February 2026
I don’t always feel like writing a full review for everything. I was inspired by Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Quick Lit posts and decided to do something similar as a way to briefly discuss the books I read in a month but don’t write full reviews for.
I read six books in February, which is on the low side for me, but I spent a lot of time watching the Olympics, which definitely ate into my reading time!
I liked all of my February reads, so while I didn’t read many books, I enjoyed everything I read, which is always the goal!
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, Sarah Wynn-Williams (purchased) – 3.5⭐
This was an at-times eye-opening read, but an equally frustrating read for me. While some of the background information and Wynn-Williams’ early years at Facebook were interesting, I found myself increasingly frustrated by her naivete and misplaced optimism. The people in charge very clearly had no interest in any greater good or really anything beyond acquiring money and power. It was also incredibly depressing to read that she sacrificed so much of her personal life to working at Facebook.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Volume 1, Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe (ill.) (library) – 3⭐
I heard about this manga through my friend Ciara. I love the art style and the premise, but I wanted more from this about who Frieren was.
The Gate of the Feral Gods, Matt Dinniman (purchased) – 4⭐
I’ve been enjoying slowly working my way through this series, and I really liked the setup of the floor in this book, which is number four in the series.. This was much easier for me to follow than the previous book, and I am very intrigued by the bigger-picture information Carl learned.
Darkrooms, Rebecca Hannigan (library) – 3⭐
This was a good read, but not a standout for me.
The Astral Library, Kate Quinn (purchased) – 3.5⭐
This was my first Kate Quinn, and I was super excited to read it! As a booklover, the premise was irresistible. While I loved the story about the library, I did find the book somewhat heavy-handed with its message. I just wish the message and the plot could have intertwined more and worked together better, rather than feeling like the story was put on hold for a character to lecture another.
The Classy Crooks Club, Alison Cherry (library) – 3.5⭐
This was mostly a fun, cute middle grade read, but it took a strange and dark turn at the end that totally threw me.
What have you been reading?
