February 2026 Reads

Short month, Short book reads

Mar 03, 2026

Hello all. It is once again time for another book recap of everything I read in February. For such a short month, it was so very long and it feels like I lived three different lives. The Olympics? Record snowfall? Reading more books than average? I have no idea who I am anymore.

If you’re new here, I do something every February called Short Month, Short Book. Short month short book is an English translation of Petit Mois, Petit Livre, the challenge that originated with BookTuber Audrey of Le Souffle des Mots. Basically the point is this - since February is a short month, read short books. I love this challenge, as it’s a great way to prioritize books I already have and can read quickly. February is the worst month,1 so why not try to make it better by reading as many books as you can? The rules are thus: a book qualifies as short if it’s under 250 pages. That’s it. All you need to do is read books that are under 250 pages.

The other great thing about short month short book month? It’s a great way to pad my reading goals. Why is this great?, you ask. I have so many writing projects that need to get done that knowing I have a healthy buffer is a balm to my overly anxious mind and soul.2 If you, too, are questioning my logic for literally anything I do, believe me, you’re not alone. My brain is an excessively weird place to be.

What’s funny is as I review what I read in February, I didn’t actually read that many short books? Or more appropriately, I read more ‘long’ books than I thought I would, especially in a short month. And I somehow read 9 books?3 In a month shorter than most that has never historically been a good one for me? Truly don’t know what’s in the water, but this is quite the eclectic bunch.

As always, all books are physical unless otherwise noted. All graphics are courtesy of The Storygraph.

La pute de la côte Normande par Marguerite Duras
If you’ve been around for a minute, you know I like Marguerite Duras. Even if you didn’t know this, I like Marguerite Duras. She was considered the godmother of the literary version of the French ‘New Wave’ and her most famous work is The Lover (L’Amant.) Since I’ve read so many of her books, I am now on a mission to read all of her works.4 This was one I didn’t know about, and so was exciting for me to find on my most recent trip to France. The title includes an insult so I’m not going to translate it, but this was a quick little read that included some pontificating on how Duras was having a hard time adapting one of her works into a play and some arguments with her lover, Yann Andrea. There wasn’t really a point insomuch as I was reading this to read it, so I shan’t belabor the point further. This is not translated into English as far as I’m aware.
Grape Juice by Eliza Dumais
Grape Juice is part of a series of books from 831 Stories, whose tagline is “A Romantic Fiction Company.” Consider me sold. Further selling point: all of the books they have released are 1) novellas and 2) romances. (Figured that was implied but you know, we like clear communication over here.) There’s also fun tie ins - they have items for sale on their website inspired by the books, and you can access additional scenes and epilogues through a QR code at the end of the book. I usually find stuff like this gimmicky, but honestly this is the best way I’ve seen interconnected marketing with books done well.
Now, all that aside, this book….left me with some questions. Mostly existential ones. Namely: do people really talk like this? Because I can assure you, I hardly ever talk about romance this much with people I know let alone complete and total strangers. There was a lot I had to suspend my disbelief here, but maybe I’m just a hater because I’m not working on a vineyard in France and having a fling with a French man.5 Also I’m allergic to wine, so. Truly an unfortunate combination for me. I could not suspend my disbelief on the insta-love of the main character and said French man, but I did appreciate the thorny relationship problems that were discussed. I own the rest of the 831 Stories set so while this was a middling start, maybe I’ll enjoy another novella from them? I’ll investigate and report back.
Resting Bitch Face by Taylor Byas
In honor of Black History Month, I read these poems by Black Chicago poet Taylor Byas. As you know, I love poets but am scared of them (don’t hurt me I love you your words intimidate me don’t hate me). These poems still intimidated me, but this was the kind of poetry I enjoy the most: narrative poetry. Or, well, many of the poems were narrative in kind or prose in nature. My brain has an easier time parsing and understanding metaphors and figurative language if I can understand the format of the poem. Throw in sestinas and villanelles and you lose me.6 Anyways, the poems. I really liked them. Many of them had interesting structures and included quotes that they were written in response to/in conversation with. As a structure girlie, I found this fascinating. Also, the imagery Byas used stuck with me for a while, which meant the book of poems I read right after this never stood a chance. Definitely would recommend if you get a chance to read.
Tu as oublié mon coeur en partant par Léa Jeunesse
I think this is very reductive (and I’m aware of it as I make this statement) but Léa Jeunesse appears to be the French Rupi Kaur. At least, the poem formatting and inclusion of illustrations called to mind the same aesthetic. Which is fine, don’t get me wrong. But that is ultimately what drew me to picking up this book in the first place. I’ve read a lot of more historical and ancient French poetry, but not a lot of contemporary French poets. So here we are. And two French books in a month?! Mon Dieu! Well - the first one was incredibly short, and remember that whole padding my book count thing? Well now I can start a longer French book and not worry about how long it takes me to finish and still keep on track for my book goals for the year. I know, I know. I am insane and I have never claimed to be otherwise. As far as I’m aware, this has not been translated into English.
Cinder House by Freya Marske
What a weird little book this was, and I say weird complimentarily. This book asks the question: what if Cinderella was a ghost and a house? Weird, right? And yet the idea works. This book is a novella, and while I admire the shortness, there was actually more I wanted to know. At times, I felt like information was being purposefully omitted. Yes, I could assume, but this is a novella and we could have had like 3 more pages to explain some of the more oblique references to Ella’s parents. That’s all I’ll say about that. I will say that it was fun to rediscover the classic fairy tale in a different way, even if I was a bit confused and turned off by the ending. I will give it a pass though since this was so inventive overall. This is the first Marske book I’ve read (even if I do own her other trilogy) and weird ending aside, I am intrigued and want to read more.
The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs
Cait Jacobs is apparently one of the original BookTokers, which is news to me because I am not on TikTok.7 But anyways, this book is about Clia, a princess who’s been betrothed to Domhnall, a prince from a neighboring kingdom her whole life. Except he refuses to propose, and well now what do we do? I realized after reading this that this was a Legally Blonde retelling, and I am saving you from this book now. It was…fine. Fine is the nicest way I can describe it. It started off with promise (what do you do when the plan you’ve had for your entire future gets blown up in your face? And not of your own accord?) but it strained credulity at times, and had no stakes. I was calling out plot points left and right, and I should not have been able to read a 500 page book as fast as I read this one. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but if you do read it, know that Murphy, the otter like creature that’s Clia’s pet is the best part and he’s not utilized NEARLY enough. Oh also the book is very Irish which is cool but means everything is nigh unpronounceable for someone like me who knows nothing of Irish.
Metronome by Matthew Birkhold
I am once again reviewing things for Hippocampus! I didn’t ever stop, really, but I’ve got a pretty sweet lineup over the next few months of ARCs to read and review. While I’ll have a full review for you in a couple of weeks, just know that this is from a series by Bloomsbury about the history of objects, and while I can’t vouch for any other book in the series, this one is hilarious. The author simultaneously: 1) reads the metronome for filth for being annoying, 2) reads musicians for filth for not being able to keep time and 3) reads humans for filth for not having an innate sense of tempo. There’s also a lot of music/composer gossip that even me, a very casual musician, was able to appreciate. I kept texting my brother, an opera singer, with centuries old historical gossip just to see his reaction.8 Honestly I’d say it’s worth a read if you have any passing familiarity with music and/or have been traumatized by a metronome in your musical practice.
Perfection by Vincent Latronico and translated from the Italian by Sophie Hughes
Perfection was nominated for the International Booker Prize last year, and let me tell you, it does deserve the hype. It is written very well, and is the first book that I’ve read (doesn’t mean that aren’t others that I’m not aware of!) that deals with the disaffection of the 21st century through objects. This book was heavily inspired by Les Choses/Things: A Story of the Sixties by Georges Perec. (Which I have also read.) You don’t necessarily need to read Perec’s work to enjoy this book, but it does help give context to what Latronico is trying to do. You will be shocked, positively shocked I say!, to hear that I have more thoughts on this, that you’ll see sometime in March. So stay tuned for more.
The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
This book checked off many boxes for me this month: a book by a Black author during Black History Month, a short book (under 250 pages) and a book I’ve had for a while. It also doesn’t hurt that this book is very good, too. The Dark Fantastic is an academic examination of how Black women and girls are treated in early 2000s YA fantasy. Thomas uses 4 examples here: Rue in The Hunger Games, Gwen in the TV show Merlin, Bonnie Bennett in (specifically) the TV show The Vampire Diaries and then concludes with Hermione from Harry Potter (and specifically to this context, how Hermione was imagined as Black in certain adaptations and fan’s imaginations.) While I do love me a good novel, it is good for me to switch things up and actually engage with texts in an academic sense. Thomas brought a literary framework to these characters that I hadn’t noticed or considered before, and my familiarity with most of these shows meant that I could engage with what she was theorizing here.

No New Books™️ Challenge

Friends, we’re doing so good! And by we, I mean me! And by good I mean, I refrained from buying a special edition sequel to a book I already have! Does this mean that I will never buy this book? No. It means I will do it at a later time. I am the picture of self-restraint. Give me an award for my commitment. And since I have surpassed my last streak (11 days) I can now remove that line and and feel content in my self knowledge that I do have a modicum of discipline in my bones.

Longest streak: 50 days (June 18th - August 6th)
Last streak I am not embarrassed to report on: 29 days (December 16th, 2025 - January 13th, 2026)
Current streak: 14 days (February 18th - Present)

Mug Moment of the Week

In honor of Black History Month, I present:

*Because I refuse to subject you to more heinous cinematography from me, it says Support Black Authors.*

Is my timing on this stellar? No. But! We should be reading & supporting Black authors - and diverse books - all year round. So really there’s not a bad time to celebrate Black writers.

I will be honest with you: I have no recollection of where I got this mug. If I had to guess, I believe it’s from Feminist Book Club, one of the many book clubs I have dropped out of.9 Truly, it’s a miracle I’m still kicking with my online book club. If I know how to do anything, it’s not being able to commit to a book club.

Now back to the mug.

Isn’t she pretty? I do love the sunny aesthetic combined with the rainbow. While I’m not sure it was meant to convey intersectionality with Black & LGBTQIA+ folks, that’s how I’m reading it and choosing to interpret this here little mug.

Until next time!

The Chaotic Reader

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