At the end of January I was surprised at my low tally of books read. My February tally is even lower – only three books finished – but I’m less surprised, because in February I did a lot of other things:
- swam around the Busselton Jetty
- planned and prepared for the start of a new university suggestion, among growing Covid numbers in our state
- snorkelled
- rearranged my whole house, with the arrival of new carpet meaning most of our possessions had to packed up, moved and then moved back and unpacked
- wrote a tiny bit.
And that’s just the main things. Anyway, in spite of all that busyness, I did mange to complete three books, as well as start another three, which I am sure I’ll finish soon.
Here’s what I finished:
Books for Children
Two Weeks With the Queen, by Morris Gleitzman (Pan Macmillan, 1989). I first read this not long after it came out, and was curious how well it would stack up more than thirty years later. it still moved me to tears. Funny but also very deeply moving, dealing with childhood cancer, AIDS and more.
Where the World Ends, by Geraldine McCaughrean (Usborne, 2017). I picked this one up because I have been doing a little research of an event set in St Kilda, Australia. I quickly realised the St Kilda in this story is in Scotland, but was intrigued anyway. Based on a true story, a group of boys set ashore for a summer of sea birding is marooned when no one comes to collect them. Beautifully wrought, I am so glad I did find this one.
Books for Adults
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V. E. Schwab (Titan, 2020). This was recommended on Audible, and I wasn’t sure, but really enjoyed it. Addie is 300 years old – having given her soul for the promise of time to live. The only catch is, she can’t own anything and no one remembers her once she is out of their sight. When she meets the one man who seems to be able to remember her, it seems too good to be true.
So, that brings my year to date total to ten. A slowish start to the year reading-wise, but there’s still plenty of reading time left in the year.
What have you been reading?