Despite February having been a lot and me choosing to repress some stuff that is happening in reality (I know, it’s a kind of privilege), it was actually a pretty decent reading month for me. I got to everything I had set my eyes on and even a little more. So, at least in that department, I genuinely can’t complain much right now, even if most of the books wer only mediocre. Here’s what I read:
- Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson (3 stars)
- The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton (5 stars)
- A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson (1 star)
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (3 stars)
- Prosper’s Demon by K.J. Parker (3 stars)
This was a short but engaging novella told from the perspective of a priest specializing in exorcisms and keeping demons at bay. Pretty sure that wasn’t the intention, but I felt really, really sorry for the demons. You know something’s off, when you go “hey, leave that demon in that child, you monster!” …
As per usual, click on the covers to get re-directed to Goodreads, where you are always welcome to add me as a reading buddy! OR find me on Storygraph, where I’m more active this year. My own reviews you’re able to find by clicking on the titles in the list above if there are posts for them.
As I’ve now said a lot, I’m using Storygraph really regularly now and it’s growing on me. I’m also low-key crushing my reading challenges and it’s making me happy. For a while there, I thought I had aimed too high with 15K words for this year, but it’s looking good. I’m now reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January (about 6% into the story) and even though it had mixed reviews, I’m enjoying it. I’m not even going to attempt to start a new reading experiment in March, I will try to alternate those.
I think it’s fairly understandable to say that I’m on edge right now. The Ukrainian border is closer to where I live than the other side of my own (very tiny) country. Geographically, this is probably one of the closest wars I have had to witness and I feel like I live in a 24/7 news cycle. At the same time, I’m confused and angered by some of the rhetoric used in media and by politicians alike, especially when it comes to refugees in comparison to coverage about previous countries that needed aid. I wish I could share some good resources here, but the ones I trust are all in German so … please, just be aware that there’s a lot of misinformation going around and be careful. Take care of yourselves!
Other than that, there’s things going on in my private life I want to talk about even less, BUT the weather is getting better. Yes, this is what it has come to. I’m talking about the weather … I can really feel it lift my spirits though and I’m hoping to get out more. I miss having places to go to, especially since I’ve been working from home in my one room apartment since mid-November now. So, this is honestly a good sign!
It also sort of started me imagining going on vacation for the first time in forever this year. I refuse to go on a plane or anywhere that is difficult to reach, but maybe a Berlin visit is due! I miss my second (or third or fourth) home. If I go, I want to go by train, because it’s such a nice deceleration to life and without the stress of how much luggage you can take in a carry on for a flight and such. I’m not sure when I’ll go, but I’m making all the plans for 2022.
MOST POPULAR POSTS OF FEBRUARY 2022
When I’m on other platforms and judging by my stats page, blogging has changed a lot over the years. I feel like it’s more of a second platform for many, next to video or image content on socials. Still, I’m dedicating this year to showing how valuable and kind of long term blogging as a medium is by sharing my top performing posts each month. (Hint: they are rarely ever the new ones!)
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (Book Review)
(originally posted in December 2020)
Do I know why this is the most popular book review I’ve ever written? Heck no. I wish I did, but I’m glad it’s doing so well and finding an audience. Even if I wasn’t 100% convinced by the book … - Something Different: Duskwood (Game)
(originally posted June 2020)
This game, I wish more people would play it so that I could talk about it with them. And also, that they’ll finally release the final chapter. - Are Sebastian Stan and I compatible (readers)?
(originally posted August 2021)
Look, with Pam & Tommy releasing, I just think a lot of people are rediscovering Sebastian Stan. - Are Chris Evans and I compatible (readers)?
(originally posted July 2021)
Interest for Chris always remains in waves. - Are Tom Hiddleston and I compatible (readers)?
(originally posted June 2021)
He almost got beat by Pedro Pascal for 5th place. It as SO close. But the reading experiments are just a huge draw to the blog.
MY FAVORITES OF THE MONTH
Speaking of reading experiments, while I love doing them, I love publishing them even more! There’s just something so very satisfying about getting all the necessary reading done, comparing tastes and trying to find common ground with strangers based on nothing other than books. One of my favorite parts is also trying to find the thing that connects all the books, to dive into the psyche of the celebs a little and see what draws them to the material. It’s such a joy! I know I posted the latest installment with Lupita Nyong’o at an inopportune time, but I hope it doesn’t flop.
ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOGOSPHERE
I love this community, so please share that love by also checking out the posts of fellow bloggers!
- Stephanie read Fergie’s historical romance so we all didn’t have to. She was doing the good work!
- Lay talked about musician’s that should write books and dang, do I agree! (No, it’s not just because Hozier was featured …)
- Sumedha had her 1 (or 6?) year blogiversary and did a fun Q&A for the occasion.
- Sabrina had some 3 star book predicitions for her upcoming reading.
- Fadwa shared a great interview with S. Isabelle, the author of The Witchery. (very much looking forward to that release!)
- My heart exploded with joy when I saw a new post from Lois pop up in my feed! It’s a book review about a story from the perspective of a cat.
- Jayati did the Encanto book tag!
- May talked about books from 2021 she didn’t talk about enough so far!
- Maria discussed the pressure to review books.
- Sofia challenged herself to read 100 pages each day for a week!
- Kristin mentioned some books that are so good, it’s hard to review them.
- Peyton compared Goodreads and Storygraph!
MY OTHER POSTS
VARIOUS TAGS AND POSTS
- Ranking All the Morgan Matson Books!
- The Book Blogger Memory Challenge!
- This or That: Comparing English/American & German Book Covers!
- Something Different: Mask of the Rose (Game)
TV SHOW/MOVIE RELATED
- Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #4
- Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #5
- Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #6
- Kat’s Weekly TV & Movie Recap #7
WRITING LIFE
TRAILER POSTS
Life and Other Disasters 
February was stressful, but overall not as awful as it could have been. I’m sorry things are stressful for you and that you’re so close to the fighting. I hope things improve, for you and for me. And I have a good feeling about March, backed up by an optimistic Tarot reading. We’ll see what happens, but I’m looking forward to it.
Also, the weather is improving here. It’s in the phase where things change every couple of hours like a seismograph, but more warm days are on the horizon. I may even get to go out without a coat in a few weeks.
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I’m undecided about March, but it’s only just begun. I’ve been wearing short sleeve shirts under my jacket outside, so that’s a massive improvement for me.
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I bet!
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Hi Kat. Great post. I really like how you’ve summarized the month. Very clever. I’ll follow you on goodreads.
I’m in Canada—a long way away, but please know that the world is watching Ukraine and area and sending our strongest possible positive vibes for safety and an end to the madness. 😢
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Hi Faye, thanks so much for your kind comment!
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Hey Kat. You’re very welcome. We readers and writers need to stick together!
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My February also wasn’t the best but having like 3 sunny days in a row recently has definitely been a highlight for me as well! I read Prosper’s Demon in January and loved it, I guess it was just the right book at the right time. I’m desperately trying and failing to stay off twitter for most of my day because the endless doomscrolling is slowly frying my brain. Here’s to a good March for all of us!
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I didn’t dislike Prosper’s Dream, but I didn’t like the narrator and then I just sort of ended up in the middle. I do kind of want to read the sequel though haha it was interesting and I like short books I can read in a day.
I so hear you on limiting social media, I’m trying to do the same! We got this!!
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I hope you enjoy your next reads more than you did this month 🤞 Thanks for including my post, Kat! Stay safe 💕
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Thank you, Maria! This month, I get to pick all my reads myself. That should help a little bit haha
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I’m so sorry that you’re so close to this war. That has to be nerve wracking. I hope things get better.
On the reading side, I was doing so well and then fell off the reading wagon a bit. I need to start again.
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Thank you, Brittani! I should clarify that my country doesn’t border the Ukraine directly. It’s still sort of close, at least the closest I’ve been to something like this, but I’m safe!
I hope you’ll find your way back to reading 🙂 it comes and goes in waves.
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cries thank you so much for sharing my review. I promise I will not leave it as long before I show my face again.
I completely understand wanting to repress some of the stuff that’s going on the world and you need to check in with yourself mentally too. The situation is terrifying and you can only hope things will deescalate as soon as possible.
I am also definitely backing this holiday idea. Funnily enough me and the better half were thinking about going abroad this year too. It’ll be nice to have that change of scenery.
You know I love these reading experiments of yours and I can’t wait to see who’s next in line.
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Of course, I gotta hype you up so you will get excited to post more haha (but no pressure!!!)
Yeah, it’s just exhausting and I cannot think about all that is happening all the time without it just draining me. For that, there’s just too much going on my own life on top of global crisis stuff.
I’m so ready to go on vacation! It’s been literal years!!!
Hint for the reading experiment: It’s a geeky dude who loves Fantasy!
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I’m glad to hear the storygraph is growing on you, maybe I’ll have to try it, finally, ahah 🙂 and excited to hear you’re reading the ten thousand doors of january! I’ve had it on my wishlist for so long, now and I even almost bought it, once, but… I think I’ll wait to hear your thoughts on it, now, before getting it 😀
I’m so happy you’re thinking about vacation again. You know me, I’ve been itching to move again and again and it feels so good to just, think about it and think about potential plans. I hope you’ll make it back to Berlin this year and anywhere else you wish to ❤
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I’ll definitely let you know how I like the book!!
I’m overdue for a vacation. It’s been YEARS! Y E A R S!!!
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I giggle at the idea that you sympathized with the demons in Prosper’s Demon! Kat, that’s not how it works! 😛 I am still interested in giving that novella a try someday. It sounds curiously fun for what it is! I also hope you plan something good to get away from any chaos you might be going through or fear of having to go through. Really sorry to hear that the Ukrainian-Russian war is THAT close to you! I really hope things evolve rapidly in a positive direction for that bit of reality that we all so thoroughly follow nowadays. Stay safe! 😀
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Prosper’s Demon was very fun, but the exorcist was brutal! I would have let that demon stay in that little child to recuperate for a couple years, but noooo ….
Thank you for your kind words! There’s still a whole country between me and the Ukraine, but it just feels close, you know? It’s all a very strange feeling.
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Thank you so much for sharing my post, Kat!
It must be difficult to be so close to the war right now, I hope you can look after yourself amidst everything that it’s going on.
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Of course, love your content! 🙂
And thanks for your kind words. I’m definitely physically safe, it’s just difficult to keep up with all the wrong information circulating.
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Prosper’s Demon looks so interesting. The cover has always intrigued me. Maybe one day I’ll pick it up. I hope March is a good reading month for you!
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It sure was an interesting read! Not quite what I expected, but pleasant for its length.
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i’m sorry that feburary was stressful for you with the situation in ukraine, and personal matters! i hope the rest of march will be less stressful 😞💕 your compatible reader series is truly so creative and i’ll have to go read the latest installment. thank you so much for linking to my post, and i love that you highlight your top posts of the month to show the longevity of blog posts!
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Thank you for your kind words, May! I’m having the most fun with the reading compatibility series – it somehow gives me a purpose when I read and don’t feel like reading anything on my TBR.
I love the blogging world and I hate to see it get dismissed as a great, long-living marketing tool. Glad you approve! 😀
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