February Books

Can you believe that reading wasn't my jam growing up?! Clif Notes were my best friends in high school - I'd read 'enough' to get by, but other than that I didn't enjoy the act of reading so never did it... like ever. Maybe I wasn't reading things that held my interest or maybe it was because it was "required" so I didn't like it, but, whatever the reason, I'm glad I challenged myself to add the goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (which became 88 books in 2017, 77 books in 2018, 67 books in 2019, 66 books in 2020, 67 books in 2021, 41 books in 2022, 98 books in 2023 and 224 books in 2024). The majority of my "reading" has been listening to audiobooks since I haven't had as much time to sit and read physical books once I started working again full time out of the house. Even still, holding a physical book is my JAM and I hope can add more physical reading vs listening. Just like in years past, writing a monthly recap of the books I finish is a great way for me to both record what I'm reading and to stay accountable. So, here are the books I completed in the month of February:

• Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center - This popped up in the 'recommended' section of my Hoopla app and since I was still waiting for books to become available on my Libby app I thought I'd give it a listen. I was stoked to find out that the actress who plays Helen in the Netflix movie was the one who was reading the audiobook. She's a great actress and I felt like she did an awesome job with the narration. The story is about a woman who is trying to turn her life around after her divorce. Her brother mentions a wilderness trip and she decides to tackle the challenge. Along the way, her brother's best friend joins in on the journey (who, of course, is a much better hiker/ outdoorsman/ medic/ etc). I doubt I'm ruining anything by letting you know there is a bit of a romance brewing throughout the story, even if there is a decent age difference between the pair. I'll be honest and say it reminded me of the majority of go-out-into-the-woods-to-find-yourself type books, but it was cute enough that if we had Netflix at some point I'd probably watch the movie. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye - I was still waiting for some of the books I'm in line for on my Libby app to become available, so I scrolled through the YA section and found this one. I'm stoked I found it because it was so cute. It reminded me of the 90s rom-coms that used to be prevalent in the movies. The premise was a popular high school boy was at a party, talking about how useless high school romances were and stumbled upon a dare - date a new person every school week. There were a few stipulations (he had to be asked by the person, if he lost the bet and either wanted to extend one of the 'relationships' or quit the dare then he'd have to ride the bus for the rest of the year), but Bryson thought he was going to win... until Kai, an self identified nerd, asked him out. Kai had known he was gay for years but wasn't planning to come out until he went away to college. As you can guess, drama ensues and homophobic attitudes run rampant. I won't ruin the book for you, but just know I found it super sweet and hope they make it into a movie one day. Representation matters and I'm stoked this book was written. We need more adorable stories like this. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez - While scrolling through my Libby app I saw that there was a series by this author that I hadn't read yet, so I went over to my Hoopla app (since the first book wasn't available in my Libby app and I didn't feel like waiting) and snagged the first book in the series. This one was a heartwarming romance (with less spicy parts than most of this author's other books, which I appreciated). The long distance boyfriend of the main character, Kristen, was set to come back from deployment and move in with her. During the last month(s) of this separation Kristen met the best friend of her best friend's fiance during a traffic accident.  I won't ruin it all for you, but Kristen and her long distance boyfriend don't make it and Josh, the best friend of her best friend's fiance slides into her life. As I'm sure you can guess, the pair fall for each other. I appreciate that the author decides to tackle topics that are normally ignored in most media (such as painful periods, hysterectomies, infertility, etc). This was definitely a slow burn (at the beginning, I felt like the two were going to fall in love and I wasn't sure what the second half of the story would actually be about, but it kept me on the edge of my seat and I'm already in line for the next book in the series). I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• The Old Girl's Chateau Escape by Kate Galley - I was stoked when I saw this book pop up on my Hoopla app because I didn't realize the author was turning it into a series. Back in December I read the first book, Old Girls Behaving Badly, and this is the follow-up. Picture a woman in her 70s and one in her 80s as the main characters of the book - not something that happens every day. Gina, the woman in her 70s, takes a job as a companion to a couple that her previous companion (her now friend, Dorothy, in her 80s) is familiar with. Dorothy hopes that Gina can spy on the wife of the couple, because she is rumored to be writing a memoir and something happened with this woman and Dorothy many moons ago that she does NOT want coming out. As I'm sure you can guess, calamity ensues and mysteries are solved. I love how fun and lighthearted these books are, they'd make for a perfect vacation type novel to grab and read by the pool. Technically this would work as a standalone story, but I'd totally recommend reading them together. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings - This book grabbed my attention when I was scrolling through the 'newly added' section on my Libby app. I had recently watched a show on fundamentalist Christian groups and found it incredibly interesting, so thought this may be of the same vein. I was correct. This was a memoir of a woman who grew up in the megachurch era and was married into a fundamentalist relationship with God. Please hear me out as I saw I know this is not the experience that everyone has (it's a memoir for goodness sake, that means it is a single person's journey), but time after time it seems as though this is a similar type of reality from people who have left the 'lifestyle'. I am grateful the author took the time to share her experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly) to give voice to some who are unable to stand for themselves (she's also the one who voiced the audiobook, which I always appreciate when it's such a personal telling). I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey - I noticed one of the authors I had been listening to recently had another series on my Hoopla app, so while I was still waiting for more of my books to become available on my Libby app I grabbed this one. I was slightly nervous with the title because I was worried that this would be about a secret romance because the main character was 'full figured' (at least that's the way the cover made her appear), but that was not the case, thankfully. This was the story of a scattered gardener and a buttoned up professor falling in love. As with the rest of this author's books, it was a spicy rom-com with humor tossed it at every corner. I wouldn't say it was my favorite of hers, but it did the job. I did appreciate that Julian had a bit more going on 'under the surface' than some of the male figures in previous stories. I would give it a 7 out of 10. 

• Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey - This is the second book in the Vine Mess series and I've gotta say, I think I liked it more than the first. Maybe I just like the enemies to lovers plot or the fake relationship trope, but whatever the reason, this one just hit a little better, in my opinion, than the first. This author's books are normally pretty standalone with a recurrence of a character or two, but I felt like this one really played off the previous story perfectly. Although I tend to like the more bubbly female leads (not airhead, but just super friendly), I had a lot of respect for Natalie in this story. She's a BA who I wouldn't mind having as a friend. I'll also say that the Epilogue in this one made my heart swoon (and I sort of wish there was more... maybe we can have a follow up of this story ten years down the road... please ;)). I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver - When I saw this pop up on the newly released section of my Hoopla app I was rather excited. I remember enjoying the first two books in this trilogy and was pumped to see the final one had come out. I remembered that the series was dark (sort of a romcom about serial killers), but I'll be honest and say that I didn't remember the ins and outs of the other stories off the top of my head. Thankfully this was a rather standalone book and although the other characters make appearances, you don't need to have their plots too fresh in your mind. With that being said, I think this was my least favorite of the three (I went back and looked at how I rated the first two and it looks like the first book was my top pick, then the second and this one was the bottom of the barrel). Don't get me wrong, it was still entertaining, but I was left wanting more. I wanted more of the story (or serial killer plot) from Rose and I was hoping for better character development for Fionn. I realize the book would've needed to be longer, but I think it could've probably been another 100 pages and there would've been more substance for the reader. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover - I've seen the movie previews for this movie and then the book showed up in the little free library we have in our front yard so I snagged it. (99% of the time the book is better, so just in case I ever want to see the movie I figured I'd read the novel first.) I read it on the flights to and from Michigan, when I was flying back to visit my parents. I would like to start off by saying I wish there would've been a trigger warning at the beginning. There is a lot of physical and domestic abuse, along with rape, that I think should've been mentioned at the get-go, but that's just my opinion. With that being said, as I'm sure you can imagine, it is not an easy read. It goes into the generational cycle of abuse. After how it ended, I am excited to hear that there is a follow-up book - hopefully it'll be on one of my audiobook apps. I would absolutely suggest reading the epilogue because the author goes into how the characters are modeled after her parents in some ways and the different emotions/ feelings she had while writing the novel. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Funny Story by Emily Henry - I had been "in line" for this book on my Libby app for a few months, so I was pumped when I got an alert that it was ready. I always enjoy books from this author (and I love the actress who reads the audiobooks as well), so I was raring to get this one started. If you've been around my corner of the InterWebs for a while and have followed my book recaps, then you will probably know that the fake relationship trope is a fave of mine. The partners of the two main characters in this story, Daphne and Miles, break up with them and then get together (they were best friends and although they swore they didn't see one another 'like that' Peter ended up calling off his engagement to Daphne when he decided that Miles' girlfriend was 'the one' for him). When Daphne and Miles receive a wedding announcement for their exes they decide to fake date and go to the wedding as a couple. As with most fake relationships, feelings are felt and the fake relationship turns into a real one. Although most of this author's books are far from what actually happen in reality (or at least any reality I know from firsthand experience ;)), they keep me entertained. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez - I have really been enjoying this author, so when the third book in this series became available I jumped at the opportunity. They are all standalone stories, but some of the characters make appearances here and there. I've gotta say, I liked this one mucho! As with the majority of this author's books, it's a romcom, so you know there is going to be a love interest. This time it was popped up due to a Reddit thread. The two main characters, Justin and Emma, both have a funny 'curse'... whenever they date someone and break things off, whomever that person dates afterward seems to be 'the one'. It has happened more than a handful of times for each of them, so they thought they'd tempt fate and do an experiment - date each other to see if they could break the curse (ya know, just for the summer). I'm not going to ruin the ending, but let's just say there are ups and downs, traumas and joy, excitement and heartbreak. The humor in this story made me laugh out loud, so it gets two thumbs up from me. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

With that, February is done-zo. If you have suggestions, let me know! I'm always looking to add to my "must read" list! 

What's the best book you've read lately?