books i read in feb! 📚🌻
february went by swiftly, but it was a month of good reads! here are my unsolicited opinions:
1. slanting towards the sea (by lidija hilje) 🌊
- a historical / literary fiction set in Croatia centred around our main character who remains welcomed by her ex-husband and his wife into their family and life. we witness how the trio’s dynamic shifts as she meets a new person
- this was unexpectedly so good! i cried so much at the end. this was yearning, yearning and yearning.
- ⭐️: 5/5
2. beautiful world, where are you (by sally rooney) 👫🏻
- a literary fiction following the story of alice, eileen, simon and felix, who navigate their youth, worry about relationships, friendships, and the world they live in
- with this i’ve finally read all of rooney’s works! this was still good, but my least fav of all her books. i wasn’t convinced by alice and felix’s relationship, and though i usually love character-driven stories, this didn’t hit quite the same as her other works for me.
- ⭐️: 3.5/5
3. a curious kind of magic (by mara rutherford) 🫎
- a fantasy novel about a young girl who has to take over her father’s “magical” trinket shop after his sudden death. as she struggles to make ends meet, a new girl in town seems to be a solution to her problems
- it took me a while to warm up to the main character and her questionable decisions (understandable bc she is so young indeed!) but this ended up being such a wholesome and magical story about friendship and found family, and made me teary at the end
- ⭐️: 4.5/5
4. fenny (by lettice cooper) 🏞️
- a historical / literary novel about a young woman from yorkshire who moves to florence to become the governess of a little girl. as the summer passes, she falls so in love with the city that she cannot bear to leave
- this was a character-driven book with no strong plot, but i loved the character fenny and the exploration of what makes a good life; a life with meaning; a life having worth lived
- ⭐️: 4/5
5. foster (by claire keegan) 🏠
- this literary fiction novella follows a young girl who is brought by her father to live with a couple, not knowing when she will be brought home again. we follow her growth and witness how she changes as she adapts to her new life
- in so little pages, the story manages to grip your heart. claire keegan is masterful at telling an impactful story with such clever writing in such a short amount of pages. this is the second novella of hers i’ve read but will defo read more from her!
- ⭐️: 4/5
2026 has been a great reading year so far! (check out what i read in january here!) lmk your fav read of 2026 so far 📚
#readwithme #readwithlemon8 #bookrecommendation #bookrec #booksoflemon8
February was truly a month of wonderful literary discoveries for me, showcasing a mix of historical fiction, fantasy, and novella storytelling that deeply resonated. One thing I noticed across all these books was how they each explored complex human emotions and relationships in nuanced ways, whether it was the shifting family dynamics in 'Slanting Towards the Sea' or the fragile connections in Sally Rooney’s latest. Reading 'Slanting Towards the Sea' evoked a strong emotional response that stayed with me for days. The way Lidija Hilje weaves Croatian history and personal yearning brought a new appreciation for how setting shapes emotional tension. It reminded me how powerful literary fiction can be when it balances historical context with heartfelt character journeys. Switching from historical narratives to fantasy with Mara Rutherford’s 'A Curious Kind of Magic' was refreshing. Despite initial frustration with the young protagonist’s decisions, the story's core message about friendship and found family felt authentic and uplifting. It reinforced for me the importance of patience in getting to know characters and appreciating their growth arcs. Lettice Cooper’s 'Fenny' offered a slower pace but with profound introspection on what constitutes a meaningful life. The immersive setting of Florence and Fenny’s emotional transformation felt like a gentle reminder about the value of place and purpose. Lastly, Claire Keegan’s novella 'Foster' was a masterclass in concise storytelling. Her ability to evoke a complete and gripping narrative in a short format is remarkable and left me eager to explore more of her work. If you’re building your 2026 reading list, I recommend diving into these books. They highlight diverse storytelling styles and themes, from historical family dramas to tender coming-of-age fantasies, perfect for anyone seeking heartfelt, thought-provoking reads.