In today's episode, I walked through my reads of February, which are listed below:

1. Jaded by Ela Lee
2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman
3. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
4. My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney
5. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
6. God Help the Child by Toni Morrison
7. How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent
8. Off Menu by Amy Rosen
9. The Secret World of Maggie Grey by Granger

This February, we're celebrating both Black History Month and Valentine's Day by exploring love stories written by Black authors from across the diaspora.

From queer Nigerian narratives to magical realism in Trinidad, from YA thrillers to wartime epistolary novels, these six books showcase the beauty, complexity, and revolutionary nature of Black love in all its forms.

Join me as we discuss family love, romantic love, self-love, and love as an act of resistance.

Links mentioned:

Reviews

• ​Ace of Spades
• ​Pet
• ​Butter Honey Pig Bread

Reading Challenges

• ​Blind Date with my books
• ​2026 Something Bookish Reading Challenge

Recipe

Red Velvet Brownies

BOOKS DISCUSSED: 1. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

2. Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

3. Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

4. Aanu Ife by Lara Kareem

5. When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

6. These Letters End in Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere

In this episode of Caffeinated Chapter, I discussed 11 books read in January, what I loved, books that made me cry, and the ones that weren't for me.

Grab a drink and wrap up January with coffee, conversations, and bookish reflections.

Books Mentioned:

• The Bone River— Nkereuwem Albert

• Mafia & Secrets — Isa Oliver.

• Rebel Folklore - Icy Sedgwick

• Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love — Huma Qureshi

• Son of the Morning — Akwaeke Emezi

• Gate to Kagoshima — Poppy Kuroki

• The Samurai’s Garden — Gail Tsukiyama

• Scrum — Ava Tenny

• The Gingerbread Bakery - Laurie Gilmore

• So Long a Letter — Mariama Bâ

• How to Kill Your Biggest Fan — Helen Ellis