I had a pretty good February. There were some moments were I was really struggling, but I would say that on the whole I had a good reading month. I loved most of what I read, and I picked up some books that I was pretty excited about. I ended up reading 25 books, which is pretty good all things considered.
Books I hauled in February:
- The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
- One Girl in All the World by Kendare Blake
- Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare
Books I read in February:
1. Pemmican Wars by Katherena Vermette
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was well written and illustrated. I really enjoyed the main characters and how a lot of story was able to be transcribed in so few words. It was beautiful. These four graphic novels in the A Girl Called Echo series are all short, so I don’t have a ton to say. I just really enjoyed the art and story.
2. Red River Resistance by Katherena Vermette
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: See above.
3. Northwest Resistance by Katherena Vermette
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: See above.
4. Road Allowance Era by Katherena Vermette
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: See above.
5. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This is yet another re-read, and I still always have fun reading it. It’s well written and a compelling story.
6. Burden Falls by Kat Ellis
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: My goodness, this book absolutely kept me guessing. I really enjoyed the main character and the complex layers of her character. I found the mystery elements really interesting. I really enjoyed the question of whether or not there was a supernatural element of not. I didn’t know what to expect, and I had so much fun trying to figure it out.
7. The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I really enjoy Jessica Goodman’s mysteries. She rwrites wonderfully complex female characters, and I found that Goldy was no different. I really enjoyed her dynamics with her two friends and her relationship with the camp. It was very intriguing to read about. She had a complex story. The book kept me guessing.
8. Descender Volume 2 by Jeff Lemire
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really love this series. I think it has a really interesting premise. The art was well done, and there were lots of really good moments in the story. It’s fast paced and action packed. I definitely want to continue.
9. Descender Volume 3 by Jeff Lemire
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I’m obsessed with this graphic novel series. The art is really beautiful and the characters are really cool. I was shocked by the twists, and can’t wait for the next one.
10. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked this book. It was well paced and well written. Getting the points of view of both siblings was really interesting and really helped give a fully perspective of the story. There were some really interesting and compelling moments. The story was really unique.
11. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I’m really glad that I read this book. It’s probably not something that I would have picked up on my own, but I read it for one of the book clubs I’m in, and I had a lot of fun reading it. It was well written and the characters were really interesting. I found it really satisfying when I was able to get some guess about plot correct. It was very satisfying.
12. I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a really interesting story. I felt like the analysis of fandom culture was intriguing, and Alice Oseman made some very good points about it, and the potential toxicity within it. I also liked the analysis of friendships and fame. There was a lot that I was able to pull out of this story, and I appreciated the way the characters grew throughout this story.
13. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review:Another re-read for work. It’s still such a great story with so much to pull out of it.
14. The History of the World According to Facebook by Wylie Overstreet
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was very reminscent of the internet when I was in university. Certain aspects of the nostalgia of the concept of this was really interesting to me, but I don’t think it’s as relevant to a younger audience.
15. Medusa by Jessie Burton
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a beautiful story. I liked how it flipped the myth of Medusa on its head, and really changed your expectations for what was going to happen at the end. I also liked how it was paired with some really beautiful art that helped to illustrate the story.
16. Court by Tracy Wolff
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I’m so glad I continued on with this series finally. It’s definitely a junk food series vibe, but I had so much fun with it. It was fast paced and action packed. The characters have their flaws and there was lots of drama, but that’s what makes it fun. I really enjoyed this expansion of the world.
17. How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: There were way too many spooky puppets and dolls in this book, but I ended up enjoying it despite all of that, and believe me there were a heck of a lot of them. The family dynamics at the heart of this story were really compelling. It was ultimately a story about family and a what a lack of communication could do to it. I really appreciated how that was conveyed through the narrative. The horror elements were definitely there.
18. The Discovery by Gordon Korman
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: There was some really good nostalgia to reading this series. I enjoyed it a lot when I was younger, and so I really enjoyed revisiting it. The characters are pretty interesting, though perhaps a bit one dimensional. They do have some really unique traits though, and so they did provide some interesting representation for the time. I also liked that there wasn’t a lot of romance, but instead lots of interesting adventure.
19. The Deep by Gordon Korman
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed revisting this series. The second book was just as action packed, and I loved that it was a quick and easy read. The characters were decently developed, and I really enjoyed the twists. There was enough action that it didn’t feel too middle book-y.
20. The Danger by Gordon Korman
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a good continuation and conclusion of the series. I liked how the story continued to develop and grow to its conclusion. I felt that the ending to the series was pretty satisfying.
21. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I was a bit nervous about reading this as I had heard it was pretty dark and twisty. It definitely was pretty dark and twisty, but I ended up not being able to put it down. I really wanted to know what these characters were going to do next. I don’t think it’s something that I would recommend to everyone, but I found it really interesting. I think the first short story/novella was probably my favourite because it shocked me the most.
22. Basilisk Volume 1 by Cullen Bunn
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I found this to be a really interesting premise for a graphic novel. The powers and the consequences were really interesting to me. It was beautifully illustrated and the story came across quite well. I liked the revenge plot even if it seemed a bit misguided.
23. Basilisk Volume 2 by Cullen Bunn
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed this continuation. The characters were interesting, and I liked getting to see them more. There were some twists there that I completely didn’t expect. They had interesting motivations. The art was really lovely and detailed. I also liked that we got more of the backstories of the characters in this one.
24. What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: Kate Alice Marshall is definitely an autobuy author for me. I have loved everything of hers that I have read. She has become a highlight of my reading, and I really enjoyed my her first adult book. It was well written, with some really engaging twists and turns that kept me flipping pages. I absolutely had to know what was going to happen next. I kept coming up with theories about what was happening. Sometimes I was right, and sometimes I was wrong. Either way I was so satisfied with the way things played out and the way the story was told. It was super compelling.
25. Dune Volume 2 by Brian Herbert
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: The art in this graphic novel is beautiful. I really like the use of colour and how clearly illustrated the characters are. There is a lot of detail, and it’s all really well done. However, I will admit that I found the storyline just a little bit confusing. The characters were interesting, but I just had a bit of a hard time keeping them straight and figuring out what the characters were doing. However, it was absolutely beautifully illustrated.
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