When looking through the pile of books being released in February that have been staring at me from my desk longingly for what seems like a very long time, there were a few that really stood out to me. So I thought I’d make it into a little feature each month, where I share a few of the releases that I think are ones to watch out for.
How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne
After staying up way past my bedtime reading How Hard Can Love Be?, I can tell you for definite that it is a book you must add to your reading pile immediately. It’s the sequel to Am I Normal Yet?, although I’m sure you could read it before without getting too confused, and whilst I loved Am I Normal Yet?, I loved How Hard Can Love Be? even more.
It’s set in America and follows Amber, who is visiting her mum for the first time in two years. There’s drama, cute romance and (most importantly) FEMINISM. That’s right, the Spinster Club is back and better than ever!
READ IT!
Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan
Needlework first caught my eye when I saw author extraordinaire Louise O’Neill praise it, so I had to check it out. It doesn’t sound like an easy read – it discusses child abuse amongst other things – but sometimes it’s good to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and discover the lives of people who lead, or have lead, very different lives to yourself – that’s part of the reason I read.
13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
13 Minutes is my current read and I am loving it. It’s not my typical read and something I’d usually shy away from, but I knew from the moment it popped through my letterbox and I opened it up that I’d love it.
The book opens with a man discovering a body in the river of a girl. After jumping in to save her, she’s resuscitated after being clinically dead for 13 minutes (hence the title), but she has no recollection of the events that lead up to her being in the river. All she can remember is the panic, the rush of water, and the cold…
It’s a thrilling mystery and has me hooked. I can’t wait to read on to find out what happens!
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
I have to admit that I haven’t Red Queen yet, but I’m looking forward to marathoning both books this month. Glass Sword is the sequel to Red Queen and the books have taken the YA world by storm – they’ve been optioned for a film to be adapted by Elizabeth Banks, star of The Hunger Games, and I see people raving about them all the time. Definitely a must-read in February!