February was a great month for reading! I’ll be honest, I finished a couple of these just as the clock was counting down into March, but, hey, it works, right?

If you end up reading one of these books, let me know! Or if you’re looking for any other recommendations, send me an email at sarahbaylorwrites@gmail.com! 

1. Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen. 4 out of 5 stars

“Are your thoughts holding you captive? I’ll never be good enough. Other people have better lives than I do. God couldn’t really love me. Jennie Allen knows what it’s like to swirl in a spiral of destructive thoughts, but she also knows we don’t have to stay stuck in toxic thinking patterns.

As she discovered in her own life, God built a way for us to escape that downward spiral. Freedom comes when we refuse to be victims to our thoughts and realize we have already been equipped with power from God to fight and win the war for our minds.

In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts. Our enemy is determined to get in our heads to make us feel helpless, overwhelmed, and incapable of making a difference for the kingdom of God. But when we submit our minds to Christ, the promises and goodness of God flood our lives in remarkable ways.

It starts in your head. And from there, the possibilities are endless.”

I started reading Jennie Allen’s Get Out of Your Head during a difficult season where I was dealing with spiraling thoughts about a particular situation. One of the things that this book showed me and reminded me of was that “our emotions are a by-product of the way we think.” Throughout this book Jennie Allen reminds her readers that a lot of times, we have a choice regarding the way we think and that because of Romans 12:2, it’s possible through the Lord that we can be “transformed by the renewal of [our] mind[s].” This book was really encouraging during a tough time I was walking through, and I’m grateful for the Lord’s guidance and Jennie Allen’s impact. 

2. Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl. 4 out of 5 stars

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case that went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They’re soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son who disappeared four years ago. River knows there’s almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy’s trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. With a killer on the loose set on finishing the job he started, will River be pulled back into her tormented past or finally face the demons that haunt her?

Nancy Mehl is one of my favorite Christian suspense authors, so when I saw she released a new book, I knew I had to get it! I actually read this book as a buddy read with my aunt and it was a lot of fun! This book was exciting and had a twist that I hadn’t been expecting. A lot of times, however, the dialogue fell flat and the character development seemed to be lacking or unrealistic. The mystery was really good and easy to follow, and it kept me turning pages! Despite a few minor critiques, I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series soon!

3. Unearth the Tides by Alissa J. Zavalianos. 4 out of 5 stars.

Huxley Krew Gannon III always knew he would be a royal guard; defending the Crown is in his blood. And coming from a long line of Gannons, that means the job is to be taken seriously at all costs.

When tragedy strikes, Huxley is framed for treason, and his only option is to flee to Braka’s most feared place: The Wasteful Tides.

It’s rumored a monstrous beast haunts those waters, but what Huxley encounters is even worse: an elusive captain, magical herbs, a beautiful lady, and unearthed truths that could change the course of history.

Unearth the Tides is a fantasy retelling of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Filled with mystery, found family, and themes of truth and forgiveness, Unearth the Tides is perfect for those who love the coziness of the classics and the thrill of adventure.

Alissa is one of my favorite independently published Christian authors, so I was so excited to read Unearth the Tides! You will really enjoy this book if you are looking for a laid back, cozy fantasy! I really enjoyed the characters and the new world to explore (who doesn’t love an under/on the sea story!). I love how Alissa’ prose is poetic and she clearly paints a picture in your mind. At times, it felt hard to pinpoint what the main character’s motivation was, which caused the book to have a lack of depth, for me personally. Overall, this book was a fun, clean fantasy read!

Thanks for reading my February Reading Wrap-Up! Stay tuned to see what I read in March!