[Saturday Reads] Books I’ve Read in February

Fats here.

Every Saturday we hope to share with you our thoughts on reading and books. We thought that it would be good practice to reflect on our reading lives and our thoughts about reading in general. While on occasion, we would feature a few books in keeping with this, there would be a few posts where we will just write about our thoughts on read-alouds, libraries, reading journals, upcoming literary conferences, books that we are excited about, and just book love miscellany in general.

Since my January book post, my work schedule has taken over my life. While I do love coming home at 3:30 PM once a week and 5 PM the rest of the work week, I get so tired sometimes that I don’t have the energy to lift a book. Compared to January’s progress on the Book Riot challenge, I wasn’t able to finish a single task for February. I’m hoping to make it up this month. We’ll see. *crosses finger*

On the other hand, I was able to make some progress with my Goodreads reading challenge. I am currently at 40/125. Yay! Below are some of the books I read, my ratings, as well as short reviews.

The Thing About Jellyfish
by Ali Benjamin

My Goodreads rating: 4.5/5

I like reading middle grade novels that highlight important themes like death, grief, and acceptance. This book tells the heartfelt story of Suzy Swanson who tries to come into terms with the death of her best friend Franny by learning about jellyfish. The ending was just right.

A Wild Swan and Other Tales
by Michael Cunningham

My Goodreads rating: 3.5/5

A Wild Swan and Other Tales is Michael Cunningham’s grim and perverse retelling of children’s stories. Its language and sexual content make it the perfect fairy tale collection for adults. Yuko Shimizu’s eerily beautiful illustrations reflect the darker side of the tales, in which happily ever after is not a guarantee.

Confessions of an Imaginary Friend
by Michelle Cuevas

My Goodreads rating: 4/5

A funny, charming, and sweet story of an imaginary friend who must come to terms with his nonexistent life. This is a good and quick read for people who feel invisible sometimes.

The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist
by Margarita Engle and Aliona Bereghici

My Goodreads rating: 4/5

A beautiful picturebook biography of bird artist Louis Fuertes. His story is told in verse form and the pages are filled with vivid illustrations of birds. A great book for bird lovers! Made me think of my friend who sketches and paints birds and my co-worker who is simply in love with these creatures. Enough to fill my heart with joy!

The Wrath and the Dawn
by Renée Ahdieh

My Goodreads rating: 1/5

Love triangle. Unnecessary scenes. Cheesy lines. Weak female protagonist. Not my kind of book.

The Storyteller’s Daughter
by Cameron Dokey

My Goodreads rating: 3.5/5

I’m not fond of the narrator breaking the fourth wall or the involvement of the scheming brothers. Nevertheless, the story was good. I enjoyed it more than The Wrath and the Dawn.

The Arabian Nights
by Wafa Tarnowska

My Goodreads rating: 4/5

Though I have not read the original version of The Arabian Nights, I’d like to think that Wafa Tarnowska did an excellent job at retelling a beloved tale. Of the four versions I’ve read, this has to be the most faithful to the original. Carole Henaff’s illustrations are as beautiful as Wafa Tarnowska’s storytelling. This book has the “kind of story that entertains children and adults, kings and queens, the rich and the poor, the kind of story your grandmother told you when you were little.”

House Arrest
by K.A. Holt

My Goodreads rating: 4/5

Twelve-year-old Timothy was ordered a year of house arrest after stealing a credit card. He has to check in with a probation officer and a psychologist, write on his “court-ordered” journal, and stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, Timothy’s baby brother Levi is very, very sick. Timothy’s mom could barely keep up with paying medical bills and looking for a stay-in nurse for Levi. Timothy would do anything for Levi, even if it meant getting in trouble and being sent back to juvie again. Timothy’s love and devotion for his brother resonated throughout the verse novel. I didn’t think I would like this book but I found my heart transformed with every turn of the page.

Advanced Style
by Ari Seth Cohen

My Goodreads rating: 4/5

A fascinating look at street-style fashion that features well-dressed grande dames who are the embodiment of platinum elegance.

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Looking at the big picture, my February reading progress wasn’t as terrible as I had initially thought it to be. With our bimonthly themes on GatheringBooks and my growing TBR pile, it’s definitely a challenge to complete Read Harder tasks. Wish me luck!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

How are you doing with your reading goal this year?