Books are small universes—affordable and easily carried, yet filled with endless possibilities to expand and enrich the mind. Through their pages, I explore new experiences and worlds, meet unforgettable characters, and deepen my understanding of humanity.
These are the books I read in February 2025, listed chronologically, and graded by recommendation (highly recommend, recommend, and do not recommend).
Playground
Half Moby Dick in sweeping scope, half Moana in its appreciation for ocean life, Playground explores the interconnectedness of…everything through the lives of four characters (five, if you count the ocean as a character-which Powers does).
In the end, it comes down to a struggle between human autonomy and technology (specifically artificial intelligence).
I’m unsure who won, cuz I didn’t understand the ending of this novel. But I don’t even mind, cuz it was a cool trip, highly recommend.
Familiaris
You’ll need a handkerchief to attack this chunk of a novel, alternately to wipe your eyes from crying at genuine heartwarming moments and chin from gagging at the overpowering Sweetness Of It All.
Wroblewski is a good, but unbalanced writer, veering between too long or too short explanations, too plodding or slapdash plot, and interesting or trivial informational filler.
Familiaris is the sequel to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, following his descendants through the early and mid-twentieth century, with a focus on the World Wars. And dogs.
Like, A LOT about dogs. This book could be several hundred pages shorter. Regardless, I highly recommend, especially if you’re into historical fiction or have read the first book (or are super into dogs).
What In The World?!
A quick, lightheared autobiography from comedian Leann Morgan. It was cute; if you like her, you’ll like her book, recommend.
Private Rites
I love dystopian novels where The Great Reckoning is happening in the background, with little explanation, plot punctuated by subtle disasters. Private Rites is one of those novels, and the End of Days Uno Card is rain.
(Have you ever thought about what profound dampness does to human joints? Prepare for it to be uncomfortably hinted towards, while not properly explained!)
Three sisters, daughters of an eccentric architect (don’t build sustainably, just high, and make it all windows) gather to deal with the legal matters regarding his death after years of estrangement.
They say those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones but…the villagers want in. Private Rites is a bit slow paced, but atmospherically worth it: highly recommend.
Box Office Poison
Memoirs of Tinseltown frequently focus on all that glitters, amirite? This book flips the script (get it?!), executing a survey of Hollywood history through not its triumphs, but its flops.
I found this book very interesting and well written. It’s not just talking about movies, but cultural trends, mores, and cycles; highly recommend.
Mina’s Matchbox
This was a coal of a book, one I wanted to hold in my lap to keep me warm and keep me safe.
Matchbox seeks to encapsulate not just a period of time/place (the early 70’s in Japan), but a certain point of Girlhood (late adolescence with a supportive family), and succeeds masterfully on both points.
You’ll root for nearly everyone, but especially Mina; highly recommend.
The Let Them Theory
Google “Mel Robbins plagiarism” and “Let Them Theory.” Alright. You caught up?
The book resonated with me, which makes sense, given, you know. The original poem. Read The Let Them Theory book, but don’t buy it; recommend.
The Safekeep
I can’t (yet) articulate why this is one of the best debut novels I’ve ever read, but it is.
It’s 1961, in the Netherlands, where Isabel lives an isolated life. She loves her house, her younger brother, and her dead mom.
But wasn’t her beloved house…furnished? When they moved in, after the war? Surely not. It was empty, just like the town. You know, cuz the trains came and took the nice people on vacation. Right??
Best not to think about it (or anything) too hard.
But Isabel is forced to confront more than her inner dialogue when her older brother (ugh) dumps her with a houseguest-his new girlfriend.
Eva has *no* consideration for Isabel’s rigid schedule, eccentric habits, and point-blank hostility. And are household heirlooms coming up missing?
Everything comes to a head over the summer, where secrets, desire, and ultimately forgiveness is exposed; highly recommend.
A Woman of No Importance
The subtitle of this nonfiction spy thriller (with a bit of biography) is “The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII,” and that is no exaggeration.
Truly, Virginia Hall (or her recruits, under her orders) saved at least the Western Front, if not set into place the events of D-Day, helping defeat Germany.
She was amazing. Please read this book to learn about an amazing woman and to gain a more…nuanced perspective of Europe’s complicity in mid-twentieth century events.
Conclusion
I hope my February 2025 bite size book reviews opens up new literary adventures for you!
These recommendations are more than just pages bound together; they are invitations to explore, imagine, learn, and feel.
Want More?
Check out these articles for more bookish content:
- The Best Books I Read In 2023
- Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: A Rock and Roll Love Story
Happy reading!
Love,
