February was a big month for reading with 11 books, bringing my total so far to 18 books for 2026!
This month there were audiobooks, picturebooks, novels, novellas, and a junior fiction thrown in too. Here’s what I read:
- Belle’s Secret by Victoria Purman – if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I love Victoria Purman’s books. This is a novella, one of her earlier books and I spotted this on the shelf at my local library. It’s a nice, light romance. I found it was book 2 in a collection so I’ve gone hunting for the other stories.
- Should We Push the Button by PJ Kennan – a picture book that was a free download on Amazon. This was a fun picture book about imagination.
- The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell – this was an audiobook. I’ve read a few books by Joanna Nell and I find the titles don’t quite reflect the story. I did enjoy this adventure with feisty guests in the Woodlands Nursing Home.
- Pepper Masalah and the Flying Carpet by Rosanne Hawke – I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now and I was excited to see it on the shelf at my local library. This was an interesting adventure that is continued in the next book… which I’ll need to read. A great book for kids who like a bit of magic and adventure.
- Time to Say Goodbye by Rosie Goodwin – another audiobook. This was one that had a lot of characters and not a clear story, at one point I wondered who I was following. It was an interesting story set during WW2.
- Maggie’s Run by Kelly Hunter – this is the book that came before Belle’s Secret. I hadn’t read any books by Kelly Hunter before and I enjoyed this story as much as Belle’s Secret. The next book has been requested at the library.
- A Routine Infidelity by Elizabeth Coleman – another audiobook. This was presented as a murder mystery, however it seemed more a story about Ted Bristol and her family. There were many parts I enjoyed in this, especially the Swordcraft events at the Western Oval.
- Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett – a picture book. This was out after storytime at the library, so I had to read it. I am not sure of the message of this one. It was cute with the characters missing the ‘treasure’, but what was it trying to say to kids? That they should never change path? That they shouldn’t have a rest? Maybe I’m overthinking this!
- Digger Digs Down by Huni Melissa Bolliger – another picture with a similar vibe to the last one.
- I Want To Be In A Book by Narelle Oliver – I loved this picture book. A character is drawn and wants to be in a book, after trying a few, the perfect book is found. This reminds me of so many of the characters in my head just waiting to be in the right story, and sometimes it takes a bit of time.
- Stop! That’s Not My Story by Smriti Halls – another picture book that I loved. This one has a girl who falls into a book of fairy tales and works out they are not her stories and writes her own. A message to kids that they have the power to write their own stories.
- Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane – my last audiobook for the month. I enjoyed this romance with an enemies to lovers and a fake relationship. It’s a fun, light read and the perfect audiobook for long drives.
That’s it, those are the books in February. Until I wrote this, I hadn’t realised I read so many. It’s so nice to have my reading mojo back again. I read quite a few books last year, but some months read hardly anything. I hope this continues.
