February is the month of Valentine's Day where we celebrate love and romance. Because of this fact our stores are inundated with flowers, hearts, and chocolate. Television is full of sappy movies and shows about love. And everyone is thinking about romance. Now don't get me wrong, I love romance as much as the next person, but I also believe in the natural balance of the universe so I'm working to achieve dharma by reading books with complicated love stories. Maybe they have to fight against all odds to be with their love, maybe love makes their life more difficult, maybe they end up married to the person they don't love, or maybe they realize love isn't all it's cracked up to be. Is it weird that I'm excited about how depressing these books are going to be?
The ClassicThe Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
How it Fits the Theme: The main character is expected to marry quickly but she wants to marry for love. Too bad the man she loves is cruel and dubious at best. I started this book years ago and then life (college) got in the way. I'm taking the opportunity to dust it off and finish it this month
The Recent Adult NovelThis is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
How it Fits the Theme: The title says it all. This is a book that interweaves a bunch of anti-love stories together and is the best example of what I'm trying to read this month. I read The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao a long time ago and I love Junot Diaz's writing style so I'm excited to read another of his books.
The Standalones
Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick
How it Fits the Theme: After reading the description and with my knowledge of the history of this time period I can predict the ending and it fits, which is perfect because I got an ARC from Netgalley and it comes out at the end of the month. This is one of my most anticipated books of the year and it's going to take a lot of self-control not to start it immediately.
A Mad Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller
How
it Fits the Theme: So maybe it doesn't. The reviews I've seen lead me
to believe it's of a more traditional romance. I just really want to
read it. I've heard great things from people who aren't even fans of historical fiction (which I am) so I am very much expecting to enjoy this book.
How it Fits the Theme: I know there are some spectacularly enjoyable ships in this series but there are also a lot of we can't be together because we're too different kind of scenarios. Basically I'm making it work because I want to read this series. It comes very highly recommended and Cress comes out in just a few days!
What are you planning on reading in February? Have you read any of these books? Do they fit my theme of complicated love stories for the month? Leave me a comment with your thoughts and stay tuned for the reviews and HAPPY READING!
The Series
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
How it Fits the Theme: I know there are some spectacularly enjoyable ships in this series but there are also a lot of we can't be together because we're too different kind of scenarios. Basically I'm making it work because I want to read this series. It comes very highly recommended and Cress comes out in just a few days!
What are you planning on reading in February? Have you read any of these books? Do they fit my theme of complicated love stories for the month? Leave me a comment with your thoughts and stay tuned for the reviews and HAPPY READING!
I love to read anti-love books around Valentine's Day sometimes too.
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