February 2023 Book Review

Okay, February is supposed to be a chill month, is it not?

These last 28 days have been a whirlwind.

One NYC trip.

One birthday celebration.

One really big change at work (hello 10-12 more hours per week).

Not a lot of time to read books.

 

Sigh….I’m really going to have to step it up if I want to reach my goal of 50 books this year because let’s get real; 2 books a month isn’t going to cut it.

So, yes I only read two books this month but I’m almost done with the third and that one will just roll over to March’s review, which will hopefully be on time (unlike this one *insert eye roll here*)

 

Anyways, one murder/thriller and one humorous mystery. Did I just make that genre up?

 

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

3/5

This one was twisty and in the “I didn’t see that coming” kind of way.

It is pretty short, less than 300 pages, so I read it fairly quickly, but it also was a page turner for sure. A little repetitive in some areas but the pace of the book was great. I also really liked how it switched back and forth between the two characters and how often.

You would think with the amount of true crime I watch/listen to/read, I would maybe be an anxious person. And maybe I am a little bit. But, all it does is remind me that our brains are capable of these types of crazy things. It doesn’t matter whether you are watching a documentary on someone who commits a crime or reading a fictional story about some psycho. These things are real (or can be real) and that’s a little disturbing. At the end of the day, I think it makes me more aware as a person and of my surroundings.

I’m giving three stars because it was an quick read, kept me interested enough, even made me think a little, but it will be one that I read and I’ll forget about in another month.

 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

4/5

Awh, this one was kind of strange and very sweet.

First of all, you have an octopus, Marcellus, as one of your main characters who narrates a good 1/4 of the story. Second, you have Tova, an elderly lady, who has been through a lot. She’s lost her only son and then later in life she loses her husband. Tova works at the aquarium that Marcellus lives at and in the most unconventional way, they become close friends.

Marcellus is the remarkably bright creature. He teaches those closest to him lessons about life, hard work, and love. Without giving too much away, he is the catalyst between a relationship that neither knew existed until it all fell into place in a very serendipitous way.

Incredibly charming story that will keep you engaged and rooting for everyone in their own way. The reader definitely can put together the puzzle pieces before the characters do, but that is what makes it great. You figure out the mystery before they do and once they do, you breathe the biggest sigh of relief.

Remarkably Bright Creatures will keep you smiling from start to finish.

 

Okay, that wraps up February! Come back at the end of March for what I’m hoping will be a review of at least 4 books!