February Wrap Up (2026)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my Febraury Wrap Up (trying to salvage a horrendous posting month by ending it on a high note). 

As it was the month of love, I planned a romance/ love TBR specifically. That all went tits up when I didn't bring enough reading material for my holiday in Blackpool- ended up reading a very Halloween-ish vampire story that I still haven't finished! 

Regardless, I did manage to finish some books, but it was definitely a struggle! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy reading about what I did manage to finish. 

1. Watermelon (The Walsh Family #1), by Marian Keyes

It was hard to believe, after enjoying Rachel's Holiday so immensely, that this would come close to being as good. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it was because I felt more similar to Claire than to Rachel, and therefore more able to sympathise, (mainly because her situation is more likely to happen than Rachel's). But all the same, Marian Keyes' ability to spin a story is what kept me engaged from start to finish. 

As anyone would be, Claire is absolutely devastated when, on the day of her daughter's birth, is told by her husband, that he no longer loves her, and is leaving her for another woman. That's the starting point for Claire, when she decides that she's going to pack up, and move back home to her parents' house, to Dublin, with her newborn daughter. 

As any new mother does, she gets by- in any means necessary. 

And as time passes, she finds herself again. 

Until her ex-husband comes knocking. 

Watermelon is poignant and honest, a story about a woman who has no choice but to be strong, and pick up the pieces after her life comes apart at the seams. 

It's a story that shows you what it means to build yourself up from nothing, to stand up for yourself when the past comes back to haunt you. 

I genuinely think I enjoyed this more, because I read this after Rachel's Holiday, by the way, because I was able to see the reason behind her behaviour in the second book. Trust me, you'll get it if you read the series. 

2. The No-Show, by Beth O' Leary 

I reached for this because I wanted a light, maybe funny, romcom, and because this starts on Valentine's Day, this seemed like the perfect choice. Trying to ignore the many negative reviews I had seen on Goodreads, I started it on the train journey to Blackpool (two and a half hours is definitely enough time to get started at least). 

If you didn't know, The No-Show is a story about three different women that all get stood up on Valentine's Day- by the same guy. From there, I thought the book would be the three women tracking him down, teaming up, etc. Instead, the book pans out over the next year, following each women on their own timelines, and how their relationship developes with the ditcher. It starts off slow at first, I was very aware of the negative comments, and how true they were at the start. 

And then, all of a sudden, I finished the novel- three days before I was meant to. 

I basically got swept up into the story. We had a lot of train journeys, to Preston, Liverpool and Kendal, which made up for a lot of reading time. 

I'm not going to say it's my favourite Beth O' Leary novel, but it holds it's own against some of my most loved. 

3. Monstress, Volume 1: The Awakening (Monstress #1), by Marjorie M. Liu (Writer), Sana Takeda (Illustrator)

I read this graphic novel at the end of 2024, and hadn't thought about it since, other than a series that I knew I would get back to eventually, just wasn't sure when. Lord knows why I started thinking about it, but after failing to come across it in any Waterstones over the past year, I took to Ebay to find out the price, and before I knew it, Volume 2 was on it's way to me. 

Coupled with the want to finish more novels before the month was out, I decided to pick both Volume 1 (as a refresher) and Volume 2 straight away. 

My God, was this a ball ache to get through. It never seemed to end. 

I was expecting to fly through it, like I do with the Saga series. 

It couldn't have been more different. I was losing concentration every couple of pages. I had to really persist, and keep trying, throughout most of it. 

Don't get me wrong, it's a dark, twisted, violent and gripping story, with a detailed history of the world, of the war that's raged for years between every breed in existence, but I definitely struggled with the re-read a lot. 

4. Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood (Monstress #2), by Marjorie M. Liu (Writer), Sana Takeda (Illustrator)

This was much better. Less long, less info dumpy, and the plot started to take place a bit more. After finishing Volume 1, I was questioning whether I actually wanted to continue on with the story, after struggling so much with re-reading Volume 1. Thankfully, Volume 2 restored my faith in the series, and I started to wonder where the story was going to go as we're led onto a boat with Maika, Master Ren and Kippa, to an island of lost souls, in the hope of answers. 

I really hope I don't leave much time before picking up Volume 3. I don't think I have the bottle to re-read that first volume again. 

Okay! Those are all the books I read in the month of February! Four books in four weeks, right on par for my 52 book target.

I'm right on target. 

Now, for the next couple of months at least, I'll be re-reading one of my all time favourite series'- because the 18th book is being released at the end of the month. Somehow I don't think I'll be reading 17 books in one month. Most of you will know what it is, but I won't spoil it now, for those of you that don't. 

Okay! That is all I have for you all today! I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

February TBR (2026)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my February TBR- suited for the month of love and romance! 

For real though, I love seeing it get brighter earlier (probably the only benefit of getting the bus to be honest). 

So far it hasn't chucked it down either, which is always a bonus. 

Anyway, without further ado, here's what I plan to read in the month of February. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

1. Watermelon (The Walsh Family #1), by Marian Keyes

This was never going to sit on my unread shelf for long. After reading (and loving) Rachel's Holiday back in April, I was always going to pick up the first book as soon as I had my hands on a copy. 

The Walsh Family series is a ten book series, from the point of view of five sisters: Claire, Rachel, Margaret, Anna and Helen; all of which have their individual stories, and then maybe a second?

Watermelon is Claire's story, and starts the day her first child is born. It also happens to be the day that her husband, James, informs her that he has fallen in love with someone and is leaving her, and their newborn child. 

Bastard. 

Out of options, she returns home to Dublin, to her parents. There, sheltered by her loving family, she begins to move past the whole mess. So much so, that when her ex-husband shows up again, he's in for quite a surprise. 

I'm not at that second part yet. At the moment Claire is just trying to get through the day in the best way she can, by trying not to drink everything in sight, but from what I've read of this, I know it'll likely make my favourites list for the year (unless I read a Marian Keyes book I like more). 

Not likely though. 

2. The Survivor Wants to Die at the End (They Both Die at the End #2), by Adam Silvera 

Another book I'm carrying on with from January. This was one I bought myself, with an old voucher. 

I chose this because, despite the heavy subject matter, I know that Silvera will handle it sensitively and compassionately. 

The Survivor Wants to Die at the End follows two people, who each have their problems with Death Cast (the app that calls people at midnight to prepare them of their death in the next twenty-four hours). 

Paz Darlo stays up every night, waiting for the call to confirm that this will be the day where his suffering ends. Well he's had enough. If Death-Cast won't call him, he'll just have to do it himself. 

Thanks to his father, heir-of-Dream-Cast Alano Rosa doesn't feel in control in his life. And with a violent organisation called the Death Guard threatening Alano, his End Day might be closer than he thinks. It's time to live. 

When a twist of fate causes the two boys to meet, they must learn to make the most out of the day, to escape the trials that both of them face, so that nobody dies in the end. 

3. How to Fall in Love, by Cecelia Ahern 

I found this gem in a market place in Stamford for £3. I was already halfway to buying it after seeing Cecelia Ahern's name on the cover, but the premise was enough to secure it as a purchase within minutes. 

It's a pretty simple premise to be honest. I'm going to quote it, because I feel like I shouldn't try and summarise it. I'll just butcher it. 

"Christine Rose is crossing the Ha'penny Bridge in 

Dublin late one night when she sees a stranger, Adam, 

poised to jump. Desperate to help, she talks him into 

a reckless deal: if he gives her two weeks- till his 

35th birthday- she'll prove life is worth living. 

But as the clock ticks and the two of them embark on 

late-night escapades and romantic adventures, what 

Christine has really promised seems impossible..."

This feels very similar to Me Before You, by JoJo Moyes. I suppose, it may have posed as an inspiration for it, but I'll decide whether that's the case after I've read it. 

For me, Cecelia Ahern has also served as one of the top-tier fiction/ romance authors, author of the book that then became P.S. I Love You, and then author of Flawed and Perfect, a much loved YA duology about what it means to stand against a society of people deemed perfect. 

It'll be nice to read one of her less popular, earlier reads. 

4. The No-Show, by Beth O' Leary 

I had to put this on my TBR for the month. Beth O'Leary's romances are always on point, and I expect this to be no different. It even takes place on Valentine's Day. 

To put it simply, The No-Show is basically three women, Siobhan, Miranda and Jane, chasing after one guy- Joseph Carter- after he stands them all up in one day. 

Beth O' Leary has been an auto-buy author for me ever since I read her debut novel, The Flatshare, back in 2021. I have enjoyed three of her novels so far, so I have little doubt that this will be any different. 

5. The Jane Austin Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler

What is it with me and the want to read books that are to-do with Jane Austen? First Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and now this. 

Now, this is a totally different book, as you can see. 

But why I don't just read a damn Jane Austen book, I'll never know. 

The Jane Austen Book Club is just that. A group of women getting together every so often to discuss Jane Austen's books. They are all ordinary, neither-happy-nor-unhappy people, living their daily lives. Over the course of several months, they are met with a series of obstacles: marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and, under the ever guiding eye of Jane Austen, some of them even fall in love... 

This feels like a very character driven book, which I'm very for. I love reading about characters bonding over a shared subject, and then helping them to overcome personal obstacles. I'm here for all of it. 

This may well become a favourite of the year if I'm in the right mood for it. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I plan to read in February! With it being a shorter month than usual, I'll really have to dig in deep with some of these (particular the first two) but thankfully I have a 2.5 train journey to get stuck in next week! 

That is all that I have for you all tonight, but feel free to comment down below what you plan on reading this month, and we can talk about it in the comments! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

January Wrap Up (2026)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And somehow, we're at the end of January- what a relief! I'm genuinely so happy to see this month come to an end.  

But, with the end of a month comes the usual wrap up- the first one of 2026! 

I didn't get to as many books as I wanted to this month- I started off really well, finishing three books in sixteen days, and after that, I really struggled to keep up momentum. 

But I was determined, and I managed a fourth (finished literally last night). 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my wrap up. 

1. Eclipse (The Twilight Saga #3), by Stephenie Meyer

If I told you that I read this entire book in three days, would you consider Eclipse to be my favourite in the series? Because you would be bang on. 

There's nothing I love more in a series than a backstory of a side character, and Eclipse is full of them. 

Aside from that, it feels like things finally start changing in Eclipse, going from the full story being Bella's relationship with Edward, like in Twilight, or Jacob in New Moon, into something that's bigger than just them. 

It doesn't matter that this book isn't perfect. God knows, if The Twilight Saga was being published today, I doubt it would even get a look in against some of the other published works that we're reading today. But The Twilight Saga represents more than just a romance between a vampire and a human- it's a whole generation of readers, from my age to adults in their mid-to-late 30s. 

It represents a time in your life that is impossible to get back- except through books like this. 

It was such a pleasure to get to re-read this again. 

2. Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga #4), by Stephenie Meyer

So, I read this series for the first time maybe late 2010, early 2011, when I was twelve years old. So it's safe to say that, out of all of the film releases, I was most present for Breaking Dawn part 1& 2. So of course, this was the book I obsessed over the most. 

It's not my favourite of the series, mostly because of the switching different POV's, so it feels like it's moves a lot faster, but it definitely feels the most intense of all the books (of course it does Abi, the stakes are bloody higher- why am I wording it like this)?

Okay, I love this book so much, how about that? I can quote most of it by heart, I've read and re-read it that many times. Even the final battle is amazing in the books- despite it being less catastrophic than the film (I can still remember the synchronised gasp after Carlisle started running at Aro at the cinema- if you know, you know).

3. The Anansi Boys (American Gods #2), by Neil Gaiman 

I thought this was going to be a sequel to American Gods. I through the new protagonist was going to be related to Shadow of some sort. Boy, was I wrong. 

I thought Fat Charlie and his brother Spider would be making a jounrey to meet up with Shadow at some point, that Fat Charlie would develop something unexpected, and they'd all meet up, in one way or another. But there was no journey, just Spider turning everything on it's head for our protagonist. 

As always, Neil Gaiman's book was nothing like what I was expecting. Right now, that's what I love most about his works. 

I have no idea what I'm going to read of his next. 

4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies #1), by Seth Grahame-Smith

THIS. 

I've been intrigued by this since a work colleague (who may or may not be reading this now) told me about it. 

Actually, even more so, since I found out it's a FILM as well. 

In theory, this book is right up my alley. 

I have always been into classic tales, especially those with a twist to them. So of course, as soon as I received it as a Christmas present, BOOM! On to my January TBR it goes. 

And then I realised that I couldn't read it for more than twenty pages at a time. 

The audiobook helped a great deal, and it was quite possibly the reason I managed to finish it before the month ended. 

Though if there's one thing you should take from this very long winded paragraph, is that you should not discourage yourself from reading this if you think you might enjoy it. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is 80% of the original book, with some kick-ass zombie killing scenes, and conversations about said zombies. I did enjoy this book, it just didn't flow as much as I thought it was going to. Still a solid read, and I'm considering reading the conclusion, Dreadfully Ever After pretty soon (completely different author, takes nothing from the classic Pride and Prejudice, just finishes what the first book starts. 

Final thought: A very unique and imaginative novel. Glad I took the time to finish it. 

Okay! Those are all the books I finished in January! The books I included in my TBR that I didn't start/ finish will be rolling over to February, so keep an eye out for that TBR! 

As always, feel free to comment what you finished in January, and we can talk about it in the comments! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx