Books I Have Read This Month - February 2026

 

As we near the end of winter, the only thing keeping me going is the thought that spring isn't too far away.  When I see the crocuses popping up their glorious little mauve coloured heads, it fills my heart with joy as they promise that spring is just around the corner.

Of course, the other thing that has kept me going through this grey, wet February is the books that I have read.

The Heart-Shaped Box by Lucy Kaufman

This novella was a quick and excellent read.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer

I felt very privileged to have had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

I have read that the author of this book wrote it as it combined two of her greatest pleasures – reading and knitting.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Man Who Wore All His Clothes and Other Stories by Allan Ahlberg

This is a collection of very funny stories. The humour contained in both text and illustration are very well done and it made these stories come alive.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Other Mother by Heidi Field

This book made for fabulous reading.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Less by Patrick Grant

This is a fabulous book written by The Sewing Bee's Patrick Grant. It discusses over consumerism and is quite the wake up call. My review will be following.

Love Struck by Ally Bloom

This was a tense story line. Review to follow.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

This is one I'd been wanting to read for ages. It's set in a Jewish/Black neighbourhood. It made for excellent reading.

Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur

My review of this book about Iranian women will follow.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer

Written with a dual timeline, this book kept me hooked throughout.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer - #bookreview

Matthew Barr was in the crosshairs.

Finally.

Finn Garrett watched him lock the battered old Focus and sling a backpack over one shoulder. There was a woman with him - young, and with her mousy hair tied back...

The Blurb

On a summer’s evening in 1926, six-year-old Celie Shepherd is hungry and desperate and not where a six-year-old should be. Instead, she is dangling from a cliff, far above the sea, reaching out to pocket an impossibly beautiful thing.

This bold theft will change the course of Celie’s life, and the lives of others.

One hundred years later, a house is ransacked. The only thing missing: a dusty case containing that same impossible thing.

What could conceivably be so important that it is stolen again and again (and perhaps yet again…)?

My Review

Written with a dual timeline, this book kept me hooked throughout.

The book begins on a Yorkshire cliff in 1920 where the locals are scavenging for birds' eggs. This is partly how they make their living – taking eggs from their nests and selling them to collectors or their agents. I am glad to say that this is an illegal activity in the UK now. 

However, when young Celie is dangling from a rope over the cliff edge, she finds eggs that are so unusual, collectors are willing to pay a pretty high price for them.

Celie is the main character in the part of the novel set in the past. She is only six years old when the novel begins and it follows her through to adulthood.  Malnourishment meant that she would take the risk of dangling over a cliff edge to collect eggs, initially just so she and her family could have an omelette for their tea. She is a sweet and vulnerable child whom, as a reader, I felt very protective towards and feared for her safety.

In the present-day part of the book, we meet Patrick and his neighbour and friend, Weird Nick. Apparently, Patrick was introduced to readers in the author's previous book, Rubbernecker. However, I haven't read that book and this works very well as a standalone novel. Patrick is neurodivergent and his friendship with Nick often lent the novel some humour. They are both highly likeable characters and a joy to read about.

When Nick stumbles across an egg in his loft and attempts to sell it on eBay, he sets in motion a series of events that neither he nor Patrick could have foreseen.

This is a highly readable and, at times, exciting book to read. Prior to reading this, I did not know much about egg collecting and thus, I found it educational as well as a great novel to enjoy. 

It is well written and the book moves back and forth in time seamlessly. The author has researched her book very well, some of which is based on real-life events. It blends the past and present beautifully. There were sufficient twists and turns in the plot to keep me reading.

The characterisation is outstanding and I was sorry when I finished the book and had to leave Celie, Nick and Patrick behind. Each of them are adorable characters in their own individual way. 

The book has a terrific ending of which I shall say no more. It has a historical and contemporary plot which meld together beautifully. I recommend this book to you as I do not think you will be disappointed. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this book. Have you read any of Belinda Bauer's books before?

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1804997888

Publisher:  Penguin

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  416 (paperback)

Purchase Links

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Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

BELINDA BAUER grew up in England and South Africa and now lives in Wales. She worked as a journalist and a screenwriter before finally writing a book to appease her nagging mother.

For her debut, Blacklands, Belinda was awarded the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year. She went on to win the CWA Dagger in the Library for her body of work. Her fourth novel, Rubbernecker, was voted Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Her eighth novel, Snap, was a Sunday Times bestseller. It was longlisted for the Man Booker prize and voted Crime Thriller Book of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards.

You can also find Belinda at:

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One Fine Voice by Rebecca Langston-George - #blogtour #excerpt #extract.

Today I have an extract from this gorgeous looking book. It has to be one of the loveliest covers I have seen in a while. 

The Blurb

All her life, Esther Hopkins has been told she has a mighty fine voice. 

Still, she can't believe her luck when just days after moving to town she's invited to sing a solo at the 1923 Independence Day picnic.

But the group sponsoring the picnic is not the benevolent fraternal order they claim to be. Worse, they've recruited her father, the town's freshly ordained Baptist minister, to become their chaplain. 

When they target the immigrant family of her new best friend, Esther must risk her father's anger, the KKK's revenge, and her family's safety to follow her conscience, salvage her friendship, and find the strength to speak truth to power even if it costs all she holds dear.

The Excerpt

Chapter 2

The pianist hit a wrong note in the chorus, causing Mama to wince, just as the church’s back doors wheezed open. A girl with a big blue hair bow in the next pew turned to look at me. Our eyes locked. Then she turned toward the doors behind us. I followed her gaze. That’s when I first saw them.

White robed men wearing pointed hoods paraded up the center aisle. They marched together in pairs until they reached the altar where my daddy had just kneeled; then half went left and half went right, forming a line across the front of the church. Their faces were masked save for the cut-out eye holes. Those sunken, shadowed holes all stared right at me, it seemed, pulling my eyes toward them, locking me in their dark gaze, paralyzing me with their murky eyes. 

I tried to sing. I knew every song in the hymnal by heart. But just like the white masks staring at me I didn’t have a working mouth. I tried to read the words in the hymnal, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from those blank stares. The one thing in my body that worked was my memory. It jabbed a stick in a deep muddy pool of my mind that usually only bubbled up in my nightmares. 

Four years ago, a winter’s day. A crust of ice crunched underfoot as I walked with my uncle to his barn. A lamb had gotten loose and had frozen to death near the fence. Its white wool stiff with sparkling ice crystals. A black crow was perched atop its head, a dark berry dangling from its beak. The crow flew away, and I saw that the lamb’s eyes had been picked out. Its cold, empty eye sockets stared through me, and I screamed.   

I felt that same urge to scream right then and run clear down the street away from our new church. I even turned my head toward the back door, but something stopped me. The girl—the one with the big blue bow—she was singing, --like she probably did every Sunday. I blinked. I turned my head the other way. Daddy sang along in his strong tenor. Blink. Reverend Dewhurst held his hymnal high and sang toward the ceiling. The pianist plunked on. Mama was the only other one that looked confused. Everyone around us was acting as if nothing unusual was happening, like masked robed men marching into church was perfectly normal. Was this normal for Grayson, Indiana?

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1964700595

Publisher:  Historium Press

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  143 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Rebecca Langston-George is the author of nineteen books for young readers including the globally popular For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story. Though she’s long been known for nonfiction, One Fine Voice is her first middle grade historical fiction. 

A retired teacher credentialed in both single subject language arts for upper grades and multiple subjects for younger grades, Rebecca is a popular school presenter for all ages, encouraging students to investigate and tap into their personal interests when writing. 

She serves on the board of The California Reading Association and is the Co-Regional Advisor for SCBWI Central-Coastal California, helping other writers achieve their dreams.

She splits her time between California’s scenic coast and its agricultural heartland, writing (and mostly rewriting) at one mile per hour on a treadmill desk. 

You can also find Rebecca at:

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(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

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The Green Baize Door by Eleanor Birney - #bookspotlight #blogtour

 

I'm so pleased to be shining the spotlight on this book today. The Green Baize Door by Eleanor Birney is a historical mystery book which was inspired by real life events.

The Blurb

An atmospheric historical mystery where every character has their own agenda, and their own truth.

In the fashionable mansions on Chestnut Hill, a simple green baize door separates the masters’ world from the servants’. That door is thrown wide when an elderly housekeeper is found brutally murdered on the first day of the new century. Marie Chevalier, the housekeeper’s poor but ambitious granddaughter, and James Lett, the mansion owner’s kind but indolent son, suspect the killer is connected to one of their families—but which one?

From drawing rooms to alleyways, their separate investigations lead them through the sometimes lavish, sometimes brutal, landscape of turn-of-the-century New England. When long-buried secrets begin to unravel the fragile threads that hold both households together, Marie and James must find a way to bridge the gulf between them—if only to prove that the murderer belongs not to their own world, but to that strange and foreign land on the other side of the green baize door.

Inspired by real-life events, The Green Baize Door is a richly layered historical mystery that explores themes of class identity, family loyalty, and the sometimes blurry line between virtue and vice.

Book Details

ISBN:  979-8993431703

Publisher:  Parlour & Dock Press

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  295 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Eleanor Birney writes historical mysteries about class, moral ambiguity, and people who aren’t satisfied with life on their side of the green baize door.

She received a BA in History from UC Berkeley, and works as a legal research attorney, a day job that feeds her love of precision, research, and puzzles.

Growing up in foster care gave her a lifelong fascination with the way society steers people into assigned places—and how some of those people refuse to stay in them.

She lives in Northern California with her family. The Green Baize Door is her debut novel.

You can also find Eleanor at:

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(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

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A Gift of Words by Rosalind Dando - #bookspotlight #blogtour

A Gift of Words was the 14th place BBNYA 2025 finalist! I am delighted to be shining the spotlight on it today.

The Blurb

A magical gift is more trouble than it's worth...

Cam has plenty of things to worry about. His best friend might have broken someone’s fingers, the class bully won’t leave him alone, and staying under the radar of his teachers is much harder than it ought to be. He definitely doesn’t need magic to make his life any more complicated. Which is good, because when he does write his name in Libris Sapientia—the book of wisdom—a whole lot of nothing happens. He is a failure, and even a book agrees. Then, Loman Lykill joins their class, bringing a whole new brand of chaos to Highgrove Secondary. Cam has his magical gift, whether he wants it or not.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1919235219

Publisher:  D&O Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  284 (paperback) 

Series:  Book 1 in The Gifts trilogy

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

About the Author

Rosalind Dando is an author, artist, and primary school teacher living in the north of England. She has written several novels, and her debut, A Gift of Words, is published in April 2024 by Shadow Spark Publishing. 

You can also find Rosalind at: 

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Contact her through any of the above sites, or email: rosalinddando@gmail.com 

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 (17 in 2025) finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. 

(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

The Other Mother by Heidi Field - #bookreview #blogtour

I walk to the far end of the platform, checking over my shoulder every few seconds until I reach the furthest bench. I'm early for the train, so I settle down with a sweet tea and a magazine...

The Blurb

Suzannah is pregnant with her third child. The first is in prison. The second is dead. How far will she go to keep her unborn baby safe?

When Suzannah learns she is pregnant, she feels like safety and happiness are finally within reach. Her handsome, successful fiancé, Alec, is over the moon about the baby. He proposes and pampers her. He thinks this is Suzannah’s first marriage and first child, but she’s keeping a few secrets. 

Actually, a lot of secrets. 

And they are dangerous…putting Suzannah in a position where she must choose who and what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her baby and her freedom.

Drowning in her lies, Suzannah is desperate to bury her past, but her ex-husband, who abandoned her years ago, returns, stalking her and demanding to know what really happened to their daughter. 

When the imprisoned serial killer who lured and groomed her son, threatens to sell his story to the press, Suzannah feels like the life she’d built and the precious one she’s growing, teeter on a precipice. Now the two children she’s hidden from Alec may be the least of her worries.

My Review

This book made for fabulous reading.  I had intended to read the first book in this series, The Other Boy, but alas, time ran away from me and I didn't find the time to do it. This did not impede my enjoyment of this book as it works perfectly well as a standalone novel.

The main character, Suzannah, was brilliantly portrayed. She is completely burdened and overwhelmed by secrets that she has been keeping from her fiancé, Alec. They are expecting their first child, but unknown to Alec, this is Suzannah's third child. Mason, her firstborn, is in prison for the part he played as accomplice to a notorious serial killer, and her daughter, Lily, was murdered when she was three years old. She has gone on to build this safe life with Alec until the past catches up with her in the form of her ex-husband, Breck.

We are drip-fed little reveals as the book goes on and I came to realise that Suzannah was not the reliable narrator I had at first assumed. She is a complex character, who we learn has more secrets than those she is keeping from Alec.  I loved the way the author developed her character as the book progressed.

It was a fast-paced, suspenseful novel which made for fantastic reading. I was thoroughly hooked and couldn't wait to get back to it each time I had to set it aside.  There were sufficient twists and turns to make this an exciting book to read.

The author has done an excellent job with this novel. As soon as time permits I will be going back and reading the first book. However, I understand that there is going to be a third book in this series and I can hardly wait for that. In the meantime, I highly recommend this novel.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1969218552

Publisher:  Tule Publishing Group

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  318 (paperback)

Series:  Book 2 in the Peasdale Woods Killers series

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Heidi Field was raised in the beautiful countryside of the South of England with her parents and her two sisters. In her twenties she was a freelance Sports Massage Therapist. She achieved a Degree in Zoology at the age of thirty and then went on to raise two boys and became the stepmother of three more young children. She still lives near her family home with her partner, their Great Dane and the children that have yet to fly the nest. 

In her early forties Heidi completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Winchester University. She entered the course hoping she would become a children’s fantasy writer and left with a burning desire to write contemporary mysteries and thrillers. 

Heidi wanted to put relatable people in extraordinary situations, challenge them, push them to their limits and watch them fight for their sanity. The Other Boy is her first novel.

You can also find Heidi at:

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(ARC and media courtesy of Zooloo's Book Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

Secrets in the Woods by Susan D. Levitte - #blogtour #excerpt #extract

I am so pleased to be bringing you an excerpt of this book today.  Enjoy!

The Blurb

On October 8, 1871, fire turned night into a living hell. 

While Chicago's blaze claimed the headlines, a fiercer and more devastating inferno swept across Wisconsin's Green Bay peninsula-obliterating farms, forests, and families in its path.

Here, among immigrant settlers carving new lives from the wilderness, survival came down to split-second choices: to run, to hide, to fight the flames. Mothers shielded children with their bodies, fathers vanished into smoke, and neighbors faced the firestorm with nothing but faith and will.

Inspired by forgotten accounts and newspaper fragments, Secrets in the Woods brings to life the untold human drama of one of America's most harrowing nights-a story of resilience, loss, and the fragile hope that rises from the ashes.

The Excerpt

We hadn’t had a normal day for so long. Every day was now filled with all available hands batting back flames, watching for flames, or preparing for the flames. Normal fall chores were neglected so we could find more water, scratch together food that could be eaten on the hoof, treat wounds and burns, and rotate chores in the hopes of being able to step back into normal when this was over. 

That Sunday was the same. Small fires were popping up in the woods, and the trees continued to burst into flames, sending the firefighters to protect the nearest property. Even the little girls who had cared for Atlan were put to work fighting the flames at their homes.

Book Details

ISBN:  978-1964700472

Publisher:  Historium Press

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  270 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the Author

Susan was born and raised as the fifth generation to live on the family land in Northeast North Dakota (nearly Canada). She moved to Wisconsin in 1997, living in Door and Manitowoc County and now resides in the pastoral Kewaunee County. Married to Quentin, they share their home with Olive and Penny, their silly Labrador retrievers, and Gil, their ever-lazy cat.

As a devoted reader of historical fiction and nonfiction, she brings her passion for history and desire to educate readers into her work. With twenty-five years of experience in global advertising and marketing, she holds a master’s degree in communications and currently contributes her expertise to the Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport.

You can also find Susan at:

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(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)