February was an ok reading month for me, but I admit I could’ve done better. I read only five books and had a DNF for one I was really hoping I’d like. But it’s ok. This year I don’t regret setting books I don’t like to the side to make more time for enjoyable reads. Without further ado, these are my February 2024 book reviews.
The Last Grudge by Max Seeck
The third installment in the Jessica Niemi series, it is my favorite one so far. It seems as if the author gets better and better with each book he writes. We’ll see how the last one he published at the end of month is, Ghost Island.
But in this one, Jessica takes a more secondary role while her friend and colleague Yusuf is at the center of the current investigation. She’s off duty, doing her own battling of the demons that have been haunting her since the death of her family.
While the investigation seems pretty straight forward, it is a bit more complex than that. The real motive of the killings are revealed towards the end, with Jesssica getting partially involved in the solving of the case.
It is a great Nordic Noir thriller that doesn’t disappoint. If you read the first two books in the series, this will make you feel satisfied yet still looking forward to the next volume. A solid four stars from me.
Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera
I may get ahead of myself here, but this is, after The Killing, my favorite thriller of the year. At the very least, it will make my top 5 of the year.
Thank you Netgalley, Amy Tintera, and Celadon Books for my advanced readers’ copy. Publication date: March 5th, 2024.
I loved the writing style and especially the bittersweet sarcasm of the main character, Lucy. She’s a pretty unhinged female character, right up my alley.
Lucy left her hometown in central Texas a few years ago after she was accused of killing her best friend, Savannah. Shocked by her friend’s tragic end, Lucy cannot remember anything from the night in question. But when true-crime podcaster Ben Owens brings up the incident years later and is adamant about finding out what really happened that night, Lucy’s world comes crumbling down again.
She wants to know if she really did kill her best friend as many still think, so she heads back down to Texas at her grandmother’s request. Her relationship with her grandma is very special, which makes things a bit more bearable for her. That may be the only reason she returned to the one place she wasn’t planning on visiting ever again.
Needless to say, she and Ben bond about the night in question, which adds some spice to the story.
My Thoughts
The author narrates it from dual timelines: back then and now. I really liked how the transitions guided the reader to come to its own conclusions. At about two thirds of the book I had strong suspicions about what transpired the night Savvy was murdered. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the way the author wrapped everything up.
A solid suspenseful mystery/thriller novel I highly recommend to anyone looking for something fresh to read from the genre. This was my first book by the author, but I will definitely read something else she writes in the future.
Listen for the Lie was my five star read of the month.
Trapped by Camilla Lackberg
A first in a new series by Camilla Lackberg, Trapped is a lengthy but addictive Nordic Noir thriller. It was my Nordic Noir Read Along reading for the months of January and February.
And I am so glad that Lackberg is back to her usual style, similar to her Fjalbacka series. If you’ve read my previous reviews of her latest two books, The Gilded Cage and Silver Tears, you know i wasnt a big fan. I’m glad to say that I liked this book a lot more. Although it wasn’t perfect and a bit long, it was a very enjoyable read.
This is a first in the Mina and Vincent series, with three of her volumes already published. Cult is the second and her latest, Mirage, yet to be translated in North America! A decent Nordic Noir thriller that deserves the four stars I gave it!
Anna K by Jenny Lee
This was another great book that came close to a five-star read for me. Honestly, it was an incident in the last 20% of the book that made me take .75 off. Hence, a solid 4.25 stars, rounded off to 4 stars on Goodreads.
Although I haven’t read the original Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, this book made me want to finally give it a go this year.
It is a great love modern-day story that involves privileged young adults/teenagers. We get to follow their complex relationships and struggles with keeping up appearances.
I can’t compare it to the classic by Tolstoy yet, but I will once I read the original. For now, I’ll say that I really enjoyed the Gossip Girl vibes I was getting. While she made some bad decisions, Anna K is a beloved character that is a joy to get acquainted with. I also thought that Lee did an astounding job on the character development in this book.
Overall, it was very close to a five star read, one that I enjoyed very much. You never know, it might even make it into my top ten books of the year, depending on how the rest of my reading goes.
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano
For those interested, this title will be published on March 5th, 2024.
I liked the first installment of this series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It. Although I haven’t read the second or third book in the series, I wanted to read this one. I thought the debut was clever and so different that I enjoyed it more than I expected.
Thank you Netgalley, Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced readers’ copy, but this one wasn’t a hit for me.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the writing or the execution of the story, it was simply too much for me. The action, while I know its fiction, was far-fetched, and too much was happening at once. It made me confused at times, and I had a hard time following the constant banter. I got through it because it’s super easy to read and very entertaining, but this will unfortunately be my last book in this series.
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
This is my DNF of the month. I heard so many good things about this book, I thought it would be a favorite of the year. I read almost 100 pages, and while the writing is deserving of a Pulitzer Prize nomination, I didn’t enjoy the story at all.
Typically, I enjoy books that are set on campuses. This one, like The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, was a bit too abstract for me. I’m disappointed but I don’t regret setting it aside for now. I might pick it up again at some point in the future, but most likely not before the end of the year! Remains to be seen.
Concluding Words
This sums up my February 2024 book reviews. Have you read any of these, or are any of them on your radar? Let me know in the comment box below.
Until next time, keep reading fellow bookworms!
