In February, I managed to finish 8 books. Not bad really considering it was a short month and a very busy month for me helping at out home with both parents sick! Let’s have a look at what I finished.
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
This is book number 4 in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. I had read 2 and 3 in January and continued reading them into the start of February as they are quick and easy books. In this books, local drugstore clerk Rhonda is found dead and Hannah once again finds herself helping to track down the culprit.
Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Book number 5 in the Hannah Swensen series. In the run up to the Sheriff elections, current Sheriff Grant is found dead and the main suspect is the other election candidate, Hannah’s brother-in-law Bill. Hannah must work quick to try and clear his name. Another quick and easy read by Joanne Fluke which I found enjoyable, I do like the characters involved. I decided to take a break though so this entire blog post wouldn’t be about these books!
Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly
The first non-fiction read this month. It’s a short account of Nellie Bly, who has herself institutionalised for 10 days. She recalls the shocking treating of the patients who are also institutionalised and the horrible conditions they live in. Set back in 1887, it’s hard to believe people (and more accurately women) were actually treated like that, it made me gasp in places. Interesting read.
Watermelon by Marian Keyes
This is the second book of my Reading Resolutions list. I picked it up from a charity shop because I knew this was the first Marian Keyes book I wanted to read. It’s book number 1 in the Walsh family series. It starts off with Claire, the oldest Walsh sister, who has just had her first child in hospital when her husband arrives and tells her he’s leaving her for another woman. Claire’s life is turned upside down. So she returns home to the support of her wacky family and tries to get her head around what happened and get her life on track. I did enjoy the book, but I don’t think I clicked with the character of Claire that much. However I liked it enough to read the next book in the series.
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes
Book number 2 in the Walsh Family series. It deals with middle sister Rachel, who finds her life spiralling out of control in New York. Her flatmate decides enough is enough and when Rachel is found after a suspected suicide attempt which results in her stomach being pumped, she is sent home to enter Ireland’s answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. Even though Rachel does not believe herself to be a drug addict, she agrees to go as she thinks it will be like a holiday, all celebrities, spas and the occasional therapy. I found the story very frank and actually laughed out loud at certain parts!
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in Space by Mary Roach
Mary Roach is one of my favourite non-fiction writers, having previously read and enjoyed Bonk and Stiff. Packing for Mars explores all sides of life in space: eating, what zero gravity is like, how do you go to the bathroom, can you have sex in space. While I did find this book interesting, it’s my least favourite of Roach’s books so far, probably because I don’t love the whole idea of space. Don’t get me wrong, it is well worth the read and is interesting. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
Angels by Marian Keyes
Book number 3 in the Walsh Family series. This book deals with sister number 2, Margaret (Maggie), who is the goody-two-shoes of the sisters and about to shock the family. After being fired from her job and discovering her husband is having an affair, Maggie decides to be sponateous and leaves to LA, where she crashes with best friend Emily, a screenwriter who is down on her luck. Her Maggie comes to terms with the end of her marriage, while also learning to let loose to mix with the cool, tanned and beautiful LA people. She also deals with some past demons. Again I found myself laughing out loud at certain parts, these books could be classified as chick lit but I find they are cleverer than that.
Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes
Number 4 in the Walsh Family series and this time the focus is on sister number 4, Anna, the one flaky, hippy sister who is recovering at home in Dublin after some injuries, with only one thing on her mind: to get back to New York to her fabulous job and to her husband, Adrian. This book follows Anna’s emotional and physical recovery in New York. I found it sad in places but again I did laugh out loud other times. Keyes can hit certain things on the head so well, especially with Mammy Walsh, who I find hysterical.
February Reading Stats
Number of books read- 8
Ratio fiction to non-fiction read- 6:2
Number of eBooks- 4
Number of books borrowed from library- 4
Number of books from Reading Resolutions- 1 (Watermelon)
So clearly more of a fiction kind of month. Not sure if I’ll be able to read as many books this month, I’ll be in London twice, with one of those visits over a week so I doubt I’ll have much time for reading! But hopefully I’ll squeeze it in when I can, the good thing about having a Kindle app on my phone is that I’m always carrying a book, which is handy for waiting rooms and things like that.
Link to January’s Read
