Ten Books I Read in February

Hey there, book friends! I am excited for another month of book reviews. I read 11 books (I posted one of them last time) in February, which is a lot for me, but Christopher has been on nights, which means I have to wait for him to watch our shows, and I read after Anthony goes to bed. I also decided to do the bonus round for Erin's Book Challenge, so the list of books is very diverse. I included the categories again in case y'all are curious!

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Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

(c/o NetGalley)
Erin's Challenge: A Title with Six Words

Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes romance novels, but there is always so much depth to them. I loved the main character in this novel, an incredible firefighter who no longer believed in love. I try not to read late into the night anymore, but I couldn't help it with this book. The firefighter culture was interesting, and there were several great twists. It was heartbreaking but also beautiful, and I loved the message of forgiveness.

American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen Harper

(c/o Goodreads Giveaways)
Not Part of Erin's Challenge

I wasn't sure how much I would like this book, but I ended up loving it! Consuelo Vanderbilt led an extremely fascinating life, and I read it much faster than I thought I would. This book made me google a bunch of random things about the Vanderbilts and Blenheim Palace, which means it was a good historical fiction read!

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

(c/o NetGalley)
Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Favorite Book of Family/Friend

This book started off slow, but it ended up getting interesting fairly quickly. It is more of a mystery than a thriller (it has a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe to it), and it is one of the most complicated books I have read in a long time. The twists were really good, and it is one of those books that I will think about for a long time. I would definitely recommend reading it, but only when you are in the mood for something with a slower pace and a lot of little details that add up to a fascinating story.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner

(c/o NetGalley)
Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Title Starts with N

Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren series is one of my favorite detective series. D.D. Warren is such a great character, and I like the recurring minor characters, too. I enjoyed this book-it was fast-paced, and the plot was exciting. It was interesting to learn more about Flora's abduction and the details of the dark web. I did figure out what happened pretty early, but it didn't detract from the rest of the story. I read this one out of order for a challenge, so I can't wait to go back and read the D.D. Warren books I missed.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

(c/o NetGalley)
Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: A Title with Six Words

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of it, and it was a quick read. I originally thought it was going to be a sweet second-chance love story, but it is so much deeper than that. I liked the back and forth between Annika and Jonathan's college years and 10 years later as it showed Annika's progression and confidence. That said, I didn't love the last part of the book. I get why the author decided to do it, but it felt like it was a little much. I also didn't really like the ending. Right now the book is 3.5 stars for me, but I rounded up to four stars.

Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin

Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Originally Published in a Different Language
I read WWII historical fiction often, but this book didn't work for me. There were way too many characters, and it was hard to get invested in their stories because the chapters were short, and you would constantly flip from one character to another. I thought it was interesting to learn about Turkey's involvement in World War II, but the author would randomly throw out facts that felt like you were reading a textbook. The writing seemed a little off at times (maybe a translation issue), and I think some chapters were completely unnecessary to the plot.

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

(c/o NetGalley)
Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Set in Europe

I really liked the "IOU" premise of this book and liked the family business concept, but I had a hard time with the main character of this book. I couldn't believe how horrible the people around Fixie were and how she had no backbone and did everything they wanted. It was really frustrating to read. Parts of the ending seemed super unrealistic to me, too. I definitely liked parts of the book, but it wasn't my favorite Sophie Kinsella novel.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Newberry Award Winner/Honor Roll

I read this book in elementary school, and now reading it as an adult, I'm surprised by how many adult themes there are in it. I really enjoyed how all the clues came together, and the ending was surprising.

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Potter 

Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Published 100+ Years Ago

I think this book was a case of reading the right book at the right time, but I thought this book was delightful. Pollyanna was such a great character, and I loved reading about how she brightened the lives of those around her.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Erin's Challenge Bonus Round: Cardinal Direction in Title

I've seen this book described as the Pride & Prejudice of the Industrial Revolution, and I thought it was a perfect description. I really enjoyed it and am glad I selected it for a challenge.

Favorite reads in February: Things You Save in a Fire,  The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Pollyanna, Never Tell, and North and South. 

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?