Happy February, friends! We made it through the first month of this year… yay! Let’s catch up a little bit, shall we.
January always comes with new resolutions, new positivity and a whole bunch of hope for a brand new year. For me, it’s always the peak of seasonal depression and not really the best moment in time. I’ve been working all month-long, which has been really, well let’s say it: hard, at times, but I’m trying my best.
Not much has happened otherwise, the little routine of working full-time, almost every day at home as well. I’m hoping for a little getaway this next month!
🔍 KEEP YOURSELF INFORMED of the world’s current info & donate to important causes if you can, always. Here are some links to find out what’s happening in the world right now and to do your part:
- Get informed,
- Global Issues Awareness,
- Anti-Asian Violences Resources,
- Help India during this crisis,
- Help Palestine with these resources : HelpPalestine Carrd, Learn about Palestinian history Help Palestine with a Click & Resources Masterlist
- Support the LGBTQ Community in Hungary
Monthly Reading Wrap-Up
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I’m pretty happy by how my reading year started! I managed to read 5 books and that’s really good for me. Well, Heartstopper is a graphic novel, so I went through it fairly quickly, but still. I’d say that’s a win! I also mostly read books I really enjoyed so… let’s hope the year continues just like that!
WEATHER GIRL ☂️ I love Rachel Lynn Solomon’s YA books and was eager to read her adult novels. Weather Girl was such a wonderful discovery. 2000% recommending this!
💧 Read my review – Buy the book on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
HEARTSTOPPER VOL. 3 ☂️ I love these graphic novels so much, they’re such comfort reads and all around adorable.
💧 Read my review – Buy on: Amazon
THE SUMMER OF BROKEN RULES ☂️ A new favorite YA contemporary read right here. All the summer feels, an adorable romance, a big family and did I mention, SUMMER FEELS?
💧 Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
THEY’LL NEVER CATCH US ☂️ Jessica Goodman is becoming one of my favorite YA thriller authors. I loved this one with the focus on sisters, the mystery and I just was captivated by it all!
💧 Buy the book on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
THE BRONZED BEASTS ☂️ It was time to read the last book in The Gilded Wolves series and… well. I’m sad to say I was a bit disappointed, somehow feeling disconnected from it all. Maybe time made me grow apart from this story. Still, the ending made me all teary eyes.
💧 Buy the book on: Amazon
Book Discoveries of The Month
I’m now sharing in this new category the books I found out about this past month.
THE DECOY GIRLFRIEND ☂️ I love Lillie Vale and this is about a celebrity dopplegänger switching place with the real actress and fake-dating her boyfriend and it sounds like SUCH a good romcom and I’m SCREAMING.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL STATEMENT ☂️ This is a book about a teen leaving for the college of her dreams… even if she didn’t, technically, get IN. This sounds like such a COOL premise I’m so excited okay.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
IF YOU STILL RECOGNIZE ME ☂️ This sounds like such a beautiful, emotional f/f contemporary, set during the summer, with feelings being revealed and long-lost best friends reappearing and I have a VERY good feeling about this one okay.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
GET OVER YOURSELF ☂️ Wibbroka revealed their 2023 YA book and it immediately landed on my TBR, no questions asked. It’s about two teens always spending summer together, until they date, broke up and are still spending the summer together and aERM.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
Goodreads challenge: 5/50 books
I’m 10% in my goodreads challenge so… yay?!
I didn’t write every day in January, but I just realized I wrote 10k words.
I felt like I made progress, but I’m pretty happy to find out just how much! I also feel like I’m slowly, but surely seeing the end of this second draft coming and I’m both excited and freaking terrified, because… of course, it needs more work. Of course, I’ll have to send it to my sister and beta readers. Mixed feelings here, friends, but trying to focus on this one day at a time!
It’s been a pretty good start of the year, blogging-wise. While I thought I’d tackle my newsletter and do a whole bunch of other stuff -which I didn’t, because what is time-, I still managed to write and publish regularly and I’ve been really happy about my work overall, so… it’s a half win, I’d say!
I haven’t really talked about the fact that I’ve been trying to monetize a little bit with affiliate links… should I tell you how that’s been going?
Soooo there’s that. Maybe I’ll write about my experience with monetizing my blog if you ever want to hear about it? Let me know in comments!
Also small reminder that, if you ever want to buy books, you can use my links at the bottom right of the page!
On better, brighter news, I have some pretty fun, new things planned for this upcoming month, I hope you’ll enjoy it and, well. I’m still hoping to take my newsletter again and built some new stuff for you all, sometime, hopefully soon. You can always subscribe here!
On the blog this month: book reviews
On the blog this month: blogging, books & more
It’s a bit of a tradition here: every new year, I’m making some reading, blogging and writing resolutions and reflecting on last year’s. I always have a lot of fun writing these posts and thinking about the upcoming year!
To start 2022 right, my co-blogger Nyx shared some promising books she’s excited to read this year. Here’s to hoping they will meet her expectations (and mine. Let’s face it: I will read these!!)
We had a lot of fun co-writing a blog post with recommendations based on your favorite TV shows! It was a… complicated, VERY long post to write, but I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
On book blogging, I shared some tips to increase your book blog’s traffic. After a little while at this, I managed to figure out what worked and what didn’t and, while I’m no expert to ask if you want to go viral, I still feel like I managed to share some good tips. I hope. I did my best!
Finally, since we all need a little positivity here and there, I shared some feel-good YA books that will make you smile, laugh and happy, I hope!
As always, I’m reading and replying to each and every single one of your comment, so, if there’s any blog post you’d like me to write next… feel free to let me know!
☂️ Your support means so much to me. If you enjoy my work, here’s a little extra something you can do to help me out:
- 💫 Support me by tipping me on ko-fi,
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On instagram
I didn’t post much, yet again. I’m struggling to find my groove on instagram, but… I’m trying!
You can follow my instagram account here!
I’ve been trying my best to catch up a bit on blog-hopping, but I know I’m clearly missing out a lot, lately. I’m trying my best, friends. Here’s my little selection for this month!
Book Blogging
- Kate @ Your Tita Kate shared some excellent reasons to start a book blog.
- Briana @ Pages Unbound is hosting a GREAT challenge to support book bloggers in 2022 and I hope you’ll do it!
- Malka @ Paper Procrastinators wrote about why she blog-hops!
Reading, Book Recommendations & Book Lists
- Kashvi @ Misty Realms shared an incredible list of diverse YA and Middle Grade Books releasing in 2022.
- Erin @ Reading on a Star shared some great alternatives to Amazon.
- Caro @ Bookcheshire Cat Shared some of her most anticipated reads for the first half of 2022.
- Kat @ Life & Other Disasters wrote an amazing post with ALL of the book to screen adaptations for 2022!
- I loved Malka @ Paper Procrastinators’ post about breaking into a new genre.
- Mel @ The Spellbound Librarian also has a fantastic list of releases for this winter, with so many great books!
- Over on 24hYABookBlog, there’s a list that was made for me: YA Romance Books To Read If You Need a Boost of Serotonin.
How was your January? Did you find a new favorite read this month? Has your reading year been off to a good start?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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I know the feeling is struggling with Bookstagram. I’m struggling too. I use my personal one more than my bookstagram.
I’m glad to hear I’m not alone. Here’s to hoping we can find our groove someday!
I just added The Summer of Broken Rules to my TBR. That sounds perfect!
Ahhh yay, it was such a great read! I hope you will enjoy it 🙂
Great wrap up! I also enjoyed Weather Girl. I loved setting of KSEA, mental health rep, and fat hero that I haven’t seen in books I have read so far.
Yes! I so agree with you, I haven’t seen this setting so much before and it was such a nice change. And Russ, I adore him!
Ohno im so sorry January was a harsh month for you! As always, sending you lots of love Marie, and hoping february will be much better xx
Ah happy to hear you loved weather girl, as ive been wanting to read it too! We know our tastes are very similar, so I should love it too then, ahah! I also wouldn’t be opposed to having a post about monetizing our blogs.
Take care of yourself, friend! Xx
Thank you so, very much Kristina, you’re too kind <3 I hope you'll love Weather Girl, it was such a fantastic read!
I hope February has been kind to you so far <3
I really adore reading your wrap ups! They are such great posts 🤩 I can totally relate to the feeling of wanting to get away since it hard to keep on working full time and producing content, u too am hoping for some getaway time in February
I hope you have an amazing February 😊 happy reading 🤍
Ah thank you so much!! I hope that February will be lovely for you <3
i’m so sorry to hear that you were disappointed by the bronzed beasts! i’m trying to keep my expectations low after not loving the silvered serpents 😭 but i’m very happy to see that you were able to write a lot in january, and i’m all 👁👁 at if you still recognize me—thank you for sharing! have a lovely february <3
Oh no I’m sorry you didn’t love the silvered serpents😭 to be honest, it had been a while since I read the previous book and.. I don’t know, maybe my taste has shifted a little bit since then, too 😭
I hope you’ll have a lovely month as well <3
ah i hope you manage to fit a getaway in!!
i need to pick up the heartstopper series…i read the first volume ages ago but forgot to keep going with it! i’m terrible with series. congrats on the amazing writing progress too woohoo!
Oh I get that, I am the WORST at keeping up with series as well, not sure why, I just… don’t keep up with them at all 😂 Thank you so, so much! I hope February will be lovely for you! <3
They’ll Never Catch Us sounds very intriguing, and the cover is definitely eye-catching! Also, I would personally love to read a post about your experience with monetising my blog if you decide to write about it.
Ahh I hope you’ll give the book a try, I enjoyed it a lot! And thank you for letting me know, I’ll do my best to work on a post about it all 🙂
Yay Heartstopper! I love them too. I think I may reread the first three soon, so I can finally read volume four! 🙂 I hope you have an amazing February! <3
Ahh I hope you’ll enjoy it! Thank you so much Ashley, you too! 🙂
I’m reading Weather Girl this month (my library finally got a copy!) and I’m so glad to hear that you love it so much ❤️ Sorry that you were a bit disappointed by The Bronzed Beasts, though I did enjoy our buddy read 🥰 Thank you so much for sharing my post! I hope you’re having a great February 💌
Ah I hope you’re loving Weather Girl, it’s such a great read! I had a fantastic time buddy reading with you, too and hope we can do it again! <3 <3
I’m just catching up on how everyone has been by reading through the majority of my saved blog posts. Happy to hear that you started out the year well!
Thank you for mentioning not one, but TWO of my posts! Having been on and off in terms of blogging this year, coming back to this reminder that my posts are loved and shared means a lot!
Thank you so much! And of course, your posts are always so fantastic! <3