Everything I Read in February 2025.

February was a short month, but I still managed to read eight books. There were no bad eggs this month: everything I read was utterly enjoyable. First, on the listening/non-fiction front, I can’t recommend The Friday Afternoon Club enough. It was an absolute delight. There were so many family stories—juicy, at times! The two fiction reads that really stood out for me were This is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer (I cried, I had a book hangover when it was over!) and the new Julie Clark book The Ghostwriter (pre-order it for a treat in June). But like I said, I really enjoyed everything I read this month . . . you can’t go wrong with any of these books.

PS—Please (please!) give me your recommendations in the comments! I’d love to know what you’re reading.

PPS —This is a reminder about The Library! This page has everything I’ve read over the past ten+ years, and you can search by author, filter by genre, and sort by grade. 

Everything I Read in February 2025

Contemporary Fiction

The Rules of Fortune, by Danielle Prescod

Fans of Succession and those of you who love rich people behaving badly will enjoy this book. Just before his seventieth birthday celebration, billionaire William Carter drops dead in the bathroom of his Martha’s Vineyard estate. His children (Kennedy and Asher) are bereft, the media is circling, and the future of his multi-industry conglomerate is in question. All the while, Kennedy (an aspiring filmmaker) has been looking into her father’s past and isn’t so sure she likes what she sees.

The book takes us back to the fifties–to William’s childhood, a lucky break at boarding school, this time at Harvard. We meet his roommate, Kofi, who seems to have played a role in building Carter’s empire. But where is he now? As Kennedy struggles to understand the origins of her family’s business (and all of that wealth), more and more secrets emerge. Kennedy realizes that she may have to choose between her values and maintaining her family’s legacy. I really enjoyed this and tore through it in just a few sittings! Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Romance

Comedic Timing, by Upasna Barath

This is the latest (third!) 831 Stories book and (as I had predicted), I gobbled it up in a single Friday evening sitting. I love these shorter-length modern romance novellas! Naina has moved to New York City for a fresh start after breaking up with her older, controlling girlfriend. She doesn’t know a soul besides her new coworkers and her new friend Christian (a friend of a friend from Chicago). She has a new apartment and a new roommate and is intent on building her way to a creative career she loves (she works in marketing but aspires to be a writer).

When she meets David, they have an immediate, very unexpected connection. But this has her questioning everything, especially her identity. And is this new relationship a romantic one or a professional one? And if Naina, a gay woman, is so drawn to this man, what does that mean about her sexuality? I liked this book a lot. Romance aside, it reminded me of what it is like to be young in New York and what it was like doing a day job that paid the bills while trying to create my own career. Overall Score: A- // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

This is a Love Story, by Jessica Soffer

This is as special of a book as everyone says it is; definitely one of my favorite reads of the year! It is a romance, but it is very multi-faceted . . . it’s so much more than just a love story! Abe and Jane have been together for 50+ years. Now, Jane is dying of cancer. It is the account of their love and remembering their younger years (both the good parts and the bad parts). It’s also a love story to Central Park. As someone who misses New York every day, I loved those parts. Through their eyes and “remembering,” we get to know them as young twenty-somethings, as exhausted parents and artists . . . watching their careers take flight. Abe is a well-known author and Jane is a famous artist.

We also meet their son Max, who has a chip on his shoulder (believing his mother chose her art over him) and can’t seem to commit to anyone or anything. At times, it is very cozy and heartwarming. At times, it breaks your heart. There is a content warning for cancer, and also: the way that it talks about aging can be hard to read at times . . . but the writing is so beautiful and tender; as is the way that Soffer captures all of the different stages of romantic love. I really loved this and had a book hangover when it was done.  Overall Score: A+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Thrillers

Shell Games, by Bonnie Kistler

This was recommended in Stephanie McNeal’s newsletter. It’s from the author of The Cage which I absolutely loved: a twisty thriller that keeps you thinking for weeks after. I was having a bad week + wanted something super twisty. In that regard, it really delivered! The plot has you guessing the entire time. Kate is a 70-year-old multi-millionaire (maybe a billionaire) with a real estate empire who has just reunited (and married!) her high school sweetheart Charlie. On their wedding night, Charlie confesses to a horrible crime.

When Kate calls the police, he denies it. Is Charlie gaslighting Kate, or does Kate suffer from dementia? Kate’s daughter Julie struggles to figure out what happened while finding cracks in her own marriage. It’s fast-paced, and I couldn’t put it down. The writing just felt medium to me and there was one thing that felt totally implausible to me, which is why I’m only giving it a B+, but overall, the plot is fantastic. I can’t stop thinking about it. Overall Score: B+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

The Meadowbrook Murders, by Jessica Goodman

Jessica Goodman is the queen of YA thrillers that adults will also love, and I think that this is one of her best. It is set at a New England boarding school. Amy and her best friend Sarah are inseparable, and it’s senior week. Late-night parties at the boathouse and visiting their picturesque town fall in New England. Everything is idyllic until Amy discovers Sarah and her boyfriend brutally murdered in their dorm room. Amy is unsure who to trust, and she’s completely lost when her classmates turn on her, blaming her for the crime.

Meanwhile, Liz is the editor of the school newspaper and a bit of a social pariah (no one wants to talk to her when they could turn into a story!). Amy is relocated to Liz’s dorm room, and the two form an unlikely friendship as they try to figure out what happened. The plot has so many twists and turns (and potential suspects). Sarah was keeping secrets from everyone. Was it Amy’s boyfriend? Was it Sarah’s other best friend? Secrets come out as they dig deeper into the truth. I guessed the villain but in an “I feel proud of myself” sort of a way, not a “This was predictable!” kind of way. Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

The Ghostwriter, by Julie Clark (out 6/3/25)

This is a must! It doesn’t come out until June 3, 2025, but it is completely worth the pre-order. Julie Clark is one of my favorite thriller authors (I still think about The Last Flight!). This one is set between Topanga and Ojai. Olivia Dumont is a professional ghostwriter (and one of the best in the business) but has found herself in serious hot water (and debt) thanks to a lawsuit. On the verge of financial ruin, her “hail Mary” comes in the form of writing the memoir of a famous author.

The only problem? That famous author is her estranged father, Vincent Taylor. Years and years ago, Vincent’s two siblings were murdered. The mystery remains unsolved, but Vincent has never managed to shake the whispers that he was the killer. He’s now a famous horror writer, who everyone thinks is potentially guilty of being a killer himself. After fifty years, Vincent is finally ready to talk about what really happened back in 1975. And Olivia (fresh out of options) is going to be the one to tell the story. I loved this book so much. It kept me guessing the entire time, which is rare these days. Overall Score: A+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Literary Fiction

I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman

This is a dystopian novel from the nineties that’s gotten a resurgence thanks to TikTok. (It’s been rebranded The Handmaid’s Tale for Gen Z.) After reading this piece in The Cut, my attention was piqued. The subject matter sounded interesting, but how interesting is it that a Belgian book in translation (from 30 years ago) is now a trending best seller!? While I didn’t find the book to be life-changing, I did really like it, and I’m still thinking about it. The book is narrated by a girl who has been raised in a cage underground with 39 other women.

The narrator is young and can only remember captivity, but the other captive women have memories of before. None of them have any idea how they got there; meanwhile, they are constantly monitored by three male guards. When they miraculously escape, they are not sure if they are even on Earth. All life is just gone; there are no seasons . . . just endless plains of grass. As our narrator quickly realizes that she will be the last of her group to survive, she realizes she might actually be the last living person (wherever it is that she may be). Also worth noting, this is a fast read — it’s just over 160 pages! Overall Score: A- // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Non-Fiction

The Friday Afternoon Club, by Griffin Dunne

This is Griffin Dunne’s memoir. I listened on Audible, which was the move. Dunne is a gifted storyteller, and his family of creatives (most notably, Joan Didion was his aunt) is incredible to learn about. It does take a darker, sadder turn as his sister Dominique was murdered in the eighties. The storyline around that is crazy (her killer only served two and a half years in prison!) but otherwise the book is light and fun, a retelling of Dunne’s youth, his friendship with Carrie Fisher, his siblings, and all of the wild things he got into.

There are so many funny celebrity stories (all told in Dunne’s signature self-deprecating style). From being saved from drowning by Sean Connery when he was eight to attending legendary parties at his aunt Joan Didion and uncle John Gregory Dunne’s home (and crushing on Janis Joplin!) I felt sad when it ended and there were no more stories. It was the perfect companion for all of my walks (and chores around the house). I highly, highly recommend listening to it! Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

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