February felt like it was about two weeks after January felt forever long. Throw in a good flu bug, our school auction/dinner happening after months of planning (although, due to said flu bug, I had to miss it), Valentine's Day, Ash Wednesday, and wrestling season...there was a lot going on! I always lament the shortness of February, I could finish another book if I had an extra day or two! But even with all that happening, still got some books finished, including the one I had been reading aloud to my oldest for 3+ months!
I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th!
Other book posts in the past month:
Book Love: Organized Living by Shira Gill
And now everything else I read!
Top Story by Kelly Yang
This is the 5th book in a middle grade series about very precocious pre-teens (or they might be 13 by now) who manage to get away with a lot. This is largely based on the author's real life experiences growing up as an immigrant in South California in the 80s and 90s but much of it really seems like a stretch (could a handful of kids really self-produce a newspaper in a matter of days that had big city newspapers concerned about their competition?? I don't think so.). But I still mostly keep rooting for these kids. 3.25 Stars
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis
This is a book about keeping house when either your brain isn't inclined to think that way or if you are so over whelmed with life that you can't focus on what needs done. It breaks down the very small steps you should take when very small steps are all you can handle. This was a helpful read for those instances but maybe also for understanding people you live with who might process things like messes differently than you. 4 Stars
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
A follow-up to The Maid and another good page turner. I don't read many mysteries so I didn't figure it out any sooner than the characters but it was also just a fun time getting to the answers. Worth reading if you liked The Maid. 3.75 Stars
Wear it Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed by Allison Bornstein
I had it on my list to clean out my closet and dresser and so this was good timing to read shortly before doing that. It helps with naming your style and addressing what you need to dress like that. I named my style while I was reading it...and now already forget 2 of the 3 words. Hahaha, but I was inspired while reading it! 3.5 Stars
The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
I specifically read this Super Bowl weekend since I had heard it recommended in light of the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance. This book was written before all that was in the news but it was about a long-time friendship between a retired ballerina and pro-football player. It was cute but also felt like the version of the NFL that exists in the world where East High from High School Musical wins the state basketball championship. 3.25 Stars
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
World War II fiction about 3 women, one helping refugees from New York, a German working in the concentration camp, and a woman forced to be in the concentration camp. I realized real quick this wasn't a good book to read right before bed because...it just wasn't relaxing. Important to know these stories and I am glad I read the book, as hard as it was at times. 3.75 Stars
Play for Me by Libby Hubscher
Romance set at a New England boarding school between a female trainer and male orchestra director who don't really see eye to eye at first. It was fun and the boarding school setting was different. 3.25 Stars
All About Cookies: A Milk Bar Baking Book by Christina Tosi
Not a big fan of cake, I've decided that cookies are about my favorite dessert. It's just so satisfying to eat a good cookie. We've gone to the Milk Bar our last 2 times in New York and in Las Vegas. Her compost cookies are some of my favorites so I was interested in a cookbook of just cookies. I marked quite a few of these to try but she also heavily encourages experimenting further with her recipes which is fun. 4 Stars
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal
This was our book club book for February and one that I had suggested. I still find I can get very distracted, even on these days I am home alone. Some good research into how important it can be to singularly focus on one tasks as well as many tips to try to be able to do that (ignoring your phone is obviously a big one). 3.75 Stars
Betting On You by Lynn Painter
YA romance that drug on just a little too long for me. I know these are teenagers but, again, maybe talking once in awhile about real feelings would be helpful. It was fun and a page turner but could have used just a little more editing down I think. 3 Stars
The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland
I was a bit reluctant to pick this one up just because it didn't sound that interesting even though I really enjoyed this author's debut (Florence Adler Swims Forever). I started reading this when I was sick which made for a slow start but then I really did have trouble putting it down. About a real fire that happened in a Richmond theater, during a performance, nearly 200 years ago. Followed the story of 4 people who were affected by it, including 2 slaves, a stage hand, and a theater goer. Author's note at the back was especially worthwhile (she talks about which characters were heavily based on real people). 4 Stars
Read with Luke and/or Sam
The Adventurous Arctic Fox, The Helpful Hedgehog by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
I have been reading these aloud to Sam since last fall and he just loves them. We gave him a few for Christmas and a few more for Valentine's Day and he just got so excited, it was adorable. Sweet enough stories and I think in a few years he'll be able to read them to himself! 3.5 Stars
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay
I started reading this to Luke before Thanksgiving and we just finished it. You all, reading Harry Potter books out loud takes some time! A single chapter could take 30 minutes! But it really has been so fun to share with him. I've read this book to myself multiple times and it never made me cry. But, somehow, reading it aloud to my son made me get choked up more than once. Mostly towards the end and I had a bad cold (or the flu) when we were at those points so I could pass it off in a coughing fit but I was surprised at how emotional it made me. We have 3 big books ahead of us so I can't be sad yet about it nearly completion, it'll take us another year, at least! 4.5 Stars
What have YOU been reading lately?
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