Is it too late to talk about new months for February? Well, I had this blog post almost ready but then my month got a bit stressful so I put it off. As I didn’t get a chance to read a lot this month I thought why not finish this post instead.

So here’s a look at some recently published books. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for these advance review copies:

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz. A story about two identical twins and how one has to navigate life after the death of the other. Cady seems to have a perfect life but when her sister dies everyone thinks she’ll be consumed by grief but enter a new person in her life and so begins a tale of obsession. On sale 2/3.

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera. Siriwathi Perera drives a taxi in NYC but when her last fare ends up dead and she’s singled as the prime suspect, she must do everything in her power to clear her name. On sale 2/10.

Children of the Savage City by Elizabeth Heider. When an au pair is killed during a mass at a quiet chapel in Naples, Italy, there’s a witness but she is only willing to speak with one person. Can the truth come out when the team investigating the case are faced with corruption and secrets? On sale 2/17.

A Good Animal by Sara Maurer. A coming of age and first love story. Everett Lindt is comfortable with a life on a farm in Michigan when most young adults are anxious to get out. However, when he meets Mary they fall in love but soon realize their dreams may not align. On sale 2/24.

All We Have is Time by Amy Tordoff. A time travel tale between London in 1605 and Woodstock 1969, will be the setting for this novel about a woman who will finally learn what it means to truly love. On sale 2/24.

Blood Relay by Devon Mihesuah. A thriller featuring a Choctaw Detective investigating the disappearance of a beloved women’s Indian Horse relay rider. As the case deepens she realizes there’s a growing threat to the reservation. On sale 2/24.

If you have any of these on your radar let me know. I hope you’ve been doing well and more book talk soon.

“The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love.” ~ Bad Bunny

Oh friends, it’s been a bit of a rocky start to the month. Unfortunately one of my dear aunts passed away last weekend and while we knew she wasn’t well, it was still so sad. I feel for my one cousin who has now lost both of his parents and I feel for my mom who lost her younger sister.

I was going to talk about my current reads in this post but I’ll just say that the book I turned to was The Magic Hour by Charlotte Moore. This is a collection of 100 poems which also has a section on poems for grief and loss. If you have any poetry to recommend please share. I always find poetry so comforting.

The other thing I’ve done is finally picked up my art supplies to start creating. I had been busy with other things and I had put off my creative pursuits the past few weeks but to honor my aunt, I thought it was fitting to pick up my pencils, paints and brushes and just have some fun. My aunt enjoyed drawing, sewing and other crafty pursuits.

As this is the month of love, I encourage everyone to stay close to your friends and loved ones. Check in on them. The news certainly makes you feel like nothing good is happening in the world so we have to take care of one another. For Valentine’s Day my husband and I will probably make our traditional stop at World Market to check out the German chocolates section. I already have a few in mind I definitely want to get.

Hope you have a peaceful weekend and hope you are reading some great books!