What I Read in February

I didn't get nearly as much reading done in February as I did in January, when I devoured a whopping eight books, but I don't think five is a bad number, considering that last year, I read, like, five books total. (OK, that's not true: Here were my 15 favorites. But still.) In addition to the five I finished in February, I started reading two others, both of which I expect to finish soon & to review in March. Is this what you call "being on a roll"?

Maybe I'd finish more books if I watched fewer Law & Order: SVU reruns, but that's just not a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Viva la Ice-T. And without further ado...

Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein  

I started reading this book in December, & while I liked it all right, I didn't feel compelled to read it quickly. It was my filler book when I was between other books, & I just plugged away at it until I reached the end. Klein is a talented writer - funny, descriptive - but I wish she had waited to write this memoir until she was more at peace with her body & could convey a more powerful ending. Spoiler alert: Klein still has serious issues with food. It seemed clear to me that she needs a therapist, not a book deal. ★★★☆☆

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

This book is about the true story of every hypochondriac's worst nightmare. Susannah is young, successful, & living a pretty snazzy NYC life when she starts to lose her grasp on reality, devolving into a full-scale breakdown that seems like psychosis. She would've been checked into the psych ward had she not also started having seizures, which led doctors to suspect something else might be wrong with her. But what? Cahalan, a trained journalist & adept storyteller, uses her own scarce memories, along with those of her family, friends, & doctors, to piece together the month she lost in the hospital & the recovery that has followed. ★★★★★

The Distance from A to Z by Natalie Blitt

If you've seen other bloggers reviewing this book lately, it's because I put a few of my online friends in touch with my IRL friend, Daphne, who is longtime BFFs with the author & wanted to help spread the word about Blitt's first novel. And what a knockout debut it is! I love YA, but romance isn't typically my favorite genre, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one, but I found it captivating. The main characters, Abby & Zeke, were fully fleshed out & both totally realistic, in the kind of way where you feel like this is the true story of someone's first love. It's safe to say that I'm pining for another book about them. (I received this book free from a friend, but opinions are my own.) ★★★★★

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

I received this book in a long-ago POPSUGAR MustHave box before their boxes went downhill & I angrily unsubscribed. I was really excited to read this one, but it languished for months on my bookshelf; I don't know why, it just didn't appeal to me as much as I wanted it to. The book itself turned out to be pretty good, though, very readable & very much in the typical Judy Blume voice & narration style we all know & love. It was a little long for my tastes, but I felt like I really knew each of the characters & cared deeply about what happened to them. Blume is a helluva storyteller, & I love seeing her back in the writing saddle again after all these years away. ★★★★☆

While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark

Look, judge me if you must, but I'm a longtime MHC fan, & I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Her books are easy to read & easy to become engrossed in, the perfect little criminal escape to keep me page-turning & wondering whodunnit. Truth be told, this book was not her best - it fell a little flat, plot-wise & in terms of the characters & the typical twists & turns I expect from her novels - but it still made for enjoyable reading during my stay in a cabin in the woods. Books like this are great for vacation! ★★☆☆☆

So tell me: What have you you read lately? 

Please note that my "What I Read in..." posts include Amazon affiliate links to the titles I discuss. If you buy a book using one of these links, I will receive a small percentage of commission. Please don't feel any obligation to use these links, but please also don't judge me for including them.