The shortest month of the year turns out to also be one of the very coziest. Here is a list and short review of each of the books I read or listened to in February this year. There are some great ones.
This nonfiction look at the Criminal Justice System and it’s direct relationship to slavery in America was eye-opening, and so heartbreaking. It helped me recognize the context of a lot of the current calls for criminal justice reform, and definitely draws a clear line around some of the massive, systemic problems.
I love a fiction about women who craft. This book was a good reminder of how gathering in sacred, creative spaces is so healing.
I was recommended this fascinating book about the history of relativity, the challenge of scientific exploration in the early 1900’s, among war-torn Europe. I loved the characters, the loyalty, and persistence in the story.
This was definitely one of my favorite books of the month. Ann Pachett just gets it. She gets people and families. This heartbreaking and surprising story of a childhood secret buried for decades was engaging and has kept me thinking.
I loved the multi-perspective, exploratory format of this middle-grade fiction book. I read it aloud to my son, and the jumping around points of view were both a little confusing for him, but also introduced him to paying attention to context and following different, intertwined stories.
This was the first book I remember reading about an Asian American experience during the early 20th century in the South. I was pulled in immediately by the unique and lovely protagonist, and adored her confidence, point of view, and relationships.
This audiobook made me laugh, kept me engaged, and gave a historic, fictional peek into the settling of the Seattle area. Each woman is flawed and also redeemed. I loved the way the friendships intertwined and fell apart and how in the end, they were all that mattered.
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
This bite-sized, non-fictional memoir felt like reading some of my own thoughts and ideas. I love the candid nature of Anne Lamott’s writing, and this book in particular (though it was written in 2019) felt very relatable right now.
How The Penguins Saved Veronica
I smile just thinking about this novel! It was delightful! Surprising and funny, heartwarming and engaging. I fell in love with Veronica so easily, and each of the other characters, in turn. I also definitely want to visit Antarctica someday.
