February Wrap Up

Wow, we're already in March! February really flew by (I'm sure part of that is because it's a short month) and I read some really great books... and some that I enjoyed, but didn't live up to my expectations. So, here's a quick wrap-up of the books I've read and posted about this month!

---

1. Under Rose-Tainted Skies 
4.5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review​  |  February 1, 2018.
​
​This book is a must read for anything wanting or trying to understand what it's like for your mental health to take over your life. The writing and the honesty of this story is wonderful and there are so many reasons to love it. It is a story about struggle and finding yourself, and understanding that while some things are beyond our control, we will always have the power to keep fighting for what we want. This was a great read and gets a high recommendation from me!

---

2. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
​5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  ​February 5, 2018.
​
​This is a book where I immediately felt a kinship to the main character, Simon, as he struggles in his decision to come out as gay. A complete high-five to Albertalli for creating a character that is so real, that it doesn’t matter what the reader’s orientation or gender is because we can all connect with Simon. I loved him; he’s funny, sarcastic, has great taste in books (heck yes to the Harry Potter references), and is somehow fearless and shy at the same time. Simon is one of my favourite books this month!

---

3. Markswoman 
3.5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  ​February 8, 2018.

​Overall, I thought this was a pretty unique story and I had a fun time reading it. We follow the lives of Kyra and Ruston, independently and as they intercept, and further delve into this dystopian world. The beginning was a bit slow, but the by the end I felt like we were racing through and I couldn't wait to see where we ended up. I definitely had some problems with it (choppy storytelling and not a lot of time with Kyra and Ruston together) but I'm still willing to go along for the ride.

---

4. The Upside of Unrequited
4/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  February 12, 2018. 

​​This was a fun read but I just didn’t connect with it the way I anticipated (I think it’s easy to compare it to Simon, which is definitely hard to live up too). The storyline was fun and I still love Albertalli’s work, but I didn't feel like we knew the characters as well or that there was as much depth to this book. However, it was still a fun read and I loved reading Molly's love story. I am hoping that we hear more about Molly and Cassie in other books, because I’d love to know how their lives are going!

---

5. The Hate U Give 
5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  February 15, 2018. 

This is an amazing book and I seriously cannot say enough good things about it. Normally I get nervous when I read book with a lot of hype around them. In this case, the hype for The Hate U Give is completely valid and I honestly hope it never dies. It opened up my eyes to so many things that I have never really understood and was just such a great read. Thinking about the book now, I still have nothing but admiration for the story that Thomas has given us. A story that is incredibly sad, incredibly honesty, and beautifully written. Absolutely everyone should read this. 

---

6. City of the Lost
4/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  February 19, 2018. 

I'm a huge Kelley Armstrong fan - I've been reading her books for years and have always had a fun time, whether it's a paranormal or a contemporary series. In this case, I really liked the idea of a off-the-grid town in the Yukon (yay, Canada!) where people could hide out for a few years (whether they are victims or perpetrators). There's just so much potential for what can happen! I really like the characters we meet in this book and think that this was a great beginning to a new series.

---

7. Truly, Devious
3.5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  | ​ February 22, 2018. ​

This book had a lot of potential, but didn't completely live up to it for me. That said, I still think that it was a fun read and I really liked Stevie and her friends. I'll probably still read the rest of the books in this series because I want to see what happens next. I don't normally read mystery fiction, but (as I said) this plot seems to have some decent potential to move in interesting directions and I look forward to reading where it goes next. 

---

8. The Traitor Prince
3.5/5 *  |  Synopsis and Full Review  |  ​February 26, 2018.

A retelling of "The Prince and the Pauper", this is a fun book but didn't live up to my expectations, especially after reading the first two Ravenspire novels. While Sajda, the young girl with magic that helps Javan survive the prison, was pretty awesome, Javan came off as incredibly stiff and the villain was a bit of a dud. I still enjoyed the book, but I didn't have the same connection with it as I've had with previous Redwine books in this series.