Another month is coming to an end and that means it’s time to share a book haul. As a reader, I am always on the lookout for new books to read and regularly buy books. My February 2025 Book Haul shows off the books I purchased during the month and added to my TBR. Most of what I picked up are sequels of series I am actively reading, along with a couple of non-fiction books I’ve been meaning to pick up for a while, and a new release.
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February 2025 Book Haul
Yona of the Dawn Vol 43 by Mizuho Kusanagi
Yona’s attempt to reunite with Jaeha and Sinha takes a horrible turn—both Dragon Warriors have turned into dragons, and Jaeha even vanishes before her very eyes! Back at the Kohka camp, Sinha fights for his life as the soldiers fearfully attack the rampaging dragon before them…
Spy x Family Vol 13 by Tatsuya Endo
Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!
Twilight is on the ropes after his battle with an Ostanian spy! Can Nightfall save Twilight from disaster? Will WISE manage to recover their stolen secrets? And what will become of Loid and Yor’s marital crisis? Meanwhile, Anya’s friendship scheme gets thrown off by an unexpected gift from Damian!
Mao Vol 13 by Rumiko Takahashi
When Nanoka is transported back in time to a supernatural early 20th century, she gets recruited by aloof exorcist Mao. What thread of fate connects them? Together, they seek answers…and kick some demon butt along the way!
One of our friends confesses to setting the Goko clan treasure house on fire centuries ago. But why did they do it? Then, Mao has a revelation about Byoki the cat demon, the gang takes on a corrupt polluting industrialist, and Mei, the guardian of the Garden of Longevity, reveals new facets to her personality. Plus, a mysterious water wielder appears—whose side is he on?
Rascal Does Not Dream of His Student by Hajime Kamoshida
Mai is in danger, and the only clue Sakuta has is a cryptic message from himself saying he needs to find Touko Kirishima. The problem is that even though he knows how to contact her, Touko seems completely uninterested in helping him. There must be another way. The answer might lie with his new student, Sara Himeji, a first-year at Minegahara who may have gotten her own little supernatural present. He’ll have to figure out something quick, because Touko is planning to release a new song and there’s no telling what fresh chaos that might bring…
S.P.Q.R. by Mary Beard
In SPQR, an instant classic, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome “with passion and without technical jargon” and demonstrates how “a slightly shabby Iron Age village” rose to become the “undisputed hegemon of the Mediterranean” (Wall Street Journal). Hailed by critics as animating “the grand sweep and the intimate details that bring the distant past vividly to life” (Economist) in a way that makes “your hair stand on end” (Christian Science Monitor) and spanning nearly a thousand years of history, this “highly informative, highly readable” (Dallas Morning News) work examines not just how we think of ancient Rome but challenges the comfortable historical perspectives that have existed for centuries. With its nuanced attention to class, democratic struggles, and the lives of entire groups of people omitted from the historical narrative for centuries, SPQR will shape our view of Roman history for decades to come.
The Once And Future Sex by Eleanor Janega
What makes for the ideal woman? How should she look, love, and be? In this vibrant, high-spirited history, medievalist Eleanor Janega turns to the Middle Ages, the era that bridged the ancient world and modern society, to unfurl its suppositions about women and reveal what’s shifted over time―and what hasn’t.
Enshrined medieval thinkers, almost always male, subscribed to a blend of classical Greek and Roman philosophy and Christian theology for their concepts of the sexes. For the height of female attractiveness, they chose the mythical Helen of Troy, whose imagined pear shape, small breasts, and golden hair served as beauty’s epitome. Casting Eve’s shadow over medieval women, they derided them as oversexed sinners, inherently lustful, insatiable, and weak. And, unless a nun, a woman was to be the embodiment of perfect motherhood.
In contrast, drawing on accounts of remarkable and subversive medieval women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen, along with others hidden in documents and court cases, Janega shows us how real women of the era lived. While often mothers, they were industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, artists, and artisans and paved the way for new ideas about women’s nature, intellect, and ability.
In The Once and Future Sex, Janega unravels the restricting expectations on medieval women and the ones on women today. She boldly questions why, if our ideas of women have changed drastically over time, we cannot reimagine them now to create a more equitable future.
Dinosaur Sanctuary Vol 2 by Itaru Kinoshita
When dinosaurs were found to have survived to modern times, people were enthralled–until a catastrophic incident drove dino-mania to extinction. When Kaidou, who was there to witness it, opens up about what happened, the rookie keeper Suma Suzume learns more about the disaster–and her coworker–than she ever expected. But that’s far from the only thing on her mind. Whether it’s raising a baby Troodon or throwing a birthday party for a geriatric T. rex, there’s always plenty for Suzume to do at Dinoland!
Tears of the Wolf by Elisabeth Wheatley
After the murder of her child, Brynn of the Istovari wants nothing more than to escape the shackles of her birthright. As a sorceress and the last of a once-great bloodline, many still seek to use her for their own schemes. Brynn will do anything for the chance at freedom, even if it means marrying an upstart warrior from the far north.
Cenric needs a wife—but not just any wife—a sorceress. Having recently reclaimed his inheritance after a youth spent across the sea, a sorceress will bring security and legitimacy in his estranged homeland.
A marriage gives both Brynn and Cenric what they want—for now.
In the far northern reaches lies a land ruled by pride and strict codes of honor. As Brynn and Cenric struggle to navigate the aftermath of their hasty union, they soon realize that rival factions within the kingdom are on the verge of war once again.
Alone, they will be destroyed by the coming storm. Together, they might stand a chance.
I hope you enjoyed my February 2025 Book Haul. What books did you buy this month?
