Thursday, February 28, 2013

February in review

February is over! That's two months of 2013 already finished. Man, this year is going by quickly.  Here's a quick breakdown of how February went for me.  

Books Read in February 2013:

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Undone by Cat Clarke
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Dare You To by Katie McGarry 
Burned by Ellen Hopkins 
Changeling by Philippa Gregory 
Storm Glass by Maria V Snyder
Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott
Love Ya Babe by Chris Higgins
Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt
My Favourite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron    
Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen
Losing It by Cora Carmack
Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover    
The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham   
Waiting For Gonzo by Dave Cousins 

Total: 22

I had an okay reading month.  Things seemed to have calmed down a bit from last month's reading frenzy, but I didn't do too badly.  As much as I wanted to catch up on some review books as well as my personal challenge to read from my non-review TBR pile, I didn't do as well on either as I hoped. Nor did I read as many books by British authors either.  (as you can see, I was instead distracted by an abundance of NA books!) I think perhaps my goal for March should be to decimate my overflowing piles of review books by British authors.  Teaming the two makes for double the satisfaction.

I did read some amazing books this month, but which was the best of the bunch...?


February Book of the Month:


Undone by Cat Clarke! I think this was my easiest ever decision for book of the month. Undone was very emotional reading for me. I really felt like I felt all the things while reading it and there was more than one occasion in which I did ugly crying. But in a good way.

Runner-up goes to The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks.


Books reviewed in February:

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
Pantomime by Laura Lam
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
Infinite Sky by CJ Flood
The Seeing by Diana Hendry
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Dead Romantic by CJ Skuse
Dare You To by Katie McGarry
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg 
Changeling by Philippa Gregory 
Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
Geek Girl by Holly Smale
Hidden Among Us by Katy Moran

Non-review posts during February:

UKYA in 2013

UKYA in February 2013 

An Introduction to RH Ragona' Circus of Magic by Laura Lam, author of Pantomime

Ten Things You Didn't Know about CJ Flood, author of Infinite Sky

An Alternative Love Song Playlist by CJ Skuse, author of Dead Romantic 

Top 5 Geek Girls by Holly Smale, author of Geek Girl



Celebrating British Bloggers

Jasprit from The Readers Den (Celebrating British Bloggers)
Lyndsey from Page After Page... (Celebrating British Bloggers)
Rebecca from Rebecca-Books (Celebrating British Bloggers) 
Anna from Anna Scott Jots (Celebrating British Bloggers)


Book of Questions

I took a break from this feature this month, look out for more soul-searching answers next month!



Fear of ... making decisions
Falling in love...  
Life in the UK Citizenship test 
Self Harm (Mental Health Awareness)

The historical YA that changed my mind...
Giving away my favourite books ... and regretting it
Why I like reading about unlikeable characters

British Books Challenge update in February

Undone by Cat Clarke
Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott
Love Ya Babe by Chris Higgins 
Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen
The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks
Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham
Waiting For Gonzo by Dave Cousins

Total in February: 7
Total in 2013: 13

I really wanted to read more books by British authors this month! Still, it makes it slightly better that that least one book by a British author I read this month was so awesome that it'll most likely end up on my best of the year post in December, but I really should do more to read more. Next month! (Some excellent books by British authors here though!)


Personal challenge to read 10 non-review books a month:

Undone by Cat Clarke
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Changeling by Philippa Gregory
Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Love Ya Babe by Chris Higgins

Total in February: 7
Total in 2013: 17/120

February is a pretty short month, so I was debating whether or not I should continue with the 10 book minimum for February or not. I figured if I wanted to clear my TBR shelves by the end of the year than shortcuts during this challenge isn't the way to do it, so the number stuck.

What was your favourite book that you read in February? 

10 comments:

  1. Wow! You read a lot of books this month! I read...7 *facepalm* How many do you read on average a week? I have seen Undone on a lot of blogs lately and it looks very good, however I do think it will be a bit heavy for me!

    I really want to read, This is What Happy Looks Like, it looks really good!

    Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic
    My Monthly Wrap-Up

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    1. We all read at different speeds! Don't let my totals make you feel bad about yours.

      I have no idea how many I read on average :( It used to be around 4 but a lot has changed recently. And actually, at the start of the month, there was a bunch of days in a row where I didn't read anything.

      This Is What Happy Looks Like IS really good, very funny and romantic and sweet :)

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  2. Wow that's a big haul or books you've reviewed and a lot of books you've read..i've been slacking this month but I have an excuse..exams... *cue groans*..thanks for commenting on my blog! :)

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  3. 22 books is an 'okay' month?! I wished I could read that many books that fast, Clover!

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    1. Ha! I just forgot to delete that out. The first few weeks of February I was reading almost nothing (which is when I started compiling this blog post!) Really should have changed it though, I just didn't :)

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  4. I also read Born Wicked in February! The next book in the series comes out in July and I can hardly wait! Squee! Nice reading month!

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    1. Really? July? That's not too long to wait, which is excellent news! :)

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  5. Yay for Undone being your Feb book of the month! Absolutely stunning, that book is :) And ahh, 22 books, you are totally on fire, Michelle! I used to be a fast reader... *cries*

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    1. I'm pretty sure April will be no where close to 22. I think I'll be lucky to be into double figures! *cries with you*

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