8 Books This Month
I came out of January feeling ready to get into another fantastic reading month. Something about February had me feeling like watching trashy TV instead of reading. Love Is Blind anyone?? Today I’ll be sharing my FEBRUARY 2022 BOOK WRAP UP!
There are a couple of books that I genuinely love and one that I could not finish. Let’s get to it!
I’m Still Here– by Austin Channing Brown
RATING ★★★★★
I would consider this a must read. This book was well-written and explained navigating different social settings as a black person in predominantly white spaces. The book was easy to follow but difficult to stomach. I left this book wanting to educate myself more about the true (not white-washed) history of slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow laws and more. Austin Channing Brown is a black woman with a white man’s name – something her parents chose on purpose in order to not allow biases limit her from opportunities typically only granted to certain groups of people. Very interesting and frustrating at the same time.
Yellow Wife– by Sadeqa Johnson
RATING ★★★★★
Wow. This book came highly recommended and I’m so glad I decided to read it. I bought this book and started this book in the same month – not something I typically do as I have a huge backlist of books to read on my physical shelves already. This book was short (272 pages) and had short chapters, but it will stick with me for a very long time.
This story followed Pheby, a black woman living on a Virginia plantation as a slave. I really do not want to give the story away but please know there are many trigger warnings going into this book. You really should be mentally prepared for this book so here are the warnings: graphic depictions of slavery, death of a child (2x), rape, mental and physical abuse, torture, imprisonment. This story could not have been told without any of these very real-life happenings during this time period. This historical fiction novel featured phenomenal writing, beautiful character development and a gripping story.
The Wife Between Us – by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
RATING ★★★☆☆
The Wife Between Us was not my favorite of Greer and Sarah but I did enjoy it for the most part. I only am giving it 3 stars because it took me a while to finish it. I didn’t find myself craving this book and felt like it was more of a chore to read at times – which is so not like me! It could have been the circumstances of my life while trying to get through it though so maybe I should re-read it at some point. I did enjoy the twists and turns, the surprising ending and the characters of this book!
Once There Were Wolves – Charlotte McConaghy
RATING DNF
I thought this was going to be a 5 star book for me. In the end, I could not finish it! I think the concept was good but the writing style had me unable to focus. I wasn’t hooked like I need to be when reading. One thing I should note is that this book was the number one read of 2021 for so many bookstagram friends of mine and I am shocked that I didn’t like it. I think this is a case of how every book is received differently by different people. This is one of my favorite parts about the reading community actually. I enjoy when books have polarized reviews as it creates conversation! I don’t even want to get into what this book is about too much because if you’re interested in reading about how wolves are reintroduced in Scotland to help the environment that is being damaged by an overpopulation of deer then by all means – give it a go! It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Member Of The Family – Dianne Lake
RATING ★★★★☆
I must say – I love a good cult. I would never join one but they absolutely fascinate me. I enjoy any books that have a cult theme whether that be fiction or non-fiction. I also devour documentaries on the subject and go down Google rabbit holes trying to find out more about wild cults. Podcasts are also a hit for me when it comes to bizzare religions and cults. Knowing a bit of the back story of Charles Manson I was intrigued to read this memoir of a former cult member. It is wild to learn about what she went through in her childhood to get her to being part of this notorious family – The Manson Family. I listened to this one with my husband and would recommend listening with a friend because there is a lot to digest and discuss. Some of it is disturbing so be warned.
In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It – Lauren Graham
RATING ★★★☆☆
This is extremely short and extremely forgettable. I love Lauren Graham and am a huge Gilmore Girls fan so when I saw this little book I had to read it. I finished it in one sitting and although Lauren is quick-witted and offers nice advice to graduates, this is a pretty standard inspirational message about not stressing over the future and that in time you end up figuring it out, or rather, things figure themselves out. This would make a cute graduation gift for a high schooler.
Sleet Banshee – S.J. Tilly
RATING ★★★★★
S.J. Tilly does it again with another book in the Sleet series! I adore the character, Meghan. She is unapologetic, hilarious, loud and does not hold back what she is thinking. I can relate to her so this was my favorite book in the series. This is another romance but the “secret lovers” trope is always a fun ride. I gave this 5 stars because it was pure entertainment, kept my focus and I kept thinking about it throughout the day. I loved this book and would recommend this series!
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me – Mariana Zapata
RATING ★★★★★
This is one of my new favorite books. IT IS SO LONG but it is SO good. We chose this for our book club pick for March and it seems to be getting mixed reviews so far from our group. I think it has to do a bit with the slow burn. Slow burn is not for everyone but I adore the build up and anticipation of the romance that we all know is bound to happen. I did want to smack Aidan in the back of the head a few times as I was reading, simply to make him be more transparent with his emotions. When I’m annoyed with a character and their senseless behavior sometimes those books become my favorites though. I feel like they’re more real that way – since most people don’t know how to appropriately convey their honest feelings. I cannot wait to read more of Mariana Zapata’s novels!
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