February 2022 Reads

Lately, I haven't been in the mood to read and have been struggling to find the right books for my moods. Here's a breakdown of my February reads:

1. Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn. This was a sweet, quick read of two young adults trying to navigate their family dynamics and baggage while falling in love.

2. The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean. Okay, this one was so unique. Rowan is navigating many complex things alone. He finds that writing letters is a way to cope with it all. It's such a powerful story of being known and loved exactly as you are.

3. Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. I loved this middle grade book! Bo had been used to life with just her mom and her, but then her mom gets married. Suddenly, Bo is no longer living in her apartment, but rather living in a patchwork family with her new stepfather, step-sister, and another family with two daughters around her age. It's all about navigating these new roles and does a great job of representing the families we choose.

4. Be the Boss of Your Stuff: The Kids’ Guide to Decluttering and Creating Your Own Space by Allie Casazza. I was unaware of Allie Casazza's work prior to reading this one, but I'm definitely checking out more. This book truly empowers kids to get in control of their clutter and their spaces. It was a great reminder to me about the clarity and freedom that a more minimalistic lifestyle and space can provide. Definitely buying a copy for my classroom when it releases March 8.

5. The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica. As you may have read in my Top 10 Favorite Books of 2021 post, I LOVED Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica. The Other Mrs. was great, but not quite as incredible. There were some twists, but in many ways, it felt more predictable or less unique. At this point though, I've officially decided I'll read anything by Kubica.

6. The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone. Noteworthy but not in a good way, I gave this book a (generous) 2-star review. It didn't seem to provide anything useful and really glorified the burn-out culture a lot of us are trying to avoid/eradicate. Also, I listened to the audiobook and truly felt like the narrator (Grant Cardone himself) was yelling at/scolding me the whole time.

7. Sunflower by Ingrid Laguna. I liked this one. It represented a unique perspective to the immigrant/refugee experience, where Jamila has been established in a new community, learning a new language and making new friends. Then her friend from home (Iraq) moves to her community. Jamila has to navigate her old friendships and her new ones, meshing her new life with her old life, while unpacking the trauma she and her friend have experienced. I would've loved for more depth/character development in this one.

8. History Comics: The National Parks: Preserving America's Wild Places by Falynn Koch. A few students and I have been working to build the nonfiction graphic novels section of our classroom library this year, and this series, History Comics, has been a marvelous edition. This one about national parks was my first time reading any of them. It breaks down the history and development of the national parks and made me feel like traveling to more.

9. The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. This is the 2022 Newbery Medal winner, and that's the only reason I picked it up. If I'd done research about what it's about (Earth is uninhabitable, people evacuate to space), I would never have read it. But I'm so glad I did! Somehow, it didn't even feel science fiction-y. There were many beautiful elements of storytelling, Mexican culture, and just impeccable writing.

10. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano. This book was so fun. It was similar to a lot of the mysteries/thrillers I've been reading lately, except that everything seemed to be accidental. I loved it and have the newly-released sequel on hold.

11. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. I had kept seeing this book everywhere, so I decided reading it. It's another one that I probably wouldn't have read if I'd read a summary of it ahead of time. Having lost my mom to cancer, I tread lightly with books involving sick and dying moms, but this memoir was beautiful. Even though so much of the Michelle's story is different from my own, there were many elements that had me feeling understood. It's a beautiful tribute to the relationships between mothers and daughters.

12. The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart. I know I said I did a poor job of picking books for my moods this month, but this one is an exception. I hadn't realized how much I missed young adult books until I was lost in this one. Lily's dealing with the trauma of her older sister's suicide attempt and recent bipolar diagnosis, while also tackling her own anxiety and undiagnosed mental health challenges completely alone. She is partnered with Micah, who happened to be in the same treatment facility as her sister, and together they find the power of art and writing and sharing our challenges in order to conquer them together. Ugh this one was just stunning.