Tim Reads February

Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan, America's First Sports Hero by Christopher Klein (384 pages) A fun look at arguably America’s first sports star, the boxer John L. Sullivan. While his fighting brought in the crowds, his out of the ring antics made him a true sensation. He helped create the way sports reporters wrote about stars, a tradition that continues to the present era.

They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency by Malcolm Nance (320 pages) a book looking at the various militias that sprung up following the election of President Obama. These groups found their leader in President Trump and they were the major players and organizers of the January 6^th Insurrection. Looking at where these groups came from, how they got energized, and where they go from here is captured in this book.

Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Joined Them by Max Cutler (416 pages) from The People’s Temple, to the Manson Family, from Heaven’s Gate to Nexium (to quote Norm McDonald, all the stars are here) this book (based on the podcast of the same name) looks at the major cults from around the world. This book drills down deep on the cults it looks at, finding out why people would join and why a person would start a cult to begin with.

Who Killed Jane Stanford?: A Gilded Age Tale of Murder, Deceit, Spirits and the Birth of a University By Richard White (400 pages) a page turning historical look at the death (or murder??? Dun dun dun!!) of Jane Stanford, the head of Stanford University in California. Did Jane die because she was a sickly person on an around the world cruise? Or was she poisoned and if so by who? Though this book doesn’t solve the mystery it does present a colorful list of suspects all with motives and means to take her out

The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II by Buzz Bissinger (480 pages) a look at the greatest football game ever played. During WWII in the Pacific a game organized by some of the greatest college players from around the country was played before the push to take Japan. An in-depth look at the players, not only their college football exploits, from their birth to their deaths on the Island Campaign.  

Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America by Will Sommer (272 pages) The mother of all conspiracies is investigated by the reporter who brought Q into the mainstream.  Trying to unmask who is behind the Q persona is looked at, as are all the grifters and hucksters looking to make a buck off the believers in the conspiracy (Including a “time traveling” Q who runs his own compound) This book also looks at the families that have lost loved ones to the conspiracy and tries to unmask all the lies being spread across the dark recesses of the internet.

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

So like....it was ok...like... I don't know if the book is my style.
512 Pages

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

ARC Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Like...look at this cover. Flower shop AU and there's a guy with tattoos.
Also it's in the same universe as When in Rome... sfjkdllfjkldssfjkld
I have so many screeching like Hei Hei from Moana moments
Also I was attacked...multiple times..... I was in the photo....

The humor in this book was amazing... I just... cackled so much. It's just. The most chef's kisses.
Also so many gifs of the heavy breathing cat.
Will: 

THERE'S A BEE?!
We love Amelia. So much. And Noah. Because he know-uhs.
352 Pages

TS Song: Gorgeous 

February Books

 

After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.

Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn't expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn't fit, maybe it's time to design your own.

Pages: 304

Laughing Shall I Die explores the Viking fascination with scenes of heroic death. The literature of the Vikings is dominated by famous last stands, famous last words, death songs, and defiant gestures, all presented with grim humor. Much of this mindset is markedly alien to modern sentiment, and academics have accordingly shunned it. And yet, it is this same worldview that has always powered the popular public image of the Vikings—with their berserkers, valkyries, and cults of Valhalla and Ragnarok—and has also been surprisingly corroborated by archaeological discoveries such as the Ridgeway massacre site in Dorset.

Was it this mindset that powered the sudden eruption of the Vikings onto the European scene? Was it a belief in heroic death that made them so lastingly successful against so many bellicose opponents? Weighing the evidence of sagas and poems against the accounts of the Vikings’ victims, Tom Shippey considers these questions as he plumbs the complexities of Viking psychology. Along the way, he recounts many of the great bravura scenes of Old Norse literature, including the Fall of the House of the Skjoldungs, the clash between the two great longships Ironbeard and Long Serpent, and the death of Thormod the skald. One of the most exciting books on Vikings for a generation, Laughing Shall I Die presents Vikings for what they were: not peaceful explorers and traders, but warriors, marauders, and storytellers.

Pages: 368

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

ARC Publication Date February 28, 2023
Ok but like.... it's cute. I just wanna protect.
When one of your favorite authors turns into your mysterious pen-pal  and then turns out to be your neighbor.
Also Edith is a Karen.
Not me taking notes of the books they name drop.
Also it's set in New York and in publishing, and she just wants to be an editor for diverse children's books and he's a writer.
Also I live for like...when characters see someone being awkward and anxious and they don't try to change them.
416 Pages

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

 

Pages: 351

"When Nar’s odar (non-Armenian) boyfriend gets down on one knee and proposes to her in front of a room full of drunk San Francisco tech boys, she realizes it’s time to find someone who shares her idea of romance. Enter Mom. Armed with plenty of mom guilt and an actual spreadsheet of Facebook-stalked Armenian men (complete with their height and weight), Mom convinces Nar to attend Explore Armenia, a month-long series of events in the city. But it’s not the mom-approved playboy doctor or bro-slinging engineer that catches her eye at the very first gathering—it’s Erebuni, a woman as equally immersed in the witchy arts as she is in preserving Armenian identity. Erebuni helps Nar see the beauty of their shared culture, and makes her feel understood in a way she never has before. But there’s one teeny problem: Nar’s not exactly out as bisexual. Her mom doesn’t even want her wearing flats, how would she feel about Nar bringing home a woman? The clock is ticking on Nar’s double life, though—the closing Explore Armenia banquet is coming up, and her entire extended family will be there, along with Erebuni. But Nar is determined to be brave, determined to claim her happiness: proudly Armenian, proudly bisexual, and proudly herself for the first time in her life." 

The beginning of this book was strong. Following Nar as she navigates her job, an unexpected proposal, and now the pressure from her family to find a good Armenian man. I was a little surprised that this was ladled as a RomCom style as there was a little too much tension that overshadowed the light-hearted moments. The ending conflict was resolved a little too easily in my opinion as well. Other than that, it was a fun romance that includes some cool looks into Armenian culture. The food descriptions kept making me hungry!

The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

 

Pages: 420

"In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever. Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive."

I am happy and upset at the same time with this ending. I loved how we got some more of the magic than the first book and how it was woven in to the story. Though now I am crying for Irsa, she deserved a happy ending. I wished we had more interactions between the main pairing as I loved their chemistry but this second half of the duology was more focused on the curse and near war.

Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

ARC Publication Date: February 28, 2023
IT'S THE SEQUEL TO ANATOMY. SFJKDLSFDJKLSD;JKL
Where's my boy...pleeeeeeeeeeease. Please give me more Jack.
Hi Dana I would like more content please. I want more Jack....please. A short story. A novella. A newspaper article
374 Pages

Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho

It's so fluffy. 
It's childhood friends, and friend becomes a kpop star.
Y'all the high school drama is so big....Were my feelings that big...
338 Pages

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Ok but like....it's in Victorian England, there's magic, and pirates flying houses.
The cover is so pretty.
I love pirates. I love them so much.
Also when the MC is like....I did nothing for the plot and is self-aware and knows that she's Indiana Jones...
324 Pages

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

......Parts of the book were kind of underwhelming for me... And maybe it's because I didn't do a re-read, but also like....Some of the writing was repetitive and cringe-y and not in a fun way.
I feel like the characters deserved better... like... Especially Matthew and Christopher...And Jesse...And Cordelia...and James...and Grace...like....everyone deserved better.
I love Alastair. So much....
Oscar. The hero we didn't deserve, but we needed.
Sometimes I really want to hurt CClare...For reasons which I will not be expressing in this review....
I don't care why they say the family tree is misleading, I just want the right one. So now I have to go stalk people on TikTok to see if someone did the research or if I have to do it myself.
800 Pages

Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith

This was an ARC but I didn't finish it before it was published.
fklds;;sfkldjklsfdsfjkldjksfldsfjkldsfjkdjklsfdsfjkld
That's literally all I have to say. I'm dead.
It's Moulin Rouge, but in Prohibition Era, and there's magic, and it's like...Coney Island, but not...
Chef's. Kiss. I love it
464 Pages

TS: Mirrorball, Bejeweled, Mastermind--but in a villain way.

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

 

Pages: 404

"Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all." 

I love the blend of Arabian nights stories. A story of revenge turns into an intriguing romance with 'touch her and die' vibes. I love Shazi and how she is always putting people in their place, even if it gets her in trouble. And now a secret curse that would shed a new light on the heinous crimes of the boy-king is leading into the second book and leaving off on a cliff-hanger!

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

Tahereh don't do this to me... Please. Not again.
WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO SHIP FJKDSA;JKLSDA
Ok but Alizeh and bread. Iconic. love to see it. We stan.
Cyrus to Alizeh: If Alizeh was Rosa and Cyrus was Captain Holt:

Cyrus Cyrus Cyrus.... Do I see Aaron Warner in you...But also istg if Kamran is Adam... I will riot. My boy is traumatized and he's doing his best. And he has to deal with the stupid dress lady that I continue to despise.
There are dragons. Also we get more backstory.
Once again, I am:

416 Pages

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

I said it before, and I'll say it again. The. Cinderella. vibes.
Oh and there are dragons at the end. btw.
It's got the same vibes as the Wrath and the Dawn, which as we all know...is one of my favorites.
528 Pages

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

Me realizing that my internal image of Oak was WRONG.
Also like...you can't tell me Cardan hasn't rubbed off on him...like...
*has to wait a year for the next book in the duology...
374 Pages

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Ok but this book was so funny. Just. like... sfjkdl
The OCD rep. I just loved the characters...like...the level of teenage.
336 Pages

TS: ...I automatically think Lover because this title.

A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw

I was kind of bored with most of the book, until like...we met Noah.
The concept was interesting, but it wasn't really holding my attention.
But also, I was going to throw hands about the ending.
I think part of the problem was that the author was trying to keep mystery in the story by having the narrator hold back information, but for me it made it slightly less engaging.
400 Pages

Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway

So like... the World War vibes. And the Top Gun vibes. And the Romeo and Juliet vibes. I just... I can't.
I'm gonna go....obsess over the rest of the series. It might become my personality.
Y'all know I love airplanes
The prologue has me v stressed.
Also I'm very afraid for Goose character.
496 Pages

Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

LOOK AT MY BABIES
fdjkslafjkldsasfdjkasfjidsfjkld
sfdjkasfjkdajhksfdsfjkdasfjkda
MY SHIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
Ok but now I need another book. You can't just....
I love Silas. I love him so much. Literally the last chapter.
192 Pages

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

It's the re-read so I can appreciate the novella.
sfdjkjhksfdasgjkdsfdjk
I forgot how much I love these characters.
All the heart eyes at Nathaniel and Silas...
The sass. The humor.
It's chef's kiss. I'm gonna go collapse and die from how much I love it.
456 Pages

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

 

Pages: 416

"Nineteen-year-old Signa Farrow, orphaned as a baby, has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her last remaining relatives are the Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at the glittering and gloomy estate of Thorn Grove. Thorn Grove’s patriarch, Elijah, mourns his late wife, Lillian, through wild parties and drink, while eldest son Percy grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and daughter Blythe suffers from the same mysterious illness that killed her mother. And when Lillian’s spirit confronts Signa and claims she was poisoned, Signa realizes that Blythe could be next to die.

Signa’s best chance of uncovering the culprit and solving Lillian’s murder is an alliance with Death himself—the very man she hates most. And Death, that fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side, shows her that their connection may be more powerful than she ever dared imagine."

I was initially drawn to this one for the cover. The first edition hardback is gorgeous and I need to find one;

I really enjoyed Signa discovering society life is not what she thought it was while at the same time trying to solve a mystery. I could not have predicted the ending and the Gothic vibes were amazing. Who doesn't want a murder mystery in a haunted mansion, being assisted by Death himself! I am now obsessed and want the next book to come out.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

 

Pages: 326

"Lost in a new world, Lyra finds Will—a boy on the run, a murderer—a worthy and welcome ally. For this is a world where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and witches share the skies with troops of angels.

Each is searching—Lyra for the meaning of Dark Matter, Will for his missing father—but what they find instead is a deadly secret, a knife of untold power. And neither Lyra nor Will suspects how tightly their lives, their loves, and their destinies are bound together... until they are split apart."

This series is really starting to feel more like a science-fiction adventure. Lyra hops to different dimensions that are similar to each other, but have different rules. She meets another boy, Will, who is also moving between dimensions on a different quest. But they both work together as their ultimate goals are related to an epic war that is about to begin once again. They keep hinting at the origins of this war and more powerful artifacts that only they can use are appearing. I do miss the characters left behind in the first book, I hope a particular bear re-appears in the final book!

Finale by Stephanie Garber

 

Pages: 478

"It's been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn't really exist. With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she's going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything. Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end..."

Oh the twists! The game has become reality as mysterious Fates have been released and are slowly waking up to wreck havoc. The story follows both sisters this time flipping back and forth as they both try and figure out how to save everyone and each other at the same time. Tella's love triangle (?) was really interesting and I got excited when I found out Jacks is in Garber's more recent series. One more for the TBR!

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

 Pages: 451

"After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn't yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend's true name. 

The only chance of uncovering Legend's identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more--and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets...including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can't fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend's name, she'll lose everything she cares about--maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever. "

I was not expecting the shift in perspectives but I love how we are now getting Tella's story after Scarlet's. We still get some of Scarlet but the focus is more on her sister Tella and how this Caraval is more real than ever. It was hard at first to believe that things were getting real after the first book.

Jackaby by William Ritter

It's Sherlock Holmes, but Watson is female, Sherlock is younger, and there's mythical creatures... I loved it.
310 Pages

End of Story by Kylie Scott

ARC: Publication Date: February 14, 2023
I wanted to like this book. And it wasn't that I disliked it... I just hated the main character. She seemed kind of shallow and one dimensional, and we were told rather than shown that she's outspoken. I couldn't follow her thought process because it seemed inconsistent, and the humor didn't land for me.
I loved the male love interest and the side characters.
320 Pages

It's the prequel novella, and we get to see Aunt Susan and some of Lars.
32 pages

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

ARC Publication Date: February 14, 2023
Is Steve West's voice getting lower...like..
Ok so like....I need to re-read it because like: sfjkldasfjkldafjklds. I need to go back and notice all of the details.
The writing is so pretty (I'm not surprised)
I don't even have words to describe the book, but I loved it.
304 Pages

TS: Seven, except not...

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

DANI HAS AQUINAS
WHY IS SHE TAKING CODEINE
ANXIETY REP. 

And the Bi Rep.
The Red cameos.... Just like. I can't....
Also like....I did not come here to be called out like this.
400 Pages

TS: Glitch, Sweet Nothings (in particular the second verse)

Love from Scratch by Kaitlyn Hill

Y'all. It's so fluffy.
But also we talk about social media and trolls and how crappy they are to women.
It's got Tweet Cute by Emma Lord vibes. Does this remind me of bon appetite. yes...and the more I read, the more I agree.
Also it was hilarious.
384 Pages

TS: The Man, Sweet Nothing 

Fable by Adrienne Young

I'm re-reading because I read Saint.
djklfdsjklsdfsajklfsdjkl
Me knowing what I know.
I'm not crying. I'm not crying I'm not crying.
WEST. sfjkldsfjkldasfjkldasfjkldsfkldj.
FABLE. fsjkldsfjkldajklsfdasfjkld
SAINT. f;jkldsasfjkldasfjkld;fjklda
357 Pages

TS: You're on Your Own Kid

The Betrayed by Kiera Cass

So it was a little predictable, and not as well developed as Cass's other books, but it was ok.
304 Pages

City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer

At first it was giving me Metamorphosis Kafka vibes.
What happened:

But also. The concept that you'll change into your nightmares.....
I love vampire boy. I just do. I just.... Can I keep him.
384 Pages

The Siren by Kiera Cass

....if this kills me emotionally....

Y'all. I was so stressed out...my babies. I will protect.
It's got Little Mermaid vibes, but also has like.... I don't even know how to explain it. I loved it. ddklas
I love Akinli...like so much. He's a soft boi and like...sunshine. I'm crying because I love him. Too pure for this world. Cinnamon roll.
336 Pages

TS: Snow On the Beach, Lover, Message in a Bottle

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

Sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

The covers of this series - some of the best ever. So pretty.

I just CAN'T. *screams*

Can this author write a book for every fairy tale, ever?

480 pages

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