February Wrap Up

February was a good reading month. It didn’t start very well but I read great books! I was really busy with other stuff going on but I’m still happy about what I read during February. I ended up reading the exact same number of books I read in January, even though February is a shorter month.

 

This is Crazy by Natasha Madison – 2 stars. This book had a very promising start, the tweets exchanged between the hero and the heroine were very funny. I felt like I was going to love this and then, when they started hanging out, everything went downhill. This guy was obsessed with the clothes she wore. He even told her to change because her clothes were too revealing!!! THIS IS NOT OK. This is not sexy behavior and romance readers shouldn’t tolerate it. Saying it’s alpha male behavior is BS. Because NEWS FLASH it’s NOT! NO, NO, NO. Really disappointed in this one. Not what I want to read in a romance.

This is Wild by Natasha Madison – 2 stars. This series is not for me. I like Natasha Madison’s writing but this series clearly doesn’t work for me. There were some scenes well written mainly between Viktor and his sponsor and I enjoyed some of the hockey details. The romance was a slow build but then it exploded in ways that didn’t make much sense. The way Zoe behaved in a specific scene (when Viktor was in trouble) was absolutely awful and nothing could have saved this book for me after that. All the guys were obsessing with how the women dressed and tell them to change or whatever IS NOT OK, again. Like I said regarding the previous book that’s just BS. I won’t be reading any more books in this series.

     

The Wicked King by Holly Black – 5 stars. If I had to pick the series that surprised me more in 2021, it would definitely be the Folk of the Air series. The political intrigue and the scheming was off the charts in The Wicked King. I couldn’t put it down! And that ending… *SCREAM*! The Wicked King is my favorite in this trilogy. I hope the solution to the situation Jude’s in by the end of this book isn’t what I think it is because she’s not a dumb character and THAT would make her dumb. I’m a little scared of reading The Queen of Nothing because it disappointed so many people.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – 5 stars. This book deserves all the hype. ALL THE HYPE! It’s a masterpiece. I loved every single moment I got to spend in this amazing island and I’m sad that this book had to end. I also love every single character on that island! Top favorite of the year, definitely a must read. I recommend it fiercely.

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams – 4 stars. I’m obsessed with the Bromance Book Club series. I think what lacked from this one was more of the club in this story. This book focus on a very serious topic and maybe that’s why we don’t get as much bromance book club as in the first one. I absolutely loved Mack, it took me a while to warm up to Liv but I ended up loving her too. Really excited to read the next one in this series!

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – 3 stars. This book… I have mixed feelings about this one. I wanted to love it because the concept is so amazing but I really didn’t. The second half of the book was better than the first half, but the writing style annoyed me. The dialogues were choppy and cheesy, Nora’s journey wasn’t as intriguing as I thought it would me and it felt predictable. At times, it felt like I was reading a self help book. Anyway, the positive messages about mental health are important and appreciated, I just wanted more from this book.

     

The Not-Outcast by Tijan – 3 stars. It doesn’t get more insta love than this. When Cut sees Cheyenne across the room, his reaction to her was just too much, too soon. Also, their first real conversation in that party was the weirdest ever! She couldn’t even speak to him… and they still leave together? It just didn’t make much sense to me. I really enjoyed Cheyenne, Sasha and Melanie’s friendship and Cheyenne’s relationship with her brother.

Blindsided by Victoria Denault – 4 stars. The banter in this one is AMAZING! Check my review here.

Balls to the Wall by April Canavan – 3 stars. A steamy second chance romance. Check my review here.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer – 3 stars. This was a cool story. What I liked: the futuristic very interesting world; the Lunar vs Earth brewing conflict; the cyborgs; the political intrigue. Didn’t really care for: the romance; the predictability (we all knew who Cinder was); underdeveloped characters. It was still an enjoyable read and I’m hoping it gets better in the next book, so I’ll keep on reading this series.

     

Dear Girls by Ali Wong – 4 stars. Dear Girls was funny! I laughed a lot while I was listening to it. It was crude but I was already expecting it to be. Anyone who has watched Ali Wong’s stand up shows knows what to expect. If you don’t like Ali Wong’s humor, you won’t like this book. I found it entertaining, funny, hilarious at times and very genuine. I loved her husband’s chapter, it was so sweet! Overall, I had a great time listening to it.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon – 3 stars. It’s a recurring theme this month: books I wanted to love but didn’t. I enjoyed The Boyfriend Project but some things didn’t work out for me. I loved the tech setting, loved Samiah’s character (kickass heroine for sure), her friendship with Taylor and London was amazing, actually my favorite moments were when these 3 characters were together. I enjoyed Daniel’s character too, his inner struggles and I liked the suspense his character brought to the story. I enjoyed how much of their tech work was described and discussed even though the romance fell to the sidelines at those moments. What I really didn’t like was Daniel’s choice that led to the conflict in their romance. Samiah deserved better, so much better. Also, I didn’t think it made much sense that he did a little something at the end (check my Goodreads review here if you want to read the spoiler). Overall, I liked it but I didn’t love it.

Inside Out by Demi Moore – 4 stars. Whoa, this book packs a punch. It was hard to listen to it at certain points. Demi Moore was so open about so much in her life. Her relationship with her parents, her struggle with addictions and eating disorders, her low self esteem and how it impacted in her relationships, it’s her life, her story. It’s raw, powerful and real.

Majesty by Katharine McGee – 2 stars. Almost every character in this book did a full 180 comparing to the first book. In my opinion not much made sense character wise. Maybe this was supposed to be a trilogy and not a duology? In a way, two of the couples in this book definitely fit together but there was no transition so it felt forced and rushed. Overall, it was just an okay read.

 

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin – 4 stars. I finished this in one day! I was really invested in the story. It was a very atmospheric read and sometimes it was hard to listen to it but I just couldn’t stop. The two timelines and the two cases were enthralling. I also loved the podcast parts! I think it was a very unique book but it was not an easy book to read/listen. There are trigger warnings for pretty much everything. The ending had a few surprising details. Overall, I really enjoyed this one.

Come on In (Anthology) – 4 stars. This is a very powerful important anthology. Families moving from their home country to a new one, leaving family members and friends behind not knowing if they would see them again in the future, packing their whole lives in one suitcase, feeling unsafe in their new country… it’s gut-wrenching. So many different journeys. Almost every single one of these stories packed a punch and had such powerful messages. There was only one story that I didn’t enjoy. I think everyone should read this.

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Overall, I read 16 books again with a total of 5159 pages. I rated 2 books 5 stars, 6 books 4 stars, 1 book 3.5 stars, 4 books 3 stars and 3 books 2 stars. 50% of what I read was rated 4 stars or higher so that’s good. I also found a top favorite of the year: The House in the Cerulean Sea. I love it so much and I keep thinking about the story. 💕

Have you read any of these books? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Xoxo,

Andie