February Reflection

Published on by Isabelle @ Nine Tale Vixen

Why does February feel like one big Tuesday?

Todd Stocker

February has been simultaneously incredible and incredibly long or maybe it just feels that way because some of my classes suck, and it hasn’t been nearly as productive as I’d dared to hope. (That said, the quote above is a bit ironic because this semester, Tuesdays mean I only have one evening class, preceded by two hours of volunteering — which I love.) My exams weren’t great — shoutout to everyone who put up with me whining about studying and unfair grading policies, you know who you are and you’re awesome! — but they happened, and they’re over now.

February has been a particularly amazing time for me as a blogger! With every post I get a better sense of my blogging voice/brand, things I’d like to try out, et cetera; it’s also been great for keeping myself motivated to put words on the screen even if I don’t “feel like it” at the moment. Oh, and I recently hit 100 followers on this blog, and very soon afterward on Twitter! This newbie bookwyrm would like to thank you all so much for your love and support 💕

As I get more involved in the bookish community, I’d love to do more buddy reads and post exchanges, so please feel free to contact me if you’re interested in reading a book together (protip: you can use Goodreads’ “Compare Books” feature, which I explained in my Goodreads Tips & Tricks post, to find books in common between specific shelves; my read-next shelf has over 300 books that I have copies of but haven’t started yet 😉) or hosting / writing / collaborating on a post!

I’ve decided to try cutting this feature down to my favorite posts from this month, both on my own blog and some other awesome bookwyrms’ blogs!

My Top February Posts

Other Awesome February Posts (in no particular order)

Clicking on the titles below will take you to the book’s Goodreads page; clicking on the flames (which indicate my rating out of 5) will take you to my review.

15 total, 3.53 average rating

DNFs (6)

Top read of the month: Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale

I’m convinced it’s impossible for any single person to track or list all the amazing upcoming releases, so like last month I’ve only included the ones I know about and am personally most excited to read.

Also, I’m a little disappointed no one else seems to have noticed or maybe it’s more of a stretch than I thought, but the wording of this section is very intentional: a nod to #20BIteen, AKA a year of amazing LGBTQIA+ representation! (Of course, it’s a great year for bookish diversity in general, but that would make for a very long title.)

ARCs I Have

TBR After Release

As I announced in my latest State of the ARC, I’m officially banning myself from picking up more review copies next month. With so many left from #ReviewPit and 2018 in general, not to mention lots of backlist books that I want to get to soon(ish), I really can’t keep doing this to myself. (After all, I can always read these same books after they come out, with so much less time-based pressure.)

March will be another month of focusing on ARCs, and if I catch up I’ll switch to reading challenges to maintain my headstart. I’ve also been struck by the mood to finish off all the half-finished series (serieses? serii?) I have left, but a lot of those will involve rereading so I’m thinking it’s more of a summer break project. (Still, you may have picked up on the fact that I have very little impulse control, so…)

Classes are also starting to kick my butt, so I’m switching back to posting three times a week (tentatively Mon/Wed/Fri, but we’ll see how it goes) and hoping to get a lot of posts prewritten and scheduled for the subsequent months. It does help that I have a week of spring break plus no exams in March (but several in April, and finals in May), so again, we’ll have to wait and see how it all ends up going.

What’s the best book you read in February? Did you read any of this month’s releases, or ARCs of March/April releases? Have you set any goals for March?

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24 thoughts on “February Reflection”

  2. I love Little Fires Everywhere. And her first book was amazing as well!
    My favorite book from this last month was, surprisingly (to me), Dracula. Great book! Doing a Read The World challenge, I don’t read a lot of “popular” books. 🙂

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  3. I just bought Fever King last night and can’t wait to read it!!!

    Also holy cow you’ve gotten so much done this month between blogging and real life! I’m glad your exams are over, and I’m really looking forward to what you have to say on some books you’re going to be reading, they’re the ones I’m too lazy to pick up first myself, so, you’ll be my go-to on those lol. I also feel that you, Michelle, and I need to keep each other in check with our no more review books bahahaha, I’m drowning in them!! I’m having to map out a schedule for them so they don’t interfere with my regular books.

    You shared some of my fave posts from others in the community, and your Dinner Date and GoodReads posts were my fave of yours this month!

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  4. Wow- thats a LOT of books!

    Im also SO happy to hear that your blogging is becoming more easier xx i find the more we do it, the more out blogging voice becomes more like an automatic

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  5. Ah, I am sorry that your month wasn’t the best. February felt incredibly long to me too? Which was so weird as it is the shortest month! I am sorry the exam results weren’t great or didn’t go great either but in the end exams aren’t a test of what you know. More like something we just have to go through which can be frustrating sometimes >.> You managed to read a lot though! Which is good!

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  6. I’m sorry to hear that February wasn’t the best month for you and about your exams, I really hope that March will be better, quicker and brighter for you ❤
    You’ve read SO many books, this is so great! I’m so happy you loved Small Town Hearts, I had such a great time with this book as well! ❤ ❤ ❤

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  8. I try and only get review copies of books that I desperately want to read. I do get sent some unsolicited books though… 🤷🏻‍♀️ ALSO, thank you for linking my post!! I’m glad you loved it!! xx

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    1. that’s definitely a good practice! I have this problem where everything with a pretty cover and interesting synopsis becomes something I have to read, though I’m getting better about saying no to review requests that don’t genuinely interest me 😅

      and you’re very welcome! thank you for writing and sharing the post in the first place 😉

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  9. didn’t read a book last month

    although I did post my March Goals the other day haha, did you like The Heartbreakers btw??? peers at you curiously I gotta say I’m trash for contemporary books with bands/musicians involved my fangirl heart flutters a little haha. Lowkey think we should just ban exams globally at this point, the idea that our future should come down to an exam, doesn’t seem fair. rolls then again I really I hate exams and the academics. throws productive energy at you so you can prewrite and schedule some posts

    also thanks for sharing my post Izzy ❤

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    1. I did like The Heartbreakers! it’s not the best thing I’ve ever read, but it’s so much fun 😉

      and yup, I’m absolutely here for banning exams. thank you for sharing the productive energy, I’m definitely gonna need it 😅

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  11. ‘officially banning yourself from getting review copies’, didn’t you do that last month? :’) Just kidding, I got you boo. Yay for 100 followers on here and Twitter!! I’m very proud to be one of them 🙂

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  12. giirlll you had such a productive reading month, how the actual hell!?!?! congrats on your first 100 followers, you deserve them and it’s been really exciting to watch you experiment with content and find your voice. I’d def be down for buddy reads, but this is the Year of the Slump so I am hesitant to schedule new ones right now bc I’m behind on like 7 of them.

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