Books I Read in February

I had another wonderful month of reading!  I didn't have a single book that I was unable to finish; despite a slow start or two.  

 I don't usually list the books I read aloud to my boys in my monthly reading posts but realized that we weren't reading enough to make a separate post about them either so they haven't been recorded at all.  This month I decided to add those books into my summaries and I hope you enjoy the broader expanse of books I'm sharing.   

1.  Baby it's You by Joanne Tracey -- Emily feels like the queen of failed relationships but is pretty sure she had found "the one."  Her best friends Josh Booth and Susie Turner aren't so sure.  Emily is known for fixing up the men she dates just enough for them to go running back to their exes.  She is comfortable with her life and pretty resistant to change but that all changes the day she finds a bucket list in an old coat.  Determined to mark things off her list Emily starts looking for a new job, remodeling her apartment, and even testing the boundaries of her relationships.  I can't say much else without giving key plot points away but I thought this was a super cute story! Plus the Melbourne Australia/ Bali settings were quite fun for me to me to dream about. 

2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett-- I read this book because so many people recommended it as the best book they read last year and while I did enjoy it I know it's not going to make it onto my favorite list.  I found that parts of it just dragged... When twin sisters Desiree and Stella run away from home Desiree never expects Stella to just up and disappear.  One day their daughters meet and Stella's secrets come back to haunt her. This story is about how their decisions altered their lives and the lives of their daughters and families. 

3.  The Return by Nicholas Sparks-- I thought this was a great book.  When Trevor finds his life upended after a horrible accident in Afghanistan and his grandfather's passing away he moves into his grandfather's old house in New Bern just while he's waiting for his new life to start off.  In the meantime he gets sucked into a bit of drama with his neighbor and with the beautiful sheriff Natalie.  Trevor can tell both ladies are keeping secrets and he's still trying to unravel the mystery of what happened with his grandfather.  Lots of great story lines going on all at once made for a quick read.

 

4. Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris-- Like most books written about the concentration camps of World War II this book was very intense at times.  Lale becomes the tattooist of both Birkenau and Auschwitz and vows to take note of all that is happening around him so that he can survive and make sure that the SS officers and those in charge will one day pay for what they did.  Based on Lale's and Gita's (his wife's) true life story.  

5. In Pieces by Sally Field--  I was so excited to get this book through my library and yet I STRUGGLED to actually start reading it.  I just adore Sally Field and have loved pretty much every single movie she's ever been in but I quickly discovered that her writing style is not for me.  I found it really hard to follow what she was she was saying for the first few chapters.  By around chapter 3 I finally settled in and probably shouldn't have been surprised to hear that she was abused as a child; both sexually and emotionally.  It seems like all the Hollywood memoirs involve lots abuse.  Once I really got into it though I had a hard time putting the book down!  It really was a fabulous look at her struggle to make it in a finicky business like show business. 

6.  Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano-- Edward is the long survivor of a plane crash that takes out his whole family.  The book is written in two alternate timelines; before the crash and after.  It was such a compelling novel reading about how Edward, his aunt, and uncle go on to build a new life together dealing with shock, grief, and the injuries Edward sustained. 

7. Ungifted by Gordon Korman--  I picked a book to read aloud with Evan on those days he and I are the only ones homeschooling. Gordon Korman is one of our favorite authors and this book is just as great as his others.  In it Donovan Curtis has made a serious mistake in wrecking the school gym with one of his pranks.  However when the superintendent writes down Donovan's name on the wrong form Donovan finds himself attending a nearby school for gifted kids.  Donovan knows there's been a mistake but tries to fit in with the kids at his new school anyway.  His teachers and fellow students soon realize that while Donovan might not be gifted he might just be exactly what the school needs.  Funny and a bit sweet we can't wait to read the sequel. 

8.  Wings of Fire book #9: Talons of Power by Tui T. Sutherland-- In the 9th book of the series we get to hear the story through Turtle's point of  view; he's such an anxious dragon.  Of course you probably would be too if you were the only dragon that could see there was something wrong with this big scary dragon that rose from the Earth with a bunch of superpowers.  I immediately dove into book 10 but you'll have to wait until next month's wrap up to hear about it as I haven't finished it yet!

9.  Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling-- My boys and I began re-reading our way through all the Harry Potter books after booking our trip to Universal last fall.. you know, the trip that never happened?!  But we have had a wonderful time reading through them all again.  I only get to read aloud a few days a week as I don't read when Ian is at work so it's taken us awhile to get through the series but that's OK.  In the 5th book the ministry of magic is working hard to discredit both Harry and Dumbledore and take over at Hogwarts with Professor Umbridge sticking her nose into everything.  We all love to hate Umbridge and since my boys have watched the movies far more than they've ever read the books there are bits and pieces here and there they didn't remember at all. 

10.  When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O'Neil-- I was hooked from line one! This was a fabulous book. When Kit sees her sister on the news one day she realizes that her sister didn't die 15 years ago like Kit had been told.  Her mother convinces Kit to go looking for Josie.  There is a lot of secrets and drama surrounding their past and their childhoods that comes up. 

Linking up with: Spread the Kindness, Book Review, Centerpiece Wednesday,