February 2025 Book Roundup
As I wrote about in my 25 in 2025 post, February was my month to focus on reading books by Black authors. I sought out authors writing fantasy and romance as I needed to escape from the insanity that is life right now. I didn't read exclusively Black authors but did focus on them.
You can find all of the books I mention below, unless I state otherwise, via my Bookshop affiliate site here. If you buy something after clicking on this link, I may get a small commission.
The Way of Kings / Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 4 (book 1) ⭐️ and 4.25 (book 2) ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libro.fm
Summary: Across the Shattered Plains, men fight to revenge the murder of a king. The rich and powerful Light Eyes use their powerful Shardblades and protective Shardplate while the poor Dark Eyes, many of them slaves, are forced to fight alongside them. Dalinar is one of the Light Eyes, his brother the king who was killed and his nephew now the reigning monarch. Jasnah, a heretical scholar and sister of the new king, has accepted a young woman who has nothing left to lose, Shallan, as her apprentice. All the while, Kaladan tries to make the best of the position he finds himself in, acting as human target rather than the warrior he once was.
Mini Review: Both Matt and several coworkers have been encouraging me to jump into the Sander-verse for awhile and I finally gave in, despite the fact Way of Kings was a FORTY-FIVE HOUR audiobook. While the story takes a little bit to get into and the whole world is complex, I found myself wanting to keep reading to see what would happen to the characters next. Perspectives switch between each of the primary characters as well as a series of secondary ones which can be confusing. It's clear this wasn't Sanderson's first series but one where he felt he could expand even more on the world he'd created; in other words, the book could have been half the length and you'd still be able to follow the story. Words of Radiance is the second book in the same series and continues the tale.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend to fantasy readers who have somehow avoided the Cosmere thus far
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby (see if your library participates here)
Summary: Cinnamon, well, gets drunk and saves the life of a demon. A demon who turns into a dragon, if a normal demon wasn't bad enough. Soon she finds herself on a quest to save his fellow demons while they fall for each other.
Mini Review: This book is cozy but also steamy (medium-hot on the salsa scale). The adventure provides a great structure for continuing the action as they swoon for one another as they accomplish each part of it. You'll meet all sorts of demons and watch as Cinnamon has to learn to be braver than she ever thought she could be.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend to someone who is looking for a sometimes silly, sometime sizzling rom con with monsters
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Young adult, romance, classic (retelling)
How I Read It: Audiobook via Libby
Summary: Zuri isn't quite sure what to think about the Darcy brothers who have just moved into a mini-mansion across the street from her apartment in Bushwick. She's got four sisters that all have an opinion on the boys, including the one that's falling for the older one. Her life is busy enough already trying to make sure she remains Afro-Latina, gets into a good college, and finds a quiet place to be alone every now and then. But she keeps running into the Darius kid with his fancy clothes and overly direct way of talking.
Mini Review: I've never read a Pride and Prejudice retelling which is surprising given how much I loved the original book / BBC mini series. This one is set on a loud street that's resisting gentrification as much as it can. I enjoyed the very different rhythm of the story that gives a modern perspective on the key themes. I found myself both wanting to root for and roll my eyes at Zuri which I think is just right.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend to anyone who liked the original story or who wants to see life from the eyes of a teenager in an ever-changing neighborhood
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance, magical realism
How I Read It: Audiobook via Amazon Prime credit
Summary: Ricki was named after her father though that's where their similarities end. Her parents are wealthy and want much more for their daughter than her crazy dream of leaving Atlanta and starting a flower shop in New York. Thankfully, she mets a kind old lady who has the perfect spot in the middle of Harlem. She keeps running into this man despite them trying to avoid one another. There's also another story to share, one of Ezra who leaves his sharecropper past and becomes a musician during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. We learn about the magical, Black world of that past and how Ezra is right in the thick of it.
Mini Review: In some ways, it feels like telling you all this book is magical realism ruins things a bit though I won't elaborate. I loved getting to learn more about the Harlem Renaissance while also seeing if Ricki can make it on her own in the same neighborhood in our time. I promise you won't forget about this book every Leap Day.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Re-Read! The characters crawled into my soul and the way this book has written is almost like poetry in how it flows. You can picture everything on both timelines and want to visit both.
Fake It Til You Bake It / A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
Genre: Romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Kobo Plus
Summary: These two books - which I assume will get a third and final volume eventually - follow Donovan and August, two of three owners of Sugar Blitz, a cupcake bakery in San Diego. They, along with their other friend, Nick, are all professional football players who are trying to set themselves up for a life after football. Donovan has the mind for business, Nick knows his baking, and August can help with anything they may need. The first book sees Donovan fall for Jada, the daughter of scientists who would rather everyone forget she turned down the hot Dr. John at the end of reality TV show. The second book is all about August trying not to fall (again) for Donovan's little sister turned social media support for Sugar Blitz, Sloane. And Nick flirts with everyone...and I assume will find love in a future book?
Mini Review: These books are very sweet with some steamy bits (medium on the salsa scale). We hear much more about the bakery than their football careers as they fake date and have a second chance at love. There are some deeper themes here, too, like gambling addiction, parental expectations, nepotism, and gentrification.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for lovers of sweet romance that's got a bit more depth than your typical rom-com
Leslie's Curl and Dye by DL White
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Genre: Romance
How I Read It: Audiobook via Kobo Plus
Summary: Leslie is trying to run her grandmother then mother and now her salon on one side of Potter Lake. On the other side, Kade - former NBA basketball player and her lover of a single night - runs a salon that's all about fast, cheap services. The two decide it's worth putting aside their competition for best salon to take down the mayor who has lied to new businesses about incentives and take breaks. Can she forgive him for ghosting her in college when he went suddenly off to join the NBA draft? Can he convince her that he's running for mayor to make things better for everyone, not just himself?
Mini Review: I enjoyed this slice of life in a small Georgia town though it seemed a bit stereotypical to me with the gossiping women, older residents who can't imagine the mayor doing anything wrong, etc. Thing is, it's probably accurate for a small, predominately Black town in south Georgia and it's nice to get a peek into that world I've never experienced first hand. I'll eventually read the other two books in the series though they're eBooks so it'll be a time when I don't need to keep my hands busy at the same time I work through a book.
Return, Recommend, or Re-Read: Recommend for a lighter look at a small Black community and a romance that takes place within it