February was a balancing month for me, I hit 10 books by the 2nd month which put me on track with the 5 books a month goal, so generally I was amped.
My thoughts on these are up on my YouTube channel, I’ll share the link at the end, however, here’s a short review on each ⬇️
Wahala by Nikki May
“See me, see trouble.” – Nikki May, Wahala
How on earth Nikki thought up the antagonist in this story and still remained sane, I may never know. This one is a mess, like watching a train heading for a crash and having no power to stop it. Nikki peppers this story of revenge with such beautiful, relatable human moments and a lot of humour as well. So many lessons on friendship and co-existing can be mined from this one.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson
“To be seen in this life, truly observed without judgment, is what it feels like to be loved.” – Cicely Tyson, Just As I Am
Oh Ms Cicely! What a life indeed. This one felt like listening to your grandma telling you all the things they got up to making a life. I listened to the audio along with the book and having it be her who narrates this gem was genius. One lesson shines through in this memoir, it is through genuinley loving people and having a strong sense of self that Ms Cicely lived such a spectacular and full life.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Scent Of Bliss by Nthikeng Mohlele
”Open-ended things take up too much space.” – Nthikeng Mohlele, The Scent of Bliss
We are all fragile things, often governed by intangible things outside of our control, fear, love, recognition and the desire to be accepted as we present ourselves, to be wanted as we are. Many of us navigate life in control of those things that govern us, but from time to time, some of us lack the will and succumb to the control of these intangibles. This is what Nthikeng explores in his debut and he does it with unmatched lyrical genius.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
“Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
This is the best blueprint to a perfect romance, especially the excellent execution of the enemies to lovers trope. Jane Austen does so much more with this story, gives it a feminist flare within a rebellious narrative. Considering the times it which it was written and who it was written for adds that much more awe in the bravery and determination of the author. There are so many take aways from this story for modern women trying to navigate life, family, friendship and love in the 21st century. This is a true gem, worthy of being cast among the classics. It certainly sparked my interest in other Jane Austen books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Greatest Secret by Rhonda Byrne
“When you observe your thoughts instead of getting lost in them, you see them for what they are: something separate from you that you can either choose to believe, or not.” – Rhonda Byrne, The Greatest Secret
As an introduction into consciousness this book delivered in so many solid ways. For me though I’d say the understanding of being separate from my thoughts and feelings was the biggest take away. Being able to observe how I’m feeling without using it to define who I am has had a profound impact on my overall view of life. I will admit I enjoyed the simplicity with which this was explored.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian by CS Lewis
“To know what would have happened, child? said Aslan. No. Nobody is ever told that.” – CS Lewis, Prince Caspian
For me The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is still a fave in this series. Even so, I’m still blown away by the life lessons that are captured in these short books. C.S continues to imbue the books in the series with colour, adventure, magic, and all the things that make a children’s book memorable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My full thoughts on these books can be found on the video below.
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