Still holding strong in February with 11 books read. I had my first 5 ⭐ read, which was exciting! That being said, this was a mediocre reading month at best. I had such high hopes for most of these books, so it was disappointing to find a majority of them lackluster. Aside from my 5-star read, the only other standout was The Resurrectionist, a macabre historical fiction set in 1800s Edinburgh that contained a healthy dose of humor, romance, and grave digging. My top read overall was a Literary Fiction with poignant prose, a creative play with epistolary formatting, and an emotional journey that had me sobbing at just how understood I felt.

Top Read Overall

We Could Be Rats

by Emily Austin

My first 5 star read of the year! It makes perfect sense that it would go to Emily Austin.

A story that follows two sisters—Sigrid and Margit—and their journey from romanticized childhood to pragmatic adulthood. A heartbreaking, touching, raw and humorous exploration of what it means to exist in a world that bites, and the desire to be rats instead.

This has got triggers galore, but we do end on a hopeful note that ties back into the relationship between Sigrid and Margit. I also had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narration by Candace Thaxton, who did a wonderful job with this story and these characters.

What I love about Austin’s novels is that she needles her way into the core of mental health and lets us sit there in an honest, witty, matter-of-fact style that doesn’t pull punches, but that also leaves us optimistic.

Every time I read a book by this author, I finish it and think: I needed this. My soul needed this.

Read my full REVIEW

Check it out on The StoryGraph

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Though not in the top spot, the following books 1. Made it onto my TBR, and 2. Managed to actually get read this month. Want a more in-depth peak? Click on any title to read my review!

*Book Lovers by Emily Henry is also a 5-Star read, but since it’s a reread, I left it out of the running for the top spot of the month!

I already CAN’T WAIT to dig into my March TBR! Though my anticipated reads always shift based on my mood and what holds come in on Libby, a book you can expect to get a review for is: Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan.

Happy reading!

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