Welcome to my slightly late February Wrap-Up! As I'm writing this, I just got back from a work trip to Montreal (which was both unexpected and exciting). However, that means I haven't read much in the last week. I've also come back with COVID, so I sadly won't be making my usual March TBR post this month since I'm not really well enough to commit to anything. I might make a short TBR later in the month though if people want me to. I will say that I'm incredibly happy with how much I
read in February despite it being a shorter month. Overall, I read 18 books which totalled 6969 pages. So, without further ado, here are my reviews and ratings for the
month!
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1. Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict ★★★
I know it's not Christmas, but my mum lent me this adult mystery/crime
book recently so I thought I'd better read it before next Christmas. This
book has: Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer. In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the sleeper train to the Highlands is
derailed, along with the festive plans of its travellers. With the train
stuck in snow in the middle of nowhere, a killer stalks its carriages,
picking off passengers one by one. Those who sleep on the sleeper train may
never wake again. Can former Met detective Roz Parker find the killer before they kill
again?
So, this book was an incredibly quick read. I read it in one evening
and it was compelling enough that I wanted to find out who the killer
was. I will say that the cover and description of the book are slightly
misleading, as I expected this to be far more of a cosy mystery with
Agatha Christie vibes. While it partially was that, it also covered some
very difficult topics unexpectedly and I didn't expect some of the
graphic descriptions; they felt a bit jarring and out-of-place with the
rest of the story. To add to that I will say huge trigger warnings for
rape, sexual assault, PTSD flashbacks, difficult childbirth, and death
of a parent. For me, the sheer amount of modern-day references also pulled me out of the
story - maybe that's just a me thing, but when TikTok and brand names are
mentioned on every other page, I find it harder to immerse myself in the
story.
The characters were quite interesting. Roz was a good detective, but I
found her snappy retorts occasionally irritating, even when I understood
where they were coming from. The rest of the characters weren't really
developed enough and I sometimes struggled to remember who was related
to who in moments when everyone was talking. I did enjoy seeing Roz's
relationship with her daughter and daughter-in-law, and when she met
someone on the train, it definitely became more interesting and I liked
their relationship. Another great thing about this book is that I
absolutely did not see the multiple twists coming at all and I'm very
happy with how the book ended in that way. I really appreciated that
even the red herrings were played out to have their own mysteries
attached to them as well. Overall, this was a fun murder mystery and I'd
definitely read more from this author, but I'd tread cautiously if any
of the trigger warnings apply to you!
2. The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch ★★★★
For those who don't know, Evanna Lynch has long been viewed as a role
model for people recovering from anorexia, as the story of her casting as
Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films grew to almost mythic proportions
- a tale of how she faced disordered eating as a young girl, found solace
in a beloved book series, and several years later landed the part of her
favourite character. But that is not the whole story. This is a
non-fiction memoir about Evanna's life and her journey with anorexia and
how it affected her life. Evanna confronts all the complexities and contradictions within herself and
reveals how she began to conquer her self-hate while facing her fear of
leaving the neatness and safety of girlhood for the unpredictable journey of
being a woman.
I always find it hard to review memoirs as I feel like I'm reviewing
someone's life, and I didn't really know what to expect going into it, but
Lynch has such a wonderful voice that comes through her writing, making the
entire book incredibly interesting to read. She tells the truthful and
gritty aspects of having anorexia, how it affected her own mental health and
her family, and how people are treated that suffer with the disorder. If
you've heard of Lynch's tale before, she clarifies in this book that her
recovery hasn't been a miracle that was cured by Harry Potter, far from it;
it's been a journey that she's undertaken every day of her life. She also
handles the delicate subject matter incredibly well, never mentioning
numbers and only talking about habits when their pertinent to the story
itself. I will say that if you've ever struggled with anorexia or a similar
eating disorder then maybe give this book a miss if you think you might find
it triggering (Lynch even says this early on in the book). However, I think
this was a very well written and brave memoir to publish and if you enjoy
that genre then I recommend picking this up.
3. The History of Bees by Maja Lunde ★★★.5
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. This is a mixture of
historical, contemporary, and dystopian fiction. We follow three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future,
weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees - and to
their children and one another - against the backdrop of an urgent, global
crisis. England, 1851. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to
build a new type of beehive-one that will give both him and his children
honour and fame; United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle
against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation; and
China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have
long since disappeared. When Tao's young son is taken away by the
authorities after a tragic accident - and is kept in the dark about his
whereabouts and condition - she sets out on a gruelling journey to find out
what happened to him.
This book is translated so it's often difficult to talk about the language
used in translated works as I know the author's intention might not be the
same; however, I found the writing to be beautiful and so many descriptions
stuck with me. I especially liked hearing about the world of 2098. I've also
discovered that I love dystopian books that explain and show the mystery of
how the world got to where it is in the future, and this book did the same
thing. Following three different beekeepers from different time periods and
laying the mystery of how they are all connected really kept me
interested throughout. However, the biggest issue with this book was that
some of the storylines and characters were far more interesting than others
to me. While that meant I was intrigued to keep reading so I would get to a
character I enjoyed, it also meant some chapters (however short) still
dragged. Tao's story was easily the most interesting, while William and
George's only had small moments that I enjoyed. Overall this book is very
reminiscent of Station Eleven; less about the disaster and more about
how people live now that things have changed. As I said, I really liked this
book, but I wish I'd enjoyed all the characters equally as that would've
pulled up the rating.
4. The Secret Diary of Sarah Thomas by Sarah Thomas ★★★
This was an unexpected book that I didn't actually buy for myself. My
brother bought me this for Christmas last year so I thought I'd pick it up.
It's a non-fiction diary that was found from 1860-1865 and it follows the
life of Sarah Thomas - a woman living in a Cotswold Market Town.
As this is a diary, it's again, difficult to rate, but the social
commentary the diary provided was incredibly interesting. It was fascinating
seeing how people of Sarah's class lived in this period of time in England,
and how it diverges from things we think we knew about the time period. I
found it amazing to see how people struggled with their morality, religion,
social life, and surprisingly, how they were aware of many situations abroad
(which I didn't expect). Sarah's older brothers even emigrated to Australia,
which I hadn't expected in this time period. This is a snapshot of someone's
life in a small period of history and if you're interested in learning more
about life in this time, then pick this up.
5. Trial by Fire by Scott James ★★★★
I decided to pick up this True Crime book after seeing it on
Books of Amber's
channel. This book follows the tragedy of the Station Nightclub fire that
happened in 2003. In only 90 seconds, a fire in the Station nightclub killed 100 people and
injured hundreds more. It would take nearly 20 years to find out why and
who was really at fault. All it took for a hundred people to die during a show by the hair metal
band Great White was a sudden burst from two giant sparklers that ignited
the acoustical foam lining the Station nightclub. But who was at fault? And
who would pay? This being Rhode Island, the two questions wouldn't
necessarily have the same answer.
In this book Scott James investigates all the central figures, including
the band's manager and lead singer, the fire inspector, the maker of the
acoustical foam, as well as the brothers. Drawing on firsthand accounts,
interviews with many involved, and court documents, James explores the rush
to judgement about what happened that left the victims and their families,
whose stories he also tells, desperate for justice.
As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult read and heartbreaking
read. However, James covers the story so well and with a lot of compassion.
He also delves into every area of the story, revealing things that were
previously unknown and shed more light on who was responsible. I will warn
that this book talks in great detail about the fire, the injuries, and the
deaths that occurred, so if you don't feel like you can read that, then
maybe skip this book. It also references a video that was taken at the time
of the fire, which is still viewable on YouTube; the video is graphic and I
recommend viewing with caution. Overall, this book was incredibly well
researched and written, but it was also a very difficult read.
6. Angel Volume 1: Being Human by Bryan Edward Hill ★★★★
This is the first volume in the Buffy Reboot spin-off graphic novel
series, Angel. I had pretty low expectations of this after
reading the second volume of Buffy last year and rating it very low.
However, I'm happy to say that this was actually really interesting. I liked
seeing a different side to Angel's backstory, and I absolutely
love that Fred has already entered the story this early on. I'm
excited to see where this series is going to go after that ending too.
Honestly, I was going to give up on this series if this hadn't been good, so
I'm happy to say I'm going to continue now.
7. Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree ★★★★★
You've all probably heard of this book by now. It was a self-published cosy
fantasy that got picked up by a publisher last year. Similar to what Becky
Chambers does for sci-fi, Travis Baldree does for fantasy; sweet, cost, and
heartwarming slice-of-life in a different world. Viv, the orc barbarian is
worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, so she cashes
out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a
fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the
streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city
has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging
swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may
just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will
need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.
This book was adorable and the low stakes were exactly what I needed after reading some darker and heavier books this month. The characters were all so unique; I loved how the different races were portrayed and how they weren't all stereotypes and what we'd normally expect to see. For such a short book, I could also picture the world so well; Baldree did a great job with the worldbuilding. The small village was adorable and I loved everyone that lived there. It was great seeing how these characters built a coffee shop in a fantasy world, and the modern-day ideas they had to think of to get it up and running like marketing. The LGBTQ+ rep
was also lovely to see and the romance was incredibly cute. And of course I couldn't write this review without mentioning the wonderful Amity. Overall, this was adorable and if you're a fan of Becky Chambers or just wanted a low stakes, cute book, then pick this up.
8. Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★
I am so nearly caught up with all of Brandon Sanderson's book! This is a collection of short stories set in the Cosmere (NOTE: Each short story has a warning at the start as to which other Brandon Sanderson book you should read first. Do listen to them or they will spoil entire series for you). I loved this far more than I thought I would. I became so invested in the new worlds, and I fell back in love with some older characters. Sanderson will always be a favourite author and I love seeing the Cosmere come together.
There are nine stories in this collection so I won't talk about them in detail or this review would be huge and I also won't talk about plot as some of these stories are so short it would spoil them. However, I loved The Emperor's Soul and all of the characters in that - especially Shai and Gaotona. The magic was so interesting and was very reminiscent of some of the magic in The Stormlight Archives. I can't believe I hadn't read Mistborn: Secret History until now; it blew my mind and makes me want to re-read the first era of Mistborn all over again. White Sand was a lot more interesting that I initially thought it would be, so I'll need to pick up those graphic novels when I can. Overall, these were brilliant additions to the universe of the Cosmere, and definitely must-reads if you want to know all the connecting details of Sanderson's books.
9. Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? by Holly Bourne ★★
If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I love Holly Bourne's books (both YA and Adult). Unfortunately, this was the first book by this author that I didn't really enjoy. In this one, we're welcomed to Camp Reset, a summer camp with a difference. A place offering a shot at “normality” for Olive, a girl on the edge, and for the new friends she never expected to make – who each have their own reasons for being there. Luckily Olive has a plan to solve all their problems. But how do you fix the world when you can’t fix yourself?
So, firstly I want to say that, as always with Holly Bourne, the writing was great. Absolutely no problems with that. She also tackles big mental health issues in a careful and realistic way, and no-one is ever magically 'cured' by the end of the book, which I really appreciate. The biggest issue I had with this book was the main character. I understand that she has a mental health condition that means she does terrible things, but honestly I really struggled to ever see her do something good because she was thinking of others. Even by the end of the book, although she has a breakthrough about herself, she doesn't seem to really care about anyone. The other issue (that is most likely a me problem) I had was that I found Olive to be very unrelatable. Normally, I find Bourne's main characters to be so realistic and down-to-earth, but hearing a girl complain that every boy falls in love with her because she's so beautiful gets boring very quickly. Similarly, I am very over the trope of 'no girls like me. I only get on with boys'. Even though Olive did make some female friends, she did also burn some of those bridges pretty quickly. Also, her treatment of Lewis was absolutely awful and I wished we'd seen more of him in the aftermath of what happened. Mostly, I think this book and this character weren't for me; I'm sure others will get more out of it than I did, but it's definitely not my favourite Holly Bourne book.
10. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers ★★★★★
I love Becky Chamber's books in the Wayfarers series, so I decided to try the first book in her sci-fi novella duology. Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend. Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honour the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot.
As with all Becky Chambers' books, this was like a warm hug. It's a cosy sci-fi that explores some of the big questions with heartwarming answers. I can't get over how small, simple sentences can stick with me for days after reading her books. The writing was beautiful and I adored the notion of a tea monk and what they do for people. Even in a novella, Chambers' somehow manages intricate worldbuilding that answers all the questions I have, while simultaneously making me want twelve more books exploring the world. Dex, a non-binary monk, and Mosscap, a forever curious robot, are such contrasting characters that compliment each other so well. Mosscap was adorable and their relationship with Dex was so sweet. If you're looking for an entry into Becky Chambers' books or just want a short, sci-fi to try, then definitely pick this up.
11. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland ★★★★
I'd heard very mixed things about this book so I was nervous, but hopeful I would like it going in. Thankfully, I really enjoyed this book. In this YA alternate history, we follow Jane McKeene who was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville - derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Re-education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities - and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.
After a shaky start, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. To begin with, Jane could be an irritating main character for her spur-of-the-moment decisions to speak before she thinks; however, this is definitely a problem I have with a lot of YA books, and at least in this book, her actions made a lot of sense. I also found the tone of the writing difficult to get into at the start, but I soon became used to it. The world was incredibly interesting and I found it really interesting to see zombies from the historical point of view of people that had never had never even thought about zombies previously (unlike our current culture). I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jane and Katherine develop; it was absolutely amazing to see them towards the end of the book and how far they'd come. Gideon and the Duchess were also among some of my favourite characters. I also really liked the past chapters that show where Jane came from and her mother and Aunt Aggie. Oh, and the letters at the start of each chapter were heartbreaking and such a great addition to the book to develop a relationship that we don't see much of throughout. I will say, I 100% did not see any of the twists coming; they were incredible and added so much more emotional impact to the story. The other weirdly great thing this book had was the amount of characters that I hated: The Sheriff, the Preacher, and Miss Anderson are now all on my top worst character lists. Overall, this was a great and surprising YA book, and I'm very excited to read the sequel.
12. The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson ★★★★
And we did it. We are finally caught up with the Cosmere (excluding secret projects). This is the fourth book in Mistborn Era Two and the seventh book in the Mistborn series overall. The first book is set three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds. Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history - or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.
This book was very close to being another five star Brandon Sanderson. Unfortunately, I did feel like the beginning and part of the middle of the book were slower than normal and not a whole lot happened. That's literally the only thing that brought it down for me. Overall though, I adored this series. This book had a perfect ending and I'm so intrigued to see how it's going to connect to the whole Cosmere in the later series. We see so many ways in which this series connects to The Stormlight Archives and The Emperor's Soul; the Ghostbloods alone were a huge addition, especially when you see who's leading them. Character-wise, I found Wax to be more dull in this book, but I loved Marasi and Steris and their growth. And oh my god, Wayne - I loved everything about his character. Although the start of this book didn't have a whole lot happening, the ending was so impactful and made me cry. A fantastic addition to this world and I can't wait to read Mistborn Era Three when it comes out!
13. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley ★★★
This is an adult thriller by the same author as The Guest List (which I really enjoyed) and The Hunting Party (which I gave 3 stars). This book follows Jess and she needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. She asks her half-brother Ben if she could crash with him in his Paris apartment for a bit, and he didn’t say no. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment that Ben shouldn't be able to afford – he’s not there. The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbours are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.
Firstly, I just want to warn people to not read the blurb of this book on Scribd because it spoils a reveal that happens around 50% into the book, and that really annoyed me. As mentioned above, I've read a couple of Lucy Foley books before and I found this to probably be on the same level as The Hunting Party. The story itself was interesting and cleverly put together. I loved the writing and the Paris setting. I did guess a lot of plot points well before they happened though and I feel like her books would probably benefit from fewer points of view for that reason. I didn't really like the main character, but then none of the characters were particularly likeable (and I don't feel like any of them were meant to be). My main issue with this book was that I didn't feel the same edge-of-my seat tension/need to know that I had with The Guest List, and none of the reveals came as a huge shock. It was a quick to read and decent thriller, but nothing extraordinary for me.
14. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
This is the sequel to A Psalm for the Wild-Built and the final book in the Monk and the Robot duology. After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home. They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.
While I found this as delightful and heart-warming as the first book, it didn't feel like it added too much which is why it didn't get 5 stars; I do almost wish it had just been one larger book. Having said that, it was so charming to see Dex and Mosscap's relationship grow further while delving into the philosophy of the world. It was just lovely to read knowing the stakes were low and the ending was incredibly beautiful. I won't say too much else about the plot, since it is such a short novella, but I highly recommend this short duology to any reader.
15. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami ★★★★★ (re-read)
I first read this book in 2012 and gave it 5 stars then; I also read it in a single day because of how incredibly well-written and intense it is. You've probably heard of this book before but it's an Adult dystopian set in an alternate version of Japan, where every year a class of junior high school students are taken to a deserted island as part of a ruthless authoritarian program. They are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. The class we follow has 42 students but we do follow some characters more than others.
Firstly, I want to say that the translator has done a fantastic job of keeping this book as tense and action-packed as the original author intended. There were definitely a few lines that felt a bit clunky, but they were few and far between. The characters are so well written. I don't think I'll hate many characters as much as I do Sakamochi and Mitsuko Souma. And I loved so many of them as well; it's amazing how Takami manages to turn these characters into real people with solid backgrounds, even when you've only known them a couple of paragraphs. It's also pretty incredibly to have 42 uniquely defined characters and ensure that the reader doesn't get them mixed up.
Because this is such a tense, thriller-type book, I don't want to say too much about the plot except that it's non-stop and amazing. There are no moments of real downtime and it means you want to constantly pick the book up again. It says I lot that I first read the book 11 years ago and yet still remembered so many moments and plot points because they stuck with me so clearly. I'll just mention that the ones that stayed with me include the early house scene, the lighthouse, and the vest. It might go without saying, but the book doesn't shy away from gore or horror so that puts you off, but the story still interests you, then you'd be better off with The Hunger Games. This will forever be a 5 star to me and easily one of my favourite books of all time.
16. Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland ★★★★.5
This is the sequel to Dread Nation and the final book in the duology. I won't say much about the plot overall since this is a sequel, but we start at pretty much the exact moment the first book ended. The second book is very different to the first, both in plot and also in the narrative. In this book we get the perspective of Katherine as well as Jane, and we lose the letters at the start of each chapter. When I realised both of those things, I honestly thought I wouldn't like this book as much, but I'm happy to say I was wrong there; I really enjoyed this book and the duology as a whole.
Justina Ireland doesn't shy away from hurting her characters and showing the trauma and the effects it has on the them. The moment with Jack and the Duchess was especially hard. Jane struggles so much throughout the book and although her choices are questionable, her decisions always made sense to me. I adored her relationship with Katherine, and it was great seeing Katherine come into her own in this book. I loved seeing her friendship with Carolina too. It's worth saying there is also so much diversity, not just with race but also with gay, asexual, and bisexual characters. She simultaneously has this diversity while not making romance a main plot point, and I really appreciated that. The action scenes with the Shamblers are incredibly well written; this is genuinely one of the first zombie books I've ever read and enjoyed.
I will say the time jump that happened was a little jarring in terms of when it happened, but it made a lot of sense to the overall story by the end. The ending was so bittersweet too, and Ireland was so clever in not making it a generic happy ending (which would've been all too easy to do). My only big issue with the book was that I still had quite a lot of unanswered questions by the ending: what happened to Rosamund? Do we ever find out the why? How much of the world is actually left? I know not all of these could've been answered, but I especially wish the first question had been. Overall, this is brilliant duology; so quick to read and very action-packed. The characters come so, so far from the start to the end, and I've loved journeying with them.
17. Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones ★★★★
Sex Cult Nun is a non-fiction memoir following Faith Jones, who was raised to be part an elite army preparing for the End Times. Growing up on an isolated farm in Macau, she prayed for hours every day and read letters of prophecy written by her grandfather, the founder of the Children of God. Tens of thousands of members strong, the cult followers looked to Faith’s grandfather as their guiding light. As such, Faith was celebrated as special and then punished doubly to remind her that she was not. Over decades, the Children of God grew into an international organisation that became notorious for its alarming sex practices and allegations of abuse and exploitation. But with indomitable grit, Faith survived, creating a world of her own - pilfering books and teaching herself high school curriculum. Finally, at age twenty-three, thirsting for knowledge and freedom, she broke away, leaving behind everything she knew to forge her own path in America.
This was an incredibly difficult read. Huge trigger warnings for sexual abuse and rape, especially involving children. It's always hard to rate memoirs, but I do feel like this one was very well written; the structure was cohesive and she handles difficult topics with such delicacy and really portrays her emotions well. The life that Faith has led is incredibly impressive given her upbringing and the abuse she went through. Although difficult to read about, it's also so important to show what can happen in these cults and how easily people can be lured in. In this book we see someone grow up under the indoctrination of a religious cult and how it affects them; it's baffling yet totally understandable too that they believe everything they're told. It was also interesting seeing Faith travel to so many different countries and see how different the cultures were from one another. This was a fascinating memoir and I'd recommend it to people who are interested in cults or people that enjoyed Educated by Tara Westover, because they have very similar themes.
18. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward ★★★
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Among them, none relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The only pure-bred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed – orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate – Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead. Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both.
This was definitely better than a lot of paranormal romances that I've read, but it still wasn't a favourite for me. The worldbuilding was a bit lacking for me; it took me so long to realise that vampires weren't common knowledge in this world, and what a Lesser, etc. actually was. I did enjoy the different subplots we had throughout the story: the police, the vampire hunters, and the vampires themselves. The Vampire Hunters were incredibly interesting and the author is very good at writing bad people that you're meant to hate. However, the pacing of the romance was so off for me. If you're looking for a slow-burn romance then this won't be for you. The main character and love interest are pretty much together in the first 100 pages. They also both fall deeply in love with each other so quickly. Even when Wrath is cold towards her and she gets mad, they both instantly switch feelings within a few pages without any conflict resolution. Overall, this book probably took place over the course of a week and by the end of it, she's pretty much with Wrath forever - like what?? This is a 15 book series and the romance feels wrapped up in book one? I did like the friendship between the brothers though, and that's probably the only thing that would make me pick up the next book in the series. The book was well-written and good for someone that enjoys a paranormal romance, but it wasn't for me unfortunately.
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And those were the books I read in February! I had a really good reading month despite not being able to read much at the end of the month. Let me know if you've
read any of these books and what you thought of them. Hope you all
have a good March!
