My February Reads – 2026 – Part Two

I read nineteen books in February. Eleven of those were on my TBR and I discussed them in my last post.

Given I read so many, I am covering the rest in this part two post.

The first two bonus books focused on Agatha Christie. I never would have read these without them fulfilling a reading challenge prompt. Two actually. I needed a historical fiction book about someone and then a nonfiction book about the same person. I chose Agatha Christie because she was a writer and because she also worked in pharmacies during both WWI and WWII. I am a writer and a retired pharmacist, so I relate, and Christie’s writing abilities impress me. I was interested to learn more about her.

• The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

This is a historical fiction focusing on Agatha Christie’s famous eleven day disappearance in December of 2026, almost a hundred years ago. Agatha had a tough year despite the publication of one of her best known books, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Her mother passed away and her husband asked for a divorce. There is a lot of debate about why Christie disappeared. Was it a nervous breakdown? An attempt to frame her husband for her murder because he was having an affair? Was it a publicity stunt to sell books? Christie claimed amnesia after an accident and largely sidestepped the question for most of her life. This book is a fictional take, because we still don’t know for sure. So appropriate for Agatha to leave us a mystery. It was an interesting and fairly sympathetic portrayal of Agatha.

• Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley

This biography covered Christie’s entire life, including the 1926 disappearance. Worsley also offers a sympathetic portrait of Christie, but she didn’t flinch in discussing some of Agatha’s faults and missteps. She dives pretty deep into the 1926 episode. What I found most fascinating was the discussion of her writing process and her productivity.

• The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

I love thrillers with a puzzle. This one focuses on Mike Brink, a puzzle savant who gets drawn into the case of a prisoner who draws a puzzle. But she won’t speak at all, let alone about the murder she was convicted of or the importance of the puzzle. Brink tries to solve the puzzle, but is soon running for his life. This book has everything. Mystical puzzles, ancient religions, haunted houses, haunted dolls, deranged billionaires, historical mysteries, high tech, and plenty of action. A few things strain credulity, but I was there for the romp. I gave it four stars and do recommend it.

• My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I am late to the party with this read. It’s been out forever. I’ve been meaning to read it forever, too. I just didn’t, probably because it is literary fiction and I knew it would be a tear jerker. But with a reading challenge prompt to fill, I decided that now was the time. I was interested in the discussions of patient autonomy within, where the main character no longer wants to be a donor to her sick sister with cancer. I thought I had predicted the ending, but I was wrong. The theme of this book was NOT what I expected. It is an emotionally charged and reasonably satisfying read, but I didn’t like the ending because it flipped the theme in a totally different direction – not that it didn’t make sense once I thought about it. I can’t say more without spoilers. I am still glad I read it.

• Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Good Dirt is another literary fiction. But there’s also a central mystery, tons of family drama, and incredible detail into the history of Black Americans. Perfect for Black History Month. The main character Ebby is dumped on her wedding day because her groom can’t handle the trauma in her past. At age ten she saw her fifteen year old brother killed and a family heirloom destroyed. To heal, she heads to France to write her family history. The revelations that emerge from her experiences shakes her family to the core, but will they lead to healing? I really enjoyed the multiple timelines and the multiple POVs in this story. This Good Dirt was rich indeed. I recommend it.

• The Broken Wings by Khalil Gibran

I picked this one up because it fit a prompt for a challenge (wing in the title or story) and because it was novelette length (64 pages). It was written in 1912 about a Romeo and Juliet style tragic romance set in Lebanon. The flowery prose dates it and fits Gibran’s style, but some of the commentary on society, religion, and the burdens of women are surprisingly forward thinking.

• Seeing the Body by Rachel Eliza Griffiths

I am almost done with this book of poetry. I picked it up with my goal of reading more poetry to improve my prose. Rachel Eliza Griffiths attended the Kauai Writers Conference as a presenter, so I was interested to grab this one, as she read us excerpts of her work at the luau and she did a talk on the power of poetry in prose. Her work resonated for me, as much of it is about the loss of her mother. I lost mine in 2020. It is heartfelt, poignant, and evocative. I recommend it if you like poetry or need to process some grief.

• Little Bug Earns Her Spots by Julianne Endres

My last read was a children’s picture book. I picked it up for several reasons. First, Endres is a local author in my area, and I like to support local authors. Secondly, the book was written in memory of the daughter of a dear friend, so I absolutely wanted to get it. Finally, I am thinking about doing a picture book of my own at some point, and it doesn’t hurt to read what I might want to write and get the rhythm for how picture books go. This one has a fun story for youngsters about a ladybug earning her spots through kindness. Rebecca Hall has done a wonderful job with her adorable illustrations. I definitely recommend it for your littles.

Here’s a graphic with the bonus book covers if you want to take a look.

As always, if you have a favorite read to recommend for next month, or a favorite book challenge for 2026, be sure to comment!

Thanks for reading!