February was another solid month of reading for me, as I finished 8 books and I am on track to read 100 books this year. Wahoo! Like I mentioned last month, I’m not going to go crazy to meet this goal, but it’s nice to see that it is obtainable. This month, I gave a lot of books five stars, but I think my favorite book was The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s just one of those books everyone needs to read, and it was never one I was assigned in high school or college, so I’m glad I finally got around to it this month. I think my least favorite book was Truth or Beard; it really didn’t live up to my expectations and was a little too sweet for my liking.

Here are my reviews of what I read last month:

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty (★★★★☆) – I think my friend put it best when she said “first 200 pages, 3 stars; last 100 pages, 5 stars.” The first part of the book was a slog. We’re introduced to a mystery (something happened at a barbecue, something that had lasting repercussions…), but we don’t know what it is and Moriarty slowly takes us through the hours leading up to the barbecue and then the event itself. It could be frustrating at times, but Moriarty writes in such a way that I didn’t mind it. But, boy, once everything is revealed, the plot moves along at warp speed and I couldn’t put the book down! I’d probably recommend Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret before this one, but still highly enjoyable and such a unique exploration of love and relationships. (library hardcover)

Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard (★★★★☆) – This was a reread and it was just so lovely. I love the way Gerard writes romantic suspense. This novel follows Sam and Abbie. Sam played a small role in some of the other books in Gerard’s backlist, and I’ve always been drawn to his character, so I enjoyed reading his love story. Abbie was incredibly likable and fun to read, and I loved the way she and Sam did the typical dating thing for the first few chapters of the book. You never see that in these types of books! It was so cute. Highly recommend it for those who enjoy a good thriller with lots of romance. (library e-book)

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (★★★★★) – I listened to this book on audio and it was such an enjoyable experience. I think memoirs read by the author are the best kinds of audiobooks to listen to, honestly. I’ve never been a huge audiobook fan, mostly because I can read a book much more quickly than I can listen to one. But I wanted to listen to more audiobooks this year, especially because my library has an extensive collection and usually little to no waits. This book was about feminism through Caitlin Moran’s lens, and I thought it was such a great primer for what feminism is and why it’s so important. It was funny in parts, especially because of the way the author read the book, but mostly very heartfelt and engaging. It’s worth giving a listen, if only for Moran’s beautiful British accent. (library audiobook)

The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner (★★★★★) – This book was the February selection for my local book club, and we all gave it 5 stars, which is a record for us! It was such an incredible memoir, about a girl who grew up in a polygamist cult in Mexico. Her (polygamist) father died when she was very young and her mother remarried to another polygamist. Her family lived in poverty, her mom collecting welfare and her stepfather doing a terrible job at providing for his three families. As Ruth grows up, she starts questioning the polygamist life and whether or not it’s the right one for her. At times, it’s hard to stomach the pain and difficulty that Ruth went through in her life – but how she found a way to break away from the cult and build a life of her own was so inspiring. Ruth’s writing is engaging and I felt like I was truly there with her every step of the way. She writes vividly and candidly about her life, and in such a raw way that I have to believe the experience of writing the memoir was a heartbreaking and difficult one. Ruth’s resiliency is admirable, and it’s a reminder that we can handle so much more than we ever thought we could. (library hardcover)

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid (★★★☆☆) – I learned about this romance author through another blogger who is a romance evangelist, and when this book was free on Amazon one day, I snapped it up. I went into it with high expectations because of the recommendation, but it fell a little flat for me. For one thing, the protagonist was super young at 22, when most romance protagonists are in their late twenties/early thirties. It was hard to connect with her because of that. And for another, the story was a little too fluffy and sweet for me. I like a little more complexity to my romance novels. It was good enough that I’m going to give another one of her books a try, but I’m still on the fence about the author as of right now. (e-book)

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (★★★★★) – This book was perfection in every way. It was just a sweet YA romance, but unlike Truth or Beard, there was a lot of complexity and nuance. It was about a girl named Madeline who has a rare disease that keeps her from going outside. Her entire life has been spent inside her sealed home. And then, one day, a boy named Olly moves in next door and upends her world. I just loved everything about this book and these two characters and I cannot wait for the movie adaptation this spring. Just watching the trailer gave me all the feels! (e-book)

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (★★★★★) – I was never assigned this book back in high school or college, so it’s been one of those books that I want to read, but am not sure I would have ever gotten around to if not for my work book club. We chose this for our February read and I decided to actually buy the paperback rather than getting it from the library. I had a feeling it would be a book I’d want to keep on my shelves and I was right. This will easily make my Top 10 list for the year, probably in the top spot. (And maybe in my favorites of all time?) The premise is so terrifying, as it takes place in a world where women have no rights (they aren’t even allowed to read!). Many of them have become Handmaids where they serve a Commander and are forced to have sex with him to become pregnant. The Handmaid’s job is to deliver a healthy baby. These Handmaids were wives and mothers and sisters and daughters before they were ripped from their families due to a totalitarian theocracy that suspends the Constitution. Suspends! The Constitution! Fuck that is frightening. If you’re feeling scared about the state of U.S. politics right now, it’s probably not going to help your emotions, but you still might consider giving it a read. It’s a reminder to remain vigilant, to resist what feels wrong, and to recognize that we are not living in normal times and we cannot be silent about that. (paperback)

Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman (★★★☆☆) – I reviewed this book for TLC Book Tours, and you can find my review here. (paperback)

What was the best book you read in February?

I set my annual Goodreads reading goal at 100 books. I don’t actually expect to read 100 books this year (90 tends to be my sweet spot), but I continually low-ball my Goodreads reading goal and I wanted to give myself something of a challenge this year. Luckily, I started the year off strong in January with 9 books read. My favorite book this month was The Mothers and I encourage everyone to read that novel – it’s fantastic!

Here are my reviews for the books I read in January:

Straddling the Line by Jaci Burton (★★★☆☆) – Jaci Burton is truly one of my favorites when it comes to sexy romances, but there was something missing in this novel. This is the love story between Haven and Trevor, two characters that have been present in other novels in Burton’s Play by Play series. I was excited to read about them, but there was something… almost mechanical… about the plot. It was almost as if Burton has some sort of algorithm for writing. It was still a good novel and I devoured it in a matter of days, but I was a little disappointed in it, too. (e-book)

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson (★★★★☆) – This was a slow, sweet book about family and love and grief and community. It follows Major Pettigrew, a witty and opinionated older gentleman who has just lost his brother. He’s a widower and has a smarmy son who he’s not particularly close to. And when he begins to court Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper, they both receive backlash from the people in their small village. I loved how slow and meandering the story was because it fit the way Major lived his life and the setting of the novel. It was a book that just captivated me in its slowness. There were no crazy twists and turns, just a sweet novel with a completely lovable hero. (print)

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson (★★★☆☆) – This novel is about Alice who works for a book publisher and is given the task of making sure the company’s most beloved author, M.M. Banning, delivers her much-anticipated second novel on time. So, she travels to California to keep tabs on Banning and, in doing so, she meets the author’s quirky nine-year-old son, Frank, and quickly becomes his companion. I really wish Frank had been the protagonist in this novel, and not Alice, because Alice was a little bland for me and never really grew as a character. But Frank. Oh. He was phenomenal. He brought so much to the story. Read this novel for Frank… just don’t expect too much from the plot. (print)

A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams (★★★★☆) – I reviewed this novel last month for TLC Book Tours. You can read the review in its entirety here. (print)

Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean (★★★★☆) – Well, it’s official. I have a new favorite romance author. Sarah Maclean writes fun, feisty, hilarious Regency romances and I am here for all of them. Her female protagonists are sassy and smart and vulnerable without being over the top. Her male protagonists are sexy and funny and supportive without seeming too unrealistic. I’m just very, very glad that I have a long list of backlist titles to read from her. Happy sigh! (library e-book)

The Mothers by Brit Bennett (★★★★★) – This novel was a quick read for me, mostly because I could not put it down. I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes my top ten list this year because it was just that good. The book is about Nadia who, at the start of the novel, is seventeen, in her last year of high school, and grieving the loss of her mother to suicide. She starts to see Luke Sheppard, the pastor’s son who is dealing with his own demons and soon finds herself pregnant and conflicted. Throughout the rest of the novel, Nadia and Luke grow up and are soon adults who are still wondering what if they had chosen differently that fateful summer. I loved the voice of this novel and thought it was such a brilliant debut from Bennett. (print)

Anything for You by Kristan Higgans (★★★☆☆) – This is the fifth book in the Blue Heron series from Higgans and this time, we finally get Connor’s story, the grumpy yet lovable chef who plays a behind-the-scenes role in all the other books. It starts with a proposal, Connor proposing to his longtime-in-secret girlfriend, Jessica. Jessica gives him a very firm “no,” and then the story delves into the past for Connor and Jessica and how they got to where they are today. Honestly, this novel was just okay for me, mostly because I didn’t really like Jessica as a character and didn’t really feel any emotional connection to them as a couple. (library e-book)

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (★★★★☆) – This novel has gotten a lot of hype and I was worried about it falling short of my expectations, but I’m happy to report that it didn’t. The writing was truly exquisite and I just really enjoyed my experience with reading this novel. The premise is that a plane crashes and the only survivors are a four-year-old boy (son of a wealthy media mogul) and a man, a washed-up painter who had gotten on the plane last minute. As the story progresses, the back story of each person on the plane (including the flight staff) is perfectly woven into the novel and we learn about these characters and their motivations in the days leading up to the flight. And, ultimately, why the plane crashed in the first place. (library, print)

The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric (★★★☆☆) – This was an okay nonfiction book, but nothing too life-changing. It was written in 2011, and some of it already feels dated (such as the “lessons” from Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, blech). I also didn’t think we needed 3-4 lessons from Jay Leno, but maybe that’s just me. But some of the advice was pretty great – like the fact that Kathryn Stockett’s novel The Help was rejected more than 60 times before someone took a chance on it, so really, you should never give up on something you believe in. (library audiobook)

JANUARY NOTES

• I abandoned 3 books in January: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck by Sarah McKnight (I honestly don’t struggle with saying no and generally give only the “f*cks” I have to give, so this book just wasn’t for someone like me); Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss (tried listening on audiobook, but it didn’t keep my attention); and Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen (not my style of book at all and I gave up after 90 pages)
• It took me 9 days to finish Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, so that was the longest time spent reading one book. In contrast, it took me less than 2 days to read Straddling the Line.
• My rating average was 3.7 and I had a good mix of 3 and 4 star books.
• I read 3 diverse books. I’m trying to read at least one book by a POC every month.
• I didn’t read too many library books this month: only 3 out of 9. I have a feeling this will be atypical.
• I spent $16.44 on books this month, which also feels atypical.
• Four out of the nine books I read were published in 2016. All of them were published by a traditional publisher.

What was the best book you read in January?