What screams it’s mid August more than finally talking about the books I read in February and March?
In all honesty, I’ve been working on this post since May and I just couldn’t get it finished until now. I’m not going to feel bad about that though, it’s finished now and it’s better later than never, right? Alright, let’s jump in.
Collide (Off The Ice #1) by Bal Khabra
I had high hopes for this now, but in the end, it felt a bit too similar to other hockey romances I’ve read in the last year or two. For me, it was just missing that thing that made it stand out but I still enjoyed it and gave it 3.5 stars. I think that’s pretty good considering this was my least favourite read of February and March.
The Unexpected Guest by Agatha Christie
This is a novelisation by Charles Osborne of Christie’s original play, and because of that, there are certain limitations. It doesn’t have the same depth or impact as Christie’s novels, as it’s clearly intended for the stage—where props, lighting, and other theatrical elements add so much to the story. I still enjoyed it, though I did guess the twist in this one.
The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) by Rick Riordan
I feel almost guilty ranking something by Riordan so low on this list, especially because I did really enjoy this. I just can’t remember what about it I enjoyed it so much. I know that Percy was a highlight of this book (as he always is for me) but I’ve just completely mentally blanked on the rest of it. I think I’ll be due a reread before continuing the series.
You, Again by Kate Golden
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I went in with low expectations because I hadn’t heard anything about this book from anyone, but I ended up really enjoying it. It was a fun contemporary romance and it was exactly what I needed to read at that time.
Emerald Wounds by Joyce Mansour
One day I’ll be able to talk about this at length, but I’m still doing some research around this and the project it’s related to so for now, this is what I’ve got to say. These are some beautiful surrealist poems translated from French for the first time here. Mansour is an incredibly interesting woman who has sadly mostly been forgotten by history. This is so worth the read if you’re a poetry fan.
Woven by Gold (Beasts of the Briar #2) by Elizabeth Helen
This series has been one of my greatest finds this year. I just have so much reading this series even when it causes me severe emotional pain because these authors are cruel! These are absolutely perfect escapism books for those times when you just need to disconnect and let yourself get immersed in another world. I’ve been holding off on continuing the series because I know there will be a cliffhanger and I want to wait until it’s a little closer to all the books being out.
Run Riot (State of Grace #1) by Colette Rhodes
And here we are with my favourite read—Run Riot. Again, this was just such a fun, escapist read and I guess I really needed those in February and March. I purchased an absolutely gorgeous special edition omnibus of this series at BABE in May and I’ve just been waiting to have the chance to read them all back to back. Here’s hoping maybe I can make time for that over August and September.
That’s it for February and March (finally). Have you read any of these?
Earl Grey Books 