My Goings On in February:
- I celebrated my 43rd birthday and my 4th blogoversary!
- I binge-watched The Fosters (total guilty-pleasure TV) and some of Season 3 of The 100.
- The kids finished up their swim team season, and we have a bit of a break (about six weeks). Nice to have some breathing room.
- This month was tough emotionally (Actually, the past two months have been). We had two family deaths recently, one that was a shock and under rather unpleasant circumstances. Then a friend from church passed away (after a long battle from cancer) and one of my best friends is moving across the country this week. Oh, and I spend 99% of my time fighting with my 14-year-old over schoolwork and his declining grades. (Okay, not actually, but some days it feels that way—he can’t just have a conversation about any of it. It always devolves into multiple-hour conflicts filled with yelling and tears and him insisting that I hate him or he hates us or … it’s just miserable.) It’s been emotionally draining and exhausting, and the stress is starting to get to me since there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
On Instragram:
I literally posted no pictures on Instagram this month. I was tempted to try and rush and post something just so I’d have something to put in this section, but I decided that was silly. And I was lazy. Hmmm … guess Bookstagram is not my thing. I’ll try harder.
Most Popular Posts:
- Should I even bother mentioning that A Spoiler-Filled Discussion of Three Dark Crowns, which was posted at the end of September, was still my top post for the month? It was. By far.
- Next was my Birthday and Blogoversary Giveaway post! If you haven’t entered it yet, head over there now!
- Rounding out the top three was the February Discussion Challenge Link-Up and Giveaway!
Other Features & Discussions:
January Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway – This is your last chance to enter this one!
Power to the Writer: Inkitt’s Mission to Change the Face of Publishing
Review of the eStories Platform (along with a review of books 1&2 of the Kingfountain Series)
Am I the Only One Without an OTP? Let’s Discuss!
Top Ten Books I Loved More (or Less) Than I Expected
A Book Blogger’s Guide to Acronyms, Terms and Slang
My 2017 Reading Progress:
2017 has been a good year for reading so far! I’m 9 books ahead of my Goodreads goal.
February 2017 Reviews
- Caraval by Stephanie Garber | Review | Rating: 5/5
- A Tragic Kind of Wonderful by Eric Lindstrom | Review | Rating: 4/5
- By Your Side by Kasie West | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- Jonah by Nikki Kelly | Review | Rating: 3.5/5
- The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Thief’s Daughter by Jeff Wheeler | Review | Rating: 4.5/5
- Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak | Review | Rating: 4/5
- Revenge of the Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen | Review | Rating: 4/5
- Liberation by Kate L. Mary | Review | Rating: 3.5/5
- The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett | Review | Rating: 4/5
- Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead | Review | Rating: 4/5
- The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead | Review | Rating: 5/5
February Best of the Bunch:
(Best of the Bunch is hosted over at Cocoon of Books. We link up our favorite reads of the month!)
Even though I really loved Caraval, this month I just had to go with the final book in the Bloodlines Series. This series is easily an all-time favorite for me, and I can only hope that Mead revisits this world soon.
2017 Reading Challenges Progress:
Status: 5/41 Discussions Posted
Two more discussions posted this month (I’m not counting the Inkitt Guest Post here, which was sort of a discussion)
A Book Blogger’s Guide to Acronyms, Terms and Slang
Am I the Only One Without an OTP?
Why Does Technology Scare Me So?
Special Niche Genres
Seeing the Book Blogging World Through Rose-Colored Glasses
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Feed Your Fiction Addiction & It Starts at Midnight
Status: 14/50 Books Read
I reviewed eight fantasies this month, though some of these are more paranormal … I’m never sure where the draw the line here.
As of yet, I haven’t read any of Alexa and Rachel’s favorites that I’ve planned to read: Throne of Glass, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Six of Crows, The Winner’s Curse, Graceling. I’m keeping their pictures here, so I don’t forget about them!
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Hello, Chelly & Alexa Loves Books
Status: 5/21-30 Books
Woo hoo! I’m actually making progress on this challenge! Here are the books I read from off my shelf:
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Chapter Break & Second Run Reviews
Status: 3/5-10 Books
I finished three series!! (Just squeaked the reviews in at the end of the month for two of them.) One of these (Ruby Circle) was off of my official list of series I really wanted to finish, too!
The Styclar Saga by Nikki Kelly
The Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead
MILA 2.o Series by Debra Driza
Here are some of the other series I’m hoping to finish this year (as a reminder to myself):
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Somewhere Only We Know & Words Fueled by Love
Status: 16/61-100 books read
Here are the ones I read this month:
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – (un)Conventional Book Views & Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!
Status: 4/15-20 Books Listened To
Here are the ones I listened to this month:
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Hot Listens & Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Status: 23/76 Possible Gameboard Spaces
Since keeping track of this challenge is kind of complicated, I decided to create a separate page for it. If you’re interested in which books I read for each category or in seeing a bigger version of the updated gameboard, then go to my 2017 Bookopoly Progress page. The image above has been updated to reflect my newest reads, though! (I managed to use 11 of the books I read for the challenge this month.)
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Broc’s Bookcase
Wrap-Up Round-Up!
Don’t forget to link your February wrap-up posts up to the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up! And check out the giveaway, which will be posted here on Feed Your Fiction Addiction sometime later this week!
Phew. You are busy! You’re doing great on your challenges (jealous!). I can barely keep up with my one and only challenge (Goodreads). Anyway, best of luck in March.
I have been doing great on challenges, but it’s mostly because I’ve kept myself swamped with books to read!! I’m going to need to slow down a little or go crazy, I think. 🙂
So many posts and books and discussions. This is why I love your blog. I am hoping to read Caraval in March.
Thanks, Danielle! I always love seeing you here!
Your stats look like of like mine. 4 stars seems to be my go-to rating. 😉
I love the wide selection of books you read! You’ve got some fun books coming up on your TBR.
Oh, and happy birthday!
Yes, every year I find that my 4-Star category is by far the biggest. I typically round 3.5 stars up, so that helps too.
I’d like to tell you it gets easier, but having a 23 yr old son, I can tell you that being a parent is sometimes a thankless job. You will get a payout in the end, when you look at your adult child and realize how decent they turned out to be. 🙂
Hang in there!
Happy March!
Yeah, parenting never ends, does it? I know it will all be worth it, but sometimes I want to tear my hair out in the meantime. 🙂
You are killing your challenges. I was looking at the Flights of Fantasy one. I loved fantasy, but tend towards contemporary. I will say, I read 4/5 of Alexa’s and Rachel’s favorites, and they are all fantastic.
I’m the exact opposite—I tend toward fantasy, but I definitely love contemps!
Sorry it was a tough month emotionally 🙁 You look like you had a great reading month and are doing awesome on the challenges. Hope you have a great March!
Thanks, Grace. I’m hoping March will be much less emotionally draining.
Happy belated birthday. I’m sorry you’ve had a rough two months. I’m sorry for your loses. It looks like you had a fantastic reading month. I also read and enjoyed Caraval!
Thanks, Lori. I appreciate all the encouragement that I get from people here on my blog.
Oh, I like the gameboard challenge! I’ll have to look into that! I’m sorry about your son. When I lived with my aunt and uncle the last bit of college, every night was a screaming match until bedtime over homework. EVERYTHING. Math, spelling, reading, didn’t matter. She was six. My first year teaching I had (who became my) friend’s student, and she gives her 24 hours to fix a grade before she contacts the teacher, and it works for them. I hope you can find a solution for how to bridge those conversations. I’m sure you’ve come at it from the “I’m involved because I love you and want to help you” angle. I can tell you over 90% of my parents this year are uninvolved in their students’ academics, and it shows in their behavior and their skill sets. It’s a problem I am starting to think might be the deal breaker for me in this field.
I think we’re finally turning a corner with the school stuff (I hope). He did really poorly on a few things and finally admitted that he might need some new strategies.
Is it strange to say I’m happy to see that we’re (relatively) close in age? 🙂 At 48, I often feel like the “elder” in the book blogosphere so it’s nice to see I’m not the only 40+ out there. I’m sorry to hear about the struggles at home. That’s so hard. Those are rocky years (13+). Emotions are always running high. And often it seems like *everything* is an argument. Sorry it’s been so draining – I hope it improves soon, Nicole.
I’m trucking along on the ShelfLove challenge, too. It just makes me ridiculously happy to read books from my own shelves. Ones that I’ve been excited about but have put off for one reason or another. It’s a good feeling. 🙂
It’s not strange at all—I often feel like the oldest person around when it comes to blogging. It’s definitely nice to have some company in the 40+ club! 🙂
I’m in the 40+ camp! 41 here and celebrating my 4th blogoversary too. Congrats on yours 🙂
Ah, we’re book blogging twins, then! (Well, pretty close. Us 40-somethings have to stick together!)
It’s nice to know that even if things are tough in our personal lives, we can always rely on books, and it looks like you had a great reading month!
Yes, sometimes I just need to get caught up in fantasy for a while.
Wow, you’ve been busy. At least you got a lot of reading done. Sorry about the deaths, and I hope things with your son get easier. Happy March!
Thanks. I’m hoping for a much better March.
ohwow, 9 books ahead of your reading challenge! I’m 3 books behind my challenge. Also, I listed several book challenges but ended up not signing up for any just because I’m lazy. ohwell. Hope you’ll have a great month ahead!
Ha! Laziness has kept me from many a challenge. 🙂
I’m so sorry about your losses, Nicole. I hope you and your family are doing okay. Thinking of you.
Happy (belated) birthday! And yay for being ahead of that GR challenge, and the Kasie West love. 🙂
Thanks, Rissi. It’s been emotionally draining, but I’m hoping we’re turning a corner around here.
I’m sorry to hear it was an emotionally rough month. Death is always hard – even when you know it’s coming, and I’m sorry your friend is moving across the country!! I hope that things work out soon with your 14 year old. It sucks that he has to lead everything to yelling, etc. and can’t just calmly talk about it.
-Lauren
Yes, it seems there is no such thing as calmly talking things out. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect at staying calm every time either, but I try really hard!) It’s very frustrating!
So sorry to hear about your loses and your fights with your son 🙁 I hope march is a much better month. At least you have that six weeks breaks! That sounds HEAVENLY. ALl my kids get is a week here and there. :S
Yeah, when my daughter was in gymnastics, we got almost no breaks at all. One week at the beginning of the summer and one at the end—it was a bit overwhelming.
Wow, you are doing a WHOLE BUNCH of challenges. 🙂 And I’m sorry to hear about troubles with your son. God, the teenage years are so tough! I’m not looking forward to them at all. I just got my older kid back (after years of work on her attitude) and I don’t want her to change again. We get along so much better now. Sigh. I hope things perk up for you guys soon!
I’m not a fan of the “mom of a teenager” experience so far. It feels like everything is an argument for no apparent reason. It’s exhausting!
I’ll be hoping that March is a much kinder month to you and your family, and that you have many moments that inspire lots of smile and laughter. *hugs*
Oh my gosh Nicole, you are making such fabulous headway for so many of your challenges! YAY you!
Thanks, Jen. I have high hopes that March will be better. So far it’s headed in the right direction.
I’m so sorry to hear about your losses, and the fights. I’m not sure if this will help or not, but when I was around his age I kind of started acting out a bit towards my parents as well. What helped my parents get my grades back on track was them offering to give me money for every good grade I got (that sounds a bit spoiled, but it worked.) When I was around that age I started going out to the mall and movies with my friends so the extra money was nice. I hope his phase doesn’t last too long, and you guys get back to a loving relationship.
I’m so glad to hear that you loved the Bloodlines series. It is one of my favourites and I absolutely ship Sydney and Adrian <3 I loved them so much more than Rose and Dimitri. Great job with challenges this month.
I hope March is much kinder to you 🙂
My parents did that when I was a kid too. I think it was a motivator, so I’d consider it. We’d really like for him to care a bit more about doing his best, but I guess that’s kind of unrealistic. 🙂
I don’t look forward to my daughter becoming a teenager…still, they grow out of it right? Hopefully sooner than later and you have a more relaxing March!
Oh, I really hope he grows out of it sooner rather than later—I don’t think I can take four more years of craziness! (Actually, this past week was relatively calm—imagine that!)
You have had a really tough month. So sorry for your loss. And 14 is such a tough age for anyone, I was an emotional wreck at the same age. Thinking of you ?
Yes, I’m hoping my son gets his teenage angst over with early. I’m already ready to be done with the teen years! 🙂
Sorry to hear that your 2017 has been off to a rough start. I hope March is going better for you so far!
I see one of the books you’re planning to read for a challenge is The Girl of Fire and Thorns – I rarely read that genre, but I really enjoyed that one (and the other books in the trilogy).
March is actually going MUCH better than February did. Thank God!