February Bookish Wrap Up
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ID: Graphic with a grey background. The words February Bookish Wrap Up are in the centre and surrounding them is a picture of some books, a cup of tea and some gold stars.
Hello friends,
How was your February? I hope it was a kind one and you were able to read a book or two. I read a total of three books this month, two physical and one audiobook, plus one play. Here’s what they were, along with my thoughts…
A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
This was my book club’s optional read for this month and it was certainly an interesting one. It’s set before and after the events of the Tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. We follow Ruth as she discovers a diary written by a Japanese teen named Nao {Now}, there’s also a few other objects and letters with the diary. The book is written from both of these character’s perspectives and you’re essentially reading Nao’s diary along with Ruth.
ID: The book A Tale for the Tale Being. There is a red circle on the cover along with a wave and a pink lunchbox in the water. The book is sat on a grey tartan chair.
There are definitely some trigger warnings for this book as it certainly doesn’t shy away from from difficult subjects. So be aware there is extensive talk about suicide, mental and physical bullying, death and general mental health. Personally, I found some sections of this book quite hard to read and had to skip some parts. But these topics being connected to Japanese culture was interesting and at times insightful and I did learn a few things. So please be careful if you want to read this, as it does get dark at times.
Ruth Ozeki’s writing is wonderfully descriptive and really helps to paint a picture of the scenes and at times I felt so immersed in the story that I forgot which time period I was in, even though I knew which character’s perspective I was reading from. The other characters with this story are all well written and feel very real, especially Jiko and Oliver. Overall, I’m glad I read this as I feel the topics at it’s heart are important ones, though hard to read about. Oh and if you do decide to read this, I feel I should just say for any animal lovers out there ~ the cat lives, so don’t worry.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen {audiobook}
This is my penultimate Jane Austen book and then I will have read all her main novels and accomplished the goal I set myself last year.
ID: The book Northanger Abbey. It has a blue cover with a lady stood infant of a building on the cover. The book is sat on a grey tartan chair.
Northanger Abbey follows Catherine Morland, who has quite an active imagination! She has a love of gothic romance novels and this feeds her spirit of adventure in which she ends up spending time in Bath society with her friends. A chance encounter gets her an invitation to Northanger Abbey and here Catherine’s imagination gets a bit ahead of itself and she begins to think all sorts of things about the occupants there! The other characters within the novel are all typical Austen characters and you’ll either love or hate them
This is such fun novel and definitely in my top 3 of Austen’s novels. Catherine is such a wonderfully written character and I love that she’s an avid reader and even allows those books to influence, which as readers, I’m sure we’ve all done at some point. I’d say this one is definitely worth a read for anyone who likes books about books and readers.
This one had been on my radar for a little while and I decided it was high time I got it and read it.
We follow Emira who is a African-American lady in her mid-twenties and is the babysitter of a wealthy white family. In the very first chapter, Emira, while looking after 3 year old Briar, is accused of kidnapping her while they are in a store late at night. This sparks the rest of the events and narrative of the book, which sees Alix, Emira’s employer, who seems to have all the best intentions trying to help Emira and make things right after the events in the store.
ID: The book Such a Fun Age. It has a white cover, with the title written in pink and illustrations of some of the characters on the cover. The book is sat on a grey tartan chair.
There’s a few other interesting characters within this story and some surprising connections between a few of them. This book definitely brings up issues of privilege and prejudices within a story that has many twists to it which in one moment had me rooting for one character and then after giving you more information, siding with another one. There’s definitely an element of needing to see the bigger picture with this book as I could see all sides of the characters and why they were acting that way, though it didn’t always make that behaviour right. It also makes you check your own privileges which I feel is important and hopefully makes you more open to other people’s lived experiences and perspectives.
Another thing I liked about this book is that within Emira’s friendship circle, she feels she’s the one that has no clue what she wants in life. All her friends are all on different career paths, they’re making decent money and Emira really feels like she’s “behind” compared to them. I found this element of her story quite relatable as compared to other people my age, due to my circumstances, I could be classed as “behind”. I haven’t ticked off those “milestones” that society puts on people to have achieved by a certain age ~ such as children, marriage and being a home owner. While I felt for Emira, it did make me check myself and remember that life isn’t about ticking achievements off a list, it’s about living a life that makes you happy and content, no matter what your circumstances are and I feel I’m doing that to the best of my ability.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and feel it raises some important issues. It’s also a book that stays with you for a little while. Also Briar is the most adorable and thoughtful 3 year old!
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare
I also read another play by Shakespeare in February. I have to say, I wasn’t a big fan of this one as the main theme of it is all about Falstaff trying to have affairs with two married women and basically tells them that they’d be better off with him that their husbands! He gets his come up-pence in the end but I did find it a frustrating read at times.
There’s also a little side story of sorts in which one of the character’s is trying to get his daughter to marry his choice of man rather than who she wants. The reason why her father doesn't like her choice of husband is because he feels he’s too rich! This play is definitely of it’s time and you have to remember that when you read it.
March TBR:
I thought I would finish by sharing my TBR for this month especially since I’m hosting a animal Crossing related read-a-thon this month for the book club I host with one of my friends. I’m excited to tackle all the prompts and I feel I’ve got a nice collection of books picked out:
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Secret Garden by Frances Barnett
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens {audiobook}
A Girl In One Room by Jessica Taylor-Bearman
Brambly Hedge Spring Story by Jill Barklem
I’m also hoping I can fit in listening to Love and Friendship by Jane Austen as it’s the last book I need to read in my Austen Reading Goal from last year.
I hope March starts as well as possible for you all and I’d love to know what you’re reading plans are for the month, so please feel free to leave me a comment below.
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
