Where the hell did February go? I know it’s a short month but this is ridiculous. The fact that I’m so late posting this today is evidence of how caught off guard I’ve been. I only just realised I need to post something. Then when I eventually sat down to write this rundown but I realised that I had no memory of what I read this month. It’s like I haven’t read anything. Although, I did. Not as much as last month. I’m gonna blame the fact that February has fewer days. If this month were a normal length, I’d have got one more and matched my number for January. Wait, does this mean that I’ll be one up in March? Depends on how distracted I get by my birthday I guess. It feels like I’m already way behind where I need to be but let’s not worry about that yet. What did I read over the last 29 days?

Number of books read: 7
Number of books on hold: 0
Number of physical books: 2
Number of ebooks: 0
Number of audiobooks: 5

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming

I’d never read this book before. I was obviously familiar with the film but I don’t remember ever reading or hearing the original story. Though I was always intrigued. I mean, the writer of James Bond writing about a magical car is an interesting concept. So, when I managed to get a copy of an audiobook narrated by David Tennant, it felt like the right time. Thankfully, it was a lot of fun and super charming. A great listen on a lazy Sunday.

The Child Book by Sebastian Fitzek

This was an Audible dramatisation that I’ve had sitting in my library for a long time. It had a pretty interesting cast and I was drawn in by the story. A boy of 10 believes he committed a murder 15 years ago. He confesses to a lawyer who then helps the boy discover what’s going on. It sounds great, right? In the end, it was a bit lacklustre. The twists are pretty obvious and the story isn’t that engaging. Still, I’ve read worse.

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

I didn’t post a review of this book for a few reasons. The first was that I wanted to write something about the criticism I’ve heard against audiobooks. The second was that this book was just too good. I knew that any review I tried to write would just be a gushing of praise and nostalgia. Not just for the stories themselves but for the cast of the audiobook I listened to. It might be weird hearing someone other than Jim Cummings play Pooh, I thought the British cast did a great job.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

This was the first book that I started reading in 2020 but it took me until the middle of February to finish it. Anyone who also read my January Wrap-Up will know that I put this book on hold. This month I finally went back to it and, boy, am I glad. It was such a beautiful read. So well written and telling such a human story. It’s haunting in its own way and I’d recommend it to everyone who loved complex character studies and beautiful writing.

The Silent Ones by K.L. Slater

I got this audiobook from an Audible daily deal because it sounded great. Two young girls get accused of a horrible crime and, when they are interviewed by the police, they both stop talking. It had a lot of potential but it just ended up being dull and obvious. It’s just family melodrama and feels like the kind of storyline you’d seen in a soap opera or something. Definitely not something I’d recommend anyone waste their time with.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I listened to this short story last weekend so I could take an Instagram photo of it. I had a bunch of button-shaped chocolates and thought it would be cool to use them as a prop. It was also good to go back to this story. It’s such a well-written, funny, and sad tale. It is full of humanity and really delves into mortality. Considering how short a read it is, I’d suggest anyone who hasn’t already read it does. Hell, if you already have, why not read it again?

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

My last completed book of the month was a super disappointing one. I really liked the look of the cover and mostly bought it so I could recreate it on Instagram. However, it had the potential to be a really thrilling read. It wasn’t. It was uninspired, badly written, and incredibly silly. I was so angry by the end. Angry at myself for buying it. The writer used to be a barrister so her knowledge of the law profession is great. Her writing ability? Less noteworthy.