February Reads

 Fiction: 

• News of the World by Paulette Jiles 
• 3 Stars 
• The plot was fascinating, but the ending was abrupt and the writing difficult to follow. 
• I don't say this often, but just wait for the movie to come out.  With Tom Hanks in the lead, my guess is that it'll be better than the book. 
• Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn 
• 4 Stars 
• Ok, I keep saying that I won't read any more Bridgeton books, but then I do.  I just keep getting so involved with the characters and HAVE to know what happens! I'm trying to quit. 
• The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel 
• 4 Stars 
• This. Story. Was. Awesome.  
• The writing seemed a bit clunky to me, but I otherwise loved it. 
• Lakeshire Park by Meagan Walker 
• 4 Stars 
• This was a lovely little Regency Romance that gave my brain a little break.  
• The Address by Fiona Davis 
• 5 Stars 
• This was, by far, the best of Davis's books so far.  Definitely worth the read!  
• My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kaye 
• 5 Stars 
• At about 800 pages, this book isn't for casual reading!  That said, it was excellent.  I had so much fun comparing it to the play.  
• Fair as a Star by Mimi Matthews 
• 4 Stars 
• I read this while on vacation a few weeks ago, and it was another fun, clean, and light Regency Romance from Matthews. 
• The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis 
• 4 Stars 
• The Address is easily Davis's best, but this one and Chelsea Girls are also thoroughly enjoyable.  If you like history with a bit of mystery and drama, Fiona Davis is excellent.  
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 
• 3 Stars 
• This one was definitely outside my typical reading, but the Hubby had checked it out and since it's something of a cult classic, I decided to give it a try. 
• While the writing was extremely witty and I appreciated the dry, British humor, I had a difficult time "getting in" to the story.  The characters are caricatures and the whole story was satirical.  Again, I appreciated the genius, but it wasn't my cup of tea.   

Nonfiction: 

• Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance 
• 4 Stars 
• This was a fascinating memoir that really helped me understand our current political climate.  There's a chapter that almost eerily foretells the rise of Donald Trump and the reasons he is so beloved by such a large portion of the country.  This wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, a pleasurable read, but it was an important one.