February felt like slow reading month compared to how January started off. However, nonetheless an interesting month with various reads from different genres.
So without further ado, here is what I read in February.
Would i lie to you
At the school gates in Wimbledon Village, Faiza fits in. It took a few years and a brand new wardrobe, but now the snobbish mothers who mistook her for the nanny treat her as one of their own.
But the perfect life costs money. When her husband Tom loses his job, Faiza realises she’ll have to reveal her biggest secret: she’s spent her family’s entire life savings.
Unless she doesn’t…
It only takes a second to lie to Tom. Now Faiza has six weeks to find £75,000 or risk losing the family she has worked so hard to protect.
My rating: 4/5
My thoughts:
It’s a rarity when a book engages you from the very first page. But this was one of them. I am making more of a conscious effort to read more books from South Asian authors and I’m glad I chose Aliya’s book and it was lovely to read some terms and names that are used commonly in our household.
I was engaged from the very first page, rooting for the main character, Faiza, to see sense and stop making mistakes. Many a times, I was feeling on the edge and couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend, great story and lesson to learn of how a little lie can turn into a web of lies that you struggle to get out of.
The midnight library
Between life and death there is a library.
When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.
The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren’t always what she imagined they’d be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.
Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?
My rating: 5/5
My thoughts:
I was quite cautious when approaching this book because I’ve heard so much about it. Would it live up to its hype and popularity for me? It was one of those books that leave you with a ton of personal questions about your own self and life at the end.
I found it really interesting to read how different the main characters life would have been if she had taken a different approach.
Mum life
MumLife; noun: the inescapable swirling vortex of love, guilt, joy, annoyance, laughter and boredom that makes up the life of a mum.
Louise Pentland has been through a lot. From a traumatic birth with her first daughter, to single motherhood, to finding love again and having a second child, Louise’s parenting journey has been full of surprises.
Discussing the realities most working mums face, plus the impact of maternal mental health, Louise is on a mission to make other mums feel less alone and very much heard. She beautifully reveals her own imperfect but perfect route to motherhood, as well as the loss of her mum so early in her life, how it shaped her and the mother she became.
My rating: 5/5
My thoughts:
This is Louise’s autobiography and one of the most incredible books I’ve read this year. Louise shares every aspect of her life and it literally felt like listening to a self help book. Relatable, useful and incredibly inspiring.
The mummy bloggers
Elle Campbell is a glossy, lycra-clad mum with washboard abs, a ten-year plan and a secret past.
Abi Black has quit sugar, moved to the country and is homeschooling her kids.
Leisel Adams slogs away at her office job each day before rushing home, steeped in guilt, to spend precious moments with her kids before bedtime.
All three share a label that they simultaneously relish and loathe: mummy blogger. And when they are nominated for an award with a hefty cash prize, the scene is set for a brutal and often hilarious battle for hearts, minds-and clicks. As the awards night gets closer, their lies get bigger, their stunts get crazier – and some mistakes from the past become harder and harder to hide.
Where shall I even begin? I kind of felt offended as I fall into a ‘Mummy Blogger’ category so didn’t like how the bloggers were being portrayed, felt it was very stereotypical. However, the only thing that I gave it a star for was the message it gave out that everything you see on social media doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the truth.
I’d also like to give a trigger warning as there’s a part regarding baby loss which I don’t think the author handled very well.
Hostage
You can save hundreds of lives.
Or the one that matters most….
The atmosphere on board the first non-stop flight from London to Sydney is electric. Celebrities are rumoured to be among the passengers in business class, and the world is watching the landmark journey.
Flight attendant Mina is trying to focus on the passengers, instead of her troubled five-year-old daughter back at home – or the cataclysmic problems in her marriage.
But soon after the plane takes off, Mina receives a chilling anonymous note. Someone wants to make sure the plane never reaches its destination. They’re demanding her cooperation…and they know exactly how to get it.
It’s 20 hours to landing.
A lot can happen in 20 hours….
My rating: 5/5
My thoughts:
One of the best books I’ve read this year. Clare Mackintosh is one of my favourite authors. I really couldn’t put this one down at all, so had to switch to audio a couple of times when out and about as always wanted to carry on reading.
You can easily put yourself in the shoes of the main character. It really does make you think, what would you do?
If you’re looking for a great not your typical thriller then give this a go!
WHAT DID YOU READ IN FEBRUARY THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?
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Oh wow, it looks like you had an amazing reading month! I’ve heard so many great things about The Midnight Library so I’m really glad you enjoyed it, I’ll have to pick it up. As a massive fan of thrillers Hostage sounds perfect for me too! Thank you so much for sharing x