Hellooooo. Today I’m going to discuss what I read in February and what I want to read in March. Remember in my January wrap up that I said I wanted to read five books per month? Well already in 2015 I have failed that goal.
February was a rough month for me, reading and otherwise. I felt bogged down with schoolwork, SAT prep, and extracurriculars for the majority of the month (if I have time later today I’d like to write another post about all of that). Therefore, reading was sidelined and even though I did read sporadically I only got a few chapters or so into several books. But without further ado, here is what I “read” in February.
February Reads
1. I’m technically in the middle of Cress by Marissa Meyer, but haven’t read any of it since I began it in January. It’s the third book in a sci-fi, dystopian fairytale retelling series and while I love the series and this book so far, it felt too big and chaotic to get into in February.
2. I began Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta because in January I was on a high fantasy kick. It’s taking awhile to get into, but it’s beautifully written and I am enjoying it so far. However, I made less progress than I wanted to because the stress and craziness of this month left me yearning for quick, easy reads.
3. I continued reading Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan for the first half of the month. I was reading a story before bed whenever I didn’t have a novel I was in the middle of in January and it was nice to feel like I was still reading by continuing the trend in February. However, once again I put it down because sleep became more rare and thus more precious as the month went on.
4. I began God Loves Ugly by Christa Black, which is a nonfiction book I included in my 2015 TBR post. It is wonderful and I think it’s a book that every girl should read. Again, following the trend of this month, I did not finish it.
5. I began AND FINISHED(!!!!!!!) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We’re reading this in my English class and I fell in love with it immediately so I read ahead and completed it. This novel is definitely a new addition to my all time favorites list and I already want to reread it.
6. I read my first Hemingway piece this month and I’m excited to read more. I read (and completed! though it’s only three pages) Ernest Hemingway’s short story, Hills Like White Elephants. It’s public domain, so you can read it here. I recommend using SparkNotes or another analysis to help discern the piece’s meaning.
So, as pathetic as it is, that is all I read (or attempted to read) in February. Now, on a more optimistic note, here is what I aspire to read in March.
March TBR
1. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
My friend Grace over at Words Like Silver hosts a Teen Classics Book Club at a local place every month and I have been a really, really bad member the past few months. I haven’t finished the chosen book since November and I need to get back on track! This novel is our March pick, and after getting a tiny taste of Hemingway in February, I’m looking forward to reading it.
2. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
In case you didn’t know, I was selected to be a routine contributor for Lit Up Review, a book blog run by a group of teens for other teens (but anyone who loves YA will love it!). They host a spotlight book club every month and this contemporary romance that deals with suicide is the pick for March. It’s already being made into a movie with Elle Fanning and is said to be reminiscent of The Fault in Our Stars.
The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
3. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
I watch a lot of BookTubers (YouTubers who dedicate their channels to books) and they all RAVE about the Mistborn trilogy. I’ve never read anything by Brandon Sanderson but I’ve heard nothing but good things about his work and all of his books get high ratings on Goodreads. This is a high fantasy series that I am dying to finally get into in March!
I know, I know, my reading goal is five books a month but I only listed three. That’s because I want to give myself some room to mood read. I may want to finish up the books I began in January/February. I may want to read more contemporaries or maybe more high fantasy. I have a shelved, ongoing TBR list, a stack of library books, and several new releases that I might want to pick and choose from. So I haven’t decided what other 2+ books I’ll read in March, but hopefully I will meet my reading goal this month.
Thanks for reading and I’d love to hear what you read in February or what you’re planning to read in March!
xx. Martha
gemrene 