Favorite book I read in February
Books I COMPLETED
I read 8 books in February, plus started/continued 4 other books. I’ve included snippets from my reviews and additional thoughts.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (eARC) – pub date 2/17/26
YMMV, this novel is very much based on Howl’s Moving Castle (both the book and the movie.)
Murder by Memory and Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite (both eARCs) – pub dates 3/18/25 and 3/10/26
Two delightful mysteries set aboard a 1920s-style generation ship. In the tradition of Miss Marple, Dorothy Gentleman is an older woman with a sharp mind and a keen eye. Very cozy sci-fi. I look forward to reading the next installment!
Vow Made Twice by Emma Denny (eARC) – pub date 2/26/26
Third book in a series that explores queer relationships and love in medieval times. Features a love triangle that could easily end in an OT3.
Green and Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons (eARC) – pub date 3/3/26
When an idiot tries to cut down three trees and wakes up an ancient terror that wants to eradicate the human race, the Order of Idallik Knights steps in. Math somewhat accidentally re-awakens the Dark Lord, who last defeated this primal force.
It has a bit too much plant-based body horror and blood to be a true romantasy, but the main romantic relationship is as important as saving the world. It plays with some familiar tropes, including enemies-to-lovers and vows of celibacy. Also contains musings on how history is made and recorded, linguistics, and of weird (good) worldbuilding.
Although this is a stand-alone novel, I would like to read another story in this world.
Sea of Charms by Rebecca Thorne (eARC) – pub date 7/28/26
Third installment of the cozy fantasy series. Explores what Marin the sailor was doing while offscreen during the second book.
One thing I don’t like about this series is that all of the main pairings have been M//F despite being set in a queernormative world. Maybe that will change in a fourth book?
(Side note: This was a consolation read while I waited to get access to Bromantasy.)
The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen (eARC) – pub date 6/2/26
Fun contemporary novel. The story is narrated by the four friends, but there was a bit too much overlap in the POVs, so it got boring. Maybe it would work better as a movie? The ending sets up a sequel. I might read it.
Actress of a Certain Age by Jeff Hiller
Listened to the audiobook narrated, of course, by the author. I’m not a big reader of celebrity memoirs, but I love listening to podcasts by working actors (e.g., Undressing by Felicia Day and Tom Lenk).
Books I’M currently reading
Last year I realized that I had a secret rule that I should only read one book at a time. That’s bollocks!! It did not apply to tv shows, fan fiction, comics, and other media–why was I limiting myself? So now I am consciously reading many books at the same time.
Here are the other titles I read in February but have not yet finished:
- A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander (re-read, read along)
- Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall – pub date 3/10/26
- The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by CM Waggoner – pub date 3/3/26
- Bromantasy by Máire Roche – pub date 5/26/26
MARCH TBR
Backlist
- A Fae in Finance by Juliet Brooks — maybe I’ll read this in April after I file my taxes
- The Village Demon-Hunting Society by CM Waggoner
Upcoming March Releases That I Have Not Yet Read
- Wayward Souls by Susan J. Morris – pub date 3/17/26
- Lost Daughter of Sparta by Felicia Day and Rowan MacColl – pub date 3/17/26
- Trace Elements by Ada Palmer and Jo Walton – pub date 3/24/26
- Geomagician by Jennfer Mandula – pub date 3/31/26
Notes AND PLANS
- Still playing around with the focus and format of these posts.
- Since GoodReads is changing its access policies, maybe I will copy and paste in the full reviews here.
- May add in at least one longer review in a separate post
