February Books 2023
February Books 2023: 8 Books I Read this Month
By: Brittany Shields
There are three new releases on this month’s list of books. I also crossed some more categories off my reading challenges!
I enjoyed many of these books and would definitely recommend you read most of these!
And apparently I was on a Women in STEM kick because I read two books with women scientists!
Here are my February Reads:
1. The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Spy Thriller
[Fulfilled ‘Book written in the 90s’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
So the story with this one is that I met an actual FBI agent on vacation that recommended this author to me if I liked spy thrillers. It’s possible I had set my expectations way too high because of this.
I found myself disappointed reading it. You can read my full review for some of the reasons why.
It’s a WWII spy thriller about keeping the secret of the US invasion at Normandy Beach. I really liked learning some of the history of this event while exploring what kind of espionage could have been taking place surrounding the importance of this major turning point in the war.
But I am not deterred yet. This was Silva’s first book and I’ve heard good things about his Gabriel Allon series (one recommendation being from my mom which means it’s worth checking out).
2. Funeral for a Friend (Jonathan Stride #10) by Brian Freeman
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
[Fulfilled ‘Book by an author you’ve already read’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
My favorite Brian Freeman series is his Frost Easton series, but this Jonathan Stride one is still pretty good (especially if you skip the first 5 books or so). If you haven’t read any of this series, you can probably still read this one, but I would recommend going back to Marathon so you have a little bit more background on the characters.
This book takes up 6 months after the last one— Alter Ego.
Stride’s good friend for 36 years is on his death bed and confesses to Stride: “Don’t worry. I found the body after you left, and I took care of it. I buried him. You’re safe.”
This sets off an investigation into a murder from years ago and now Stride is the prime suspect.
Read my full review for a longer summary and some trigger warnings.
3. Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the Gospels by Rebecca McLaughlin
Genre: Theological/Apologetics/Cultural
“Every seeming roadblock to faith in Jesus becomes a signpost.”
Rebecca McLaughlin has written many books including Confronting Christianity and The Secular Creed, among others. The former was written, McLaughlin said, as a kind of love letter to her friends who had objections to her faith and this is the ‘sequel.’
Whereas Confronting Christianity spoke to 12 of the most common objections to Christianity, Confronting Jesus narrows in on the person of Jesus.
Who was he? Why was he important? How does Jesus set Christianity apart from all other religions?
Christianity is predicated on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. What you believe about Jesus is of utmost importance. If you don’t know who Jesus was or why we can believe he is who he said he was, you should definitely wrestle with that!
This may be the book for you.
Read my full review to see what the 9 encounters are, what my favorite chapters are, my main critique, and some other similar books that I would recommend you read along with this one!
4. The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“It goes to show how dangerous it can be, thinking that you know someone.”
In the acknowledgements, Sally Hepworth says she writes: “funny books about family and murder.”
This fits the other two Hepworth books I read: The Good Sister and The Younger Wife— both of which I thought were really good.
I also thought The Soulmate was really good but it didn’t have quite the same humor.
In brief, this is a book about a seemingly perfect marriage that has to weather some tough storms when her husband— who has talked many a suicidal people off the ledge of the cliff behind their house— fails and a woman jumps. The police find out they knew each other and some secrets in their marriage are about to be revealed.
It was a fast read with a few twists, some more surprising than others. The ending wasn’t as satisfying as I was hoping for, but it was at least more resolved than her other books I’ve read which are a bit open-ended.
Read my full review for a longer summary, some of my comments, and some new Australian words I learned!
5. Behind Her Lives by Briana Cole
Genre: Suspense/Psychological Thriller
[Fulfilled ‘Fiction book by a black author’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
“Your sister died of what appears to be an accidental drug overdose.”
“This is not my sister.”
Deven is called to the morgue to identify the body of a woman found dead in her apartment, apparently by drug overdose. They say it is her (half) sister, Kennedy.
But when Deven sees the picture of the body she is certain that it’s not her sister. It can’t be. The body doesn’t reflect her cosmetic surgeries and her sister would never have done drugs. Something is amiss.
The more she digs, the more she realizes she maybe didn’t know her sister as well as she thought. In fact, her entire childhood and family weren’t quite what she thought they were.
This was my first Briana Cole book so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I was pleasantly surprised! The tension and mystery were there throughout the whole book and I liked the main character.
However there is one main thing that may take this book off your radar— read my full review to see what it is and to get a trigger warning.
6. Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance/Humor
“It’s complicated, being a woman in STEM. Even more so when you’re young and unproven. And even more so when you have a semi-pathological need to get along with others.”
This is an enemies to lovers rom-com between a cheese-loving, coffee-hating (preach!) theoretical physicist (Elsie) who studies liquid crystals and a very muscled, Henley wearing, experimental physicist (Jack) who can basically do whatever he wants because he’s famous, and also did I mention he has muscles?
There was a lot to like in this book. Hazelwood can write some hilarious content. It’s also a unique niche to include the STEM piece of her books.
But, man, I wish there was a PG-13 version of this book. Read my full review to find out what my ‘spicy’ rating is. Plus I give a more entertaining plot summary and some comments on the character’s people-pleasing tendencies. I really want to read more of her books, but I’m just not sure if I can.
7. God Is Still Good: Gospel Hope & Comfort for the Unexpected Sorrows of Motherhood by Katie Faris
Genre: Christian Living/ Motherhood
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“My prayer is that this book offers gospel hope and comfort to all moms, but especially to those who feel hurt and bewildered by the unexpected sorrows of motherhood.”
God is Still Good is not a book with new philosophies and ideas. What does make it a little different than some books on this topic is that she focuses on the challenges of motherhood.
She does a good job of encompassing all the different journeys that motherhood takes whether it’s waiting, birthing, or adopting. Special needs. Physical, emotional and spiritual challenges, stress and busyness.
By sharing her own sorrows in motherhood and pointing to biblical examples of women grieving and suffering, she validates our pain, encourages us to lament, and points us to the Who that trumps all the why’s that bubble up inside us.
Read my full review for some more really good quotes and to see some more book recommendations that tackle the topic of grief and suffering.
8. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fiction
[Nominee for ‘Best Historical Fiction’ category and Winner of ‘Best Debut Novel’ of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
“Chemistry is change. Courage is the root of change— and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.”
Lessons in Chemistry takes place in the 50s and 60s— a time when women in the workplace did not have equality.
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, basically denied a doctorate after abuse, fired from her job for getting pregnant, and ends up depressed, putting on a cooking show for all those housewives who just want to get dinner on the table for their husbands. But her personality is no-nonsense and confrontational and the reaction to her show is unexpected and unconventional.
I found it to be an interesting satirical exploration of the inequalities and stereotypes of women during this time in history. There was humor throughout, but some of it does seem a bit exaggerated or written to make a point.
Even though I didn’t agree with all of the viewpoints held in this book, I still really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it.
Read my full review to hear more about how likable Elizabeth is, discussion on feminism, faith and science, and the things I loved.
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