Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: February 2024.

 

February draws to a close. 

And it's time to talk about all the books I read this month. 

February being my Birthday Month I try to read some of my favourite books and authors. I do this little thing called Reading Favourites in February and I tried to read some old favourites and even re-read some beloved books of mine. 

I had a good reading month. 

I read 15 books. 

A mix of old loves and new. 

I read two memoirs. 

Read a spot of kid lit. 

Literary fiction. 

Some Indian Lit. 

A good solid reading month. 

I also bought some books. 

Read a ton on my iPad. 

Got some ebooks. 

Read a classic too. 

I am so happy with how my bookish life shaped up this month. 

FEBRUARY BOOKS: 

1. Mukesh Starts a Zoo by Ruskin Bond: Started my month with a Chapter Book about something sweet and fun and funny. A young boy and his friends start a rag tag zoo and all sorts of hijinks ensue. This was sweet and a good time. 

4/5 

2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: Of course, my birthday month had to include an Austen. I had never read Mansfield Park before and I scarcely even knew what it was about. I read this slowly through the month and quite enjoyed it. Fanny Price was a very different Austen heroine than one is used to. She is meek and quiet and quite subdued, which makes sense because she lives with her rich aunt and uncle as a poor dependant, so obviously she'll be meek and subservient. 

I liked the story telling and the people and of course, Austen is a joy. 

4/5 

3. Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaoud: This is very hard hitting and moving memoir about a young woman dealing with a devastating Cancer diagnosis and the battle to get better. It was such an illuminating  read that I could not put down. I loved how it was written and the many amazing people we met in these pages. 

4/5 

4. Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander: A thriller that sounded good but eventually I didn't enjoy at all. My most disappointing read of the month. 

1/5 

5. Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler: I adore Anne Tyler's books so much. I have read a few of her books and I love her way of writing about families and women, especially older women who most other books delegate to the background. I loved this story about a 52 year old woman who wonders if she's ended up in the wrong life. I really loved this book and a very loud and chaotic family at the heart of this book. 

4/5 

6. Homeland My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabek: I loved this book so much. It's a picture book about a Palestinian man reminiscing about his home that he can no longer go back to. A book that is beautiful and important. With everything that is going on in Gaza, everyone needs to learn more and read books like this. 

5/5 

7. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Euganide: Re-read this book after ages. I read this back in 2010. And I saw the film back then too. I remembered the broader strokes but not the nitty gritties of this story. This time reading this book made me oddly mad. These girls deserved better. They needed help and to get away from their toxic parents.

I still liked it. But it made me so angry. Even the tone of the boys narrating the story are such jerks. 

3.5/5 

8. Notes from A Small Room by Ruskin Bond: This was my birthday read and it was everything I hoped for. It was sweet and warm and comforting. 

4/5 

9. The Arsonists City by Hala Alyan: This book was such an immersive read about an Arab family. 

Three siblings and their lives and issues and we go back in the past to see their mother in her youth and how her life changed over the course of a summer. 

Lebanon, Syria, America and Palestinian refugee camps- this book took us so many places and in so many lives and stories. It did feel a litttttle long in the last quarter but overall this was a good read that talked about family, identity, dreams and guilt and love. 

4/5 

10. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Saffron Foer: Another re-read of a very beloved book. I hadn't read this is soooo long. And I found it just as gut wrenchingly beautiful and lovely and sad and crushing and original. If you haven't read this yet. Please pick it up. It's so so so good. 

4/5 

11. The Pig Flip by Joshy Benedict: I love graphic novels. I am so glad that more graphic novels are coming out of India and even regional languages are being translated, so all of us can read them. This beautiful graphic novel is about a man and his family all dealing with this addiction to gambling and cards. It was simple and beautiful and so rooted in things so many struggle with. There were also pigs. 

I loved it. 

4/5 

12. Serious Concerns by Wendy Cope: Read some poetry and enjoyed it. It was decidedly modern and fun and funny and quite lovely. I definitely want to read more Cope. 

4/5 

13. The Perils of Moderately Famous by Soha Ali Khan: Another memoir was read. I went into this one hoping for it to be a fun read and something light and fluffy. It was but it was also so much more. This was surprisingly relatble and warm and very well-written. I loved this, it made me smile and even made me cry. My favourite chapters were ones about her father and her writing about Mumbai. 

I am so glad I randomly picked this up. It was a good time. 

4/5 

14. Chronicles of an Hour and a Half by Saharu Nusatba Kannanari: This book was a tense and atmospheric read about a small town in Kerala and how one very rainy afternoon. rumours and gossip swirl and a frenzy is created on Whatsapp and the villagers want to set right an adulterous affair and all hell breaks loose. 

The dread was dripping in every page. And this situation was so wholly believable and scary. Something about Mob Violence just really scares me. 

I enjoyed it. I liked it. Just didn't love it. 

3/5 

15. The Poisoner of Bengal by Dan Morrison: People can do anything. Fall to any lengths for greed and money and do all sorts of evil things. I love true crime and I was very intrigued by this tale of fratricide in 1933 Bengal, in a zamindari family no less. I had never heard of this case and boy this blew my mind. 

Full review coming soon. This was so well-researched and so mind boggling. People suck. And gosh the lengths they go through to get even and get their way. Yikes! 

4/5 

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

So that's everything I read this month. 

It's been Good. 

Hope February was good to you too. 

Monthly Favourites: February 2024. (Journals, Books, iPad, Birthday and Colouring Books).

 Hello Loves! 

February is almost over. 

We get a whole extra day this year and it always makes me happy, having one extra day in my birthday month. 

To honest though, for the first time in forever this February wasn't my favourite. 

I had a pretty crummy month and was sad and out of it for most days. I was honestly waiting for this month to end and I am happy to see it go. 

My birthday month was a bit of a flop. 

:( 

Well, but that's life. 

Some months are good and others suck, it was just sad that my birthday month was one that I didn't enjoy. 

Still, there were some things I loved and so here are some favourites from a less than perfect month. 

FEBRUARY FAVOURITES: 

1. Journals: I found a lot of comfort and joy in my Journal this month. I used a pretty embroidered journal for my birthday month and I am happy with how most of the pages turned out. I might do a full post with my favourite journal pages. I also liked my Reading Journal set up this month. 

2. Crochet Reading Tote: I used this softer than soft crochet daisy tote from Nelumbo Crochet as my reading tote for two months now. It holds two books comfortably and my annotation supplies. I made good use of the last few cold days and used a snuggly bag. Will move out of this come March because it's already wayyy too hot. I need to stay away from anything remotely sweater like. 

3. Reading: I read 15 books this month. Most good. Some re-reading was done and I even read an Austen and read some favourite authors. I also enjoyed annotating and using page flags. I read some old books, revisited old faves and read on my iPad. My reading wrap-up will be up tomorrow. 

4. Colouring: I got back to my colouring books and my little arting and it made me so happy. I really need to do more of this. I might need to get myself some new colouring books. 

5. Birthday: Turned a year older. Another circle around the sun. I got so many wishes from so many people and it made me so happy. I ate cake, watched a ton of horror films and rested and had a decent day. 

:) 

6. Sunsets: The gorgeous Spring sunsets are coming back and it makes me almost wish for Spring Summer. Almost, I am not looking forward to the heat but the sunsets are lovely. 

7. Candle Light: Cold nights also meant lighting a candle and feeling all warm and fuzzy. I am happy we had a few cold and cozy nights and my candles could come out and be of use. 

8. One-Pot Pasta: I have re-discovered my love for one-pot pasta and have tweaked a recipe that I absolutely love. 

Recipe: 

Take a few tomatoes, one green capsicum, mushrooms and add pasta of your choice to a pan, add some olive oil and water. 

Cover and cook till things are cooking down. 

Add salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, basil and parsley. 

Mix mix mix. 

Cook it up. 

Add a dash of cream and cheese and eat. 

Easy, peasy and so delish. A perfect meal for hot evenings when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. 

9. New Books: I added so many new books to my iPad. I allow myself a book haul or two in February. It's the only time I let myself buy books without any guilt. I also got a handful of physical books for my birthday, haul coming soon. 

10. Colouring Supplies: One of the things I bought myself for my birthday is a set of colouring pens. A dupe for the legendary Copic Markers..which I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable splurging one, its one of those things I want but don't feel good spending money on, I will get the whole set when I marry a very rich man who wants to spoil me :D 

But I got this set of 60 colours and I am quite happy with them. I've spent many a hours happily colouring and unwinding. 

Book Recommendations: CU Hockey Series by Eden Finley & Saxon James

 Hello, hello,

If you enjoy MM/ gay romances, then I have some fun recommendations for you. 

This is a series of 5 books by Eden Finley and Saxon James and all of them are available for free as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription. 

These are all books that are:

• Low Angst 
• Sweet 
• Medium spicy/ steamy 
• Sort of funny with some laugh out loud moments 
• HEAs 

So, if you want to read something fun and light within the broader sports romance sub-genre, then these are good books to pick up. 

Quick mini reviews: 

Book 1: Power Plays and Straight As 

Plot Summary: “Look out for Zach and don’t hit on him.”

My brother’s request sounds easy enough. Keep an eye out for his best friend on campus and keep my hands to myself.

Easy.

Even if Zach is a quintessential nerd, who I’ve always thought was cute, I don’t have the time to think with my … stick.

There’s only one stick I should be focused on this year, and that’s my hockey stick. My goal once I graduate is to get an NHL contract.

The last thing I need is a distraction. On or off the ice.

Only, keeping to the rules is harder than I thought it would be.



ZACH

People confuse me.

And no one more than Foster Grant.

I’ve barely spoken two words to him in the whole time I’ve known him, but the second I step foot on campus, he’s impossible to shake.

I can never anticipate his next move. And whenever we’re together, my next move is a total mystery as well.

I want to give in to him, but that might mean coming clean about something I’ve never been bothered about before.

I’m still carrying my V-card.

And I think it’s time to turn it in.

Review: This is such a cute opposites attract story! Foster is a prodigiously talented hockey player and Zach is a socially awkward Masters student. He doesn't really understand people well and that has held him back from trying to date anyone. So, when his best friend's brother volunteers to help him learn about dating, he reluctantly says yes. 

I loved the dynamic between Foster and Zach. Loved how sweet Foster was with Zach and how they slowly fell for each other in spite of all their differences. 

Rating: 4/5 

Book 2: Face Offs & Cheap Shots 

Plot Summary: 

JACOBS

For the last three years, I’ve lived and breathed hockey with one goal: team captain.

There’s only one thing standing in my way. TJ Beckett.

Beck is irresponsible and immature, and I’ve hated him since the moment we met freshman year.

Yet, the coaches see something in him I obviously can’t, and they refuse to choose between us. The captain spot is going to a team vote, and the team thinks that what we need are a bunch of challenges to prove our worth. Challenges that have nothing to do with hockey. Challenges that are throwing me and Beck together.
And he’s still as infuriating as ever.


BECK

I have no idea why Christopher Jacobs hates me, and I can’t say I care. I like pushing his buttons, but the guy needs to loosen up. I’m going to win these stupid challenges easily and spend my senior year as hockey king on this campus.

Tormenting Jacobs at the same time will just be a bonus.

Even if I’m getting confusing feelings toward him, I won’t let it hold me back.

When it comes to competing, I’m all in, and nothing will get between me and the W.

Review: This was a rivals-to-lovers story and both Beck and Jacobs were so cute! Becks is like an annoying sunshine-y boy, who has his own burdens that he shows no one whereas Jacobs is more serious and focused. Their banter was so funny and even how they get to know each other and let down their walls was very nicely done. 

Rating: 4/5 

Book 3: Goal Lines & First Times 

Plot Summary: 

COHEN

It turns out making out with my best friend in high school could be considered gay. Who knew? Apparently, everyone but me.

Now that it’s been pointed out, I can’t help reliving it in my head. Repeatedly. Goodbye Denial Town, hello Confusionville.

When my path leads me down the gay dating app route, I don’t expect to meet anyone I like, but then I meet him.

He can’t be more opposite than me. He’s smart, he hates hockey, and he identifies as demi—something I’ve never heard of.

Yet I can’t deny something’s there. Something I want to explore in person. If only I could get him to agree.



SETH

All my life, I’ve felt broken.

Sick of being asked if I could be gay by ex-girlfriends, friends, and even my parents, I join a gay dating app to prove a point.

I don’t expect to find what’s always been missing. A real connection.

The problem is, I’m too scared to meet him in person. He’s a hockey player, and I fear when he finds out my twin plays for the NHL, I’ll be overshadowed by my overachieving brother. Again.

Worse yet, what happens if we meet and that connection isn’t the same?

When I tell him I’m not ready, he’s disappointed but supportive. Fate, on the other hand, isn’t as accepting.

I had no idea the person I’ve been falling for is someone I already know.

Review: Seth and Cohen were just so cute! Seth has had a tough dating life. He thought he was straight but after a few failed relationships, he began wondering if he is asexual or demi sexual. Cohen also thought he was straight but he wants to find out for sure. Both of them get on a gay dating app and come across each other. Both want to chat and get to know each other before even meeting up. 

I loved their conversations and how they started to like each other without knowing their real identities or what they looked like. And it was priceless when they realised that they actually knew each other (a little bit) in real life! 

Rating: 4/5 

Book 4: Line Mates & Study Dates 

Plot Summary: 

ASHER

Hockey, studying, and school runs. That’s my life now.

After a tragic accident that took our parents’ lives, it’s up to me and my big brother to take care of our five younger siblings. 

In between burning their meals and keeping them from killing each other, I’m supposed to get a college degree. It’s hard when I don’t have time to breathe let alone study, and if I don’t get my grades up, I’m in danger of losing the one thing that makes me happy: my spot on the hockey team.

Which is why when the new equipment manager offers to tutor me, I really can’t afford to say no. Even though I should.

He’s Coach’s son and way too tempting.


KOLE

As this year’s equipment manager for Dad’s hockey team, I’m expected to deal with sweaty jock straps and herding hockey players to their rooms at away games.

The job is easy, but babysitting Asher Dalton is not supposed to be a part of it.

So why, when his brother asks me to keep an eye on him, do I agree?

Why, when he’s struggling in classes, do I offer to help?

And why, when we’re studying, do I suggest a reward system that lands us squarely in bed?

Asher's trouble, I know he is. But there's something about him that makes it impossible to stay away.

Review: This was sweet hurt/comfort type of a book. Asher is angry- with himself, with his older brother and with the tragic death of his parents. His anger finds a vent on the ice and his new teammates have taken an instant dislike to him. Plus, looking after five of his siblings doesn't leave enough time for studying. So, he is struggling with grades. Kole is the coach's son. He is a pre-med student, who is kind and when he sees Asher struggling, he steps in to help. 

Asher and Kole's relationship - their banter, their bond, the way Asher lets his guard down- is just *chef's kiss*. This is definitely one of my favourite books in the series. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Book 5: Puck Drills & Quick Thrills 

Plot Summary: 

WESTLY

The fall from NHL superstar to domestic disaster was swift and painful. When I became the legal guardian of my five younger siblings, I had no idea what I was doing.

One year later, I’m still lost.

Coaching CU’s hockey team might be the only thing I’m excelling at. But when our star forward is failing math, I have to do what it takes to keep him on the team. Even if it’s going head-to-head with Jasper Eckstein.

One minute I’m confronting the notorious hockey-hating professor, and the next I’m agreeing to be his date to his twenty-year high school reunion. 

I don’t know how that happened.


JASPER

My rules are simple. I don’t give extra credit. Ever. No matter how entitled jocks think they are, I refuse to give them special treatment. 

It's not because I hate them. It's not because a hockey player broke my nose in high school. 

It's fair. 

But when Westly Dalton bursts into my office like a hurricane, all my principles fly out the window. 

Suddenly I'm giving extra credit.

And I have a date to my reunion. 

After one explosive night together, I want more, but his home life is a mess, and I don't want to get in the way. If all we can have is quick thrills, I’m okay with that.

It’s not like I could ever fall for a jock.

Review: West, Asher's older brother, is struggling. He has given up a dream NHL career, is struggling with raising teens, tweens and two 9 year olds plus Asher's rage doesn't help either. He has no time for himself or even a break. 

Jasper doesn't like jocks after a bunch of them nearly beat him to death in high school, but he has a high school reunion coming up and he wants to show up and show his bullies that he is no longer the same scrawny kid they beat up. So, West agrees to be his fake boyfriend. 

The dynamic between West and Jasper is just so sweet. West is the responsible father-figure at home, but when he is with Jasper, Jasper takes care of him and West needs that much more than he even knows. Their romance is slow, caught between adulting and real life challenges but is just so good. 

Rating: 4.5/ 5

This series has likeable, fun, sweet characters and low angst, so, if you are jonesing for some light but fun reading, then give this series a go. 

Stationery Sunday: Journal Inspo + Midori Cover.

This month I’ve made my daily journal pretty as can be.

My sister finally got around to decorating her Traveler’s Notebook.

Look how pretty she’s made the cover🪬

A pretty journal spread from this week.

Another look at my sister’s planner.

 Her planner and a bookmark to hold her place. 

Friday Favourites: Spring + Books + Crochet Plushies + Slow Days.

Hello Loves! 

Another Friday and another batch of some favourite things from life lately. 

Spring is the air, well summer is nearly here and making it's presence felt. 

As much as I hate winter leaving, there is something very special about these bluer than blue skies we get in Spring-Summer. 

I didn't do an insane book haul for my birthday this year. In fact, I bought just one book, that too weeks before my birthday. 

I do have a few books sitting in my cart and on my wishlist..but I am not sure if I'll go ahead and get it. 

Maybe get 5 books. It was my birthday after all. 

Coffee with a side of cuties. 

Basking in the sunshine. 

I guess someone likes the Spring sunshine. 

A book I read this week and loved. I always read Ruskin Bond on my birthday and this one about home and the hills and nature and life was such a wise and happy companion on my birthday and the days after. A good time and it made me miss Landour something fierce. 

Light and curtains. 

 Vazhga Vazhga by Imayam. 

Stories I might jump into over the weekend. 

Love how gorgeous this cover is. 

Vignettes of a Day: 22.2.24

 

Scenes of an ordinary day. 

New books on my Kindle. 

Coffee in my favourite corner. 

Journaling some dreams and daydreams. 

Naps. 

And just a slow and ordinary day. 

Journal Pages: February Edition.

 Hello Loves! 

Journaling has brought me a lot of joy lately.

Here are some pages from my journal this week, before the ink. 

These pages were filled with thoughts about the year gone by and I made a list of all things I want to focus on the next year. 

Birthdays always make me take stock and make a ton of lists! 

I Love Books 📚

 Hello Loves! 

I sure do love reading and my books. 

Here are some glimpses of my reading life lately. 

My book tote. A soft crochet bag to hold two of my current reads. 

The Frog 🐸 pouch holds my headphones. 

A pouch to hold my annotation supplies. 

Page flags and books. 

Am reading📖 

Books on my iPad. 

Books & Coffee☕

Warm and fuzzy and lovely. 

18.2.24 Another Birthday ❤

 Hello Loves! 

Today is my Birthday. 

I turn another year older and definitely wiser. 

TBH, I've been a little sad all month long. I really wanted to have a happy birthday month but..instead I've been feeling deeply unhappy. 

Guys, I haven't even bought any books this month. And normally, if you've followed me along for any length of time, you know that February is when I go feral and just buy as many books as my heart desires. 

Not this year. 

Everything feels so out of sync and my heart just feels heavy and out of it. 

Meh. 

Today was mildly better, I think watching some of old nostalgic films worked. 

I watched You've Got Mail again. 

And Two Weeks Notice. 

And this evening I watched Bhoot. 

It was a chill day. Here are some glimpses of my very okay-types-birthday. 

Coffee. A venti, because birthday. 

This was a White Mocha Frappuccino. 

It was good. 

Birthday in my planner. 

Pages in my current read. 

It's a little bit of a tradition to read Ruskin Bond on my birthday. 

What I Wore Today and my Current Read. 

Notes from a Small Room by Ruskin Bond. 

Just the kind of comfort I needed. 

Some Birthday Wisdom & Thoughts. 

🍰 Cake🍰 

Monday Moods: Some Delightful Things.

 

Charulata. A hand painted brooch. That is currently being used as decor in my book shelf. 

Pouches and pens and pastel hues. 

February in my planner. Apt that it has a cake in it. 

My beloved, very precious Tombows. 

A journal and a bookmark that came with it. 

A tote. From Piko. 

Happy and sunshiny flowers. 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Owls on my iPad sleeve.