The year in books: February

My book for February is going to be The Hourglass Factory by Lucy Ribchester.  I think Vikki sent it to me a while ago, and it appealed to me when I was sorting out the bookcases the other day.

January's book, Sucking Shrimp, started off well but then I completely lost interest.  I can't even tell you much of what it's about - a teenager who loves cooking, and Spain, and is slightly obsessed with her friend's mother.  That's as far as I got before I gave up.  Too many books I want to read, to spend time reading those I'm not enjoying!

Fires of Autumn by Irene Nemirovsky was excellent.  My mum gave it to me for Christmas the year before last, as she and I both enjoyed Suite Francaise.  This book is very similar, set in the early 20th century, and covering the lives of French families.  Beautifully written, and a book I devoured.

For Christmas I received two of the modern Famous Five books, Five Give Up the Booze and Five Go on a Strategy Away Day.  I loved the Famous Five books when I was younger, and these books are very much written in that style (and very tongue-in-cheek).  The Famous Five are now adults and appear to be living and working together (don't question any of this too much!).  Naturally, mystery and drama follows them wherever they go.  They're great stories, short and sweet, and genuinely made me laugh out loud.

In the library the other day I fancied reading a Jacqueline Wilson book.  She writes great stories and sometimes I just want something really easy to read.  I read Hetty Feather last year and found Sapphire Battersea on the shelf which is the second story in the trilogy.  Sapphire (Hetty) has left the home for foundlings and is now put to work as a housemaid whilst trying to write her memoirs and stay in touch with her not-so-secret mother.  A good read.

So a varied month - I am trying to make a real effort this year to read more.  I spend far too much time scrolling aimlessly through my phone.  Even if it's just a few minutes, those minutes add up.  So I've got reading material dotted round the flat even more than I did have before: I've got magazines in the living room (for when Ben says he's 'nearly ready' to head out, but I know he's not) and I have at least two if not three books on the go at once, so I will have a choice in reading material.  I've also given two bags for life full of books to charity shops recently - I own so many books (mainly from charity shops, or from friends) and really, I'm not going to read them all.  So I'm downsizing my collection, to show off the books I do have, and so I'm choosing to read books I do actually want to read.

Let's see how that goes!