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Friday, 28 February 2020

February Wrap Up (2020)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And I've been super productive today so I wanted to continue with this post!
By the schedule, so how long it should take me to finish each book to complete my Goodreads reading challenge by the end of the year, I shouldn't finish 5 books this month, yet I've done that, and I've gone and finished my 6th one too!
Here's what I've been up to this month.


-BOOKS-
I've read a total of 6 books this month, (only because I finished a book on the 1st February though.)

1. Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orisha #2), by Tomi Adeyemi
This book didn't live up to my expectations. I should really have learnt by now, not to have expectations, even if I really enjoyed the first book in the series. Especially because of the chance of second book syndrome, which this one definitely had. But all is not lost. I will continue on to the third book in the series, in the hope that it picks up. We read from Zelie's and Amari's perspectives once more, each trying to bring to the lands, because although they achieved what they set out to do in the first book, all is not perfect once more. The cover is perfect, I love it so much.


2. The Light Between Oceans, by M.L Stedman
This book brought me to tears almost a number of times because even though you know what the main characters are doing is wrong, you hope that it's all going to end out well in the end. But what I love about this book is that it proves that what's right in a situation isn't always black and white. The Light Between Oceans tells the story of the only couple on a secluded island, who have suffered three miscarriages, scared and alone. Then, a baby turns up in a boat with a dead man. This one really questioned what I would do tasked with the question: would you do something that wasn't right to achieve the deepest dream of my heart? Which is what makes this book so interesting. I highly recommend the book, and I'm excited to see the film sometime soon.

3. One of Us Is Next, (One of Us Is Lying #2), by Karen M. McManus
Premise: Truth or Dare turned deadly. We follow people that helped find out what Simon was up to last time: Phoebe, Maeve and Knox. I wouldn't say I have a favourite character, however, I liked Maeve's backstory the most. It was my favourite Karen M. McManus' book to date, but I didn't hate it. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It just wasn't my favourite out of the three books that I've read. She's probably one of my autobuy authors at this point because her books are always full of mystery and intrigue, and I can always fly through them.  


4. Pride and Penalties, by Chris Higgins
I didn't really need to read this in hindsight, but because I was having such a hard time with The Starless Sea, I decided to quickly re-read this because, it's one of my favourite from my pre-teen days, and I own (most) of the Chris Higgins books. (There's maybe one of hers that I've read that I don't own.) What I love about her books is that she weaves in mature themes in her books, but with a light-hearted tone to them, so they're incredibly entertaining to read. Pride and Penalties is about Spider, whose only dreams are to play Rugby... and for her dad to be proud of her. But she is constantly overlooked by her brother Will, who has a secret. Even though he likes rugby, he wants to do theatre more. This book has some of my favourite themes are in this book, and they remain my favourite today. It was wonderful to read about these characters once more.  


5. This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3), by Emily Suvada
The first series I've finished this year! I've been reading this series since, I think it was 2017, because each book came out in September, the year after the first one. I have to admit, I wasn't sure how Suvada was going to be at concluding a series. But I will say that it wrapped up perfectly well, and I'm excited to see what she comes up with next. (Because this DNA/gene hacking/tech savvy trilogy was absolutely phenomenal- and it has crazy amazing covers.)


6. What If It's Us, by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera
I finished this last night. And I absolutely loved it. I don't know why I didn't get into this the first time I tried it. Maybe I needed the magic Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack because the minute I turned it on, I was hooked. This is definitely in the running for the cutest LGBT book I've ever read because there was just something about this book that made me not want to put it down. I adored both Ben and Arthur, though I loved how Arthur had no chill, because he reminds me of myself. Also the fact that I got all his musical theatre references, made this book all the better. Highly recommend this if you think there's even a slight possibility that you might like it.



-TV SHOWS AND FILMS-
Films
I didn't actually keep track of the films I watched this month, but here are the ones I remember:
1. Hercules
2. Miss You Already
3. Tangled

TV Shows
1. Miranda (Season 3)
2. Dragonball Z (Cell Saga)
3. Glee (Seasons 1 & 2)


One final thing I want to mention before I finish this post. I want to mention something that I did this month that I'm so happy I accomplished: I completed Naseby 1645 (the run event, I mean.)
It's been my longest distance yet, it's the worst I've ever felt, and I'm so happy that I completed it!
Better yet, I ran this incredibly hard run during Storm Dennis (though I was too exhausted to carry about the weather by that point, because it was 16.45 miles.)
But I'm so happy because that means I'm on track to train for a marathon next year. So proud of myself and all of the running community that finished it by my side.


Okay, I hope you enjoyed this monthly wrap up and I can't wait to talk to you all again next month!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of reading!
Don't forget to comment down below, if you want to share what you did in February!
Byeee!

-Abi xxxx







Monday, 24 February 2020

1-10 Books of 2020

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And I honestly can't believe that it's not even past the 2 month mark and I've already finished 10 books. Granted, that is what I need to continue to do to reach my Goodreads goal for the year, but the fact that I'm still on track is quite satisfying!
So here are the books that I've been reading since the start of the year!

Enjoy!


1. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe
Although this wasn't the most moving novel, like others in it's genre (such as Anne Frank's: The Diary of A Young Girl and The Book Thief, one thing I will say was that it a different type of novel. It was done from the inspiration of a researcher, searching for answers from a long ago experience, so it makes sense that, even though he did get the meet the person who was once known as The Librarian of Auschwitz, it wouldn't be as emotional as those books are. However, I will say that it was a new version of the hell-hole that was Auschwitz, and has definitely given me a lot more of a perspective on the horrors that accounted these people day after day, year after year. (Mature readers only, because of the heavy subjects within this book.)  

2. Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This one absolutely knocked it out of the park. Daisy Jones and the Six is a book that is made up of a series of interviews, from all the members of the bands, and some of the people that were around them in the mid to late 70s. Listening to the audiobook didn't feel like I was listening to a manuscript, a novel. It felt like I was listening to the actual interview, which is why the whole Booktube community has been raving about it for the past six months. It was so interesting to hear everybody's own version of the events that centred around the mid to late 70s, especially as they all had their opinions about what they thought. I highly recommend this if you haven't had the chance to listen to this audiobook. Five stars.

3. The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon
I have to admit, this took some work. To get through this day after day, I felt like I was slogging my guts out. But, with the right mindset, and the idea that I didn't have to keep reading once I'd reached my goal for the day. (Also, the music for revising really helped me to stay inside the story). The fact that the book was split into sections definitely helped, because it meant I had a clear goal that I needed to read to stay in track. I am pretty proud to say that I finished the majority of this book (bar about 30 pages or so) in the space of five days. The story was incredibly detailed, there was always something going on, and I loved the LGBT romance, the exploration of the world, the dragons, there wasn't much that I could fault it on, and nothing comes to mind at the top of my head. I know it's intimidating guys, but it's worth the read. I promise.

4. 13 Minutes, by Sarah Pinborough

13 Minutes reminds me of Pretty Little Liars, but on a grander, and crueller scale. When I think about the events that happen in this book, I can only hope that these sort of things don't happen in high school anymore. (I mean, I think the book is American, and these things probably don't happen- especially as there's murder and blackmail and devious plans to embarrass classmates) but I really hope not. I did however, really like the different ways in which pieces of the puzzle came together over the course of the book, it's always fun to see if you can connect the dots and try to sus out what's going on before everyone else does at the end of the book, and that was definitely the case with this one. (Even though most of the time this book had me on the ropes!) I definitely enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I did, especially because, as the story went on, we discovered more and more about the characters, and all their secrets (which was probably the main reason why it kept me on my toes.) Highly recommend this, though for mature readers only.


5. Heartstopper Volume Three, (Heartstopper #3), by Alice Oseman
It feels like my heart grows for these characters more and more with each volume! In this volume, we get to see our two favourite boys travel to Paris and have lots of cute times with each- other! We also learn more about their friends, and some budding romances emerge, which I absolutely loved. Charlie and Nick learn more about each-other, and there are some conversations which are had, but you can find out about those when you read it! I just love how much queer rep is in this series, the only downfall is that I have to wait until 2021 until Volume Four! (I need more Alice Oseman- which is precisely why I've put some of her other books on my TBR Jar Challenge for the year!) Five stars. Highly highly highly recommend.

6. Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orisha #2), by Tomi Adeyemi
In the best way possibly I was quite disappointed with this book. Even though I finished this at the start of February, not a lot of it sticks in my mind. It just felt so annoying frustrating that it didn't seem to hold the attention that the first book so easily snatched. I know I'm not alone in this opinion, but I'm still hoping for redemption when the third book comes out, (though I have no idea when that is), because of how much I enjoyed the first book. Like Children of Blood and Bone, we read from both Zelie and Amari, so that hasn't changed. Also, even though I didn't quite love it as much as I enjoyed COBAB, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy this book at all. I enjoyed how conflicted the characters were, the confrontations, the goal of trying to bring peace between the different clans, yet none of them ever seemed to catch a break. How, even though most of the novel was insanely fast paced, my eyes were soaring over the pages at times, in the need to find out what happens next, only to jump to the perspective you really don't want to read from. I rated this 3 stars.


7. The Light Between Oceans, by M.L Stedman
Unless they invent a rating higher than 5 stars on Goodreads and I read a lot books that measure up to be 6 stars, then I'm pretty sure that this is going to make an appearance in my Favourite Reads of 2020 at the end of the year. I am so happy that I decided to push the envelope and pick this up because it was just wonderful and horrible at the same time (like it pulled at my heartstrings horrible- as in it was amazing in that respect.) But think of how hard it would be to be told that the people who brought you up, the people that are your whole world, aren't actually your biological parents? The POV is from a couple that are all alone on an island, have been on and off for years, whilst they have also suffered from three miscarriages. If a baby appears on a boat, with no parents in sight, wouldn't you raise that child as your own. This book messed with my emotions, make no mistake. 5 stars.  


8. One of Us Is Next (One of Us Is Lying #2), by Karen M. McManus
The scary thing about this novel: what takes place could actually happen. The premise of One of Us Is Next, is that a number of gossip sites have sprung up since what Simon died, a year and a half ago, even though none of them hold a candle to Simon. But something's about to change. Come on Bayview, you know you've missed this appears in the chat. Except this time, it's not an app- but a game. Truth or Dare- and if you don't do the dare, a dangerous truth will be revealed. We read from the POV's of Maeve, Phoebe and Knox. Some of the characters from the first book are featured, and it's great to see them in there, but it's nice that they've paved the way for some new characters that aren't unrelated to them, but enough that One of Us Is Next can be a completely new story. This is an easy read to fly through if you want something engaging, entertaining and high-staked story. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book, but that's just my personal opinion. 3 stars.


9. Pride and Penalties, by Chris Higgins


I picked this up because I wanted something that would prevent me from falling into a reading slump, which I felt like I was headed for when I first picked up The Starless Sea (I've since fixed that and am hoping to steadily make my way through it.) I've always loved Chris Higgins' way of spinning a story, just the way she infuses mature issues and themes within her books with a light-hearted writing style. Even if you don't share the same interests as the protagonist, it's so easy to see at least some aspect of your own life within the lives of the characters in her book, I recommend Chris Higgins books to any young person that wants to get into teen/YA contemporary novels, there really isn't a better way to introduce yourself to the genre, in my opinion.


10. This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3), by Emily Suvada
I finished this last night and my mind is still reeling from how this trilogy came to it's end. From about half way through the second book I was curious as to how everything was going to fall in place, just because, I had no other series' to compare it to because the This Mortal Coil is completely different to anything I've read in the Sci-fi genre. I won't spoil anything because it is the third book in the trilogy, but the premise is that there's a war coming, between the civilians in the bunkers, Carataxus (an all powerful company that was created to make a vaccine that will cure the world of the virus that has plagued the surface for years) and the genehackers. However, someone is trying to manipulate the scenes, and start the war, because they want revenge. Jun Bei and Catarina are going head to head, trying to stop this war, though in different ways. The whole trilogy just screams intelligent from the get go and not once have I thought it wasn't engaging , or fast paced, or the development for any of the characters weren't advancing enough. If you like science fiction, and the science behind DNA and genes, then this is the trilogy for you.


Okay! That's all I have for today, so that's going to do it for today!
I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon towards the end of the week with my February Wrap Up! I hope you have a wonderful evening/afternoon depending on where you are in the world, and happy reading!
Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx  











Monday, 17 February 2020

Unread Books.

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
Don't ask me why I enjoy posting this list every year, I just like jamming my thoughts out on my laptop about the books that I have yet to read.
So here's my current list of books that I own, but have yet to read.
Let me know if you like to plan and list books that you want to read, and we can talk about it in the comments.
I was going to post my review on the Sonic the Hedgehog film, but I'd rather post this.


1. The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern
Whenever I manage to pick this up and read a couple of pages, I'm always surprised as for why it's taken me so long to get back to reading it, because I never seem to get around to it. What I mean is, I'm never motivated to pick it up, even though I know it's something I'm going to love. I'm full of conflicting decisions about this book at the moment: should I put it down and start another, try and push myself to pick it up more. The problem isn't the enjoyment, when I eventually get to it, it's wonderful, right up my alley. But if I can't bring myself to progress, should I really be reading it?

2. What If It's Us, by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera
The hope that I'll get to this sometime this month is not lost... yet. If I can get my act together enough to finish The Starless Sea then this'll be next on the list because I want to read at least one romance this month, and the fact that this is an LGBT one is the cherry on top of the cake. The motivation for this is back up there and I'm ready to give it another go. Especially as DEH (Dear Evan Hansen) is mentioned in just the first chapter- that's as far as I got last time.) From what it seems from the synopsis on Goodreads, it sounds like it'll take me on a cute, knife-edge (will it, won't it work?) kind of story that will mess with my heart and my emotions in a huge way, and I am all for it.

3. This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3), by Emily Suvada
The third and final book in the Mortal Coil trilogy, and I'm curious/intrigued/interested to see where it could possibly end. This is possibly the smartest, most addictive (because the hefty number of cliff-hanger chapters) trilogy its been my fortune to come across. The This Mortal Coil trilogy is set in a futuristic world, where Katarina is struggling to survive after her father was kidnapped by the government. If you find genes and gene hacking interesting, then this is the series for you.

4. A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1), by V.E Schwab
I have been saying for months that I'm going to leave A Darker Shade of Magic until last, so I have the opportunity to pursue the rest of the series. But I've changed my mind. If I wait until it's the last book on my physical TBR, I'll be waiting for forever. Instead, I'll read it after the three mentioned above, and read the next ones when I'm in the mood to do so. It's time to stop denying myself the books that I'm in the mood, just because I've planned it that way. All I know about this series is that everybody loves it, so there's some high expectations for this novel, and that there are people that can travel from all the parallel Londons. I know that there's more to it than that, but I kind of want to go into this knowing as little as possible.

5. The Mercies, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
So, I went to Stamford on Friday, to spend the day with my partner. And believe it or not, I actually wasn't planning on purchasing any books. But when I saw, the cover, saw that it was 1 in only 2000 that was printed, as well as being signed, I know I had to have it. On top of that, it's about independent females, in the 17th century. One of the genres I've been trying to get more into has been historical fiction, so this was just the icing on top of the cake. The only downside: it's set on a remote island, surrounded by sea. Because it wasn't all that long ago that I finished The Light Between Oceans, this might be on here for a bit, but I will get to it eventually. Looking forward to giving it a read.

6. Solitaire, by Alice Oseman
7. Radio Silence, by Alice Oseman
 
The day after I was in Stamford, I travelled to Nottingham to explore the city and watch a football match, and of course, I had to get a book, to mark out Nottingham, and add it to the list!
The decision making behind purchasing these two was the desire to tick of another TBR Jar Challenge for the year. I read Heartstopper Volume Three last month and loved it, so I'm eager to get to more Alice Oseman books, especially as I have to wait until next year for the next volume!


Okay guys, that is my list for that day, and that means I'm done! Let's take bets on how long it takes for me to get to all of these- and how many more books I'll buy in the process!
I hope you have a wonderful day, wherever you are- and I'll see you all soon.
Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx



Tuesday, 11 February 2020

The Disney Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And I was looking for inspiration as for what I wanted to post tonight and I realised... I don't think I've done the Disney Book Tag. Like EVER!
So why not do it now? I don't really have a reason. I have no other ideas.
So, enjoy!
(I'm watching Hercules whilst writing this, to get in the right mind-set.)


The Little Mermaid ~ A Character Who Is Out Of Their Element (Fish Out Of Water)
The Baudelaire Children are constantly being moved from impossible situation to impossible situation throughout a Series of Unfortunate Events. When everyone seems to believe Count Olaf's phony disguises but them, they are forced to go to unimaginable lengths to survive his vicious grasp. But at least they have each-other (and their amazing talents.) 

Cinderella ~ A Character That Goes Through A Major Transformation
Aside from Harry Potter, I'm going to go with Valkyrie Cain, from the Skulduggery Pleasant series. She goes from a sassy, sarcastic twelve year old, tagging along with Skulduugery, to developing two different types of powers, to making another, evil version of herself. This girl's transformation is major.

Snow White ~ A Book With An Electric Cast Of Characters
This lot. Didn't even have to think about this one. Every single character is interesting and bad-ass, and I don't really have a favourite, because it's wonderful to read from all of their perspectives. If you haven't read this duology yet WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Six of Crows is about a cast of 6 criminals that attempt an almost impossible heist. And they might just succeed- if they don't kill each-other first.

Sleeping Beauty ~ A Book That Put You To Sleep
This is definitely going to be an unpopular opinion because the hype for this book is huge but this book bored me to tears. I didn't even make it to 100 pages before I turned my attention to something else. Although I do like to read the occasional slow and dreamy, atmospheric book, this was just something I wasn't in the mood for.


The Lion King ~ A Character That Suffered From A Traumatic Event In Childhood
Again, the logical response would be Harry Potter, but I'm going with Lucy/ Grace from The Light Between Oceans. Imagine being told at four years old that the people you thought were your parents were anything but? That's not the traumatic event though: she longs for the parents that she has grown to know, who was with her from when she was infant. This is a heart-breaking book, one that will manipulate your emotions to a pulp. Read with caution, for you may never recover. Review here.

Beauty and the Beast ~ A Beast Of A Book That Was Intimidating, But You Found To Be Beautiful
What constitutes a big book?
Probably The Priory of the Orange Tree because of the beautiful description. Such a vast, beautiful world. I have to admit, exploring was one of the best things about the book (in my opinion.)
I really should read more big, beautiful books.

Aladdin ~ A Character Who Gets Their Wish Granted, For Better Or Worse
Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to be getting a lot of hate for this choice? Maybe because of what happens in the process of Bri getting her "come up"? I really should re-read this book again soon because, even though it wasn't as much of a hit as THUG was, it was still a phenomenal read. Angie Thomas is a huge genius and I highly recommend this if you haven't joined the rest of the Booktube community in the love of this book.


Mulan ~ A Character Who Pretends To Be Someone They're Not
Henrietta Howel thinks her life is over when she is caught using forbidden magic to protect herself from danger at the start of Kingdom on Fire trilogy. From that point onwards, she is assumed to be the prophesized that will save the world from the Gods that plague their world, but Henrietta is not sure whether she is or not. Yet she continues to act under the pretence that she will save the world.

Toy Story ~ A Book With Characters You Wish Would Come To Life
I just love these characters more and more with each volume. Especially with the latest one, I wished I could have been in Paris with Charlie, Nick, Tao, Elle, Tara, Darcy, and all the rest of them! I just wish I could give them all a squeeze, because I love them all so much!


Disney Descendants ~ Favourite Villain or Morally Ambiguous Character
Erm... I'm never any good at this question...
Probably Pennywise. He's creepy as hell, though it sure was interesting to review from his POV in the last 200 pages of IT.


Right! That's the end of the tag, and that's going to do it for today's post!
I hope you liked this tag, and feel free to comment down below if you've read any of these books, and we can chat about them (or if you have a blog and you decide to do this tag- no pressure though!)
I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon!
Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx


Thursday, 6 February 2020

The Light Between Oceans, by M.L Stedman

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And I finished this book a couple of hours but I need somewhere to express my thoughts because of how this book made me feel.
So I thought this to be the perfect place.
I might watch the film too. Let me know if I should!
Enjoy!


Title: The Light Between Oceans
Author: M.L Stedman
Genre: Fiction
Release date: 20/3/12
Status: Standalone
Pages: 461
Blurb: "This is a story
                                              of right and wrong
and how sometimes
                                             they look the same... 

A boat washes up on the shore of a remote
lighthouse keeper's island. It holds a dead man
and a crying baby. The only two islanders,
Tom and his wife, Izzy, are about to make a
devastating decision...

They break the rules and follow their hearts.

What happens next will break yours."


My Thoughts
It's been a while since I've done a review so bear with me guys.

So, I was definitely not expecting to love this book as much as I did. I knew little to nothing about it, other than what it said on the blurb, which wasn't much. But it turns out that that was all that was needed because the book starts at the exact same point that the blurb describes.

That was actually a big part of what I enjoyed about the story, how everything felt important to the story, like a little key to what happens next. None of it felt like it didn't need to be included, and I think that was either down to the writing style (it wasn't flowery at all, it was descriptive without any wallowing, which was something that I liked), or because it was a very plot driven story.

One negative that I have for The Light Between Oceans is that it did get very slow towards the middle, which is the reason that I decided to give it 4.5 stars instead of 5. It was actually only the middle part, it just seemed to go back and forth from Tom's POV, to Izzy's, with no conclusion, no decision.

Another point I will mention is that even though this wasn't my usual choice in usual person (I tend to pick up books with 1st person characters), I honestly didn't have any problem with connecting with the characters and merging into the story, despite the fact that it's a 3rd person read. It was honestly just so easy to sympathise with these characters, even though my brain was telling me that what they were doing was wrong.

It reads on the blurb of the book: "what happens next will break yours" (heart, like it'll break your heart because of what happens next.) He honestly wasn't kidding when he put that on the blurb. You definitely feel torn in two directions between what you wish could happen but also knowing that it never will, and the consequences awaiting Izzy & Tom, (the characters that the story focuses on.)

And finally, although it was technically a historical fiction, because it was set between WWI & WWII, it honestly didn't feel like one, except when it was relevant to the plot. It was noticeable on certain points, like in the third part of the book, what happened in the book would not happen in today's time, so it was quite noticeable at that point, and that suited me just fine.

So overall, this was such an amazing book. I definitely didn't expect to like this as much as I did, especially as I don't read much fiction, but of course I was very happy that loved it as much as I did. I highly recommend this if you're in the mood for a book that questions your morals and plays with your emotions because this is for sure a book that will do that to you.

Okay! My review is complete! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to comment what you thought if you've read The Light Between Oceans, or what you thought of my review!
I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all next week!
Byeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx


Monday, 3 February 2020

February TBR (2020)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And I'm so excited to post my TBR for the month, that I'm prepping for it early!
I don't know why, because I'm usually really lazy when I'm starting new posts for the upcoming week. But something's come over me tonight, so I'm starting the writing for this post on Saturday!
Enjoy!

Also, I am aware that it is February and that it is the month of love, so I will try and include some couple-ish and cute books, but it won't be my entire TBR. In fact there's only ONE in this list, because it's all I have.


1. The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman
I only got this book on Saturday, in exchange for some that I either didn't need or didn't want, but I want to put this book to the top of my TBR, because I have this gut feeling that if I don't pick it up soon, it'll be tossed to the bottom of my TBR without a second thought. It's because it's the type of book that I don't usually read. The Light Between Oceans is a book that's intrigued me for a number of years and, without knowing too much about it, I know that people have been giving it amazing reviews since it's release in 2012. It's about a couple that find a crying baby and a dead man in a boat coming to shore, (set in 1926.) They are the only residents on the island, and what they do next... you'll have to read it because the blurb doesn't say any more than that. I may not like it, I may love it. I'll have to see.



2. What If It's Us, by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera
I tried to pick this novel up back in December, but for some reason, it didn't really sit well with me at the time. If I have to admit it, I wasn't really in the mood to pick it up at the time, I just figured it had been on my TBR pile, gathering dust for too long for me not to try and read it. After reading the first chapter, I put it down and reached for something that I was more enthusiastic about reading. But maybe February will be the right time for an LGBT romance? I'm still intrigued to see how Albertalli & Silvera gel with each-other in a novel, since they publish very different types of books, so we'll see how I feel about it.

3. The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern
Even though I was meant be to reading this last month, after trekking through The Priory of the Orange Tree, I just was in the mood to pick up more fantasy, especially as I heard this was a slow burn kind of read. So I'm bringing it back into the TBR list for the month of February instead. I also decided that I was going to try and read one big book a month, and this is currently my biggest book that I own that I haven't read yet. I don't know what it is, but the protagonist of this novel reminds me very much like Lazlo Strange, from Strange the Dreamer. Does anybody else think this? Also, his story starts in a library? Whether that's true or not, I'm looking forward to reading Erin Morgenstern's next novel, because I've heard fantastic things about it. (And it's also a standalone.)

4. One of Us Is Next (One of Us Is Lying #2), by Karen M. McManus
Now, this book has been the one that my boyfriend has been trying to get me to read since I got it and told him about it. And it isn't that I'm not excited to read it, I know I'm going to have such a good time reading about the characters in the first book, as well as all the new ones that are going to be introduced in the second. It's just that there have been bigger, more intimidating books that have been on higher priority than this one. Also, I know I'm going to get sucked into One of Us Is Next because that's what has happened with Karen M. McManus' past two books, so I've been saving it for when I've read the larger books like Priory and The Starless Sea. I've honestly been fighting not to reach for this book when I know I'm going to love it, especially when all my internet friends have been saying how dark and intense this story gets.


5. This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3), by Emily Suvada
This is the third and final book in the This Mortal Coil trilogy, and I'm quite excited to see how it'll all wrap up, particularly because I've had to wait longer for this final release (there's usually one out every September but the release date for the final one was pushed back to January.) This is a trilogy about DNA, and morphing into different people (no more spoilers than that) and I can honestly say that there is nothing out in Booktube that is like it. This will be the first concluding book that I will read this year because I have yet to finish any series yet in 2020, and I'm glad that I'll finally get to tick it off my list of series' finishing this year. It will also be the second TBR Jar Challenge that I complete too! So definitely on track with those! (I might even try and finish one a month if I can do it!)

So that is my February TBR (2020)! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to comment what it is you want to read, down below! I have to admit, I've definitely got a range of different genres in the books that I've chosen this month, and It'll be interesting to see which ones I like the most. I have my suspicions, but I might be surprised.

Right! I hope you have a wonderful day, and I will see you all soon.
Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx