Willow in Winter

One of my New Year resolutions was to write monthly book wrap ups again, as I did in 2021. And yet I already missed the January deadline, so I’m forcing myself to do it now along with February.

It feels crazy that two months of the year are already over. How did that happen? Time flies when you’re busy binge-watching shows and eating your weight in popcorn.

Between these two months, I read 10 books; most were part of book series, so at least I’m keeping up with some of my reading goals.

Fiction reads

Are You Awake? by Claire McGowan

Genre: Thriller, mystery
How I read it: physical copy

I love a good thriller, and Claire McGowan is one of the best. I’ve read all of her books, but this one felt a bit flat for me.

Two people who have trouble sleeping, a mother of two toddlers and a journalist with PTSD, witness what they think could be a murder and decide to team up to investigate. While this sounds exactly like something I would enjoy, and mostly I did, sometimes the book felt a bit forced.

But McGowan is still one of my favourite writers, and she has a new thriller coming out soon that I can’t wait to read.

Under One Roof, Stuck with You and Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood

Genre: romance
How I read them: on my kindle

I needed something fun and easy to start the year, so I read the three STEMinist novellas by Ali Hazelwood. They’re just short, easy romances that kept me entertained during the long dark days of January. I think my favourite was Under One Roof.

Ali Hazelwood has a new book coming out soon too, yay!

A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: fantasy, romance
How I read them: ebooks borrowed from the library

I know I’m late to the party, as most people have already read the ACOTAR series. But I didn’t know these books existed until last year. I loved the first two, but then I got a bit bored with the third one, and I haven’t been able to read the last two yet. I think I need a break from fairies for now. I want to finish the series, but I don’t have the motivation at the moment.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

Genre: romance
How I read it: physical copy

Anna Sun is a professional violinist going through burnout, and she’s struggling with her everyday life when her therapist tells her she might be on the autism spectrum. She’s trying to figure that out while falling in love with someone new and dealing with her dad being ill.

It’s hard to say how I feel about this book. There were parts I loved, but most of the plot made me so uncomfortable. It was a complex and intense read. The book takes you through Anna’s burnout until her breaking point. This book might start as your typical lighthearted romance, but it gets real pretty quick. I hated the storyline about her father and sister.

This book is part of The Kiss Quotient trilogy, and there’s an autistic character in each book. I read The Heart Principle to see another autistic perspective, and from all of Helen Hoang’s characters, Anna was the one I related to the most, which made this book even harder to read.

Hearts aren’t designed to feel anything too intensely for too long, be it joy, sorrow, or anger. Everything passes in time. All colors fade.

I let the tears fall. I cry for the girl I used to be. I cry for me. It’s a foreign experience. Self-pity is not an indulgence that I allow myself. This doesn’t feel like pity, though. It feels like self-compassion, and the realization makes me cry harder. No one should need a diagnosis in order to be compassionate to themself.

You Are Here by Eva Woods

Genre: romance
How I read it: physical copy

This book felt like a retelling of 13 Going On 30, one of my favourite comfort movies. It also reminded me of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. A bride starts having doubts on her wedding day and questions every decision she’s ever made that led her to this point. The book is a back-and-forth of choices and what-ifs. It was an ok read with a predictable ending.

Non-fiction reads

Odd Girl Out: An Autistic Woman in a Neurotypical World by Laura James

I wrote a long post with my review of Odd Girl Out and my own experience being on the spectrum here.

So these were the books I read in January and February, hopefully, I’ll have enough energy and motivation to continue the book wrap up posts through the year.

I’m currently reading the first book of the Lockwood & Co series because I’m obsessed with the tv show. I’m also reading Last Night at the Telegraph Club. I have a lot of great books on my TBR for March. I can’t wait to read them all!