February Reading Challenge

   The initial motivation of the new year has worn off and now you’re asking yourself: “What am I going to read now?” February is a short month, and if you’re like me, it’s packed full.  I’ve put together a reading challenge to help keep you on track with your reading goals this year, as well as book suggestions for each topic. Happy reading!

READ A ROMANCE PLUS

  February is the month for love! I originally heard this term coined on the Currently Reading podcast.  A Romance Plus is a romance novel that has some depth and a forward moving plot that is purely dependent on the romance itself.  

My Recommendations 

A More Perfect Union by Tammye Huf 

• This book is the love story between Henry O’Toole, an Irish immigrant, and Sarah, a slave on the Jubilee plantation. This story tackles the brutal horrors of slavery and prejudice and the unlikely love between a man with no food or wealth and a woman with no freedom. Not for the faint of heart, this love story will have you on the edge of your seat.

Winters Orbit by Everina Maxwell

• A Sci-Fi space opera that focuses on the budding relationship between Kiem and Jainan after being forced into an arranged marriage. At the center of this story is a mystery that will reveal hidden pasts and unlikely secrets.

READ A BOOK BY AN AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR   

  Celebrate Black History Month by selecting a novel written by an African American. There are literally thousands of lists to choose from. Choose from one of the following to reflect on during this Black History Month.

My Recommendations

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge

• Follow Libertie Sampson as she attempts to find her place as an emerging Black woman in Brooklyn post Civil War. This novel is steeped in history and the realities of navigating the United States at this time, even as a free woman in a free state.

The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

• This sweeping family epic highlights the black experience from the colonial slave trade all the way into the present. The perfect slow but steady, this novel demands attention and reflection.

READ A BOOK UNDER 300 PAGES

  This short month calls for a short and easily digestible novel.  Read a novel in one to two sittings or devour an audiobook while doing chores or on your commute. Perfect for slump busting!

My Recommendations

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

• Clear your schedule for this one! This fast paced, atmospheric thriller will have your turning the pages as fast as you can.

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

• In the same vein as A More Perfect Union, this quick espionage romance will have you rooting for former slave, Elle Burns and her love interest, Malcolm McCall.

READ A BOOK THATS BEEN ADAPTED

I love a good adaptation. Pick a novel that can help add to your never ending queue on your favorite streaming platform.

My Recommendations

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

• Adapted into a mini series on HBO, this post apocalyptic novel follows survivors of a flu epidemic attempting to rebuild civilization. St John Mandel masterfully weaves the stories of multiple people from the past into an unknown future.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

• The perfect abbreviated novel to round out your February reads. Pair this with the movie to make for a perfect winter snow day with (or without) the kids.