While January felt like it took an age, February positively flew by! But, I did manage to get some good reading in.

Reckless – Elsie Silver (Chestnut Springs #4)

Kicking the month off is Reckless, the fourth book in the Chestnut Springs quintet by Elsie Silver. This one follows rodeo star Theo Silva and ice queen Winter Hamilton. If you loved Nora Stephens in Book Lovers by Emily Henry, I can guarantee you will also love Winter. And yes, I did shed a tear at *that scene* in the bathroom. This was definitely the most emotional of the series, and did tug on my heartstrings. Second-fave in the series, for sure. 

Hopeless – Elsie Silver (Chestnut Springs #5)

I loved Bailey in this one. I didn’t particularly love Beau that much. I cant put my finger on it, I just didn’t warm to him as much as I did with the others. Final ranking for anyone that is even mildly interested is: Heartless (best), Reckless, Hopeless, Flawless, Powerless (worst). Overall, I think I’m converted to cowboy romance, and will definitely be reading Elsie Silver’s backlist series, Off to the Races and her new series, the Rose Hill ranch (probably on a day where I need something to binge and make me feel alive).

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls – Grady Hendrix

Now this one was intriguing. Set in the 1970s, just before the passing of Roe vs Wade, it’s about a maternity home called Wellwood House in Florida, where unwed mothers are sent to give birth in secret and give their babies up for adoption. We follow Fern, a pregnant fifteen-year-old sent to Wellwood. When Fern is given a book on the occult, the desperate girls jump at the chance to steal some of their power back. It’s a really harrowing read at times, and really highlights the importance of bodily autonomy, with a sprinkling of horror and witchcraft. 

I gave this three stars. I thought the commentary on sexism and the mistreatment and abuse of these pregnant girls was done so well. I have to commend Grady Hendrix on this, because I was initially wary of this knowing it was written by a man. But he does the topic so much justice, and it really exposed me to the reality of these maternity homes in the era before Roe. I did wish for the witchcraft to feature slightly more and make more sense, so that’s why it was only a three star (although, in the weeks since I read this, its really stuck with me? Which is usually a sign of a great book, so maybe I should up the rating a bit?)

Binding 13 – Chloe Walsh (Boys of Tommen #1)

In the time since I have read this, I have forgotten literally everything that happens, except that Shannon is really tiny and it was wayyyy too long. Johnny was sweet and his interactions with Gibsie were the best part of the book. But there really was no excuse for it being this long (I have no problem with long books – evidenced by the fact that the next book is 1000 pages). But I need SOMETHING to happen. Honestly, this wasn’t bad, just a bit boring, and for that reason, I will not be continuing the series. 

The Way of Kings – Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #1)

Oh. My. God. 

How do I begin to review this? 

This was EPIC. I felt numb when I first finished it. I still feel a bit shellshocked when I think about it too much. Kaladin, my baby. Shallan, my beloved.

There will be a full wrap-up of my Starlight Archive experience, so I’ll save the main thoughts for that. Overall feelings upon finishing this though is… give me more.

Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Creation Lake is a genre-blending novel of spy fiction and literary fiction. We follow an enigmatic woman going by the name of Sadie Smith, as she infiltrates an environmental cult in the rural French countryside.

This was addictive! I flew through it, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I wish there had been slightly more pay-off at the end, which felt slightly rushed. 

Boy Parts – Eliza Clark

She’s in her literary fiction era! This (quite frankly unhinged) debut from Eliza Clark, follows Irina, a photographer who obsessively takes explicit photos of men on the streets of Newcastle. Meandering, plotless, and self-destructive, we see Irina in her rut of drug and alcohol usage. The British black humour in this was hilarious. Darkly funny at times and sickening at others, Eliza Clark is truly That Girl of hot girl literature. 

The Goldens – Lauren Wilson

‘In my experience, by the age of eighteen, every girl knows another girl that she would follow to the  very ends of the earth. For me, that girl was Clara Holland.’ 

This book follows an ordinary young woman, who is swept up in the glamorous, sultry, feverish world of a prominent influencer and enigmatic party girl. Their toxic friendship blossoms into something more… bordering on a cult. Featuring wild parties, missing girls and an all female-cult, be prepared to be swept into a world of glitzy glamour and revelry. 

Its twisty, thrilling and addictive. Clara Holland is Rebecca de Winter reincarnated in the 21st Century world of social media and influencers. She possesses that same innate unknowableness, as well as the enviable charm disguising the vicious rot festering under the surface. 

This was an ARC kindly gifted by HarperFire. The Goldens releases June 19th.

The Deal – Elle Kennedy (Off-Campus #1)

You know how they say curiosity killed the cat? Yeah…

I wish I hadn’t succumbed. I just… I saw all the news about this getting a TV series and, what can I say? Curiosity did indeed kill me. 

A quick heads up! If you’re a fan of this book, you maaaay need to skip this section. 

This was… so bad. I’m not even going to mince my words. Garrett Graham? Really? This is what the BookTok girlies have been losing their minds over for the last ten years?

Garrett was so misognystic. I don’t normally judge so harshly, but this was quite insulting to all women. Garrett literally stalks Hannah until she gives in to tutor him, so their relationship is problematic from the get-go. Another gripe I have is when Hannah, a sexual assault survivor, tells Garrett about her past traumatic experience, and he’s like ‘I would never do anything to a woman without her consent *looks very proud of himself*’. Like, I’m sorry, that should go without saying? Congratulations, you’re not a rapist? Yay for you? Hannah is very pick-me, which, yes, was probably a product of the fact that was written in 2015 (i.e. peak pick-me era). She was constantly putting other girls down, and I didn’t love being in her head. 

Overall, not for me. If you want a trashy romance, there are better out there that don’t feature insufferable men that feel like they’re rage-baiting you. I truly wish I were a stronger person and could have resisted the hype.

The Housemaid – Freida McFadden

This was the start of my self-inflicted Thriller Challenge (reading seven thrillers in the seven days), The wrap-up will be coming soon, so I shall endeavour to keep this short. If you want in-depth reviews of any of the thrillers mentioned heretofore, check out that post coming soon!

Millie, an down-on-her-luck ex-convict fresh out the slammer, is living in her car when she desperately applies for a position as live-in housemaid to the wealthy Winchester family. On the outside, they’re perfect. But when Millie moves in, Nina Winchesters erratic behaviour soon begins to raise suspicion.

Beautiful Ugly – Alice Feeney

When author Grady Green’s wife disappears on the night his book hits the NYT Bestsellers List, what should’ve been the happiest day of his life swiftly turns into a nightmare. Now, a year on from the disappearance, Grady hasn’t written a word. Grady’s agent sends him to a remote Scottish island, in the hope that the peace and solitude will overcome his writers block. But when he arrives, strange happenings begin to occur. Split-second sightings of his missing-presumed-dead wife. Newspaper clippings of her death slipped underneath his door. Has Grady finally lost his mind, or is there something darker afoot?

This took a real wacky turn at the 3/4 mark, and never recovered. It was gripping though, just the payoff was rather disappointing. I’d be interested in reading more of Alice Feeney’s work in the future. 

Wrong Place Wrong Time – Gillian McAllister

This is a thrillery twist to the concept of Groundhog Day. Can you stop a murder when it’s already happened? When Jen witnesses her son murder another man, seemingly in cold-blood, her world collapses. But the very next day, she is transported back in time to the day before the murder. She embarks on a mission to discover all the clues leading up to the murder.

This was so originally, and a really solid thriller. I never gasped out loud or was overly shocked by any of the twists, but all the same, it kept me intrigued till the end. 

The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides 

When Alicia Berenson is found stood over her husband’s dead body, five gunshot wounds in his chest and the smoking gun in her hand, the world is mystified. Alicia was a famous painter, married to a respected fashion photographer. They were the avant-garde of London, and now they’re the latest crime on everybody’s lips. Including our narrator, Theo Faber. 

Theo is a criminal psychotherapist, and when the opportunity arises for him to transfer to Alicia’s forensic unit, The Grove, he takes it. The problem? Alicia hasn’t spoken since that night. The Silent Patient and her therapist work together to solve a murder that might not be as straightforward as it seemed. 

Again, a solid four stars. It didn’t take my breath away but it was a thrilling read.

The Girl on The Train – Paula Hawkins 

Of course I had to include the cult classic of thrillers. The Girl on the Train follows Rachel, an unemployed alcoholic, who becomes increasingly fixated on the lives of the people she watches through their windows. Every morning and every evening, she takes the same train to and from London. The train stops at the same signal every day, overlooking a row of terraced houses. She makes up stories about the people living in them, and feels a parasocial sort of interest in them. But one day, when one of Rachel’s characters appears in the news, the things Rachel has seen take on another light.

Spooky, unsettling, with an intensely unlikeable narrator, I really enjoyed this one, and can understand why it has gained so much critical acclaim.

Overall, that makes 14 books read in February – see you in March!