Books Read February 2024 - Next Chapter Moms

Here it is the middle of March and I have yet to post my February reads. That should tell you what March has been like for me. February was very low key – I started the month with Covid and really just stayed home most of the entire month. After we healed, we were determined not to catch more nasty germs and laid very low. I read a bit when I was sick, including the 6 book short story series that you will see below. Here is what I read in February.

Atomic Habits – James Clear
I have a love/hate relationship with self improvement type books. I want to love them, but I usually hate them. This was not the case with Atomic Habits. I had numerous aha moments as I read and re-read this VERY slowly, over the course of a few months. I am a very system-oriented person in many parts of my life and the system type approach to habits resonated with me. I think there is at least one true gem in Clear’s book for everyone.
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Bye, Baby – Carola Lovering
I’m not sure I would call this one a thriller, but it’s a goodie! Two friends have grown apart after being besties in middle & high school. Billie and Cassie, now in their upper twenties, live in NYC and have pretty different lives. Billie is obsessed with the way things were with Cassie and wants her friendship back. Lots of unveilings from the past and done very well. Great character development with a strong quick hook. I was turning the pages throughout and kept engaged. I will probably check out Lovering’s backlist now, this was my first book from her. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance e-copy in exchange for my opinion. Bye, Baby is now available.
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Listen for the Lie – Amy Tintera
Listen for the Lie was a quick pace, amusing suspense – I would call it “thriller light”. Our main character Lucy is showcased during 2 timelines, the first is five years ago just following the murder of her best friend Savvy – which she has no memory of. The current time she has returned home to Texas for her grandmother’s birthday, all the while Ben, a true crime podcaster, is sleuthing around town trying to solve Savvy’s murder. Lucy is snarky, smart, strong, witty and sometimes reckless. She’s had a tough past and for five year’s the world has suspected her of murder and she isn’t sure what occurred. Her inner voice is often amusing and I did chuckle out loud a few times. Great adult debut by Tintera and I will looking to see what she writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an early release copy in exchange for my review. Listen for the Lie is now available.
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The Last Verse – Caroline Frost
Although The Last Verse had a bit of a slow start for me, it all came together and I really enjoyed it. It’s the mid 1970’s – Twyla is an aspiring country singer that leaves home at 19 and makes her way to Nashville. She meets and falls for Chet – another country music hopeful. Twyla becomes involved in a terrible crime and her songwriting helps her cope with that awful night. Things really take off from there. Frost is a gifted writer that excels at character development. I really enjoyed the country music scene and I was rooting for Twyla the whole way. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy in exchange for my review. The Last Verse is now available.
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Divine Rivals – Rebecca Ross
Probably a case of – it’s not you, it’s me. I know this genre is not for me and yet I let someone talk me into reading this. I believe they called it Fantasy-lite. Perhaps you will like it more than me. Beautiful cover though. And a surprise under the dust jacket.
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Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education – Stephanie Land
I never read Maid but did watch the series whatever channel it was on. I did enjoy that, as much as one can enjoy all of that sadness but I focused on her perseverance. I thought that I would ease right into Class with that same feeling, but I just didn’t. I can’t really comment further as this is Land’s story – and it just doesn’t seem right to get judgey. However as far as the writing, I wasn’t drawn in and was frequently bored. It was ok, but that’s about it.
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The Improbable Meet-Cute Series
I am going to write one little review blurb for this entire series. I believe this was released as a romance meet-cute series to coordinate with Valentine’s Day. It coordinated time wise well with my bout of Covid. They are sized as very short stories for kindle and audible that were promoted as a set. To my knowledge they remain free on Prime Reading for checkout. They were mostly – fine. I listed them here in order of enjoyment – the last two I can’t say I recommend really – especially that last one. It should come with a warning of it’s spice level, which is very high. Normally I can handle that – if it adds to the story in SOME way. In this case – it IS the story. And a very short one at that. Blech. I generously gave it a 🍷🍷 because I finished it.