Hello, reader!
I know, I know. It’s already the middle of March and I’m just now doing my February wrap up. Imma be honest with you… I apparently had a dream that I had already finished this post and it was out on the internet for all to read. Then, I started questioning myself, looked it up, and realized that my subconscious thinks I’m far more on top of things than I actually am. Really, just a snapshot of how my brain has been working this path month. Like a sloth crawling through molasses up in here *taps head*
Anyhoo! Now that I’ve realized my mistake, it’s time to go over all the wonderful books I read last month. It was a pretty incredible reading month, especially considering it’s the shortest month of the year. I read a lot of books for me and a lot of quality books, at that! So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Books Read
Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page
Book: Revenge of the Beast by Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: This was just as much fun as the first book in the series! I loved watching Ebenezer and Bethany bond even more. I also loved watching them learn more about friendship and what it is to be a ‘do-gooder’. I read this for a The Write Reads tour and you can read my full thoughts here.
Book: False Value by Ben Aaronovitch
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts: Another gem in the Rivers of London series and this one finally reached the full five stars for me! I think this book really shows how much Peter has grown over the course of this series. I also loved all the tech talk and, of course, the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy references! I’m looking forward to whatever comes next.
Book: Noor by Nnedi Okorafor
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: Another novella by Dr. Okorafor that I truly enjoyed! I think I liked Remote Control a smidge more, but this was a great read, as well. I loved how it examines topics like misogyny and how people treat those they see as ‘other’. This was a quick, engaging read and I enjoyed discovering all its layers.
Book: Battle Royal by Lucy Parker
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: This was such a cute romance! I’m glad I picked it as my first read off my “12 friends, 12 recommendations” TBR! Not only was the slow burn immaculate, but I super enjoyed the baking aspect, as well. Mostly because I have a giant sweet tooth, lol. This book had me hungry! The romance was super sweet (haaaaa), as well.
Book: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: ★★★★★
Thoughts: Yup. I finally read one of the most hyped books in the bookish community. And I ADORED IT! One of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given! This beautiful book takes a look at the glitz and glam of Old Hollywood. The real heart of this book, however, is the look at identity and love and struggling to find both. It’s fantastic and I’m so glad I finally gave it a chance.
Book: Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: Whenever I read a middle grade novel and there are illustrations, I already know I’m going to love it. This book is no exception! I adored this mysterious and exciting story. The word puzzles and riddles sprinkled throughout made my nerdy little heart super happy. And it was kind of a perfect book to read during winter in Massachusetts!
Book: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Rating: ★★★
Thoughts: Though it took awhile to get to the actual mystery, once we got there, it was a lot of fun. I mean… as fun as murder can be, ya know? I loved the twists and turns in this one. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the casual racism in Christie’s novels, but it wasn’t… as bad in this one 😅 Overall, it was a good read.
Book: Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward
Rating: ★★★
Thoughts: This was a good second novel in a great fantasy series! It kind of felt like a bridge or filler book, with lots of lore dumped on the reader. I love the lore of this world, but I felt like the plot suffered because of all world-building. Still, I enjoyed the character growth and it definitely left me excited for the next book! You can read my full review here.
Book: Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn
Rating: ★★★★
Thoughts: If you’re looking for a whimsical and fun YA read and you like a little secret identity action, have I got a book for you! This was such an engaging and compelling story, with an incredible setting and even better characters. I loved Lottie and Ellie so much! You can read my full review here.
Book of the Month
Well, though I had two five star reads this month, the choice is easy. One book absolutely blew me away, so there’s no way I can’t choose it! The Book of the Month for February is…
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I know I’m super late to this party, but I’m glad I’m finally here! This book lived up to all the hype surrounding it and I’m so glad that it did. I’m always nervous picking up a hyped book that I think I’m gonna love because it’s been hyped so much, if it falls short in even the tiniest way, it can seem so disappointing. I’m sure it’s not like that for everyone, but that’s just how my asshole brain works, haha. So I’m very happy that this was just as incredible as everyone was saying. I loved the LGBTQIA+ rep, I loved how ruthless Evelyn could be, but I especially loved how intimate this story feels. Like we’ve been invited into Evelyn’s inner circle. I’ll have a full review later, but just know that this is easily gonna be one of my top reads of the year.
Challenge Update
22 Books in 2022:
I didn’t actually read any of my 22 books this month 😅 Well… that’s not entirely true. I started The Jasmine Throne, but I didn’t finish it until the beginning of March (it’s so good!). So… progress? Kind of?
12 Friends, 12 Recommendations:
As mentioned above, I read one book off my “12 friends, 12 recommendations” TBR! The Jasmine Throne is also on that TBR, so I’ll have more of an update in March. So far, though, I have:
- Battle Royal by Lucy Parker
Popsugar Reading Challenge:
- A book becoming a TV show or movie in 2022 (Death on the Nile)
- A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read (Revenge of the Beast)
- A book about a secret (Undercover Princess)
- A book set during a holiday (Winterhouse)
- A different book by an author you read in 2021 (Blood of the Lost Kingdom)
- A book featuring a man-made disaster (Noor)
Read Your Shelf Challenge:
- A book over 22 years old (Death on the Nile)
- A book with two words in the title (Undercover Princess)
- A book that spans more than 22 years (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo)
- A book that starts with the letter “B” (Blood of the Lost Kingdom)
- The second book in a series (Revenge of the Beast)
- A book that could fit 2 different prompts (Battle Royal)
- A book you read in February (Noor)
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge:
No prompts completed this month, but I’m determined to get some completed in March!
How was your reading in February? Did you find a new favorite? Make any progress on some challenges? Let me know in the comments!
And, as always, happy reading!
Kerri McBookNerd 