Feb. Reading Recap

February has been another good month for reading, a surprisingly good month; especially considering I haven’t had as much time to read this month as I did last month. I’ve been able to bust through a good portion of my to-read list, though. So, once again, I thought it might be a good time to share some of my favorites.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon: Ok, I totally loved this one. I read it in one sitting and was enamored with the story from the get-go. I cannot wait to read more by Addison Allen, and despite a few shaky details surrounding the actual ‘mystery’ of the book, would recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of chick-lit mixed with fantasy.

The Mysterious Benedict Society: This on took me longer to read than it should have. I’m not sure why. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I would definitely recommend this as a child’ read aloud or read alone for say 4th grade and up? It’s the first in a series and while I’m not sure I’ll finish the series I think if I were a child or had children, this would be a favorite of mine.

Night Circus: Although this wasn’t exactly what I expected, I still really enjoyed it. It has some strong Romeo and Juliet undertones, but the magic of the storyline keeps everything in check. The locations are very vivid and I had no trouble getting lost in within the pages. It’s a strong 4 out of 5 stars.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: My friend, Jessica, has been trying to get me to read this book forever; and to be honest – I really thought it was meant to be a scary book and thus I avoided it. I could not have been more wrong. I finally gave in and listened to the entire tale on audible and was so disappointed in myself for not giving it a shot sooner.

Pride and Prejudice: Ok, let me hide behind a low wall over here before I tell you that I’ve never actually read Pride and Prejudice before now; seen the movie yes – the BBC series, no. I know, I know, it’s a shame that had to be made right. Again I listened to it on audible, got hooked, binge watched the BBC series on amazon and then lamented when it was over. Also – Darcy the true introvert is fantastic – simply because he is clearly an introvert.

Language of Flowers: I adored this book. Every single part of it. It’s well written, engaging, and entertaining. I started this one with the intention of reading only a few chapters, and put it down at 2am when I finished. I could totally relate to the main characters, and despite being annoyed by some of their decisions, could understand why they acted the way they did. For a first novel, this one knocks it out of the park. Well worth the read.

Focus: A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction: When Amy announced an online, non-fiction, leadership/business/self-helpy/personal development book club I was quick to join. I was not as quick to read the first book, however, as it took me nearly the entire month to even pick it up. I found it very interesting and full of great, though-provoking notions. It’s free at the link above, and worth a once-through for any creative out there.

Guilded: Each month I get an email with the choice of a free ebook from Amazon Prime. This month, I chose “Guilded” by Christina Farley, and read it while waiting for Dad’s doctor. I enjoyed it more than expected and will likely read more by this author.

Have you read anything great this month? Have any good recommendations?