Hello rosebuds!π
What felt like the longest January ever, is finally over. Although I thoroughly disappointed myself by only completing two books, I am completely ready to take on February in full swing. Considering this is the shortest month of the year, my TBR might seem a bit ambitious, but that’s only because a majority of the books are for the Inloveathon.
Before I get into the books for my wrap-up and TBR, I will go into a bit more detail on the Inloveathon.
The Inloveathon is a readathon dedicated to reading romance novels or just books with a great love story. It will take place from the 10th-16th of this month. There will be 10 challenges altogether which I will list below. My main goal is to complete 6 of those 10 challenges.
The challenges:
1. Read a book from your favorite romance author
2. Read a book that combines your favorite genre with romance
3. Read a book with your favorite romance trope
4. Read a fairy tale retelling
5. Read an original fairy tale and watch the movie or film adaptation
6. Buddy read a book
7. Read a book while eating Valentine’s Day treats
8. Read a book that takes place in a location you would love to spend Valentine’s Day.
9. Read a LGBTQ+ love story
10. Read one of the host’s favorite romance books
As per usual, this post will be split up into three sections. My January wrap-up, my general February TBR and the books I plan to read for the Inloveathon.
Let’s get started!
JANUARY WRAP-UP
1. Pippi Longstocking
by: Astrid Lindgren
This puffin chalk edition tells the tale of a young, parentless girl named Pippi Longstocking. Pippi is a rambunctious child with red hair and a freckled face. She also just so happens to possess the fascinating ability of super human strength. Strange, I know.
The narrative begins when Pippi returns from traveling around the world by ship with her pet monkey and horse, and moves into a house all by herself. She then meets her neighbors, Annika and Tommy who instantly become her best friends. Throughout the novel we follow Pippi and her companions as they go on various adventures including an eventful trip to the circus.
I discussed this book quite a bit in my January TBR, as I ended up completing it only two days into last month. I mentioned how I really disliked Pippi’s character and I honestly don’t see that opinion ever changing. While she was both quirky and eccentric–qualities I love in a children’s lit heroine–she was also extremely rude and pretty much got away with anything and everything. Even though I did dislike the protagonist, the author made up for all that with her easy-to-read writing style and interesting plot. Overall, I really did enjoy this story. Although not a new favorite, I did loveΒ Pippi Longstocking enough to rate it a solid 4.5 flowers.
My Rating:
2. The Garden Party
by: Katherine Mansfield
The Garden PartyΒ is a classic short story collection written by Katherine Mansfield. Each narrative tells a different story about the struggles and tragedies that occur in our everyday lives.
I have a lot of thoughts, and am very sad to say that this book was such a disappointment for me. My biggest issue was the fact that Mansfield’s writing was super difficult to read and took me what seemed like forever to get into. I really wish I could pinpoint what it was about her style that threw me off but I just can’t say. Something about it I just did not mesh well with.
In addition to the writing, most of the stories were so completely confusing that half of the time I had no idea what was going on. I think the reason for my confusion was the fact that the plots were majorly allusive and had this abstract feel to them. The writer doesn’t make it clear what is actually going on, but leaves it to the reader to read between the lines. Pretty much every narrative ended abruptly and in the same sense where I was left asking myself, “what the heck just happend?”. It also didn’t help that some of the stories–namely the first one–had such an extensive cast of characters that I found it extremely difficult to keep track of who’s who. Even though I did enjoy some of the narratives, those few weren’t enough for me to give this book a decent rating. So overall, 2.5 flowers for this one.
My Rating:
GENERAL FEBRUARY TBR
1.Β Two on a Tower
by: Thomas Hardy
Two on a TowerΒ is a love story that follows a man and woman who are 10 years apart in age. They meet for the first time in a column that is eventually converted into an astronomy tower, and continue to have an affair that is kept a secret due to the judgment of others.
Two on a Tower was on last month’s TBR, and I’m actually currently reading it but didn’t end up completing it in January. I initially started reading this at the end of this past summer. I was really enjoying the story, but had to put it on hold for a readathon I was participating in. Unfortunately, I did that thing where I just never picked it up again. Right now I’m on page 237 out of 314, so I really don’t have much more to go.
2.Β Emma
by: Jane Austen
Emma follows a young female named Emma Woodhouse who never really envisioned herself falling in love or even just being in a relationship. Ironically, she finds the most joy in playing match maker for others which may or may not end up getting her in trouble.
As with Two on a Tower, I already started reading this classic Austen novel. Emma is one of those books that have been collecting dust on my shelves for years. It is for that reason that I made it top priority to complete this classic in 2019. I think the main reason I wanted to read this is because although my name is Emilie, everyone calls me Emma. Thatβs a silly reason to want to read a book, I know. I also heard Jane Austenβs Emma was the inspiration behind the cult classic Clueless and I am so here for it.
3.Β Old Herbaceous
by: Reginald Arkell
Old HerbaceousΒ is a classic British novel of the garden. In it, we follow an orphan, Bert Pinnegar, starting from his youth as a schoolboy where he enjoys picking wildflowers and often finds himself dodging angry farmers, all the way to adulthood where he becomes a legendary head gardener earning the name, “Old Herbaceous”.
I heard about this book through the Bookish Princess on Youtube, and immediately knew it was a novel I needed to read. I always loved learning about characters who are gardeners or who just pick up gardening as a hobby. There’s something so fascinating to me about reading beautiful descriptions of flowers and just nature in general. This book sounds right up my alley and I really can’t wait to read it.
INLOVEATHON TBR
1.Β Anne of Windy Willows
by: L.M. Montgomery
challenge: Read a book from your favorite romance author | Read a book that combines your favorite genre with romance
Anne of Windy Willows is a book I will be doubling up on for two challenges. The first challenge, which is to read a book by your favorite romance author, is a bit of a stretch. I know L.M. Montgomery’s books aren’t considered to be in the romance genre, but the Anne series is basically one big love story between Anne and Gilbert. For the second challenge, which is to combine your favorite genre with romance, this was the most obvious choice as children’s classics are my absolute favorite.
Anne of Windy WillowsΒ is the fourth book in theΒ Anne of Green GablesΒ series.Β As per usual, for the sake of not spoiling anyone I wont go into the synopsis. Just know that Anne is now out of school, and currently has a new job..and love interest.
2.Β I See London, I See France
by: Sarah Mylnowski
challenge: Read a book with your favorite romance trope
For the third challenge which asks to read a book with my favorite romance trope, I decided to go with the road trip romance theme.
I See London, I See FranceΒ is a young adult romance novel that follows two best friends who go traveling through Europe together. Unfortunately, on the plane ride there, they run into a cheating ex-boyfriend and his super hot best friend. So naturally, I think we can all guess what is going to happen from there.
3. Everland
by: Wendy Spinale
challenge: Read a fairy tale retelling
Everland is book one in a trilogy full of retellings. The first story reimagines the classic tale of Peter Pan with a steampunk twist. Meanwhile, the second book pulls inspiration from Alice in Wonderland with the conclusion following a world inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
EverlandΒ is another one of those books that have been collecting dust on my shelves for quite some time now, so I am really hoping to remedy that this month.
4. Peter Pan
by: J.M. Barrie
challenge: Β Read an original fairy tale and watch the movie or film adaptation
Peter PanΒ will be a reread for me, and I am totally looking forward to diving back into it. I think we all know what this is about by now so I won’t trouble anyone with a synopsis. I do however, remember the original story being a lot darker than the Disney movie. It’s been years since I’ve read this, so I will be interested to see how much that opinion has changed.
I am planning on watching the animated Disney film after I read this, but If I can find the 2003 adaptation with Jeremy Sumpter I might go for that one instead.
5. Thumbelina
by: Hans Christian Andersen
challenge: Read a book while eating Valentine’s Day treats
Like Peter Pan, ThumbelinaΒ will be a reread for me. I picked this book to read while eating valentine’s day treats because it is only 32 pages which I can totally do (and have done) in one sitting.
Thumbelina is a classic fairy tale that tells the story of a young girl who’s so tiny, that if you ever met her she would be roughly the same size as your thumb. We follow Thumbelina’s journey as she is kidnapped by an ugly toad and eventually becomes the Queen of all Flowers.
This is a lovely tale full of whimsy and beautiful descriptions of nature and flowers. I am sure I will love it just as much second time around.
6. Love and Gelato
by: Jenna Evans Welch
challenge:Β Read a book that takes place in a location you would love to spend Valentine’s Day.
If I could spend Valentine’s day anywhere it would most likely be somewhere tropical like Hawaii. Now you’re probably wondering why I picked Love and GelatoΒ for this challenge, and not something else like say, Summer of Sloane. The reason behind my decision is because this book has been on my TBR for way too long and I just really need to read it. I would also never say no if my significant other offered to take me to Italy for Valentine’s Day.
Love and Gelato follows our protagonist Lina whoβs mother just died. It was her mother’s dying wish that Lina gets to know her father better. This means a trip to Tuscany that Lina does not want to take. When Lina is handed her mother’s journal from the time she spent in Italy everything changes.
I hope you enjoyed reading todayβs post!
Until next time,
The Garden of Read-En 