February 2019 Wrap Up

I’m so glad February is over. It was an exciting month with a lot happening, but it wasn’t my best reading month. I read seven books.

I always end up putting too much pressure on myself to read and when I don’t read “enough,” then it feels like I failed. Don’t you hate that feeling? Well, now it’s a new month and my goal is to read as much as I can. I hope that also means I’ll be able to post as much as I can too.

Since my mid-month checkin left me with one book read, I’m going to share all the books I read here instead of culling back to the middle of the month and repeating myself. Here’s what I read in February:

The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin

I finally finished The Broken Earth trilogy. This was such a spectacular series which a strong female lead in our not-too-distant future. I cannot gush enough about this book. I honestly thought it was much better than the rest of the series with an ending that will make you cry. Definitely pick up this series if you ever want to get into science fiction.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

The book that broke my slump. I want to personally thank Angie Thomas for helping me break away from the slump I was feeling all month and still feeling right now. On the Come Up was an amazing story about a young girl with dreams to be a rapper, but living in a place that requires a little bit more reality than dream. This book really made me think about the prejudices African Americans face everyday because of where they grew up, who their parents were, and how they represent themselves sometimes. Freedom of expression isn’t so free when people judge you for it.

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

This book was my read for Words Between Worlds this month and it was an incredible read. It was one of those books I had to sit down and think about before I could come up with my full thoughts. At first, I didn’t like the book so much and I think it’s because I’ve inundated myself with a lot of similar stories this month. But as I think about it, my mood changed because the power of James Baldwin’s words started to deepen my thinking. It won’t hit you right away, but once you think on it then you’ll understand why this book was so powerful, moving, and tragic.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

I received this book for a giveaway next month, but I also saw the movie over Galentine’s Day. It’s always fun to watch a movie before you read the book, but in this case the book and the movie were so synonmyous with each other that I highly doubt you’ll end up liking one over the other. I’ll mention this in my review later this month, but I thought the book was verbatim the movie. Even some of the lines were the exact ones the actors said while I was watching. I think the only thing a book can provide that you don’t really see in acting is the internal dialogue. If anything, watch the movie and then read the book to hear what Will and Stella were thinking through some of the moments that happened. I’ll get into more of the themes and bigger storylines in my review.

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

I read this one hoping that it would be a quick and fun read. This was definitely both of these things. The story is about a young girl named Winnie who knew exactly who her husband would be because a prophet said she would marry a man who buys her a silver bracelet and who’s name starts with the letter R. I think when I was a kid, I did so many different things to find out who my soulmate was. I cast spells and tried fortune tellers. I wanted to know and that’s what drew me to this book. What happens when you know and you’re a little disappointed? What happens when you know and there’s another prospect who could be them too? It’s a definite throwback to my high school days when love was all I wanted and finding my true love was on the top of my list.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

You all know how I felt about The Underground Railroad. I loved this book so much and I loved Colson Whitehead’s writing that I’m going to try and sneak The Nickel Boys (Colson Whitehead’s newest novel out this June) in this month. I know I need a little break from the historical fiction, but I can’t help but fangirl for Colson Whitehead.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I won’t go into my review of this book because I’ve already read it. I’m deep in a reread of this trilogy to prep for my big read of King of Scars. Now that I’ve said that, I should get back to reading!

Comic Books

I also read some comic books this month because I wasn’t in the mood to read books without words. Here’s some of the comics I read (which I strongly recommend because they were excellent):

Paper Girls Vol 5 by Brian K Vaughan

I wanted to read Volume 5 of Paper Girls in January, but my library’s put such a short limit on digital books that I was literally barred from reading it until February. Naturally, it was the first thing I read when the month began because I was so desperate to find out what happened to the girls in this trippy science fiction story. Time travel and girls who run your neighborhood’s paper route means a ton of action and adventure.

Saga Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughan

Saga was probably the most twisted piece of writing I’ve ever read in science fiction. This beats Dune, which is one of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time. People with TVs for heads, a young couple from opposite sides of a war falling in love and having a kid, and a baby with a mysterious past you’ll be finding out while you read Saga. It’s an incredible story and I do plan on reading the rest of this series eventually.

The Umbrella Academy Vol 1 by Gerard Way

I read The Umbrella Academy mostly because I saw the new Netflix show was out and I wanted to check it out. Of course I’m going to read the graphic novel it’s based on before I go watch the show. While the graphic novel was a bust, I will say the show is super dynamic with a lot of action and character development. I might not read Volume 2, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Season 2.

Alright, here’s to looking towards the future for a bright and happy March!

Simone