Despite a busy month I managed to read a little. Only five books. I had hoped for more reading time specially during the vacation but we were busy exploring Gdansk and when we were at the hotel I was busy using the swimming pool and the spa area. No regrets. Here is my book talk February.
Remarkable Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt | ★★★★★
Goodreads says: After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in the Puget Sound over thirty years ago. As she works, Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium.
Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors–until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova. . Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. As his affection for Tova grows, Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
First Sentence: Day 1299 of my captivity: Darkness suits me.
What I thought: Oh this story immediately captured my heard. I am a sucker for stories with older quirky people and Tova is just adorable. I love the chapters with Marcellus. Intertwined in the story was so much knowledge about the octopus and its habitat and way of living. I loved the mystery that slowly unfolded. The only thing that might have been better is to have read instead of listend to it. But the narrators were amazing too so it is just a different experience.
Elevate count: not possible due to audio book
Characters: Tova Sullivan – cleaning lady at aquarium, Cameron – lost soul, Marcellus – octopus, Ethan – store owner, Avery – surf shop owner, aunt Gene – aunt to Cameron, Brad & Elisabeth – friends of Cameron, Daphne – girl, Erik – boy
Setting: PacificNorthwest, aquarium, small town
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Das Glück hat acht Arme”
Recommend to: Everyone. Seriously this may end up being my favorite of 2025. Its a beautiful story.
Author’s Origin: born in Pacific Northwest | August 1st, 1980
Heard of/Recommended by: Instagram, Maike
Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams | ★★★★☆
Book Blurb: Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood at her father’s feet as he and his team gather words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary.
One day, she sees a slip of paper containing a forgotten word flutter to the floor unclaimed.
And so Esme begins to collect words for another dictionary in secret: The Dictionary of Lost Words. But to do so she must journey into a world on the cusp of change as the Great War looms and women fight for the vote. Can the power of lost words from the past finally help her make sense of her future?
First Sentence: Before the lost word, there was another.
What I thought: This is my second book that revolves around lexicographers this year. Do I spy a theme? I really enjoyed the book. It was interesting, well written, the characters lovable and well drawn out. I had imagined a little different story but couldn’t really say what. Towards the end I felt the book had a break. Suddenly paragraphs became snippets and we jumped around a lot. It felt like a different style of book and it was not really working for me. Feels a little the author ran out of of steam or time. If it was deliberate I didn’t get it. Nevertheless it was a fun and enjoyable read. I did learn a few new vocabularies too. At the end of the book the author talks about researching the book, provides a time line of world events that took place and shares what characters are based on historic people and ho much she has fictionalized them. I really liked that insight and wished all historic fiction authors would provide that.
Elevate count: none discovered
Characters: Esme Nicolls – assistant in the Scriptorium, Lizzie – friend to Esme, service girl,
Setting: Oxford beginning of the 20th century, mainly scriptorium
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Die Sammlerin der verlorenen Wörter”
Recommend to: Everyone enjoying historic fiction, words, female characters shedding a light on history.
Author’s Origin: born in London, United kingdom | April 11th, 1969
Heard of/Recommended by: Instagram, heybooklovers podcast
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros | ★★★★☆
Book Blurb: After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.
Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.
They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.
But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.
First Sentence: The following text as faithfully transcribed from Navarrian into the modern language by Jesinia Neilwart, Curator of the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College.
What I thought: Well, the hype is justified. It is not a bad book. Are there better fantasy ones. In my opinion yes. But it is still a joy to read. I liked this one a bit more than the second. More adult behavior, less bickering on Violets part. I have to admit that listening to it I didnt grasp the entire storyline. I will have to re-read it before the fourth book comes out.
Elevate count: not possible due to audio book
Characters: Violet Sorrengail, a ton of other people who’s names I can’t spell.
Setting: beyond he borders of Navarre, Basgiath War college,
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Onyx Storm – Flammengeküsst”
Recommend to: Everyone who has read book one and two.
Author’s Origin: born in Washington D.C. | April 14th, 1981
Additional note: book three in The Empyrean series
Toward the Midnight Sun by Eoin Dempsey | ★★★☆
Book Blurb: Seattle, 1897. Anna Denton is not like the other prospectors traveling to the Yukon on the promise of riches. It’s duty—not profit—that calls her into the wild unknown. With her family nearing financial ruin, Anna has agreed to marry Henry Bradwell, the wealthy King of the Klondike.
She meets Will and Silas, childhood friends, on the steamer north. After the ship docks in a lawless Alaska town, Anna’s chaperones run afoul of local criminals, leaving her stranded. Will and Silas agree to escort her the hundreds of treacherous miles to Dawson City—the gateway to the goldfields—and her betrothed, a man she doesn’t know.
Upon their arrival, Bradwell warmly welcomes them all. But as a brutal winter sets in, relations sour, and Anna is caught between the promise her family made to the power-hungry Bradwell and her feelings for Will. Anna and her companions soon find themselves in a deadly game where few can be trusted and where the greatest danger in the frozen wilderness of the Klondike is man himself.
First Sentence: The dreamers gathered.
What I thought: This was a nice story. I like the glimpse into the gold rush. The hard life was nicely portrayed. It is a solid novel. I don’t understand why it is filed under romance as well as historic fiction though. Yes there is a love story but it is so much more. The reason I am not rating it higher is that I am a bit fed up with the way women are in the novel. Which is a bit unfair because it was what it was. And for that we have some strong female character. But still I think it could have been better? I have read other stories by this author and they have interested me more. Maybe it was the topic. Not sure.
Elevate count: 1
Characters: Anna Denton – bride to King of Klondike, Henry Bradwille – King of Klondike, Willa and Silas – brothers and gold rush participants
Setting: steam ship, trails and towns in Klondike
Medium: eBook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: none found
Recommend to: Everyone loving historic fiction and is interested in the Gold Rush.
Author’s Origin: born in Dublin, Ireland | 1977
The Power of Creativity by Bryan Collins | ★★✶☆☆
Book Blurb: Are you ready to build habits, face your fears and change your life?
Because that’s the Power of Creativity.
This book is for new writers, musicians, filmmakers, artists and anyone who has ever asked questions like “How can I become more creative?” or, “How can I get more ideas?” or “How can I focus on my thoughts and just let them flow?”
If you’ve ever struggled with a problem or challenge in your personal or professional life and thought, “I can’t do this, I’m not creative enough”, this book will help you.
First Sentence: It was the morning after my thirtieth birthday party, and I was lying on the cold tiles in the upstairs bathroom of my house.
What I thought: This book was underwhelming. I have read a ton books on creativity that are much more inspiring, go much deeper and actually did tell me something new. This book is a mellow summery of general concepts. The personal anecdotes don’t change much. I may even go as far as saying he is not a good author giving tipps on being an other. Sorry. Good thing it was a freebie.
Elevate count: none found
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited, library | audiobook through library | paperback | hardcover
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: none found
Recommend to: I wouldn’t to be honest. Read The Creative Act by Rick Rubin or Ein Kopf voller Ideen – Wie Kreativität unseren Alltag bereichert by Tanja Queckenstedt for a much better experience.
Author’s Origin: born in U.S.A. | unknown
Additional note: book one of a series – I will not continue reading
Book Stats for February
New books on the shelves
Always buying books even though I am trying to reduce my TBR pile. Here is this month purchases. Please hold me accountable and ask if I read them or just piled them up.
- The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid – kindle deal for 1€
- Enemies with Benefits by Roxie Noir – kindle freebie
- The Rogue Wave Series by Heather Hansen – kindle freebies
- The Interconnected Arctic by Springer Polar Sciences – kindle freebie
- Governance of Arctic Shipping by Springer Polar Sciences – kindle freebie
- RUCK AND NOT FUCK: Transform Your Workouts: Master Rucking Techniques for Ultimate Strength and Endurance by Michael M. Thompson – kindle freebie
- Without a Map by Nick Levy – kindle freebie
- Spellbound: A Young Adult Twist on Beauty and the Beast by S. Celi – kindle freebie
- 28-Day Plan on How to Stop Being Toxic by Lulu Nicholson – kindle freebie
- Secrets of the Herbal Apothecary Recipes by Jagger Fleming – kindle freebie
- How to Think Bigger by Martin Meadows – kindle freebie
- Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy – free little library (in German but for free)
What has been your last 5 star read? Are you reading the Empyrean series? What is the last book you picked up in a Free little Library?
