The four books I read in February 2025 were all great.
Yours Truly – by Abby Jimenez
This is the second Abby Jimenez book I’ve read, and I enjoyed this one as much as the one I read before. A light read, this romance tells the story of love and heartache. Despite being lighthearted, it deals with deep (sometimes heavy) topics and experiences. And that’s what makes Abby Jimenez’s books so enjoyable. They’re relatable, real and significantly escapist. Dr Briana Ortiz is about to finalise her divorce, her brother is in desperate need of a kidney donor, and her chance at a big promotion is looking increasingly unlikely owing to a new doctor, Jacob Maddox, who has just started working at the hospital. But then the unexpected happens. Charming book.
My rating is 4/5.
Order on Amazon US | Amazon UK
The Berry Pickers – by Amanda Peters
In 1962, a Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrived in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. A few weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe. This event affects the family terribly. But Joe is especially haunted by his sister’s disappearance and it has devastating effects on his life.
In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, and her mother is incredibly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams that feel more like memories than dreams. As she grows older, she slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. This book is heartbreaking but brilliant.
My rating is 5/5.
Order on Amazon US | Amazon UK
Related: All the books I read and loved in the 4th quarter of 2024
I Who Have Never Known Men – by Jacqueline Harpman
Wow, this is an intriguing book. First published in 1995, BookTok discovered it, and it’s made an epic resurgence. The story is narrated by a girl who’s been raised in captivity with 39 other women in an underground cage. Their memories are very sketchy, and most don’t remember how they got there. The book highlights some thought-provoking concepts – it certainly made me appreciate how far civilisation and society have come.
The story also makes you think that despite what we now know and take for granted, there is room for much improvement. Reviewers have recommended it as a book that will change your life. And I think they’re right. This book will make you think deeply about your life – as a woman, an educated being, and a human being on Earth. Whoa, that sounds heavy. And it is pretty heavy content, but you won’t regret reading this one.
My rating is 4/5.
Order on Amazon US | Amazon UK
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness – by Ingrid Fetell Lee
This book overflows with fascinating insights into how ordinary things can bring us joy. Ingrid Fetell Lee, a designer, has identified ten “aesthetics of joy” and shows exactly how and why each of them can improve our level of happiness. From energy (vibrant colour and light) to play (circles and bubbly forms); freedom (nature, wildness and open space) to celebration (sparkle, synchrony and bursting shapes) – this book takes you through all ten and concludes with a “Joyful Toolkit”(including helpful worksheets) that shows you how using the ideas in the book can bring you more joy. The more you know.
My rating is 4/5.
Order on Amazon US | Amazon UK
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