Hi everybody, and welcome to my February wrap up!
Is it just me, or did February just fly by? I mean, January dragged on FOREVER and then there was February which was over before I knew it. Not that I’m complaining, because I have had it with winter so the sooner we get to be April-May, the happier I’ll be 🙂
Either way, I did read some pretty good books this month, discovered some new addictive music and saw some absolutely gorgeous movies, so I guess that despite the cold, February was pretty great. Here’s what I’ve been up to this month!
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
This was one of the most hyped releases of the year and it sounded really good, so honestly I was already expecting myself to be sorely disappointed since that is what usually happens when I let myself get swept away in hype. But The Cruel Prince? Definitely worth all of the hype.
Exquisite worldbuilding, an amazingly real and complex sisterly relationship, political intrigue, twists and turns, but most importantly, the most multi-dimensional morally grey characters. Each and every one of them.
Rating: 5 stars | Full review
Roomies by Christina Lauren
Well, it turns out there really are some pretty decent new adult books out there, and Roomies is one of them. Though it may feel like the only new adult books to be found are about college girls having sex, don’t despair and try Roomies! A realistic take on the marriage of convenience trope, lots of music talk, a Broadway setting, tough career questions, friendship issues and the most amazing uncles ever all make this a must read if you’re looking for a new adult book to try.
Rating: 4 stars | Full review
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
I must admit, though I love the Throne of Glass series, it took me a LONG time to start reading this. I’ve had some issues with some plot decisions SJM made and how she has treated her characters, mostly Chaol, in the past. So I was procrastinating to say the least. But after reading quite some positive reviews and my best friend pushing me to read it, I gave in and started and guess what? I actually quite enjoyed this one. Enough to fly through it in 2-3 days. And I’m looking forward to the final book again.
Rating: 4 stars | Full review
FENCE #4 BY C.S. PACAT AND JOHANNA THE MAD
Every time I read one of these I tell myself I will wait to read more until all of them are out so I can binge-read them. Because they are so short and just when I get back into this world… the story is over. But when the next new issue is out, I inevitably lose all calm and start reading immediately. So that says a lot about how addictive these are. At least they do help my Goodreads goal so that’s also a plus 😉
Rating: 4 stars | Full review to come
Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Let’s Talk About Love is about Alice, who is biromantic asexual. She has known this for a while, but when her girlfriend breaks up with her because she thinks Alice can’t love her enough if she doesn’t want to have sex with her, she decides she is done with dating. Until she meets Takumi, her coworker at the library who makes her heart flutter again. And OMG I ADORED THIS BOOK! It is adorable, swooney and has AMAZING romantic ace rep. Love, love, love!
Rating: 4,5 stars | Full review to come
TOP TEN TUESDAY
- 27 February 2018: Books I Could Re-Read Forever (& Ever & Ever…)
- 20 February 2018: Oops, I Don’t Care Anymore – Books I’m No Longer Interested in Reading
- 13 February 2018: Love Is Love – 2018 LGBTQ Releases To Read This Valentine’s Day & The Rest of the Year
- 6 February 2018: The Post of Shame Pt 2: The Books That Have Been On My TBR The Longest & I Still Haven’t Read
DISCUSSION
February was all about that k-pop (again). While I am eagerly awaiting BTS to announce their world tour (with a Belgium date, pretty please), I have also listened to quite some non-BTS k-pop this month.
SOME OF MY FAVES THIS MONTH:
NCT U – Boss
This song has been my go-to song whenever I needed a little boost, and hype myself up. Given my self-doubt that’s been on high lately, that means I pretty much played this non-stop because “Don’t you know I’m a boss?”
Seventeen – Thanks
Yes this song is amazing, but also, have you seen that choreography? I am in awe.
NCT U – Baby Don’t Stop
At risk of repeating myself, have you seen this choreo? I can’t tear my eyes away.
TV
I tried to start quite a few new shows this month. I watched the first episodes of Dark, Altered Carbon and The Magicians and honestly couldn’t get into any one of them. (Let me know if you think I should still try again with any of these though). And my interest to catch up to The Flash or Arrow has just dwindled so much. So while I’m still eagerly waiting for Jessica Jones season 2, I was in the mood for some fun and fluffy kdrama and tried I Am Not A Robot and well, it was exactly what I needed.
I Am Not A Robot
I am about halfway through this kdrama and I love it. It’s not an all-time favorite, but it’s fun and cute and adorable and it’s exactly what I wanted. The story is about Kim Min-Kyu, who lives an isolated life due to his severe allergy to other people. He discovers a team who built a robot who looks exactly like a human and asks to test it. However, due to circumstances, the robot’s battery malfunctions and the team asks the help of Jo Ji-Ah, the woman the robot was built to look like, to go and pretend she is the robot for Kim Min-Kyu. Obviously, shenanigans ensue.
MOVIES
THE SHAPE OF WATER
The Shape of Water felt like a modern fairytale, it really did. It’s pretty much a Beauty and the Beast retelling, except the Beast is an amphibious creature and he never turns into a human. I thought this was a super sweet movie, which was brought so beautifully, with gorgeous cinematography, great acting and a dreamy soundtrack.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
OK, I get the hype now. Call Me By Your Name is the story of a teenage boy who falls in love with his father’s work associate when he stays at their summer home for one summer. It’s an amazing movie and I’d love to check out the book as well. It’s a slow-paced, character-driven, emotional story of first love, of connecting to someone and discovering yourself and I loved it so much I already want to watch it again. It reminded me a lot of the Before Sunrise movies, which are some of my all-time favorites.
- My husband and I celebrated the 9th anniversary of our “starting to date”. He surprised me with books and we had a nice dinner. I’m so lucky to have him.
- Made some seemingly impossible and tough career choices.
- Met up with my friends a few times, which I loved because they bring me joy and I don’t see them as much as I’d like.
- Went ice skating again and surprisingly didn’t fall this time either.
- Overall, February has just flown by. But I’m eager to start March, because it means spring is almost here and I can hopefully say goodbye to this freezing weather soon enough!
Hubby and I had our 10 years of knowing each other in real life in February. 😀
February was just a weird month! I always forget that it has a few less days and then bam there is March.
That’s great, the big TEN even! Congrats 🙂
Yeah February was over just like that, but I don’t mind at all 🙂
I want to see Call Me By Your Name so badly! I recently saw Lady Bird and LOVED it, and CMBYN has the same actor in it. So glad you had a great February (albeit a super fast one!) 🙂
Ahh, I still need to see Lady Bird! Hope to do that soon 🙂 Hope you’ll have a great March!
I’m definitely read for spring, too! We watched Altered Carbon – well, Tom watched it and I half-watched while I read a book. I wasn’t crazy about it!
Spring can’t come soon enough, haha 🙂 Yeah, my husband continued watching Altered Carbon too and liked it, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing as the first episode didn’t really hook me. Glad to hear you weren’t crazy about it either though 🙂
Ooh you read some good books in February! I’ve been really wanting to read The Cruel Prince, Fence, and Let’s Talk About Love! Glad to hear you enjoyed them so much! Ahhhh NCT U!!! I actually included ‘Boss’ in my monthly wrap up to hahaha!
Ah hope you’ll enjoy all these books as much as I did when you get to them! And YAY for NCT U! Boss is such a jam <3
I’m glad you had such a good February! Hopefully March will be able to top it 🙂
I’ve been so on the fence about seeing The Shape of Water, but everyone keeps saying how good it is haha. I think I just need to get over this whole…fishy thing. Oh, and I wouldn’t bother with continuing The Magicians. The husband and I tried to get through it, but it was just so cornball. I think it had a decent premise, but the acting just fell SO flat.
Congrats on 9 years! How sweet!!
Thanks Rebeccah!
Haha yeah the fishy thing is a bit weird at first, but the overall message of the movie was just so beautiful I was able to overlook it 🙂 Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy The Magicians – I wasn’t really impressed with the first two episodes so I don’t think I’ll be continuing.
Thanks so much! <3
The Cruel Prince is so good! I’m nearing the end now… I’m kinda scared for whatever is going to happen next but I’m ready for it! Haha 😀
Ahh I’m so happy you’re enjoying it so much! The ending killed me though and the wait for book two will be awful 🙂
I’m also so glad that February went by pretty quickly, I am so over winter and ready for summer, sunshine and warm temperatures, haha 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed Let’s Talk About Love, I have heard so many amazing things about this book, I can’t wait to read it someday 🙂
Happy anniversary, 9 years is so sweet, it’s so great that you celebrate it this way, the date on which you started dating. It’s so adorable <3
I hope you will have a wonderful March! xx
Yes, I’m definitely with you on being ready for summer and sunshine! 🙂
I LOVED Let’s Talk About Love, hope you’ll enjoy it as well when you get to it!
Thank you so much, Marie! <3
Have an amazing March too!
Your husband got you books on your anniversary??!!! Oh my word that’s goals. THAT’S love done right 😉 Haha.
So happy you enjoyed The Cruel Prince! I’ll check out your review soon. I’ve heard mixed things about it, but I do love dark fairytale-esque tales 🙂
Hope you’re having a lovely March so far <3
Haha yeah, he knows me well <3 🙂
The Cruel Prince is for sure one of my favorite reads of the year already! I hope you'll enjoy it when you get to it!
Have a great March, Amy!
I’m SO far behind on “Arrow” but I really do want to catch up. Someday.
I’ve seen Holly’s new books on lots of lists or reviewed on blogs. That’s a book I’ll have to give a closer look to. 😀
Hope you’ll catch up on Arrow someday! I’ll have to do the same 🙂
The Cruel Prince is easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I’d highly recommend 🙂