Read With Keri: Books I Read in February
It’s starting to feel like spring! I’m so excited. I didn’t realize how much I missed waking up to sunshine. Before I go full spring mode, though, I want to recap the books I read in February.
As I mentioned in last week’s post, it snowed pretty much every other day in February. This created the perfect backdrop for lots of cozy nights with a blanket and book.
February was a great reading month, mostly because all my library books came in at once. I requested them back in the fall so when they came in this month, a few books I originally intended to read were pushed to March’s list. But that’s okay! They were worth it.
So without further ado, here are the books I read in February.
Aging with Grace — Susan Hunt and Sharon Betters (5/5 stars)
I was so excited to finally have my own copy of Aging with Grace! My Aunt Sharon and Susan Hunt co-wrote this and I couldn’t wait to finally read it after hearing so much about it this past year. They talk about what it means to age with grace in a world that’s so focused on anti-aging and staying young. The book focuses on a few older women in the Bible and the lessons we can learn from them. Aunt Sharon and Susan Hunt also wrote a Leader’s Guide in case you want to discuss the book in a group setting. You can learn more about the book and view additional resources on the Aging with Grace website.
The Way I Heard It — Mike Rowe (4/5 stars)
Anytime I find an audiobook that’s read by the author, I have to listen to it. There’s something about hearing the person who wrote it that makes the story even more compelling. This was one book that I’m thankful I listened to, but I have to admit, I want to read it again! Each chapter Mike Rowe tells a short story about someone you know but you don’t know who it is until the end of the chapter. It made me want to re-read the book now that I know who he’s talking about!
Majesty — Katharine McGee (3.5/5 stars)
I read American Royals in November (check out my review here) and Majesty is the sequel. I requested it from the library so I was eager to see how it compared to American Royals. It’s written for adults but reads more elementary so it’s not hard to get through. A lot of the storylines had predictable endings but there were a few loose ends that never wrapped up so I still have questions!
Legend — Marie Lu (4/5 stars)
Luke has been reading the Legend series and wanted me to try it out, too. If you like the Hunger Games books, I think you’ll like this series. I’ll admit that the first half of the book, I was not into it at all but Luke said it got better, so I kept at it and it did improve! Eventually my goal is to read the rest of the trilogy, but I have a few books to finish first.
Such a Fun Age — Kiley Reid (4.5/5 stars)
This was another long-awaited library book. I flew through this and thought it really handled the topics of race and privilege in a graceful way. The book switches between two points of view so I never tired of the characters. Here’s a more eloquent review:
“A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.”
Grown — Tiffany D. Jackson (4.75/5 stars)
Wow, this book. It got me. I had heard good things about Grown so I requested it from the library months ago and it finally came in (notice the theme here?). This book deals with some very heavy topics (e.g., kidnapping, abuse, drug addiction) and has some language so definitely proceed with caution. Apparently it is very loosely based on the R. Kelly case if that tells you anything. I was surprised it’s technically classified as “Young Adult” because I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of 18.
Inside Out: A Memoir — Demi Moore (3/5 stars)
Before this book, I knew next to nothing about Demi Moore. I knew she was married to Ashton Kutcher for a bit and is an actress, but besides that, nada. When I saw the audiobook available in Libby, I decided to check it out. This memoir, narrated by the author herself, is an example that you never know what someone’s struggling with even though they seem happy on the outside. Demi experienced some tough and heartbreaking situations so read with discretion.