I did a pretty good job this month at keeping up with my TBR. The reasonable expectations I’ve set for myself have been easy enough to keep up with, and I’m pretty proud of myself! This month I have read a total of 14 books.
You by Carolyn Kepnes
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
You was such an interesting book. It’s such a unique perspective and such a different way to tell a story. It picked it up because I want to eventually watch the show and felt it was important to read the book before hand. I really enjoyed it. Joe is such a horrible character, but he’s absolutely fascinating. You can’t look away and it gets to a point where you totally want him to find success. Then you have to question what the actual heck is wrong with you and it makes you question a lot. This was a roller coaster ride of the book, but it’s super graphic so just be aware of that. I have heard some really terrible things about the sequel so I’m not sure if I’m going pick up the next one.
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review:
This was a really interesting conclusion to The Wrinkle in Time series. I liked this one better than the last one, as the protagonist was far more interesting. It was cool to read about one of Meg and Cal’s kids. However, I can’t say it really left a strong impression on me.
Saints + Misfits by SK Ali
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review:
This book was so good. I haven’t really read many books like it. The narrator was so relatable, even though I didn’t share her faith and I’m not a teenager. She’s a strong voice and she’s really someone that I can empathise with. I had all of the feels.
Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
I picked up Monkey Beach because I’m trying to get better at reading First Nations texts. I had never read it, so I thought I should. One of my colleagues has raved about it. It took me awhile to get into this one. It’s a slow start, however, once you get into it, Robinson really manages to sweep you up in the narrative and with the character. Lisamarie is an engaging narrator and the supernatural aspects of this book are so interesting. The ending left me in pain; it’s definitely vague, but on the whole I super recommend this book.
3 Sides of a Heart by Various
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
I’m going to keep this one short and sweet here. I love short story collections. If you don’t like one, then chances are the next one will be better. This was a collection about love triangles, and I know that a lot of people hate that kind of trope, but on the whole this collection was full of so many different takes on that trope that I definitely think that it’s totally worth it to pick up.
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review:
One of my students read this book last semester and she said it was making her cry. I was definitely intrigued so I decided to listen to it on audio. I didn’t cry, but the story is definitely deeply emotional and I think if I had been reading a physical copy I would have been swept away by feels. This is a historical fiction book, so be sure to make a note of that before you pick it up. I know historical fiction isn’t for everyone. However, I did really enjoy it and I liked the narrator a lot. She’s a fantastic character.
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
It was fun to revisit this story. It’s been awhile since I read Taming of the Shrew, and it was cool to reflect on my thought process about it. Some of this play horrified me, and some of it confused me. I definitely felt like they dropped the ball on the structure they set up at the beginning where the main events of the play were a play within a play. However, for the most part I just ignored the introduction.
Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth by Drew Hayden Taylor
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
This is another book I picked up because I’ve been trying to read more First Nations book, and this is a play that my school had as an option for a text. This is a story about the aftermath of the Sixties Scoop, which is an awful thing, and the story projected a lot of really strong and difficult to deal with emotions. I was really moved, but definitely felt like it moved really quickly and I think I would have preferred it as a novel.
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
This was my favourite February read and one of my most anticipated from 2019. It was so fun to go back to the Grishaverse. It definitely had a slow start, but that allowed me to remember who all of these characters were. Additionally, it allowed me to have some time to reconnect with my old favourites. It was really cool to learn more about Zoya and to read a Nikolai POV. I also loved getting to see Nina again and hearing her reflect on her adventures from the Six of Crows books. The adventure was really good and I highly recommend this. I definitely can’t wait for the next book.
To Kill a Mockingbird (Graphic Novel) by Harper Lee, Fred Fordham
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Physical Copy/Graphic Novel
Review:
I love TKAM. It’s a really fantastic book, and I know it’s dated but it has a really special place in my heart. I find it really interesting, so I was definitely intrigued by the graphic novel. The graphic novel was absolutely beautiful, but I felt that based on the format it lost some of the art and magic of Harper Lee’s original book. However, I do see it being a cool point of access for kids who find the original dense.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
I read this as a buddy read with my friend Cheyenne. We got through it pretty quickly. Cheyenne mentioned that she struggled with the many rules of the fantasy world, but personally I found myself rather intrigued by the world and the magic. I liked that it was set in a historical version of our world but that it contained a lot of magic added in. I really enjoyed the heist vibes, and I rather quickly fell in love with all the characters. It’s a really good cast.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review:
This was a re-read, but I was listening to the audiobook for the first time. It was just what I needed, because I really liked being able to revisit the magic of Hogwarts.
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
Rating: 4 stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:
This was my TBR jar pick for the month of February. I loved The Girl on the Train, so I was really excited for Into the Water. I really liked the way this story was told with the multiple POVs. It was occasionally hard to remember who was who. There were a lot of different plot threads in this book, but I really liked how they all came together at the end. However, it just didn’t blow me out of the water so I couldn’t give it 5 stars.
The Body by Stephen King
Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook
Review:
This was my least favourite read this month. I was really hoping to like it because I remembered enjoying the movie, but I just didn’t like the novella as much. I’m not sure if Stephen King is really ever going to be one of my favourites. He’s clearly talented and prolific, but he’s just not for me. (I say this now, but I will probably continue to read more by him. I’m bad at putting my foot down when it comes to books.)
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