way. She’s constantly offering unsolicited opinions, but thinks she’s under attack whenever anyone disagrees. She has one bad day and decides to give up her life-long dream of being a chef, because she’s as short-sighted and immature as Rory in season 5 of Gilmore Girls. She spends entire pages talking about her pretentious likes and dislikes (included in the dislikes: Star Wars, for not being woman-focused enough. Meanwhile, her all-time favorite movie is The Princess Bride. You can’t make this shit up). We’ve all met someone like this, and they’re insufferable. This is not the kind of character you root for.
The book simultaneously over-explains and under-explains. There is so much extraneous detail about where characters are sitting, what complete strangers are doing, and how basic things work. There is an entire paragraph dedicated to Audra unlocking her phone and typing in a passcode. A random chair is described in excruciating detail. There are literally dozens of characters introduced—many of them mentioned *by first and last name* and then never heard from again. This book is less than 300 pages long, and introduces about as many characters as the entire Harry Potter series. Audra is surrounded by a huge group of friends, each more forgettable than the last. Entire paragraphs are dedicated to describing a school concert that Audra doesn’t even take part in or attend. Multiple sentences describe how Audra usually eats Chinese food with chopsticks, but not when she’s at school, so she’s using a fork right now (who cares?!) And these are just a few examples of the soulcrushing detail the author goes to describe things that are entirely irrelevant to the plot. It makes for an incredibly frustrating read, as so much time is wasted establishing details that don’t end up mattering at all. Audra can’t just say she’s going to French class; she has to tell us that she’s going to Madame Gilbert’s French III class. Never mind that we never actually meet Madame Gilbert or spend any amount of time in that class.
At the same time, there is a lack of detail for anything remotely important. We know absolutely nothing about the gigantic cast of characters. We never get any character development, or any way to distinguish between the gigantic groups of people that Audra is constantly surrounded by. One of the friends tells Audra that his parents were killed the year before, and then it never comes up again. This horrific, traumatizing information is used for no purpose other than to eliminate him as a possibility when Audra tries to figure out if one of the characters is secretly her penpal. The characters’ physical appearances are also never described in any detail, except for Audra mentioning that her sister has the same hair as their dad—an entirely useless description, as we don’t know what the dad looks like. But thank God we know that one of Audra’s friends ate jarred pasta sauce one time—there was nearly an entire page describing that. In addition, there’s a lot of homeschool-specific lanuage that is never addressed or explained. Courtship is mentioned, and there is absolutely no explanation of what it is. There is barely any explanation of what a homeschool co-op is, or how it differs from a private school. I was well into the fourth chapter before I realized that the co-op only meets once a week, because the author never bothered to tell me. This completely messes with the pacing of the book, as most chapters start at co-op, so the reader doesn’t realize that an entire week passes between the chapters. Religion is clearly very important to all the characters, but we never get any insight into how it affects their lives or even what denomination they are. This lack of important detail keeps the reader from immersing themselves in the world.
Look, I get that I am clearly not the target audience of this book. I’m not homeschooled or religious, so I’m not who the author had in mind when they wrote this book. But if the author is putting this work out into the world, and charging money for it, then it should be accessible to everyone. You shouldn’t have to be homeschooled to understand the general plot; it’s just bad writing.
Food is constantly brought up in this book, but to no discernible end. It’s not used as a plot device, or any kind of meaningful motif. It’s just more useless detail. Audra tells us every single thing the characters eat, ad nauseum. I would estimate that at least 1/3 of this book is dedicated to describing random food. It’s incredibly difficult to get through. At a certain point, I was skipping the random food descriptions and trying to make my way back to the plot. But weirdly enough, there’s never any description for how the food tastes. It’s just physical descriptions of the food, with no insight into how it tastes or how Audra felt when she ate it. So the reader doesn’t even get immersed in the food—it really is useless junk that serves absolutely no purpose. On top of all this, the foods listed are bland and repetitive. Audra judges a character for ordering roast chicken in a restaurant, saying it’s “not very adventurous”, and then her adventurous alternative is fish tacos. It’s almost like the author made a list of the most boring foods she could think of, and then jammed them all in.
All the extraneous details may serve to distract from the fact that the plot is paper-thin. There’s hardly even any conflict. Entire chapters are spent just eating lunch or having one conversation. One of the biggest “conflicts” in the book is when Audra’s 30-year-old sister gets engaged. Everyone freaks out, but it’s never clear why, and Audra spends entire chapters whining about it. The fiance not asking the parents before proposing comes up over and over again, and it just comes off as childish. This can’t possibly be the best conflict this book has to offer, can it? Especially since the conflict is almost immediately resolved, after one conversation. In a similar manner, Audra spends the first couple chapters whining that her sister isn’t close enough with her. Then, almost immediately, the sister starts inviting her on trips and asking her to do things together. (Which they do OFF SCREEN, by the way. I guess because if the author wanted to fit those important character moments in, she’d have to chuck some of the food descriptions, and we can’t have that) Towards the end of the book, Audra is upset that a character doesn’t like her, and after ONE CONVERSATION, he decides he actually does like Audra because she is “honest and not fake” (actual quote from the book). Audra never has to grow in any way, or adjust her perspective to meet challenges. Where is the conflict in this book??? What is driving this story??? Things always go Audra’s way and there is never any adversity or anything that would push the plot in an interesting direction. It’s closer to an exercise in wish-fulfillment than it is a well-rounded novel.
All of this doesn’t even scratch my main issue with this book, which is how irritating the love story is. March is the most important character in this book, so naturally, we learn absolutely nothing about him except that he moved last year and is struggling to fit in at his new co-op. (Where is the character development??? Who even are these people???) Audra randomly met March on the Internet, and they’ve maintained a fully anonymous friendship for four years. Somehow, March ends up moving to her town and joining her homeschool co-op. It’s absolutely bananas, too implausible for even normal suspension of disbelief, and frankly a ridiculous premise. The reveal is also dragged out for about a hundred pages too long. I could tell right away who March was, which is fine, since no one is craving excitement or mystery from a YA romance novel. But it took the story way too long to catch up to me. Somehow, even after talking on the phone, the two don’t recognize each other’s voices and realize they know each other (and it’s been previously established that they’re in group chats together, so when they exchanged numbers and called, THEIR NAMES SHOULD HAVE POPPED UP). And even after Audra realizes she knows March, she still doesn’t immediately realize that the mean girl from co-op he’s always talking about is her. Talk about a lack of self awareness—especially after her friends have pointed out over and over again that she’s always being nasty toward him. And despite the fact that she’s never liked him either, Audra is so rocked by the knowledge that the feeling is mutual that she almost launches herself into orbit. Because God forbid someone doesn’t like nasty, condescending Audra. Only Audra gets to judge and belittle people; she must be universally beloved. At this point, I was so frustrated with the book that I almost quit. In retrospect, I wish I had because it never gets more interesting or compelling. It’s a basic “friends to lovers” story, but you have no reason to care about these characters at all, so you’re surely not rooting for them.
The “stranger danger” element of this story is overdone and frankly ridiculous. It’s used to justify that Audra and March have been fully anonymous online for four years (they won’t even tell each other what time zone they live in, or what their parents do for work—what have these two even been talking about for nearly half a decade?), but it doesn’t really get the job done. The characters all just sound hysterical and ridiculous, talking about how anyone online could be a 50-year-old pedophile. This is internet safety advice from 2006. Who are these people who have presumably never tried online dating, or taken an Uber ride, or bought something from Facebook marketplace? The idea that two penpals would maintain total anonymity for years just isn’t believable, and the book would’ve been better if the author just leaned in and didn’t try to justify it. All the stranger danger stuff just distracts from the plot and makes the book even more irritating. (Although I will allow the possibility that this kind of behavior is normal with people from the sheltered homeschooling world. But if that’s the case, the author absolutely did not lay the groundwork necessary for the reader to understand and accept this. We really know nothing about these people and their subculture.)
The funniest moment in this story was when we’re introduced to Audra’s Indian neighbors, and they have a dog named Rajesh. That’s the equivalent of me having a dog named Kyle. Who edited this book?!
There were a few things I did enjoy about the book. The premise is fun, which is why I picked up the book in the first place (and it would’ve been much more believable if the author tweaked it a bit by saying the characters met on a homeschoolers forum specific to people who live in Virginia, or something). The author is good at creating images—they’re just often about inconsequential stuff. I really enjoyed the first school dance, where the author talked about the icebreaker games the kids are forced to play, how the DJ only plays the cleanest pop songs, and the kids “save room for Jesus” when they dance. There was another time, towards the end, where they talk about how their church’s library (Why does a church have a library?) has a section for books that are “rated R”—and that’s where a book about puberty ended up. Those were the only time I actually felt immersed in the world, and like I actually understood the characters’ sheltered backgrounds (although I wish we got more examples of books that were rated R!) Towards the middle of the book, there’s a scene where Audra makes a pie and compares the whole thing to dancing a waltz—which is a great image and definitely made me feel like I was there. There’s also an image towards the end, where Audra talks about a song representing her melancholy, and says it gets “absorbed in her bones and released with every breath.” Later on, she talks about the song chasing her as she walks down her block. And when the thing that’s making her sad gets brought up in conversation, she says the song is invading her again. I absolutely LOVE these images. It would’ve been a much better book if the author did more of this stuff, instead of the endless “tell don’t show” about random people and objects that happen to be in Audra’s line of sight.
The main character is intensely unlikeable. She’s close-minded, condescending, and snotty. She spends the majority of the book turning her nose up at other people’s food choices, and then has meltdowns whenever she’s even lightly teased for being a food snob. She weaponizes food at every possible moment, and then falls apart like a toddler when someone else dares to do the exact same thing. Towards the end of the book, when she’s finally called out by her best friend for her bad behavior (in what is clearly meant to be the ‘turning point’, but it comes way too late in the story), Audra lashes out and blames the friend for not telling her sooner that she felt that way. This could’ve been an opportunity for growth, but instead, Audra proves she’s in a state of arrested development. She spends entire chapters whining that her sister (who’s 12 years older than her) doesn’t make enough time for her. She feels entitled to be rude to everyone in her life with complete impunity, but falls apart when someone so much as looks at her the wrong way. She’s constantly offering unsolicited opinions, but thinks she’s under attack whenever anyone disagrees. She has one bad day and decides to give up her life-long dream of being a chef, because she’s as short-sighted and immature as Rory in season 5 of Gilmore Girls. She spends entire pages talking about her pretentious likes and dislikes (included in the dislikes: Star Wars, for not being woman-focused enough. Meanwhile, her all-time favorite movie is The Princess Bride. You can’t make this shit up). We’ve all met someone like this, and they’re insufferable. This is not the kind of character you root for.
The book simultaneously over-explains and under-explains. There is so much extraneous detail about where characters are sitting, what complete strangers are doing, and how basic things work. There is an entire paragraph dedicated to Audra unlocking her phone and typing in a passcode. A random chair is described in excruciating detail. There are literally dozens of characters introduced—many of them mentioned *by first and last name* and then never heard from again. This book is less than 300 pages long, and introduces about as many characters as the entire Harry Potter series. Audra is surrounded by a huge group of friends, each more forgettable than the last. Entire paragraphs are dedicated to describing a school concert that Audra doesn’t even take part in or attend. Multiple sentences describe how Audra usually eats Chinese food with chopsticks, but not when she’s at school, so she’s using a fork right now (who cares?!) And these are just a few examples of the soulcrushing detail the author goes to describe things that are entirely irrelevant to the plot. It makes for an incredibly frustrating read, as so much time is wasted establishing details that don’t end up mattering at all. Audra can’t just say she’s going to French class; she has to tell us that she’s going to Madame Gilbert’s French III class. Never mind that we never actually meet Madame Gilbert or spend any amount of time in that class.
At the same time, there is a lack of detail for anything remotely important. We know absolutely nothing about the gigantic cast of characters. We never get any character development, or any way to distinguish between the gigantic groups of people that Audra is constantly surrounded by. One of the friends tells Audra that his parents were killed the year before, and then it never comes up again. This horrific, traumatizing information is used for no purpose other than to eliminate him as a possibility when Audra tries to figure out if one of the characters is secretly her penpal. The characters’ physical appearances are also never described in any detail, except for Audra mentioning that her sister has the same hair as their dad—an entirely useless description, as we don’t know what the dad looks like. But thank God we know that one of Audra’s friends ate jarred pasta sauce one time—there was nearly an entire page describing that. In addition, there’s a lot of homeschool-specific lanuage that is never addressed or explained. Courtship is mentioned, and there is absolutely no explanation of what it is. There is barely any explanation of what a homeschool co-op is, or how it differs from a private school. I was well into the fourth chapter before I realized that the co-op only meets once a week, because the author never bothered to tell me. This completely messes with the pacing of the book, as most chapters start at co-op, so the reader doesn’t realize that an entire week passes between the chapters. Religion is clearly very important to all the characters, but we never get any insight into how it affects their lives or even what denomination they are. This lack of important detail keeps the reader from immersing themselves in the world.
Look, I get that I am clearly not the target audience of this book. I’m not homeschooled or religious, so I’m not who the author had in mind when they wrote this book. But if the author is putting this work out into the world, and charging money for it, then it should be accessible to everyone. You shouldn’t have to be homeschooled to understand the general plot; it’s just bad writing.
Food is constantly brought up in this book, but to no discernible end. It’s not used as a plot device, or any kind of meaningful motif. It’s just more useless detail. Audra tells us every single thing the characters eat, ad nauseum. I would estimate that at least 1/3 of this book is dedicated to describing random food. It’s incredibly difficult to get through. At a certain point, I was skipping the random food descriptions and trying to make my way back to the plot. But weirdly enough, there’s never any description for how the food tastes. It’s just physical descriptions of the food, with no insight into how it tastes or how Audra felt when she ate it. So the reader doesn’t even get immersed in the food—it really is useless junk that serves absolutely no purpose. On top of all this, the foods listed are bland and repetitive. Audra judges a character for ordering roast chicken in a restaurant, saying it’s “not very adventurous”, and then her adventurous alternative is fish tacos. It’s almost like the author made a list of the most boring foods she could think of, and then jammed them all in.
All the extraneous details may serve to distract from the fact that the plot is paper-thin. There’s hardly even any conflict. Entire chapters are spent just eating lunch or having one conversation. One of the biggest “conflicts” in the book is when Audra’s 30-year-old sister gets engaged. Everyone freaks out, but it’s never clear why, and Audra spends entire chapters whining about it. The fiance not asking the parents before proposing comes up over and over again, and it just comes off as childish. This can’t possibly be the best conflict this book has to offer, can it? Especially since the conflict is almost immediately resolved, after one conversation. In a similar manner, Audra spends the first couple chapters whining that her sister isn’t close enough with her. Then, almost immediately, the sister starts inviting her on trips and asking her to do things together. (Which they do OFF SCREEN, by the way. I guess because if the author wanted to fit those important character moments in, she’d have to chuck some of the food descriptions, and we can’t have that) Towards the end of the book, Audra is upset that a character doesn’t like her, and after ONE CONVERSATION, he decides he actually does like Audra because she is “honest and not fake” (actual quote from the book). Audra never has to grow in any way, or adjust her perspective to meet challenges. Where is the conflict in this book??? What is driving this story??? Things always go Audra’s way and there is never any adversity or anything that would push the plot in an interesting direction. It’s closer to an exercise in wish-fulfillment than it is a well-rounded novel.
All of this doesn’t even scratch my main issue with this book, which is how irritating the love story is. March is the most important character in this book, so naturally, we learn absolutely nothing about him except that he moved last year and is struggling to fit in at his new co-op. (Where is the character development??? Who even are these people???) Audra randomly met March on the Internet, and they’ve maintained a fully anonymous friendship for four years. Somehow, March ends up moving to her town and joining her homeschool co-op. It’s absolutely bananas, too implausible for even normal suspension of disbelief, and frankly a ridiculous premise. The reveal is also dragged out for about a hundred pages too long. I could tell right away who March was, which is fine, since no one is craving excitement or mystery from a YA romance novel. But it took the story way too long to catch up to me. Somehow, even after talking on the phone, the two don’t recognize each other’s voices and realize they know each other (and it’s been previously established that they’re in group chats together, so when they exchanged numbers and called, THEIR NAMES SHOULD HAVE POPPED UP). And even after Audra realizes she knows March, she still doesn’t immediately realize that the mean girl from co-op he’s always talking about is her. Talk about a lack of self awareness—especially after her friends have pointed out over and over again that she’s always being nasty toward him. And despite the fact that she’s never liked him either, Audra is so rocked by the knowledge that the feeling is mutual that she almost launches herself into orbit. Because God forbid someone doesn’t like nasty, condescending Audra. Only Audra gets to judge and belittle people; she must be universally beloved. At this point, I was so frustrated with the book that I almost quit. In retrospect, I wish I had because it never gets more interesting or compelling. It’s a basic “friends to lovers” story, but you have no reason to care about these characters at all, so you’re surely not rooting for them.
The “stranger danger” element of this story is overdone and frankly ridiculous. It’s used to justify that Audra and March have been fully anonymous online for four years (they won’t even tell each other what time zone they live in, or what their parents do for work—what have these two even been talking about for nearly half a decade?), but it doesn’t really get the job done. The characters all just sound hysterical and ridiculous, talking about how anyone online could be a 50-year-old pedophile. This is internet safety advice from 2006. Who are these people who have presumably never tried online dating, or taken an Uber ride, or bought something from Facebook marketplace? The idea that two penpals would maintain total anonymity for years just isn’t believable, and the book would’ve been better if the author just leaned in and didn’t try to justify it. All the stranger danger stuff just distracts from the plot and makes the book even more irritating. (Although I will allow the possibility that this kind of behavior is normal with people from the sheltered homeschooling world. But if that’s the case, the author absolutely did not lay the groundwork necessary for the reader to understand and accept this. We really know nothing about these people and their subculture.)
The funniest moment in this story was when we’re introduced to Audra’s Indian neighbors, and they have a dog named Rajesh. That’s the equivalent of me having a dog named Kyle. Who edited this book?!
There were a few things I did enjoy about the book. The premise is fun, which is why I picked up the book in the first place (and it would’ve been much more believable if the author tweaked it a bit by saying the characters met on a homeschoolers forum specific to people who live in Virginia, or something). The author is good at creating images—they’re just often about inconsequential stuff. I really enjoyed the first school dance, where the author talked about the icebreaker games the kids are forced to play, how the DJ only plays the cleanest pop songs, and the kids “save room for Jesus” when they dance. There was another time, towards the end, where they talk about how their church’s library (Why does a church have a library?) has a section for books that are “rated R”—and that’s where a book about puberty ended up. Those were the only time I actually felt immersed in the world, and like I actually understood the characters’ sheltered backgrounds (although I wish we got more examples of books that were rated R!) Towards the middle of the book, there’s a scene where Audra makes a pie and compares the whole thing to dancing a waltz—which is a great image and definitely made me feel like I was there. There’s also an image towards the end, where Audra talks about a song representing her melancholy, and says it gets “absorbed in her bones and released with every breath.” Later on, she talks about the song chasing her as she walks down her block. And when the thing that’s making her sad gets brought up in conversation, she says the song is invading her again. I absolutely LOVE these images. It would’ve been a much better book if the author did more of this stuff, instead of the endless “tell don’t show” about random people and objects that happen to be in Audra’s line of sight.
January 25, 2023
Full review to come. I am so proud of you Emma!!
February 21, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
I may be slightly biased, but this was such a FUN read! Im a sucker for You’ve Got Mail (and pretty much any spin-off of it). So pair a high school homeschool retelling that includes tons of movie references from the Princess Bride, P&P, Star Wars, then Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac music discussions… what’s not to love? Not to mention Audra’s desserts had my mouth watering.
*beware of spoilers that will most definitely be mentioned below*
I need to quickly mention that I really enjoyed the storyline of Audra and her sister and their complicated relationship. I loved the family aspect of this story and the growth we saw in Audra, when it came to her sister. Im gonna move on to the main story now, otherwise, I will be writing my thoughts forever.
March and Feather’s friendship felt genuine, and I love how even as things started to become a little romantic, at the end of the day, neither of them wanted to lose their friendship.
Now onto the anxiety I felt over who would reveal their identity first. I would have loved some POV from Matthew/ March’s side. I was CONVINCED that he knew who Feather was for like half the book. Given her constantly talking about food and culinary school, I thought it would have been obvious to him. There were moments when he looked at Audra intently, and I was like, HE KNOWSSS. I kept wanting to see inside his brain. Side note- I noticed that there weren’t many physical descriptions of the two characters for most of the book, making it a little difficult for me to connect and visualize both characters. At the same time, March and Feather have 0 idea what each other looks like, so maybe my experience was similar to theirs 🤪
I liked the contradiction between March and Feather’s relationship with Audra/ Matthew. In real life, they were messy and didn’t understand each other. The conflict and saltiness toward each other made sense. I appreciated Feather's disappointment when she realized HE was the boy she had been talking to for years. I liked that it wasn’t insta love and she struggled with telling him and wondered if he would be disappointed if she revealed herself. When he did find out….! Again I’m glad it was realistic. After all, they were only high schoolers, and the dynamic was complicated.
The ending was so sweet. They said some harsh words to each other, but they came back and apologized and owned their prejudice. It was just what I wanted.
I’m so excited to see what Emma comes up with next. Congrats on your first published book 😊
I may be slightly biased, but this was such a FUN read! Im a sucker for You’ve Got Mail (and pretty much any spin-off of it). So pair a high school homeschool retelling that includes tons of movie references from the Princess Bride, P&P, Star Wars, then Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac music discussions… what’s not to love? Not to mention Audra’s desserts had my mouth watering.
*beware of spoilers that will most definitely be mentioned below*
I need to quickly mention that I really enjoyed the storyline of Audra and her sister and their complicated relationship. I loved the family aspect of this story and the growth we saw in Audra, when it came to her sister. Im gonna move on to the main story now, otherwise, I will be writing my thoughts forever.
March and Feather’s friendship felt genuine, and I love how even as things started to become a little romantic, at the end of the day, neither of them wanted to lose their friendship.
Now onto the anxiety I felt over who would reveal their identity first. I would have loved some POV from Matthew/ March’s side. I was CONVINCED that he knew who Feather was for like half the book. Given her constantly talking about food and culinary school, I thought it would have been obvious to him. There were moments when he looked at Audra intently, and I was like, HE KNOWSSS. I kept wanting to see inside his brain. Side note- I noticed that there weren’t many physical descriptions of the two characters for most of the book, making it a little difficult for me to connect and visualize both characters. At the same time, March and Feather have 0 idea what each other looks like, so maybe my experience was similar to theirs 🤪
I liked the contradiction between March and Feather’s relationship with Audra/ Matthew. In real life, they were messy and didn’t understand each other. The conflict and saltiness toward each other made sense. I appreciated Feather's disappointment when she realized HE was the boy she had been talking to for years. I liked that it wasn’t insta love and she struggled with telling him and wondered if he would be disappointed if she revealed herself. When he did find out….! Again I’m glad it was realistic. After all, they were only high schoolers, and the dynamic was complicated.
The ending was so sweet. They said some harsh words to each other, but they came back and apologized and owned their prejudice. It was just what I wanted.
I’m so excited to see what Emma comes up with next. Congrats on your first published book 😊
January 8, 2023
Such a sweet, heartwarming story! I read the ARC of March & Feather in three days, staying up late on weeknights just to finish it. The author depicts the awkwardness and tumultuousness of teenage love perfectly with characters who are complex and believable. While the novel's main focus is on romantic love, it also celebrates many of the different types of love out there: familial love, platonic love, self-love, and more. If you're looking for a charming and somewhat quirky YA romance, definitely check this one out!
June 5, 2023
One of the best YA novels ever written!
June 11, 2023
Emma, you have written a truly heartwarming, comforting, smile-inducing book. I finished this book about a week ago and Audra still pops into my head often.
MARCH & FEATHER gives major modern You’ve Got Mail vibes. Audra is a homeschooled senior who connected with a boy who goes by the username March in a homeschool chatroom that then moved to Google Chat and email. March is her best friend and knows so much about her, even though he only knows her as Feather. When Audra learns that March lives near her, will she find out who he is?
Ignoring the fact that teens connecting over the internet is scary and potentially cat-fishing, this book was so charming. Emma has a knack for writing flawed, complex characters, which kept the book coming off charming rather saccharine.
Congratulations on a wonderful book Emma, can wait to read the next one 😉 (aka please release one pronto!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
MARCH & FEATHER gives major modern You’ve Got Mail vibes. Audra is a homeschooled senior who connected with a boy who goes by the username March in a homeschool chatroom that then moved to Google Chat and email. March is her best friend and knows so much about her, even though he only knows her as Feather. When Audra learns that March lives near her, will she find out who he is?
Ignoring the fact that teens connecting over the internet is scary and potentially cat-fishing, this book was so charming. Emma has a knack for writing flawed, complex characters, which kept the book coming off charming rather saccharine.
Congratulations on a wonderful book Emma, can wait to read the next one 😉 (aka please release one pronto!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
October 29, 2025
Emma Saska’s March & Feather brings readers into Audra “Feather” Mitchell’s world. She is a bright, introspective teenager, making her way through her homeschool co-op with her closest friendship existing entirely in the virtual world. For four years, she has been exchanging messages with her mysterious digital pen pal who goes by March. He’s a boy who matches Feather in humor, empathy, and curiosity.
As Audra’s final year of school unfolds, her world begins to grow a bit complicated. She finds herself building new friendships, dealing with sibling tension, and an unexpected real-life connection that could threaten the safe distance of her virtual friendship. But as she gets on with daily life – texting on her cell phone, baking with her grandmother, navigating first crushes, and preparing for her sister’s big wedding – Feather starts to question who March really is. What seems like coincidences seem to line up between March and a classmate named Sam. Feather’s quiet world of certainty begins to fracture, leading her on a journey that is both emotional and deeply human.
This is one of those narratives that is emotionally brilliant and heartwarming. It’s authentic, it’s raw, and it’s about modern adolescence that blurs the lines between digital and physical intimacy. Emma Saska does a great job with the epistolary structure of this story. She alternates between emails, chat forums, and real-world scenes. For example, as the story opens, readers get a view of the chats that take place between March and Feather, then it shifts to the phone pinging in the classroom at Feather’s homeschool co-op, it shifts again to life at Feather’s home around the dinner table, and back to her messages with March. It creates a natural rhythm in the story that is also immersive and mimics the real life of today’s teens and how they connect and communicate, especially online.
Much further into the story, readers get to witness Feather’s growth from this guarded yet curious teen to one who is emotionally vulnerable. For instance, the Maymont park picnic, her sister Madeline’s gradual change from distant to more nurturing, and the chaos of the Hickory masquerade. These all serve as significant milestones. Readers will also gain a better understanding of how trust and identity can evolve in a space where much of our communication takes place through a screen.
Saska draws the characters out exceptionally well. Feather, for example, is the narrative voice, and this captures the depth of her intellect and her social doubts. She has witty exchanges, moral reflections, and her imagination opens in cinematic fashion, which contributes to how realistic her character is. Many readers will be able to relate to her. The dynamic between March and Feather feels real and natural, and it balances humor and moments of tenderness. This is quite the opposite of her in-person relationships with Sam and Matthew, where there’s real-world tension. The scene that captures the novel’s tone perfectly is where Feather is dancing under the lights at Hickory’s Christmas party while wondering if Sam is really her digital pen pal, March. It showcases hope, doubt, and that longing feeling.
The pacing of the story is appropriate. It moves with the same cadence as life itself- some days are faster and full of chaos, and other days move more slowly. There are sequences of quiet life, such as Feather baking chai sugar cookies or getting her sister’s Princess Bride T-shirt; these scenes highlight Saska’s gift of transforming ordinary moments into symbolic connections and growth. There is some sensory realism, such as the domestic and cultural details like food, film, and family traditions, and they also seem to mirror the emotional themes, such as belonging, trust, and self-expression.
From a stylistic point of view, Saska was careful not to create melodrama, and the dialogue and emotional undercurrents spoke for themselves. Readers, in my opinion, will be able to appreciate how thoughtfully Saska captures the teenage voice without including the typical clichés. Even through March and Feather’s text exchanges, they carry subtext that shows just how much words can conceal as much as they reveal. There are introspective narrations and contemporary online banter that echo works like Julie Buxbaum’s Tell Me Three Things and the raw digital vulnerability of works like Francesca Zappia’s Eliza and Her Monsters. But Saska’s story can still stand confidently on its own with a gentler tone and literary sensitivity.
March & Feather by Emma Saska is the debut that asks the most profound questions without being loud: how well can we know someone we’ve never met? Where do imagination and truth cross paths in friendship? And how much of ourselves do we expose when we feel unseen? This is a beautifully written story that captures the complexities of growing up in an age where love and friendship can often become pixelated yet somehow still feel real. Readers will love this story for its mix of warmth and gentle suspense.
As Audra’s final year of school unfolds, her world begins to grow a bit complicated. She finds herself building new friendships, dealing with sibling tension, and an unexpected real-life connection that could threaten the safe distance of her virtual friendship. But as she gets on with daily life – texting on her cell phone, baking with her grandmother, navigating first crushes, and preparing for her sister’s big wedding – Feather starts to question who March really is. What seems like coincidences seem to line up between March and a classmate named Sam. Feather’s quiet world of certainty begins to fracture, leading her on a journey that is both emotional and deeply human.
This is one of those narratives that is emotionally brilliant and heartwarming. It’s authentic, it’s raw, and it’s about modern adolescence that blurs the lines between digital and physical intimacy. Emma Saska does a great job with the epistolary structure of this story. She alternates between emails, chat forums, and real-world scenes. For example, as the story opens, readers get a view of the chats that take place between March and Feather, then it shifts to the phone pinging in the classroom at Feather’s homeschool co-op, it shifts again to life at Feather’s home around the dinner table, and back to her messages with March. It creates a natural rhythm in the story that is also immersive and mimics the real life of today’s teens and how they connect and communicate, especially online.
Much further into the story, readers get to witness Feather’s growth from this guarded yet curious teen to one who is emotionally vulnerable. For instance, the Maymont park picnic, her sister Madeline’s gradual change from distant to more nurturing, and the chaos of the Hickory masquerade. These all serve as significant milestones. Readers will also gain a better understanding of how trust and identity can evolve in a space where much of our communication takes place through a screen.
Saska draws the characters out exceptionally well. Feather, for example, is the narrative voice, and this captures the depth of her intellect and her social doubts. She has witty exchanges, moral reflections, and her imagination opens in cinematic fashion, which contributes to how realistic her character is. Many readers will be able to relate to her. The dynamic between March and Feather feels real and natural, and it balances humor and moments of tenderness. This is quite the opposite of her in-person relationships with Sam and Matthew, where there’s real-world tension. The scene that captures the novel’s tone perfectly is where Feather is dancing under the lights at Hickory’s Christmas party while wondering if Sam is really her digital pen pal, March. It showcases hope, doubt, and that longing feeling.
The pacing of the story is appropriate. It moves with the same cadence as life itself- some days are faster and full of chaos, and other days move more slowly. There are sequences of quiet life, such as Feather baking chai sugar cookies or getting her sister’s Princess Bride T-shirt; these scenes highlight Saska’s gift of transforming ordinary moments into symbolic connections and growth. There is some sensory realism, such as the domestic and cultural details like food, film, and family traditions, and they also seem to mirror the emotional themes, such as belonging, trust, and self-expression.
From a stylistic point of view, Saska was careful not to create melodrama, and the dialogue and emotional undercurrents spoke for themselves. Readers, in my opinion, will be able to appreciate how thoughtfully Saska captures the teenage voice without including the typical clichés. Even through March and Feather’s text exchanges, they carry subtext that shows just how much words can conceal as much as they reveal. There are introspective narrations and contemporary online banter that echo works like Julie Buxbaum’s Tell Me Three Things and the raw digital vulnerability of works like Francesca Zappia’s Eliza and Her Monsters. But Saska’s story can still stand confidently on its own with a gentler tone and literary sensitivity.
March & Feather by Emma Saska is the debut that asks the most profound questions without being loud: how well can we know someone we’ve never met? Where do imagination and truth cross paths in friendship? And how much of ourselves do we expose when we feel unseen? This is a beautifully written story that captures the complexities of growing up in an age where love and friendship can often become pixelated yet somehow still feel real. Readers will love this story for its mix of warmth and gentle suspense.
February 19, 2023
As a homeschooler myself, I loved March and Feather. A You've Got Mail (the best rom-com!) inspired romance about two homeschoolers who meet over an online forum. I loved all the Taylor Swift references and the nuances of being homeschooled. What a great YA romance 💘
May 27, 2023
This was such a fun read! I loved all the references, different friendships, and seeing things from a homeschooler’s perspective. Also a great a story arc between March and Feather 😄 so fun!
March 9, 2023
This is such a heartfelt read!
Audra is a great main character, and I loved seeing the evolution of her relationship with both March and her older sister.
Emma's writing and dialogue flow so well. Audra's thoughts, feelings, and voice definitely feel like those of an actual teenager.
All of the pop culture references feel so natural (which is a huge compliment coming from a me, a notorious pop culture reference hater!) I think it's because Emma naturally fits them in, so they feel like a normal part of the setting and worldbuilding.
And of course, I love how this book is set in RVA. It's great to see so many Richmond places/locations featured.
Overall, if you're into the movie You've Got Mail, books about changing relationships, and plenty of talk about music and movies, then check this one out!
Audra is a great main character, and I loved seeing the evolution of her relationship with both March and her older sister.
Emma's writing and dialogue flow so well. Audra's thoughts, feelings, and voice definitely feel like those of an actual teenager.
All of the pop culture references feel so natural (which is a huge compliment coming from a me, a notorious pop culture reference hater!) I think it's because Emma naturally fits them in, so they feel like a normal part of the setting and worldbuilding.
And of course, I love how this book is set in RVA. It's great to see so many Richmond places/locations featured.
Overall, if you're into the movie You've Got Mail, books about changing relationships, and plenty of talk about music and movies, then check this one out!
October 7, 2023
What a fun story with You've Got Mail vibes! I also sensed a little Pride and Prejudice- well, at least the personality traits from March and Feather. Audra struggled to see past her own preconceived notions of what March "should" be that even when it was obvious to the audience who it was, Audra didn't see it because that option would be too awful. 🤪
July 22, 2023
This is a quick and lovely young adult book with the cutest cover I've seen. Though it is a little simple, it's quaint and lovely too, and there is still character development and a very sweet romance. For a read that will make you smile, look no further. I enjoyed it.
February 20, 2024
I loved this book! I feel like there are not many books about homeschoolers, and this book breaks the common misconceptions about homeschoolers. Even though it is about online friends, it gave good caution to having online friends. A good clean book with a great storyline!
March 20, 2023
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I never write reviews, but M&F is a lovely book by a lovely writer. A sweet story I will never forget. Such a pleasure to read. Congratulations, Emma! 💐
I never write reviews, but M&F is a lovely book by a lovely writer. A sweet story I will never forget. Such a pleasure to read. Congratulations, Emma! 💐
September 29, 2025
I am a sucker for anonymous romances like You’ve Got Mail, especially when the characters don’t like each other in real life. This one had a fun backdrop of a homeschooling co-op group as well. However, this was kind of the opposite of You’ve Got Mail in that the main character realizes that she’s been emailing her nemesis (like Tom Hanks’ character) while the guy has no idea (like Meg Ryan’s character). I really wanted more of a connection between March and Feather in person. Still, this was a clean read and I overall enjoyed it.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 24, 2024March & Feather is Emma Saska's heartfelt debut novel, described as a YA You’ve Got Mail. To me, it feels like a love letter to your hometown and your favourite songs, wrapped up in diaristic prose that makes every word of this book feel cosy and familiar like my old favourite jumper (I mean that in the most complimentary way possible).
There are baking descriptions I want to take a bite from, and an exploration of homeschool life that I found honest and enlightening. Emma masterfully portrays the experience of heart-warming online friendships, friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationships, and how to navigate your way through adolescence when the path is always changing.
Being trusted to design the cover and the interior of this book was an honour, and I'm so proud of Emma now that it exists in my hands and off my laptop screen. I hope that my contributions have done the story justice :)
There are baking descriptions I want to take a bite from, and an exploration of homeschool life that I found honest and enlightening. Emma masterfully portrays the experience of heart-warming online friendships, friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationships, and how to navigate your way through adolescence when the path is always changing.
Being trusted to design the cover and the interior of this book was an honour, and I'm so proud of Emma now that it exists in my hands and off my laptop screen. I hope that my contributions have done the story justice :)
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