Thursday 28 March 2019

Wrap Up | February 2019

I'm posting my February wrap up 3 days before the end of March so clearly it didn't take me long to fail at blogging in 2019! Due to being crazy busy, and then crazy ill, the blog has had to take a major back seat during March. Reading has also taken a major back seat, as I have yet to read a single book this month, so I'm hoping talking about some of the great books I read in February might give me a bit of motivation to pick something up.



Sleepovers by Jacqueline Wilson -
This was a book I remember loving when I was younger, so when I saw the audiobook available through my library I decided to see how I would feel about it as an adult. I ended up enjoying it just as much. It's a lovely story of friendship, that also focuses on different home situations and things that make people 'different'. As is typically the case with Jacqueline Wilson books, this is a fun story with a really important message for young readers to learn from.
Rating: 4/5

The Butterfly Club by Jacqueline Wilson -
This was the February pick for Maddie & Bee's Jacqueline Wilson book club. As it was one I had not read before, and was available through my library, I decided to join them in reading it. This is about the smallest of triplets who is separated from her sisters, who always look after her, when they start in a new class at school. This is another really great story about friendship, but also about stepping out from the shadows of other siblings to become your own person. It is longer than any of the other Jacqueline Wilson books I have read before, but it read just as quickly as her shorter works. I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to.
Rating: 4/5

Panic by Lauren Oliver -
Finally! This book has sat on my TBR shelf for longer than most, it was one of the first books I ever hauled on this blog back in 2014, but I just never picked it up. I finally forced myself to read it in February and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I have no idea why I didn't pick it up sooner. Panic follows a group of graduating seniors in a small town who spend their summer taking part in a high stakes game involving facing their fears. If a blurb mentions some kind of game or competition, I am definitely intrigued. While I did find the game aspect fun and it kept me turning the page, it was a little underwhelming. I wanted more! The characters were fine and the plot kept me reading, but it was somewhat forgettable (really though, I can't remember it at all).
Rating: 3.5/5

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham -
I adore Lauren Graham so this was the most fun book to read. I listened to it on audiobook during a long drive and Lauren's narration almost felt like she was sat beside me telling me about her life. It is her memoir, following her through her early life and career to the Gilmore Girls reboot and everything in between. I loved learning more about her life and career, as well as getting some fun behind the scenes information from both Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. I had a blast reading it but, like I often find with these kinds of books, some parts were a little bit dry. I would definitely recommend giving it a read, though.
Rating: 3.5/5

Giant Days Volume 3 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, Max Sarin & Whitney Cogar -
I started this graphic novel series in January and was enjoying it enough to continue on but wasn't loving it. I actually ended up enjoying volume 3 a little more than the first two. I don't remember much about it now, if I'm being honest, but I do remember finding it more engaging and being more invested in the story and these characters. I am interested to see where the series will go and follow more of the journey of these characters.
Rating: 3/5

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty -
I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty last year and enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted to read more from her. When I saw her latest release available from my library I was excited to give it a go. The premise is quite vague so I wasn't sure what I was going into, and I finished the book still not entirely sure what I had read. It follows nine individuals as they attend a health resort, each with their own different reasons for being there, but the health resort isn't quite what they expected. This was one of the strangest books I have ever read and I did consider giving up on it a couple of times. As I was listening to the audiobook I decided to power through, but it remained just as confusing throughout. The characters were annoying and the plot was somewhat dull when it wasn't completely frying my brain, but I kind of liked it. It's a weird one. I definitely want to read more from this author.
Rating: 3.5/5

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour -
This book was the unexpected star of the month! I'm pretty sure I only bought it because I liked the cover and left it sitting on my shelf for a couple of years, before picking it up at random in February. I didn't even know what it was about going in to it, but completely fell in love with it straight away. It is about a girl who designs film sets and is given her brother's apartment for the summer on the condition that something great take place there. The book follows her summer adventures and quest for "something great" after her and her best friend discover a secret about a movie legend. I fell in love with everything about this book - the film and set design aspect, the characters, the friendship, the adorable f/f romance - it was all amazing. In all honesty, I don't remember why I didn't give this book a full 5 stars.
Rating: 4.5/5

City Of Glass by Cassandra Clare -
After being on my TBR every month for almost a year, I finally read City Of Glass! I have been wanting to carry on with the series but just wasn't picking this book up, for whatever reason. This is book 3 in the Mortal Instruments series, which I have been trying to finish for about 3 years now. I really enjoy this series while I'm reading the books but seem to forget that in between. When I first started reading City Of Glass, I wasn't sure if I was outgrowing the series as I wasn't loving it quite as much, but that soon changed. I ended up enjoying the third book just as much as the first one. I will definitely be trying to finish this series again this year.
Rating: 4/5

Those were the 8 books I read in February. Thank goodness I started off the year strong as March has been pretty disappointing in comparison. 

Did you read anything great in February?

Sophie :)