For me, the end of the month is always so excited. I have the opportunity to talk books non-stop and share any new books that caught my eye and will probably take my money away. Even though I’m still a little bit stuck in a reading slump, it doesn’t demolish me from searching for more books to grow even more my Goodreads shelf.

Wrap-Up

Contrary to last month, I did manage to read a few more bits and pieces here and there. I’m still not in my regular reading mood but slowly I’m getting there. I just don’t feel like reading anything on my shelves and especially anything with more than 50 pages. So instead, I’ve been taking my time to explore new comic books. Since I’ve finished Saga, I need another story to keep me entertained while we all wait for more issues to come. After searching on the Image Comic website (the publisher of Saga) and also while exploring on Goodreads, I came across The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen and it is spot on great! I love the artwork (by Jamie McKelvie & Matt Wilson) much more than I liked in Saga and the story is awesome. Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans and two years later they are dead. The beginning felt a little bit confusing and I thought I was missing out on something, which is the only negative thing I have to point out. It’s focussed on a lot of mythology which might be why I sometimes felt a bit lost. Other than that, it’s a contemporary story with loads of pop culture references.

On a similar note, I’ve discovered The Cardcaptor Sakura is back! I’m so excited they decided to bring the story back and give it a sequel. I was about 8 or 9 years old when I first watch the anime (never got to read the manga, ups…), so reading the sequel now or watch the anime is a big trough back and leaves me with so much nostalgia. Every time I read a chapter a fell like a little girl again obsessed in front of the tv with all that magic. Even though, it’s been more than 15 years I still love those costumes and wouldn’t mind to have them. And I’m even considering going to a manga and anime convention in Portugal dressed up as her with the wand, cards and all.

Even after this exciting news, I still wasn’t feeling to pick up a proper book, so I thought it would be the best time to hear an audiobook. It’s the ultimate multitasking hack and a great way to “read” more. I decided to give a shot with Confess by Colleen Hoover. It was my first book from her and I actually enjoyed it quite a lot. It had some plot twists I wasn’t expecting and I would prefer the end to be a little bit different. It wasn’t bad but also wasn’t satisfying enough. Later, I discover the physical copy actually comes with the paintings and the respective confessions, which is something that can’t be shown through audio. So I’m definitely buying a copy and rereading it alongside with the art.

At this point, the end of the month was coming closer and I was starting to get bored again. I started reading Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs but I had to stop. I wasn’t feeling it and had no will to get back into those pages. It also didn’t help the chapters to be so long. So in the hope of one day pick it up again and actually enjoy it, I had to put it down. I clean up my Currently Reading shelf on Goodreads, marked and put away every book that I started but didn’t want to read right now, and picked up The Keeper of Lost Thing by Ruth Hogan. I bought this book back in November and was saving it to read during Spring. At the time it was in the bargain section of the Book Depository* and I’m so glad I purchase it. The book grabbed me from the first page and it does not let me go. I’ve never annotated a book this much and I’m taking the triple of the time I would normally take and it’s great. I’m taking my sweet sweet time and falling deeply in love with every page I turn. It’s becoming one of my favourite books and I’m not even 100 pages in.

Haul

Yesterday, I order The Saturday Night Supper Club* by Carla Laureano and The Affair* by Amanda Brooke. If you didn’t know, Carla’s book was one of my most anticipated book releases of February. Although at the time I had no idea what a Supper Club was, which in fact didn’t matter to understand the synopsis. Now that I’m conscious of the concept I’m even more excited. I fell like I’ve missed a trend by not knowing what a Supper Club is, but I think is something relatively new so it’s normal to miss it. If you also don’t know what a Supper Club is let me explain. It’s a social gathering event around a dining table. We have the host that opens his house and cooks the meal and the guest that usually are unknown people. So it’s like a pop-up dinner. Just opens one time or in a regular period and is very limited and exclusive. I can’t wait for this book to come in the mail!

While The Affair is a book that I found in the bargain section quite a while ago. The reviews are mixed so it doesn’t leave me with any high expectations, but I couldn’t resist such synopsis. A fifteen years old girl gets pregnant and refuses to say who’s the father so her mother starts to suspect from every man she knows, from her daughter’s teacher to her recent husband. It’s one of those books where you need to know who was responsible. Since it deals with sex between adults and an underaged girl it’s a difficult topic to write about so I curious how everything plays out.

Caught on my radar

Either if I have time and patience or don’t, I can’t help to be drawn into thrillers. There’s something in the cover, the title or the synopsis that grabs tight and never let’s go. Although I don’t read them that often but they are always in the back of my mind. And Obsession by Amanda Robson sounds great. First of all, the title is a great suggestion, second the blurb is even more interesting “He’s not your husband. He’s hers.”. Uuuuhhhhh ring on the drama alert! I’m not a big fan of overly dramatic stories but when coped with craziness and (hopefully) a little bit of murder or something close to that, count me in.

Do you remember last month when I said I was in a sci-fi mindset? Well, I still am. Probably because I haven’t indulged it in any book. Reboot by Amy Tintera isn’t new and I’m sure I’ve seen it around a couple of times, although for some reason I never got into it. I fell like I’ve said this before, but since I’ve finished the Divergent series I haven’t stepped in any other dystopian novel. So lately I’ve been searching for the next book inside that genre to commit with. And Reboot could be the one. A world where humans can be reborn and as they do it, they come more strong and less emotional.

Up next, Satellite by Nick Lake seems to be a nice ride to take. It reminds me of The 100 except the post-apocalyptic scenario, instead of a modern day. Two boys are born inside a space station that orbits the Earth, called Moon 2. At the age of 17 they are prepared to fly out and descend to Earth, but nothing could prepare them for what they were going to deal with down here. I’m very curious how everything plays out. Having a set of eyes to see how we live from a completely different perspective is always refreshing and very insightful. Also the story of the two boys and why they were born in space intrigues me, but other than that I have no clue what to expect.

On other subjects, I’ve been carving some diversity books, especially diverse in locations. It’s great to read all sort of stories but sometimes is great to travel to a different place and get to know it better. So Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan has some really interesting promises. Despite a new culture and setting (Singapore), also deals with wealthy families in a modern world and it’s funny. I don’t think I ever read a book having money as a main part of the story and for sure never read about Asian families.

So my plans for March include to read at least one of my recent purchases and finish The Keeper of Lost Things. In the meantime, I’m hoping to get out of this reading slump. And what about you? What have you read in February? And what books are you planning to read in March?

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