I started this year and decided I wanted to read more and set a goal of 100 books this year. I clearly was not mathing when I made this goal, and now realize what I have really gotten myself into. But I am happy I am here and enjoying the challenge now that I am two months in! This month to help keep me on track, I decided to create a separate shelf in the Goodreads app to track what books I wanted to read this month. I am also trying to keep it a bit of a mix of genres because, honestly, the PNR books that Hunkiedorië got me hooked on are too addicting, and I need to break them up so that I can actually be a productive member of society!
As you follow along with my monthly bookshelf, I will be sharing my reviews and ratings.
1 star: Did not like it
2 stars: It was okay
3 stars: Liked it
4 stars: Really liked it
5 stars: It was amazing
I hope that you are inspired by the books that I share and form your own opinions. Let me know what you think, do you have any suggestions on what I should read next? You can follow me on Goodreads or head over to Hunkiedorië’s Amazon storefront to get your own copies and read along. Like what you see here, be sure to check out Hunkiedorië’s bookshelf posts as well.
Click here to find by full 2023 Reading List on Amazon
*Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
My Plan for February were the following books:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Barbarian Mine by Ruby Dixon
Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation by Camonghne Felix
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What I actually read…
Mighty Miley’s February 2023 Bookshelf:
Disclaimer: there may be a few spoilers; if you read on you have been warned.
Ugly Love
by Colleen Hoover
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn’t think it’s love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love; she doesn’t have time for love so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
Mighty Miley Review: Yes, yes, and more, yes! This was my introduction to Hoover’s books, and it did not disappoint. I love the classic romance tropes. I liked the characters and the depth. It had emotional depth and moved at a quick pace. I honestly couldn’t put it down, and was the book I cruised through the fastest this month because I was so drawn into this love story.
Click here to buy Ugly Love on Amazon
American Dirt
by Jeanine Cummins
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then, one day, a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy – two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia – trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
Mighty Miley Review: This book was a hand-me-down from my mom. I liked it well enough as a pure fiction story, with the strong understanding that this is a farfetched story with a lot of inaccuracies. Good storytelling overall, but it dragged a bit in the middle for me. I don’t want to overlook the controversy around this book, however. While I don’t have any unique perspective to add to that conversation, I found that I resonated strongly with Leon Krauze’s article regarding the book (https://slate.com/culture/2020/01/american-dirt-jeanine-cummins-mexican-experience.html).
Click here to buy American Dirt on Amazon
The Happy Ever After Playlist (The Friend Zone #2)
by Abby Jimenez
Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a “take me home” look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.
Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?
Mighty Miley Review: I listened to this book on Audible and found it to be a decent story and entertaining enough. Liked revisiting some of the characters from The Friend Zone, which I read a few years ago. It was a quick book to get through, with back and forth with breakups. Which for me tends to drive me nuts, I much prefer a slow burn. Honestly, this one started stronger than it ended for me. But I do love the MN references in this series!
Click here to buy The Happy Ever After Playlist on Amazon
To Sir Philip, With Love (Bridgertons #5)
by Julia Quinn
Sir Phillip knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he’d proposed, figuring that she’d be homely and unassuming and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except…she wasn’t. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her… and more. Did he think she was mad?
Eloise Bridgerton couldn’t marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking…and wondering…and before she knew it, she was in a hired carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except…he wasn’t. Her perfect husband wouldn’t be so moody and ill-mannered, and while Phillip was certainly handsome, he was a large brute of a man, rough and rugged, and totally unlike the London gentlemen vying for her hand. But when he smiled…and when he kissed her…the rest of the world simply fell away, and she couldn’t help but wonder…could this imperfect man be perfect for her?
Mighty Miley Review: Finally, I have returned to the stories of the Bridgertons!! I love these books and Julia Quinn’s writing style. I am a sucker for historical fiction and a strong female. We saw more depth in Elouise in this book than in any of her roles in previous stories, and I loved it. I found the MMC to be an interesting twist from the usual rake Quinn makes them out to be. Once again, I ended a Bridgertons series book more in love with this fictional family than before.
Click here to buy To Sir Philip, With Love on Amazon
Firefly Lane
by Kristin Hannah
In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all – beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.
So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.
From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success…and loneliness.
Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her…how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend….
For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship – jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart…and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.
Mighty Miley Review: In full disclosure, I started this audiobook months ago and just could not get into it. Every time I tried to restart it, I just got bored. The opposite of a strong female lead here, these two friends are completely and entirely codependent, and their friendship has so many red flags. I trudged through the rest of it, mainly because I was doing a book bingo card for the month of February and needed a book that started with F. The ending was strong but my god the rest of the book was so irritating. Also, thank you to Goodreads user Gabby (@_myfictionalworld on IG) for your review of the book perfectly summarizing my feelings on it and the characters and making me not feel so alone!
Click here to buy Firefly Lane on Amazon
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)
by Sarah J. Maas
When 19-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin – one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it… or doom Tamlin – and his world – forever.
Mighty Miley Review: Now, I have been on BookTok and Bookstagram for a while. Meaning I have seen this series in countless posts and have wondered if it was worth the hype. After reading Hunkiedorie’s posts last winter about it, I knew I would eventually have to get to it. And it did not disappoint!! I could not put this down. Again, a strong female lead is everything to me and Feyre is just that! I also love the way Maas depicts the world she has created to the reader without excessive fluff (which I hate), but still manages to give a complete picture. So now my plans for February reads are officially thrown off course, and I must continue this story immediately!
Click here to buy A Court of Thornes and Roses on Amazon
Becoming
By Michelle Obama
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As first lady of the United States of America – the first African American to serve in that role – she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the US and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites listeners into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her – from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it – in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations – and whose story inspires us to do the same.
Mighty Miley Review: This book has been on my TBR list for a while, and I finally got around to starting this via audible. I have always admired Obama’s grace and was excited to get to know more of her story. First of all, she narrates the audio version, and I just love the calming effect of her voice. Ultimately though, her story is truly inspiring from beginning to end.
Click here to buy Becoming on Amazon
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2)
by Sarah J. Maas
Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court – but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.
As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms – and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future – and the future of a world cleaved in two.
Mighty Miley Review: While this one is a bit longer than the first, but I was so excited to see where Feyre’s story took her. This one was a little slower to develop than the first, unfortunately, but the new characters more than made up for that. I am in love with these people and truly enjoyed seeing Feyre come into her own in this new setting.
Click here to buy A Court of Mist and Fury on Amazon
Barbarian Mine (Ice Planet Barbarians #4)
by Ruby Dixon
The ice planet has given me a second lease on life, so I’m thrilled to be here. Sure, there’s no cheeseburgers, but I’m healthy and ready to be a productive member of the small tribe. What I didn’t anticipate? That there’d be a savage stranger waiting nearby, watching me. And when he takes me captive, the unthinkable happens…I resonate to him.
Resonance means mating, and children…but I don’t know if this guy’s ever been around anyone before. He’s truly a barbarian in all ways, right down to clubbing me over the head and claiming me as his own.
So why is it that I crave his touch and hunger for more?
Mighty Miley Review: These two have an interesting start to their connection that had me questioning whether or not I was going to like this book. But in true Ruby Dixon fashion, her writing and story had me falling in love with them and their relationship and rooting for them throughout it all.
Click here to buy Barbarian Mine on Amazon
2023 Goal Progress: 13/100 books read, 3 books behind schedule. We are just getting started, and I can not wait to share my monthly reading lists with you all as we move through 2023. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
My Top 5 Reads of 2023 (thus far)
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- To Sir Philip with Love
- A Ladies Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
- Ugly Love
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author for the Hunkiedorië team and sharing my experiences with you all! Some of my favorite things include traveling, adventures with my two dogs, craft beer, cupcakes, and time with family and friends. I love getting out and trying new things whether that is a new restaurant, workout, recipe or a new business.
Mighty Miley’s 2023 Bookshelf: March – Hunkiedorië
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