February Book Summary

Below is a list of books that I read in the month of February.  I am well on my way to achieving my goal of reading 110 book in 2020.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger – In a word, fantastic.  This author has proven over and over again to be a master story teller.  His books are always thoughtfully told with characters that the reader is meant to genuinely like.  His last book Ordinary Grace is another that I would highly recommend.   My mom gave me this book for Christmas because she did not want me to have to wait too long on the library hold list.  Five stars for this book, without hesitation.

Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller – I read this one for my bookclub.  It is a biography about Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon.  It really gets into their role in the feminist movement, while telling their individual stories.  I liked it, but there was about 150 pages in it that could have been edited out.   I would give 4 stars.

Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman – I had high hopes for this one.  After reading her 2018 novel Something In The Water which was a nail biting, brilliant story, I was so excited to see she had something new.  Meh.  What a disappointment.  She had such a great idea with this one, but it was rushed and the ending was really unsatisfying.  Two stars, which really broke my heart.  I know this author is capable of great novels.

Dracula by Bram Stoker – Everyone knows this story.  It was ok at best.  I am glad I read it, as it has been on my to read list for years.  Three stars just because it’s a classic and his withstood the test of time.

Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick – This book was on my 1000 Books To Read calendar, so I ordered it from my library.  I had never heard of it before seeing it on that calendar.  Mothers and daughters can be so complicated, this book proves that over and over again.  This is Vivian’s story about her relationship with her mother.  It made me happy that I have the mother that I have, because her’s was a piece of work.  Four stars because anyone who came out of that childhood a productive citizen deserves a well reviewed book.

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins – This was another good mystery.  It tells the story of Sylvie and her mother, 16 years after her sister’s murder.  I had no idea who did it until about two pages before the reveal. This is another one with a pretty terrible mother, who the reader has very little sympathy for.  Four stars for this one

The Grammarians by Cathleen Schine – Imagine the most annoying grammar police, times ten on Facebook and you have twins Laurel and Daphne.  Their world is grammar and words, making them pretty insufferable to be around.  This books tells their story up to the rift that causes them never to speak to each other again.  This was an okay book, not great but certainly not terrible. Three  stars.

I did not read nearly as many books in February as I normally do because Girls Like Us was so long, well over 500 pages with small print.  March should be a better reading month for me, I have a lot on my list.  What is on your list for books this year?  I need recommendations.