I thought I’d keep blogging about books for a while! So here goes.
February was a funny one for reading. I read 5 books in 6 days when I discovered the wonderful author Beth Moran. Her books were absolutely what my heart and soul needed. Sweet, heart-warming and funny.
But after I finished those books, I decided to read a few non-fiction. I’m usually rubbish with non-fiction. I get distracted so easily and find it hard to read them consistently. And this month I ended up reading between 3 non-fiction and 2 Chinese books. So, although I’ve read a lot, I haven’t completed any other books.
Psstt… want to know how my Chinese studies are going? Check out my February Language Review. [Going live March 1st]
I completed 6 books and a total of 2,659 pages.
But I’ve read 55% of my current Chinese read (200 pages), plus 50 pages each of Kitchen Witch and When the Body Says No.
Only 2 of those books fit prompts in the Popsugar Reading Challenge, but that’s okay. I still have 10 months to go!
- 3 5-star reviews
- 6 Kindle books
- 5 partially-read physical books
Here’s a summary of the books:
A Single Swallow by Ling Zhang
I gave this book 4 stars. Something was missing for that 5th star and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
A Single Swallow is a very popular book in its original form (Chinese) and translated into English. It’s set mostly during World War Two when the Chinese and Americans were working together against the Japanese, but much of the story is told by the ghosts of 3 men who are reminiscing on their short time together in China. Their stories are told through their love for the same woman, Swallow (Ah Yan), and we finally learn about her life.
Just The Way You Are by Beth Moran
A really lovely story about a 29-year-old who finally has the courage to move out of her mother’s home and start living life as she wants to. She finds a beautiful cottage and instantly becomes friends with a young girl who lives on the same row. Over time, she learns to make new friends, navigates work, and finds herself looking to date again, without her manipulative mother getting in the way of things.
Always On My Mind by Beth Moran
Jessie’s life changes on her prom night and she never seems to get back on the right track. Due to even more complications, she agrees to move in with her twin Isaac (and his two friends!). Living together brings up old feelings of guilt, shame, and love for Jessie, but the boys are happy to have her around and she’s roped into helping them with a ‘Boys to Men’ project.
This book is really sweet and heart-warming and I’d love a follow-up!
Take A Chance On Me by Beth Moran
This wasn’t a bad story, but it just wasn’t for me. Emma is the main character of the story (sort of). She’s from an Irish/Italian family and is the oldest of five girls but with no man on the scene. She decides to take part in a compatibility project to find herself a husband, but the project is being run by her sister Bridget, and the man who has a huge crush on her (Bridget), Patrick Cooper. So… although it’s a wonderful story of family, love and searching for happiness, I wanted something more from this.
We Belong Together by Beth Moran
The perfect book with a few good twists. Eleanor runs away in the middle of the night, heading for a best friend’s farm. But when she finally arrives, her best friend Charlie isn’t there. This story takes you through Eleanor’s, Charlie’s, and the worlds they’ve left behind in order to find happiness and peace.
It’s incredibly heart-warming and great for those in a rut and need a little comfort.
A Day That Changed Everything by Beth Moran
This book is exactly what my heart and soul needed as someone who is struggling with agoraphobia. The protagonist, Amy Piper, considers herself a loser. She suffers from agoraphobia and hasn’t left her house in two years, despite trying to raise her 13-year-old son, Joey. One day, she decides enough is enough and she has to make some changes. She starts running, although only before sunrise, and she asks her long-term friend to give her and her son some space, forcing herself to do more.
It’s a really wonderful story of ‘winning’ and finding yourself despite all the odds going against you.
What Am I Still Reading?
I haven’t yet finished a couple of books and I’m not rushing to either. The following books (apart from Amidst a Snowstorm) I’m reading as and when – either when I have five minutes before dinner or just before bed.
- Kitchen Witch by Sarah Robinson
- The Pain Relief Secret by Sarah Warren
- When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
- Harry Potter in Chinese
- Amidst a Snowstorm in Chinese
What have you been reading this month? Anything you’d like to recommend?
Miss Hillsmith x Languages Louise 