Back when I was younger, I was always such a huge bookworm. I remember coming back from the library with a stack of books piled high and I’d race through them. But having children definitely puts a stop to that, and I’ve found it very hard to make time for reading over the last few years. I started picking up the odd book towards the end of last year, and remembered just how much I loved getting lost in another world, and I’ve been determined to make more time for reading this year. So far I’ve managed to keep it up well, so I thought I’d share with you what I’ve read lately.

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Transcription - Kate Atkinson

Kate Atkinson is hands down my favourite author - I love everything she writes, and Behind The Scenes At The Museum remains one of my all time favourite books. When I saw that in my reading hiatus I’d missed a new release from her, this was first on my list to pick up and it didn’t disappoint. It tells the story of Juliet Armstrong, a young woman who worked for MI5 during the Second World War. It has Kate Atkinson’s typical quirky style of writing, with a lighthearted and wry note to it. A brilliant reintroduction to reading for me!

The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

This one was recommended to me over on Instagram by quite a few people and I really enjoyed it. It’s a funny and easy to read romantic comedy, and does read almost like a screenplay (and I found out at the end that it was originally intended to be just that. And it obviously worked as it’s being made into a film now!) We follow Don, a physicist working in a university research department, clearly autistic (to the reader), but completely oblivious to this himself. He is thrown together with Rosie, who appears to be his complete opposite, and together they undertake a project to try to identify her father. It’s a charming read and very enjoyable, although I did find Rosie a little 2 dimensional compared to Don. There are another two books in this series, so I’m looking forward to reading those too.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

I felt like I was the only person in the country who hadn’t read this book already! I’ve made the brave step to join a book club to encourage me to read more, so when it came up as the first book I was really pleased. But I found this took me a long time to warm up to. At first I found Eleanor really difficult to like. She is judgemental and odd, almost to the point of caricature, and it was a hard going read for me because of that. But by the time I finished the book, I felt differently. I think loneliness is such a huge issue in our society, and I’m sure it’s something that we can all relate to on some level. I often feel lonely myself, and I know just how much of a negative cycle it can be. The more lonely you feel, the more you end up doing things to push people away, drawing you deeper into the hole. I loved the message of this book; that it’s never too late to make changes, and just how powerful a little bit of kindness from one person can be for someone else.

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse - Charlie Macksey

This was another Instagram influenced purchase and one I’m so glad I made. It’s been described as ‘the new Winnie The Pooh’ and I can totally see that comparison. It’s a short read, and introduces you to 4 companions, each of whom have their own battles and wisdom to impart.

It’s a short, but truly beautiful book to be treasured. A guide to living life and personal wellbeing. So often we rush through life and forget the things that matter, and this book is a beautiful reminder of everything that is good.

The illustrations are the perfect companion to the inspirational words - whimsical, simple and charming.

I can’t recommend this one enough, and it would make a wonderful present for a loved one (but be warned, you’ll probably have to buy a second copy for yourself!)

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I hope I’ll be able to keep up this little series and share with you what I’ve been reading in February. If you have any recommendations for me, I’d love to hear them!