February Wrap Up and March TBR

Hello there everyone! How did your February go? Did you all get to finish your Feb TBR or DNFed/Postponed reading them?
I read most of my books for Feb –like always, never was able to complete all of them– and also picked a few that weren’t on my TBR. It’s pointless for me to keep a TBR and then read books that aren’t part of it. But being a bibliophile has its pros and cons, this being one of the cons for me. I try so hard to stick to my TBR, but that never happens. 🤷‍♀️

I wasn’t motivated to do anything last month. This year is not going like how I want it to, but I’m still keeping myself positive. There’s nothing but Hope that’s making me write, read and do anything. So I want you guys to know that no matter what happens, never give in to your dark thoughts or the negativity around you. I’ve been seeing “stop doubting yourself” words everywhere; it’s like the universe is telling me to dwell on the positive side and not the negative. I hope that you guys feel good mentally and physically. Never stop believing in yourself.

Okay, now for a change, I’m adding two new pages to this blog. This is to dump my thoughts on movies, series, songs I’ve watched and heard, and another for Travel. I won’t be adding much to the travel category this year, but I’ll be adding more from next year.
Also, from here on, I’ve decided to post tags, lists, movies, tips, etc., on Fridays. So I won’t be posting reviews on Fridays anymore unless necessary.

Feb Posts

Book Read in Feb:

➼ A Deadly Education ★★ ❘ I like the idea of having a school where students have to fight monsters to graduate. But I didn’t like the characters much, and the story was Okay-ish.

➼ You and Me on Vacation ★★★ ❘ A meet-cute, swoony, adorable romance with lots of banter and traveling. A perfect pick for contemporary romance readers.

➼ Six of Crows ★★★★ ❘ I’m obsessed with Kaz Brekker. I’ve been posting and saving his quotes nonstop on Pinterest. Whilst everyone is speaking about the Darkling and Alina’s interactions in the Shadow and Bone trailer, I’m rewatching it for Kaz and Inej’s snippets. I’m so ready for this series. Of all Leigh Bardugo’s books I’ve read so far, this one is my favorite. I’ve to see if Crooked Kingdom will officially take this place or not once I read it.

➼ These Violent Delights ★★★★ ❘ Where do I even begin with this book? This is one of the best historical fantasy and retelling I’ve read so far.

➼ Calico Thunder Rides Again ★★★.5 ❘ Another circus story for this year. This book was short, fantastic, with lots of magical creatures to keep you hooked to the story.

➼ The Stolen Kingdom ★★★.5 ❘ If you like court life and a bit of romance in your fantasy books, then you should definitely check this one.

Yet to Review

➼ An Ember in the Ashes ★★★.5 ❘ This is a very plot-driven book. It was so easy to get into this world and be a part of it. The magical aspects of this book were new to me. Some scenes were graphic, and I could feel the pain and turmoil of the characters. Now that I’m finished with book 2, I will be reviewing it soon.

➼ A Court of Silver Flames ★★★ ❘ Oh boy, this book was everything I could have asked for in a Nessian book. I was rooting for Nesta and Cassian for a long time, and I’m so happy that they got their book. It was emotional, smutty, and a good (fresh) addition to the ACOTAR series. It was amazing romance-wise. But fantasy-wise, mainly magic, it had very little to offer for me.

➼ A Torch Against the Night ★★★.5 ❘ I finished this one on Saturday. I would have finished this earlier if it wasn’t for me being distracted like always. The first half of the book was lagging, and the second half had so many twists and plot and character growth. I didn’t want to read anything after reading the ending, and I can’t wait to read book 3.

DNF

This book started off really well, but halfway through, I lost interest in the plot. I didn’t like how things were progressing, so I kept it on hold for now. Maybe someday I might pick it up and see how it ends.

March TBR

🌸 Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) | Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

🌸 The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (The Bone Season #1) | The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing. It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die. The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

🌸 The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey #1) | Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth – that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

🌸 Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian (Ash Princess Trilogy #1) | Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner. For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She’s endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside. Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield. For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

🌸 The Petrified Flesh by Cornelia Funke, Translator: Oliver Latsch (Mirrorworld #1) | Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father’s abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He’s also made many enemies and allies — most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on. But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob’s younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl — a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone. Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell — before it’s too late.

🌸 The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen (The Bridge Kingdom #1) | What if you fell in love with the one person you’d sworn to destroy? Lara has only one thought for her husband on their wedding day: I will bring your kingdom to its knees. A princess trained from childhood to be a lethal spy, Lara knows that the Bridge Kingdom represents both legendary evil – and legendary promise. The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom controls all trade and travel between lands, allowing its ruler to enrich himself and deprive his enemies, including Lara’s homeland. So when she is sent as a bride under the guise of fulfilling a treaty of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture the defenses of the impenetrable Bridge Kingdom. But as she infiltrates her new home – a lush paradise surrounded by tempest seas – and comes to know her new husband, Aren, Lara begins to question where the true evil resides. Around her, she sees a kingdom fighting for survival, and in Aren, a man fiercely protective of his people. As her mission drives her to deeper understanding of the fight to possess the bridge, Lara finds the simmering attraction between her and Aren impossible to ignore. Her goal nearly within reach, Lara will have to decide her own fate: Will she be the destroyer of a king or the savior of her people?

Posts I liked in Feb:

I thought of adding this segment for a longtime but kept forgetting every month. I wasn’t online much this month but I ‘ll list few of the post that I liked this month.

• Discussion – Drawing the line between inspired or copied content by Erin @ Reading on a Star
• Discussion Post | How to Stay Motivated as Reader & Book Blogger? by Sofii @ A Book. A Thought.
• Book Review: Octavia Butler’s Kindred adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words
• Book Quotes of the week – Sunday 7th February 2021 by Mani @ Mani’s Book Corner
• Pretty Is A Lie by Amdoini @ Amodini’s Musings
• Book Review : The Bridge Kingdom by Noura @ The Perks Of Being Noura Blog (I’ve heard a lot about this book in the book community, so I thought of reading it this month, and I’m also leaving this lovely review here.)

Favorite 🎵of the Month

• Cosmic Love by Florence + the Machine
• Hunger by Of Monster and Men
• Afraid of the Dark by Ezi
• Never be Alone by Shawn Mendes
• Then They Go by Jeffrey Eli
• Peaches by Milk and Bone
• Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo

What are the books in your TBR for March? Let me know in the comments.

May this month be productive for everyone.