Long overdue, but I finally have my February 2025 reading update ready for your enjoyment.
I read eight books in total, and my average rating was 3 stars, with one book that I gave 4 stars to. Nothing exceptional, but all decent reads overall.
I’m trying to do things a bit differently from now on. Instead of giving you even a short review, I’m just going to briefly talk about whether I enjoyed the books or not, and which ones I recommend the most. I wanted to change it up a bit, since my review posts seem to be my least popular ones.
In the last month, I also discovered some Turkish shows on Netflix, which helped me get over some difficult February nights. I might compile a list of those shows in a future post.
As some of you may know, I am not a fan of winter, and I find it harder to cope with as years go by. Before Christmas time goes by very fast, with all the holiday preparations and such. But after the New Year, time seems to come to a halt, and the cold days drag by.
I’m just glad we’re close to spring, with longer days and warmer temperatures right around the corner.
But for now, let me get to my February 2025 reading update.
The Lost House by Melissa Larsen
With two mysteries waiting to be solved, The Lost House is an atmospheric thriller that takes place in Iceland. I received a digital copy of the book through Netgalley, and I thank the publishers and the author for my copy. Although it kept me engaged and intrigued, it isn’t a Nordic Noir thriller I will recommend to someone who is new to the genre. It is a decent book to read, don’t get me wrong, but it isn’t as memorable as some of my all-time favorites you surely heard me rave about on this platform.
Olive, Again by Elisabeth Strout
While this is the second Olive Kitteridge book, I have no interest in reading the first one. I couldn’t stand Olive, and most of the other characters were equally infuriating. The writing is solid, and the author builds a great character focused story but Olive, Again wasn’t for me. I’m hoping I will vibe more with some of her other works. If you’re into well-layered family dramas with unlikeable characters, you might enjoy it more than I did.
The Only Child by Mi-Ae Seo
I need to pay attention to the book descriptions that involve children, as I really dislike the troubled children trope. If you remebre, I wasn’t a fan of Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage nor The Push by Ashley Audrain. It was a well developed story that left us hanging at the end. I had a feeling where the author was going with it less than halfway in, so the ending didn’t surprise me. I’m not a fan of criminally inclined or devious children, so beware if you’re like me and those types of books leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.
The Mist by Ragnar Jonasson
This is the third and final Hidden Iceland instalment, featuring Detective Hulda. I generally enjoy the authors’ books as they are short and can be read very quickly, but the jumping storylines from this series got me confused. Chilling and appropriate for the coldest months of the year, you can definitely pick it up if Nordic Noir is a genre you’d like to try out. If you’re a seasoned fan like I am, you can skip it. I don’t regret reading the series, but it’s not one I’ll remember by next year.
Peonies for Paige by Kasey Kennedy
I read the first In Bloom installment, Dahlias for Domenica, sometime in 2024, and it was such a fun, lighthearted read. So I immediately bought the first book in the series, Peonies for Paige, and I’m happy I finally read it. It is a great book for those who love contemporary romance and don’t want to read something too heavy. You can grab it if you need a break from gory, dark thrillers that you might gravitate towards, such as myself.
Surrounded by Energy Vampires by Thomas Erikson
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the author’s first book in this non-fiction series, Surrounded by Idiots. So, when it was available on Netgalley, I ran to request it. Although I had it on my shelves for a while, I finally got to read it last month. It has an intriguing title, but I must admit it didn’t wow me. It’s just another non-fiction book that talks about different types of personalities. These energy vampires take a lot of energy out of us, and the author gives us some clues of how to recognize them. Interesting, but nothing I will run and recommend to anyone.
Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan
This is the second Kat and AIDE book in the series, and it was my favorite read of the month. Fast-paced and with lots of action, not to mention great character development, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a police procedural with a twist. Since technology is starting to take over the world, why would it not get involved in trying to solve murder cases as well? In this installment, we see AIDE starting to develop some human traits while on a case, which makes him more endearing. The third book in this series, Human Remains, is set to be published in April 2025, so keep your eyes open for its release day!
The Maid by Nita Prose
Quirky and different, Molly the Maid is such a breath of fresh air. I had this book sitting on my shelves for more than three years, I can’t believe it took me so long to read it. If you’re like me and were planning to get to it someday, do it. It’s fun and fast-paced, with a very particular set of characters. Read it if you’re into cozy mysteries that contain a bit of humor as well. It is quite different from the darker thrillers I generally tend to pick up.
Concluding Words
I hope you enjoyed this new way of updating you on my monthly reads. The February 20025 reading update contained eight books, which is still pretty amazing, considering how busy I’ve been lately.
Tell me friends, is this the type of post you enjoy, or should I write mostly about compiled lists of specific genres? For example, my guide to Nordic Noir authors, or even an author spotlight. Let me know in the comments below the type of content you’d see more of on this platform.
Until next time, keep reading my fellow bookworms!
