Is it just me, or has February gone by so fast? I know it’s a shorter month but it feels like I only just wrote my January post!
I’ve been getting settled into the new house this month so I have read less than January, but I’ve still enjoyed what I’ve picked up.

I read quite a variety of genres this month which was really nice. Even within the fantasy books I chose, each was very distinctively different with a dark academia, an epic fantasy and a romantasy.

I’ve also been plugging away at my selection of ARCs. I got request happy on NetGalley at the end of last year, and I’ve been very lucky with publishers recently, too. However, a lot of what I have is being published in March, so I am on a crunch!

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang was the first book I finished in February. After loving The Sword of Kaigen last year, I was excited for this but ultimately disappointed. I just didn’t connect with the characters at all, which meant the emotional weight of the plot never really affected me.

Next, I wrapped up Local by Alastair Humphreys. This was a great non-fiction about exploring and finding nature on your doorstep. I really enjoyed Humphrey’s writing, it was like having a chat with a good friend.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri was my second fiction of the month, and I was blown away by it. Everything was fantastic, from the world to the characters and the plot. Full review here.

I then read Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This was sent to me very kindly by @PanMacmillan as I was part of their Instagram tour for the release of the book. My first by him and it won’t be my last. If you like creepy sci-fi with incredibly well-written aliens, then this is for you! Full review here.

Another ARC was next, A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The writing was great, very easy to read and I like the characters a lot. I mean, there was a talking cat!! This takes a lot of inspiration from Howl’s Moving Castle, so if you like that, definitely check this one out when it’s released.

Life Happenings…

I got my bookshelves built! I was so excited to finally get my dream set-up when we moved here, and honestly it’s better than I imagined it would be! The dark wood works so well with the stone fireplace and definitely gives the cosy feeling I was hoping for with the cottage. I also got new chairs, and finished everything off with a stunning print of Tolkien’s illustration of Hobbiton from the Bodleian Library that I have had saved in my internet bookmarks for at least 5 years!

Let me know: What was your best book of February?