Monthly Book Recap: February 2020

      Since shuttering Modern Jo March Blog in January, I've found that my love of reading has been renewed. For a little over a year, reading felt more like a chore than a pleasure due to the burnout of trying to keep up with submissions and the content on the blog, but now that *MJM is retired, I've been able to reclaim my love of reading. As a result of closing down the book blog due to an effort to consolidate, I've decided to do a monthly feature here that will cover the books that I've read each month, that way I don't give up sharing books completely. :) 
      This month, I read 16 books! As I said before, I've found a renewed love for reading and blasted through so many good books. I found myself reading a few new reads, along with revisiting older books that I had read in the past and loved. I've chosen a few highlights to share here... 

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 Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was eye-opening and absolutely fascinating. It was also appalling in the sense that this information has been known since at least the 1950s and we're still using these toxic chemicals and poisons! I'd highly recommend this book. It's an interesting read filled with important information and facts, all the while presented in an easy to understand style. This is really a must read for everyone. Be informed! 

​5/5

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 From Individual to Empire by Laura Bull was a very informative read that is a must have for anyone developing their own brand. Laura Bull writes in a style that is conversational and easy to understand, all the while presenting helpful information and tips to succeed. She uses well-known examples of influencers on every level, including Oprah, Miranda Lambert, and Reese Witherspoon,  along with fictional situations to help illustrate her point. On top of the slew of information found in this book, Bull offers additional resources and tools that can be found on her website. 

From Individual to Empire is definitely a handy tool to have in your "road to success" kit. 4/5

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 Intrigue a la Mode by Regina Jennings is a part of the Harvey House Brides novella collection. I received the book before it first released in 2019, as I was on Karen Witemeyer's launch team. I reviewed her contribution in November of 2019, but alas, didn't get to the others. I remedied that this month. I've been a fan of Regina Jennings for some time now, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed her contribution to the series, which finds Willow Kentworth thrown into dangerous going-ons, as she finds herself constantly thrown together with the mysterious, and handsome, new employee. But will they solve the mystery?
​I was drawn in quickly, found the story intriguing and the characters interesting.

Intrigue a la Mode is a delightful, quick read.  3/5

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 Jen Turano's Grand Encounters is also part of the Harvey House Brides novella collection, and my introduction to Turano's work. The story revolves around Myrtle Schermerhorn, who flee New York High Society life after being abandoned by her fiance. Swearing to hold fast to her independent life, she soon finds herself having trouble holding to it after a rugged guest takes an interest in her.
​ I found this story a thoroughly enjoyable read. There were parts where I literally laughed out loud at the witty banter between the characters. I enjoyed this novella so much, that it actually lead me to read other works by Turano. 

Grand Encounters is a quick, enjoyable read. 3/5

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 Karen Witemeyer's A Worthy Pursuit is a reread for me. I first read it a few years ago and absolutely loved it. The book is among my favorites, mainly due to its drool worthy hero, Stone, and delightfully witty dialogue. As I mentioned before, I found myself going back and rereading quite a few books, and this was first on my list. I'm happy to say that it still holds up to my memory and love of it. I truly enjoy Karen's style of writing, the way she handles dialogue, and her wonderful characters. 
    Stone Hammond is an ex-bounty hunter turned "retriever". His job is to find things or people that no one else can find. While he's considered the best in the business, he ends up finding far more that he bargained for.. ;) 

I highly recommend this book. It's such a wonderful read! 4/5. 

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 *To read more about Modern Jo March's retirement and why I made the decision, click here.