What I have been Reading- January 2021 Edition.

 

I enjoy reading but like with crafting I go through phases of being a voracious reader to barely being able to pick up a book.  I do try to read at least one book a month.

 I am a member of one of my W.I’s book club which we have been continuing to hold via Zoom. We meet on the last Friday of the month usually, but due to Christmas and New Year being on Friday last year it was delayed until the first Friday of this month. The book chosen was ‘Away with the Penguins’ by Hazel Prior.   

(image courtesy of Google)

 I loved this book as I agreed with the critics in it being uplifting and heartwarming. It also helped me get out of the reading ‘funk’ I had been in for the last 4 months ( I struggled to even finish the book club choice, including my one). It was the perfect antidote to being in lockdown. I hope that if I get to Veronica’s age that I still have her guts and stubbornness to do what she wants. She reminded me of the older Rose in Titanic, leaving behind her home comforts to go to the research ship. Except this is the Antarctic and it is penguins not a wreck. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a story of how a person can change and what made them that way in the first place.

This month’s book choice was ‘The Mother in Law’ by Sally Hepworth. I found this utterly compelling and I could not put it down. It explores the complicated relationship between a mother in law and daughter in law and how often acts are not interpreted in the way they were intended. This story is a murder mystery and all of the characters seem to have a motive for killing Diane, the mother in law. I am looking forward to discussing this tonight at the meeting to see what other people thought.

(image courtesy of Google)

My final book I read in the early hours of the 2^nd January after waking up at ridiculous o’clock and not being able to get back to sleep. This was 'Skipping Christmas' by John Grisham.

(image courtesy of Google)

 I normally associate John Grisham with thrillers but this is a light hearted look at parents whose only child has just left the nest and won’t be returning for Christmas as she is abroad. The parents decide not to bother with Christmas but it seems the rest of the world is against them doing that. If you have seen Christmas with the Kranks, then this is the book the film was based on. Because I had seen the film  I was able to visualise the characters and the scenes being played out which is probably why I read it so quickly.

I have got a couple of books already on the go ready for next month as well as finding out later what the book club choice is so I look forward to writing about those next month.