It's still a little hard for some of y'all to believe, but I didn't really grow up reading. Clif Notes were a lifesaver in high school. I'd read 'enough' to get by, but I didn't enjoy the act of reading so never did it. Maybe I wasn't reading things that held my interest or maybe it was because it was "required", but whatever the reason, I'm glad I took the challenge to add the goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (which became 88 books in 2017, 77 books in 2018, 67 books in 2019, 66 books in 2020, 67 books in 2021, 41 books in 2022, 98 books in 2023, 224 books in 2024 and 136 books in 2025). The majority of my reading recently has been listening to audiobooks, but it still counts! Even still, holding a physical book is my JAM and I hope I can add that back into my routine on a more regular basis. Just like in years past, writing a monthly recap of the books I finish is a great way for me to both record what I'm reading (so I don't forget and in case anyone is curious) and to stay accountable. So, without further ado, here are the books I completed in the month of February:
- Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood - I have always enjoyed this author's books (even if they are a bit spicier than I normally read), so when I was looking for a new one to check out from the library I went back through her catalog and found a few I hadn't read yet. This one follows Maya and Conor during a destination wedding in Italy. Conor is best friend's with Maya's older brother, but age is nothing but a number to Maya. She fell for Conor three years before and hasn't been able to shake him from her thoughts. The story flips back and forth between three years previously, when the pair started their friendship, and present day, when they're forced back together after ten months of silence. Conor can't get over the age gap, but also can't get over his best friend's little sister. This is a great vacation book/ beach read. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr - I had this on my 'to read' list for quite some time... so much time, in fact, that I don't remember how I came across it. This audiobook had a long wait on my Libby app, so I got in line and decided it must be worth it if so many people were checking it out ;) Let's just say this is a bit chaotic, or at least at the beginning of the book it is. There are so many different plots happening at the same time that it's hard to keep everything separate. I think in total there are six different stories (five different plots plus the telling of the Greek text) going on, each with their own timeline, characters, etc. I think my favorite was the one of Zeno, but all five outsiders had something special about them. You know by the end that everything will be wrapped up neatly, but getting there takes a lot of time and intricacies. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan - After reading the first two books of this series in December and the third book in January, it was time to head to the library so that I could check out the fourth book. This time around is the summer before Percy's freshman year of high school. Percy and his crew (Annabeth, Grover and Tyson) follow a new quest underground in a magical maze to try and stop Luke and Krono's army from invading Camp Half-Blood. Of course it's filled with monsters and battles, gods and demigods. It's action-packed and keeps your attention throughout all of the pages. Although I may not be the intended audience (this is technically written for tweens), it makes me smile to know that books like this exist to get children excited about falling in love with the act of reading. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- This is Not a Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley - I actually came across this series last month on my Hoopla app, but I was out of downloads so had to wait until February to check the books out. I am always a sucker for a good holiday themed book, so this one had me in its grasps from the jump. This quick read had the enemies-to-lovers trope down to a science. Tristan is Nina's brother's best friend.... don don don ;) The two are normally sworn enemies with their nasty dares, but when bad weather forces Tristan to spend the holidays with Nina's family they discover there is more to their relationship than hate. It was sweet with a decent amount of spice. Picture this as an R rated version of a Hallmark Christmas movie. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- If the Ring Fits by Camilla Isley - This is the second book of the series and it follows one of Nina's best friends, Rowena. Instead of the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one is all about the fake relationship. You see, Rowena finds out she is pregnant on the same day she is fired from her job and ends up throwing up in her office's lobby restroom. She runs into Adrian, who just happened to had lied to his boss, telling him that he was engaged to his pregnant fiance when he overheard that he would lose out on a promotion of a lifetime because he wasn't a 'family man'. Adrian decides in the blink of an eye that Rowena is the answer to his prayers and asks him into what he sees as a win-win situation - fake marry him so that he can get the job and so she can stay in New York and get health insurance (can you get a better meet-cute, ha!). As I'm sure you can imagine, things get complicated and what once was a ruse turns into so much more. I would give it a 9 out of 10.
- Obie is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar - This book might be for tweens, but I have followed Schuyler on social media for many moons and wanted to pick up this novel when I saw our library had it available. This is the coming-of-age story of Obie, a swimming star who happens to also be a transgender tween. During his transition, he loses friends, gets bullied and has to change swim teams, but thankfully has the support of his family behind him. This is not the story of all transgender kiddos, but it is the story of Obie. I always appreciate seeing diverse characters in media - I totally believe that kids (and adults alike) need to be able to see themselves on the pages of books and on the TV/ movie screen. I would give it a 9 out of 10.
- The Roommate Experiment by Camilla Isley - This is the third and final book in the Funny Feeling series. This one was all about the unrequited love trope, the roommate/ forced proximity trope, the best friend's brother trope. I think this was my least favorite of the three, mostly because it took so long to get going. It was like both Hunter's and Dylan's jobs were important to them, but we never really got into the nitty gritty of their professions. I liked them better as side characters in the other stories than main characters in their own. Don't get me wrong, I stuck it out, it was just a little too slow of a slow burn for me. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
- The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley - I don't remember how I came across this title, but I'm so glad I did. This is a novel about young moms. It follows three teen girls living in a Florida town who have been ostracized by society and their families because of their pregnancies. The story switches back and forth between the three girls' perspectives (each being told in first person). Not only does the book focus on themes of love, parenthood, surviving against the odds, found family, dreams and resiliency, but it also looks at the moral judgment often placed on teenage mothers. The characters are real, flawed and unapologetically themselves, while the story feels both honest and hopeful (even in what some may consider a hopeless situation). Although each of the girls has their issues, you are pulling for them all to succeed. I would give it a 9 out of 10.
- First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston - I recently grabbed this one from the library. I think I saw it on a friend's page, but who knows at this point. This is the story of a con artist who assumes new identities and is working for a mysterious boss. She fully invests in the role she is playing so she can handle any job that comes her way - whether that's stealing art, finding dirt on politicians, etc. She never knows the mark ahead of time or what the outcome will be, but dives in head first and has become a great asset. This thriller is filled with tons of twists and turns, so it keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It's a fun read that kept me guessing till the end. Although, truth be told, I'd say the ending felt a bit too abrupt to me. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Every Summer After by Carley Fortune - Last month I read another book by this author, but didn't realize that this book actually came first in chronological order. You see, nothing I read said it was a series or anything like that (which I guess it isn't, but there are definitely spoilers in the second book) so I didn't realize there was a 'right way' to read them. Since I enjoyed the first book, I grabbed this one from the library. This follows the on-again-off-again relationship of Sam and Percy. The two met when they were thirteen and the story catches back up years later when they reunite after Sam's mom passes away (following years of not speaking to each other). It was a great read and I enjoyed the way it was written in flashbacks to previous summers, but the issue I had was I already knew the ending. You see, in One Golden Summer the two are married and expecting their first child. Charlie, Sam's older brother, confesses to his girlfriend that he once slept with Percy. Knowing these two LARGE pieces of info sort of ruined the book for me because I knew what to expect. If you're going to read these two books, I'd highly recommend this one first! I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Love, Mom by Iliana Xander - I had seen that a friend had read this book in January and really liked it, so since I had a few extra downloads on my Hoopla app for the month I grabbed it. This is a twisty-turvy thriller that I really enjoyed. The story is told from many different perspectives and the audiobook was read by four or five different actors, which was great. It is about a daughter of a famous thriller writer who recently passed away. Mackenzie, the daughter, is receiving mysterious letters from a fan that appear to be diary entries her mom wrote around the time of her birth. While investigating, Mackenzie learns much more about her mom and her family's dark past than she ever expected. I thought the author did a great job at parsing out the clues and keeping you on your toes. The plot really comes together in the final pages. I would give it a 9 out of 10.
- A Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh - This book popped up in the trending section of my Hoopla app, I'm assuming because Valentine's Day is this week and this book was based around the 'holiday'. I had one more free download for the month and nothing else had caught my eye, so I decided to give it a try. This one was all about the fake dating trope, but took it a bit further, complete with contracts and NDAs (but I guess that's what happens when you accidentally bump into a famous hockey player and act like he's your boyfriend to the neighborhood bully). It was a cute, quick read and exactly what I expected. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore - Neither of my audiobook apps had the newest Dream Harbor series book, so that meant I had to get in line at the library (thankfully it wasn't too long of a wait). I was looking forward to this one because it was the story of Annie and Mac, two of the side characters from the other books that seemed to have a backstory that we never knew about. This was an enemies-to-lovers book in the best way possible. These two had a 'fling' when they were teenagers (which most people never even knew about), but since then the hatred burnt deep. I enjoyed that the story kept flip-flopping back between 'then' and 'now'. The two were thrown together during Jeanie and Logan's wedding weekend and they had to decide if it was worth rekindling what they once had or to burn it all down for good. As per usual, I wish there was more to the book (or at least a multi-chapter epilogue), but am glad we finally got this story - it was the most anticipated relationship. I'm excited for the final book in the series to come out later this year, but really only because we get more of the townspeople (I'm not too invested in Daisy's story as of yet). I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Deep End by Ali Hazelwood - I have always enjoyed this author's books, so when I saw there was a title I hadn't read before at the library I got in line for it. Let me be very upfront and say this book is SPICY! And by spicy I mean LOTS of sex and LOTS of kink. As per usual, the characters are great, the banter is witty, the writing is top-notch, but I would be remiss if I didn't give you a word of warning. The spice is all consensual, but it is full of BDSM and I'll be honest to say that it was a lot for me (but, then again, I prefer the YA genre, so I may be a bit of a prude ;)). Anywho, I always love the female STEM aspect and really enjoyed the collegiate sports side this go around. You know I'll always grab this author's books. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Sandwich by Catherine Newman - I had seen this book on a couple 'top reads of 2025' lists so I grabbed it from my Libby app. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly pleased. The title is based on the idea of Rocky, the main character, being part of the 'sandwich generation' with grown children and aging parents. The book centers around a week long family vacation at Cape Cod. Rocky is dealing with menopause, grief and self-acceptance. Her hormones seem to be doing a number on her and have her reliving summers past. It felt relatable (even if I'm not quite in the main character's generation) and heartfelt. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - This is the fifth book in the series and the first one that I was able to get the audiobook for (the first two I borrowed from my awesome penpal and the next two I got from the local library). The hubby asked if I liked this one (and the series in general) and I told him that it's sort of like if you've read one, you've read them all - they all follow the same sort of plan. It's the start of a school year (each one is a year later, this being the start of Percy's sophomore year, a few weeks before he turns sixteen), the demigods are sent on some sort of quest where they have to fight monsters and save something, then it ends with them being successful but not completely 'winning', which leaves some intrigue and space for a follow-up book. As to be expected, this one followed the same outline, but I think it was actually my favorite so far. With the demigods getting older, there's room for a little more interpersonal drama and maybe even the option for a little romance. (It also is a bit of a spoiler that I know the series is seven books long so I know Percy can't die for at least another book or so ;)) I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - I always enjoy this author's books (well, scratch that, 'their' books since it's actually two authors that write under the single pen name) so I grabbed a couple more that I hadn't read from the library. This one is all about the fake relationship/ marriage of convenience trope, but it took it in a way I wasn't expecting. You see, Anna and Liam get 'married' so that they can live in family housing at college, but it goes so much further than that. Liam's family owns a grocery chain and once the kids are married for five years they have access to their inheritance. Anna doesn't read the fine print of the 'divorce' once they graduate and doesn't realize she is actually still married until Liam shows up on her doorstep asking her to play the role of his wife at his sister's wedding. Let's just say the family dynamics are messier than the makeup of this relationship and the pair has to put on the performance of a lifetime. I always love these rom-coms and this was no exception. It's a great vacation/ read-by-the-pool book. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren - I've been loving me some rom-coms recently (and they've been available at the library, so why not stock up?!). I read The Soulmate Equation last month and didn't realize there was a follow-up book... well, apparently the authors didn't expect for there to be one, but the fans kept asking so they decided to finally write it. This is about a side character from that first book, Fizzy. She is a romance author who has hit a rough patch, both in her writing and in her love life. She is cajoled into being a contestant on a dating show where she is able to help with the premise. Her idea is to select her soulmate from different 'hero' types that are usually written about in romance novels (i.e. hot nerd, vampire, cinnamon bun, etc). There are a few twists to the show. First, the contestants aren't sequestered (Fizzy felt like it was a little more like real life, where you'd be able to download how things went with your friends and loved ones). Next, the audience gets to select who gets voted off each week. Third, all of the contestants ran their DNA through the matchmaking technology to see who are true matches (which they will find out at the end of the season). Well, let's just say she may have hit it off with the producer of the show more than any of the contestants. As expected when it comes to these authors, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would give it a 9 out of 10.
- The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley - I had this audiobook saved for a while but hadn't gotten around to getting in line for it until recently. I've gotta say, I really enjoyed it. It was told from six different perspectives - four main characters, a police investigation and a journal. I listened to it during a few different runs and honestly considered running further just so I could find out what would happen next (but also didn't want to injure myself again, so had to keep my excitement in check). This one is a thriller that revolves around the opening weekend of a luxury resort. It switched between different points of view and timelines to keep you on your toes, and does a great job at it. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming (right when I thought I had one of the storylines figured out there would be another reveal and I'd be totally wrong). Everyone seems to have a secret and only time will let them all out. It was a bit dark and eerie at times, but thankfully I wasn't too scared (although as a movie I might have been more frightened). I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren - I figured since I was on a little rom-com kick I might as well grab all of the available books by this author from the library (although they have written over thirty together, my library doesn't have most of them). I was expecting to love this one just like I have enjoyed all of the others, but this one didn't sit right with me. Two assistants trying to keep a failing marriage from falling apart completely in the public eye. I don't know if it was the toxic relationship Melly seemed to have with everyone or if I just wasn't digging the premise, but whatever it was I didn't love this love story. Don't get me wrong, I still finished it in a single day, but it just isn't my favorite enemies-to-lovers book I've ever read. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
- Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren - This was the final book by this duo that was available at the library (I still have a couple that I'm in line for). It's about a pair who find each other when they were on vacation in London, fall head over heels, disappear from one another's lives for fourteen years and then are forced back together again on the set of a movie. Who doesn't love a second chance romance?! Although I enjoyed this sweet story, it felt a bit rushed (especially towards the end). It seemed a bit different than some of the other books by this pair - more about Tate and her relationship with her father and her inner turmoil than about the steamy screenwriter ;) I was also a little surprised at how quickly Tate forgave Sam after holding on to her resentment for such a long time, but, hey, a book can only be so long I guess. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover - I saw that this 'series starter' was available on my Libby app and I needed a book to listen to while on my runs so I grabbed it. This is the story of Sydney, who finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her best friend/ roommate, and Ridge, her guitar-playing neighbor. When Sydney has nowhere to turn, Ridge jumps in and lets her stay in their apartment. Little does Ridge know, Sydney is exactly what his writer's block needs, but not necessarily what his heart needs since he is in a very committed relationship. This is all about unexpected romance, betrayal and friendship. I went back and forth on this one, between thinking I enjoyed it and was frustrated with the characters (but I guess art is best when it makes you 'feel' something, right?!). Seeing as Sydney ended up on Ridge's door due to infidelity, I feel like I was more upset with him when he then fell for her while he was still in a long term relationship and put Sydney in the position of being the 'other woman'. Overall I think there was much more that I liked about the book than not, so I'll probably still grab the follow-up books. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
- Girl Last Seen by Nina Laurin - I was in need of a book to listen to while running and found this thriller in the 'available now' section of my Libby app. I will start off by saying that there is a possibility that I fell asleep for a few minutes here and there while listening to this one. With that being said, there may have been a few crucial pieces of information that I may have missed (or some things just might not have been explained super well). This was about a kidnap survivor who sees a missing poster ten years after her escape and believes it might be the same kidnapper. The two stories intertwine a lot and although it makes for an interesting story, I just felt like there were some things that were too coincidental and I felt like I couldn't really buy in. The overall feel was dark and gritty... and I just didn't really enjoy it (too many twists to keep straight). I would give it a 6 out of 10.
- Maybe Now by Colleen Hoover - I know I didn't love the first book in this series, but I still figured I'd give this one a go. The audiobook version wasn't going to be available for a couple months, so I went to the library and grabbed the paperback. The hubby was out of town for a photoshoot, so it was the perfect time to read it. This one picks up right where Maybe Someday finished (like the following morning). I am happy to report that I enjoyed this one more than the first - and I think it was because Sydney and Ridge were both out of relationships and 'free' to explore one together. (I liked Sydney as a character more when she was done being the 'other woman'. She seemed to have more substance this time around.) I also appreciated that we learned more about Maggie's story. This felt like a satisfying way to end the series. (The novella about Warren and Bridgette, which is book #1.5, wasn't available on either of my audiobook apps or at the library, so I guess I will read that last and a little out of order, but hopefully it's not too big of a deal.) I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan - I can't believe I am almost done with this series. Book number six became available on my Libby app right when I needed a new book to listen to on my runs so I snagged it. I think this is my favorite book thus far. Percy wants to apply to go to college with Annabeth and finds out that he needs three recommendation letters (each from a different god) to accompany his application. To receive a recommendation letter, Percy has to go on a quest for a god in need. The first quest is to track down the missing chalice of the gods. I enjoyed this one because it focused mostly on Percy, Annabeth and Grover. Don't get me wrong, I like some of the other demigods, but I prefer getting more face time with these three. Also, there were fewer battles and killing monsters, which was more my cup of tea. I'm definitely interested to see how this series ends (I actually thought Percy would be tackling all three quests in this single book, so I was surprised it ended up only being the one). I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Mom Com by Adriana Mather - I came across this book when I was scrolling through my Libby app. The name grabbed my attention and none of my other books were available yet, so I decided to give it a go. This is a friends to enemies to lovers story about Maddi and Wilder. The pair grew up as best friends working alongside one another in Maddi's dad's bakery. They dabbled in the dating world as high school was coming to an end, but Wilder's mom was not having it and the two broke up. Maddi hooked up with Jake and got pregnant. The small town's disapproving glances were too much for Maddi, so she moved across the country to raise her son... that is until a year after her father's death when she returned for the holidays and was told that there was a stipulation in the will that her and Wilder would be 50/50 owners but would have to work together full time for at least a year. Maddi and Wilder have to figure out how to work together with all of the pen up emotions they've been holding for the past ten years. I found it fun and entertaining, but nothing too special to write home about. (although I did love the relationship between Maddi and Spence) I would give it an 8 out of 10.
- Wreck by Catherine Newman - I saw this on a few recently released lists and realized it was a follow-up to a book I listened to earlier in the month so I checked it out from the library. We catch back up with Rocky and her family as they're just living their life. I think why I enjoyed this one is because it sort of just felt so 'normal'. They seem like a standard family, living a standard life - nothing too extravagant, no huge plot twists or amazing adventures to go on. During this snippet of their life they are dealing with a local accident (a train wreck that took the life of one of their son's high school classmates) and a health scare (Rocky has a rash that has spread over her body that the doctors can't seem to find a reason or cure for). It was a quick read with an honest and real feel about the somewhat monotonous/ mundane moments in life. I would give it an 8 out of 10.
With that, February is done-zo. If you have suggestions, let me know! I'm always looking to add to my "must read" list!
What's the best book you've read lately?
