February in books

February was a more challenging month than January book-wise. I DNF'd a lot more than I thought I would, considering how many good books I had been reading, but I've been able to make good enough substitutions so far for the challeges prompts.

Frankenstein in Baghdad, Ahmed Saadawi

Tell me whyyyy did I take that long to read this book, I could've read so many more things instead! It's not a bad book, the premise is so cool, there are some interesting characters, but some of them I couldn't really care about, and so it kinda dragged. 

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

No One Writes Back, Jang Eun-Jin 

This one made me think in a lot of things, especially the whole sending letters to people you barely know, but also the plot seemed to be going in so many different directions and it was never what I was expecting, which in a way was nice bcs I was dreadinggg the characters hooking up, whew. It was all sorts of odd, but an interesting read overall.

⭐⭐⭐

The Flood, Michael McDowell

Not what I was expecting at ALL. I thought this would be a post-apocaliptic plot of sorts but I got southern gothic with supernatural elements hmmm. Not at all bad, but I don't much care for the characters enough to read the rest of the trilogy, especially if that damn mother in law of the MFC continues to be that insufferable.

⭐⭐⭐

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition, Caroline Alexander 

I love this book, I love my boys, the pictures are stunning, how had I not seen most of them? Everytime I read about anything Shacketlon is a good time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo

Modern poetry method and spoken word might not be my very cup of tea so it took me a little while to get used to this book, but the short format of the chapters makes for a quick read, and I really enjoy Acevedo's writing and the themes explores, after all. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Saints Save a Sinner, Dawn Douglas

Oof that was the longest 80 pages book I've ever read, it's so, so cliche, I don't chare for the characters, I'm getting kind of tired of these m/m books with basically no plot ):

⭐⭐

Não fossem as sílabas do sábado, Mariana Salomão Carrara

God I resisted immersing myself in this book for so long because of the UNECESSARY LACK OF PUNCUATION I'M SORRY??? I know perfectly well what she was trying to do, and oh, she tried, but it almost didn't work for me. I'm pretty sure the story would've been more impactful it she used that whole shtick more sparsely. In spite of that, the writing did get to me in the end.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Fifth Child, Doris Lessing

I'm sorry what did I just read? If the intention was to make uncomfortable (and of course it was), she succeeded 100%, yet not in a good way. I almost gave it up a few times.

⭐⭐1⁄2

And as for this month's DNFs:

• The three cutters, Frederick Marryat - I'm sorry Marryat I was so not in the mood for this
• Offshore, Penelope Fitzgerald - Just couldn't care less about the plot
• The two doctors Górski - Can't believe I almost got tricked into reading dark academia with magic because the synopsis seem interesting
•  A wrinkle in time, Madeleine L'Engle - Second time trying out this one. I might have liked it enough when I was the target audience but right now it's just too whimsy for me
• Celestial bodies, Jokha Alharthi - I'm sure I'll enjoy it at some time into the future but right now I'm so not interested in women family dynamics/generational differences
• O bibliotecário do imperador - Don't have the patience for books that want to be fancy 19th century similes right now
• Three men in a boat, Jeroke K. Jerome - Speaking of having no patience, I also can't deal with witty humor anymore

It's a bingoooo

Not 2 full months into the year and I already have my first bingo, I can't believe it 😂

The year might have started on a good note book-wise, but as of yesterday I have officially DNFd 12 books haha 🙃

Now what should I treat myself to?

Não aguento tudo dando erradooooo

 O airbnb é barulhento

Meu pai culpa minha mãe por não escolher o apto que ele sugeriu

Minha mãe culpa meu pai por não ter participado da escolha de apto como devia

Eu culpo a mim própria por não ter insistido em outro to cater minha mãe 

Meu pai não anota as senhas do lugar

O gato DESAPARECE dentro do apto

Subo e desço as escadas, olho em todos os aptos, em cada canto da garagem, em baixo de todos os móveis possíveis, levanto e baixo cada uma das três camas duas vezes

Choramos

O gato tá metido dentro do sofá cama aka o único lugar que eu nao procurei pois achei que era um sofá comum

Coitado do host teve que ajudar, que vergonha

Um refúgio no shopping pra comer

Meu pai surta com o barulho da avenida

Eu vou tomar banho o chuveiro não esquenta

Decidimos eu e pai voltar pra casa e mãe dormir num colchão no corredor (a que ponto, meu deus)

Desço com o pai pra pegar o taxi

SENHA DO PORTÃO NÃO FUNCIONA TAMO PRESO

Grazadeus o taxiata esperou putamerda viu

Pior que Fávaro Veneto, 1997

Nada deu errado lá

Não sabemos como vai ser o resto da estadia

Anoq ue vem pego o gato e vou soInha pralgum lugar eles que se virem não aguento mais

Só quero dormir, minha gente

January in books + bookish bingo update

The combination of new year with excessive free time resulted in me reading 16 books. To be honest I do have loads of novellas in my 2026 tbr, so as to not let myself get bored bcs of a never ending book. And whether by new found energy post new year or by a fortuitous selection of various good books in a row, 4 and 5 stars were aplenty. 

The nigger of the narcissus, Joseph Conrad
Pretty solid Conrad novella, am always happy to read about ship crew dynamics. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

 
Sparow, James Hynes

It took me a while to get into this one, and the characters are kinda storeotypical, but I got involved in the story.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The seagull, Anton Chekhov

It's difficult to rate plays, but I like Chekhov's writing in general, so it's a solid 

⭐⭐⭐

Solito, Javier Zamora

I'm glad I did not give up this one because it's a very moving account of the author's many tentatives at getting illegaly into USA from El Salvador at just 9 years old. Had to remind myself that I was reading a child talking. But also his choice to leave the word 'también' untranslated bothered me to no end! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

O mundo cá tem fronteiras: uma aventura Brasil-Cabo Verde, Paulo Rafael

Didn't know this was a middle grade book until I got it from the library, but decided to read it anyway. There's nothing much to it, but the illustrations are super cute.

⭐⭐⭐

The stepford wives, Ira Levin

Having never seen the movie, I decided to go with the book instead. A bit too predictable, but good enough.

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

Life in Nelson's Navy, Brian Lavery

Great book for a first contact with the life of a 19th century sailor and ship life, would've helped me tremendously when I was getting into Age of Sail lit. 😂

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides

The way this book is so much better than the movie when the movie is already great! I love the narrator's voice, the mood, the way we learn about the girls from an outside perspective, it's really poetic!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Os invasores, Dinah Silveira de Queiroz

Once again Dinah Silveira de Queiroz promising something and giving me (almost) nothing. I like this one better than Margarida La Rocque, but it still feels like it could be more. The beginning got me intrigued, but got a bit stale as soon as I was getting absorbed in the story. Still, not a bad book.

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

If We Were Villains, M.L. Rio

It's a mystery how much I enjoyed this one, because it has so many dark academia/YA cliches that usually rub me the wrong way and that should have made me DNF it by chapter 1 (constant Shakespeare quoting I'm looking at you), but THE WAY I ATE IT ALL UP???

⭐⭐⭐⭐

El Gaucho Martín Fierro, José Hernández 

The writing! The themes! This is an absolute masterpiece.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Out of Darkness, Shining Light, Petina Gappah

Another one I almost DNF'd because the first of the two narrators was bordering on annoying, with her constant turns of phrases and repeating informations, but I love me a journey story, and I got really attached to the characters.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dr. Faustus, Christopher Marlowe

Goethe's Faustus without all the padding out. Really like Marlowe's writing.

⭐⭐⭐

Três Buracos, Shiko

Great art, interesting plot, and that's it.

⭐⭐⭐

A Pocketful of Happiness, Richard E. Grant

I love REG and it's really difficult to read about his wife's battle with cancer. What a bittersweet couple of years he had. Also got me thinking about all this getting old and dying stuff, which I always rather not.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Colors of Infamy, Albert Cossery

Why is this so short, I was so invested??? ):

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

I did DNF a few books tho, namely:

• Small things like this by Claire Keegan - main character with perfect human being vibes, social comentary too on-your-face;
• The murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson - interesting premise but way too graphic for my liking;
• La Fontaine's Fables in the original French - too complicated for my level of French;
• Imagens Estranhas by Uketsu - way too boring and badly written;
• So long a letter by Mariama Bâ - I really wanted to read this one but nothing happens, so I might come back to it in the future.

Read Around The World 2026 update!

Haven't updated the RATW map in 3 years!

2024 was a good year for reading around the world, but 2025 not so much. This year things are already more promising, but I definitely need to up my Africa and Caribbean/Central America game!