A round up of all we have read, written and loved this month.
What we have read in February
We kicked off the month with the first ever Sherlock Holmes book. A Study In Scarlet had all the hallmarks we were expecting plus a detour to Utah. I’m so pleased to be able to say I have finally met the man behind the deerstalker. Even if he was flogging a dead corpse on first introductions.
Station Eleven may not be the best book to read whilst the Corona virus is sweeping the globe but it ticks just about ever other box. I loved Emily St John Mandel’s pre and post apocalypse book about beauty, love and survival.
Below Zero by Book Social favorite Dan Smith is a chilling adventure story for the bravest of middle graders. We loved it, scary robotic spider type things and all.
A return to John Grisham for Book Social had us reading The Whistler. This is a very complex tale about corrupt judges and native american casinos. It’s a slow burner and requires your best concentrating pants.
Notes from a Small Island is a spot on portrayal of modern day England, told by an American! We loved this piece of non fiction from Bill Bryson so much we have already bought the follow on, The Road To Little Dribbling.
We then went a bit Blog Tour crazy with Death Deserved by Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst followed swiftly by Beast by Matt Wesolowski. Death Deserved was a Scandi Noir offering from the author of TV detective William Wisting coupled up with previous Book Social blog tour author Enger. Beast was book number four in the Six Stories series by Wesolowski offering vampires, frozen bodies and a challenge that would leave you dead in six days. Both were very good.
We rounded out the month with The Guest List by Lucy Foley. A remote setting, a celebrity wedding and an invite to die for!
Books of the Month in February
Lucy Foley also happened to be the author of our Book of the Month. The Hunting Party. This was Foley’s first time out as a thriller writer but the twists and tension made it a real page turner.
Our children’s book of the month was Toletis by Rafa Ruiz. The book is actually a translation which was a first for the book club. We liked its gentleness and giggled over thinking it was actually called toilets.
Read of the Month
Our favorite read of the month has been… can I call it a tie between Station Eleven and Notes From a Small Island? Lets say it’s a fiction and non fiction choice. Both brilliant.
- Notes From A Small Island
- Station Eleven
A birthday giveaway
February is Book Social’s birthday and to celebrate we had not one but TWO giveaways. Children’s Book of the Month Toletis disappeared to Guernsey and a #BirthdayBookStack ended up in Norfolk. Elsewhere we talked tea called women authors over 45 has-beens and took on storm Denis.
What we have obtained
The latest Vashti Hardy book, Darkwhispers was purchased on the day it came out this month but now has to be wrestled from daughter who also loved Brightstorm.
Keep an eye out for The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford, and Deep Dark Night by Steph Broadribb that will also be popping up on Book Social next month.
That’s it for us but we look forward to hearing all that you have read in February.
