Books Read in February 2024

Since I was still waiting on my laptop being repaired, I did a lot of reading this month. I also finished some books that I'd been savoring since 2023, and they were worth every minute. But, I got my laptop back just in time to make this post, so I can have pictures and descriptions, whooo! That said, I hope I can hold on to making more time to read as the year goes on.

 Books Finished This Month

1. Promises Stronger Than Darkness (Unstoppable #3) by Charlie Jane Anders--I'd been reading this since November, putting it down and picking it back up again because I didn't want it to end. Like the rest of the trilogy and everything by Anders, it's brilliant, thoughtful, and creative. My favorite character was Wyndgonk, and I'm so glad that we got fire's point of view in this book, and I also loved the bit with translating the Grattna's language--I wish we'd gotten that for Wyndgonk's language as well. But of course my biggest complaint is that this trilogy is over, and I really, really hope I get to go back to this universe someday.
2. Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld--I bought a signed copy for an event when it came out, but I'd been hoarding it for a time when I needed it, and my laptopless state qualified. It did not let me down. It made me laugh, it did not make me cry, and it was altogether the softer, more mature, totally brilliant work of literature that I knew Sittenfeld had in her. 
   
3. New Mutants: Lethal Legion (comic collection) by Charlie Jane Anders--Got a special signed copy all the way from Folio Books in San Francisco, and Charlie Jane Anders drew pictures of my dogs!!! I didn't read a lot of comics growing up, but I loved the X-Men TV show (which, is coming back?! thank goodness my husband is on top of this stuff!), and reading about a new generation of X-Men written by one of my favorite authors is so cool!
4. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Book club read)--I'd only read one Agatha Christie before this one, but I thought this one was hilarious, mostly because of the narrator's gossipy descriptions of others. 
5. Deacon King Kong by James McBride--Somehow, every book by McBride is better than the last. I was surprised by how much this book moved me. The dialogue for all the voices is incredible and beautifully portrayed by Dominic Hoffman in the audiobook.
6. Chaos Terminal (Midsolar Murders #2) by Mur Lafferty--We pick back up aboard Space Station Eternity with new troubles brewing and a new group of humans soon to arrive. I again enjoyed the aliens, the mystery, and the continued evolution of Tina. 
7. Captive of the Stolen Empire by Megan Van Dyke (LibraryThing review)--Really enjoyed this interesting fantasy based in a world that reminds me of the Italian city-states post-Roman Empire, where some individuals have magical powers. I tend to have a lot of issues with captor/captive romances due to the power differential but this story managed to sidestep that issue and create a compelling narrative in addition to the romance. I would love to read a trilogy to learn more about this world, but it's a standalone for now.
8. River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard (Another book club read)--Nineteenth century British men fool around in Africa and find out--hard to believe the harrowing situations they survive, and you don't have to feel too bad because they're largely terrible people, one of whom prominently backstabs the other when they get back home (metaphorically, in that case).
9. Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok--I'd heard of this romance about an Orthodox Jewish woman who can't have children but is looking for love in her community, and I saw it at the library, so I checked it out. It's an enjoyable, readable romance that illuminates one type of more modern Orthodox community.
10. The Conductors by Nicole Glover--This book was so good! I picked it up from one of the staff recommendation displays at the library when I came in to pick up holds. I would never have found it otherwise, so it really speaks to the value of staff recommendations and library browsing. A magical post-Civil War story (but with flashbacks) about two former Underground Railroad conductors who solve murder mysteries in Philadelphia.
11. Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum (Book club read for March)--This book is exactly as advertised! It takes place during a summer on Fire Island and follows the community of wealthy people who summer there. I usually don't like books that center "bad people" but this one was funny enough that I was engaged even though I didn't really like any of the characters--except the one that gets murdered. A fun light (I promise!) read. 
12. Drowning by T.J. Newman (Other book club read for March)--This one is nonstop action and would probably make for a good movie a la Poseidon/The Poseidon Adventure. It's about an airplane that makes an emergency ocean landing near Hawaii, and it has all of those interesting details about what that would be like plus a group of stereotypical but still sympathetic characters that you're rooting for--especially the deep-sea welder mom who's determined to get her kid back. Recommended if you like thrillers, quick reads, airplanes, and/or submarines.