The Looooong and the Short of It: February 2024 Wrap-Up Post and Looking Forward to March

While February did have an extra day thanks to it being a leap year, I feel like it just zoomed on by! And just like February of last year, we got to celebrate another Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory in Kansas City. Our weather was really mild this month, lots of really nice days to hang outside with the dogs to let them just play. I got to go stay at my mom’s Branson cabin to make up for weather messing up our planned trip in January. My library clerk ended up taking FMLA until the end of April, but fortunately this year my new principal let me get a sub for her, so that has really helped me not be as stressed at work. I did still have a week or two this month alone with no lunch break, so along with nicer weather and a trip with family, and a shorter month, my reading was down. I did have two DNFs from books I was meaning to read for reviews and so that didn’t help. I only got 13 books finished this month.

• # of pages read: 3756 – I had quite a few longer books this month.
• Amount of time spent listening to audiobooks – Since I only count what I finished in my personal calculations, my time spent was 22 hours and 45 minutes for 2 audiobooks.

I’m really enjoying StoryGraph for my stats still too! Here they are for February:

February Reviews

Of the 14 specific titles listed last month, I got 11 read and most reviewed, one DNF, and one maybe a DNF.

• [3 Feb] Bride by Ali Hazelwood ★★★★★
• [6 Feb] Lonely for You Only by Monica Murphy ★★★★½
• [8 Feb] The Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn ★★★★½
• [12 Feb] Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee ★★★★½
• [15 Feb] The Boy Next Door by Cheryl Terra ★★★★★
• [16 Feb] Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues by Diana Rowland ★★★★½
• [20 Feb] Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle ★★★★
• [21 Feb] Cappuccino Mugs and Fire Fighter Hugs by Katie O'Connor ★★★½
• [24 Feb] Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, Joungmin Lee Comfort ★★★★½
• [27 Feb] Something Wilder by Christina Lauren ★★★★★
• [27 Feb] The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout ★★★★
• [28 Feb] Living La Vida Mocha by H.M. Shander ★★★½
• [29 Feb] The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond DNF
• [29 Feb] The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen DNF
• [29 Feb] Dirty Little Rendezvous by Emma Hart DNF

Challenge Wrap-Up

My goal is 24 for the year using the prompts that are listed, and I got 2 done. I switched out one title for another as I listened to an audiobook I had for that one, since another one I’d planned to do was a DNF for me this month.

1. Prompt: On your TBR 5+ years – Five Minutes Late by Rich Amooi
2. Prompt: Anthology or omnibus edition – The Natural History Novellas by Erin Mallon
3. Prompt: We all scream – horror – The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout
4. Prompt: Walk through history – Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Once again no discussions posted! And I had lots of extra days with no scheduled posts, I just didn’t have the time to write one up. I need to work on that. I’ve got a post started here on my blog post section, just need to actually do it. My goal was 6 for the year, which would have been one every two months, so now I’m technically behind.

My goal was one book a month. I actually got two done the first month. Good thing since I didn’t really get any done this month.

My Goodreads and StoryGraph Goals of 150 books are on track with 30 books read so far, putting me ahead of schedule. I’m also still trying to keep my Netgalley percentage above 80% and while most of the month I was still at 81%, I dropped down this past week as I got a few new ones added.

What to Expect in March

Another longer month, not to mention spring break at the end! A week off of school! Although I plan to spend part of it in Branson again, so that might keep me from getting much reading done that week. SmartyPants Romance will be launching its next round of titles towards the end of the month so that should be keeping me busy. And I’ve got lots on my review schedule! I did step back from an author that was asking everyone to resign up for their review team. It was one I didn’t even know how I got on the team in the first place, and I’ve skipped a few of their books over the past year, so I’m not too upset.

Here is my proposed TBR for March:

1. Promchanted by Morgan Matson – I got this ARC at AASL I think. Hope to have it read and post a review on the 4th!
2. The Breakup Vacation by Anna Gracia – I think I got an e-galley of this one from the publisher on Edelweiss. Hope to read and post a review on the 5th.
3. If You Hate Me by Helena Hunting – I got the audiobook to listen to from being on the author’s review team. I finished it up last month, but should be posting my review closer to the pub date of either the 6th or 7th.
4. The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste – the publisher sent this ARC to me without a request, so we’ll see if I enjoy it, and will post the review on the 9th maybe?
5. Happily Never After by Lynn Painter – an e-galley I requested and hope to read and review on the 11th.
6. That Thing You Brew by Kerry Evelyn – an e-galley as part of the Coffee Loft series I hope to read and post my review on the 13th.
7. White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland – the next in the readalong, should be listening as I post this, and will post my review as part of the tour on the 15th.
8. In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher – I have an ARC of this from the publisher. Hope to read and post my review on the 16th.
9. Tour Wars by Carla Luna – I got the e-galley of this from the author, but I plan to post my review as part of the review tour with Rachel’s Random Resources on the 18th.
10. Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer – an ARC I won from the publisher. Hope to read and post my review on the 25th.
11. House of War and Bone by Leia Stone – I loved the first one, House of Ash and Shadow, so requested this e-galley as soon as I saw it, and should be posting my review on the 27th.
12. Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn – I should be getting this as part of her review team close to the end of the month to post for a review at the beginning of April.
13. Any other audiobooks I listen to. Any books from my Backlist challenge I get to, hopefully two of them since my goal is 24 for the year!

Final Thoughts

How was your February? Mine was exciting with another Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, and a trip to my mom’s cabin in Branson for some relaxing. Also a lot of nice weather! For March I’m looking forward to spring break the last week, and hopefully getting some more spring weather! What are you looking forward to in March?