February Wrap-up

Hoohoo, friends

it’s been a short month, but that did not keep me from reading. Especially in the first half of the month I read a lot. In the second half… not so much. Except of that one evening where I devoured a whole book. So, here comes my reading month.

• Morning Star by Pierce Brown ★★★★★/5
  This is the third book in the Red Rising series. Darrow and the Sons of Ares continue in their fight against injustice, inequality and the superiority of the Gold. I don’t want to say more, because I don’t want to spoil anyone. But, it was good. REALLY good.
• Liebe M. Du bringst mein Herz zum Überlaufen by Anna Paulsen ★★★★/5
  (German only) Matilda arbeitet im Amt für nicht zustellbare Post und sie liebt ihren Job. Als ihr eines Tages ein alter, wunderschöner Liebesbrief in die Hände fällt, setzt sie alles daran, Absender und Empfänger wieder miteinander zu vereinen.
  Extrem süß geschrieben, eine Protagonistin mit schrulligem Charme. Ich war ganz verzaubert von Liebe M. und seiner tollen Geschichte.

• Love, hate & other filters by Samira Ahmed ★★★/5
  Indian muslim Maya lives in the US with her family. She loves films and making them and dreams of studying at NYU. When her life seems almost perfect, there is a terrorist attack, supposedly commited by another muslim in another town. Maya suddenly sees herself confronted with brutal racism and prejudice, her life changes completely.
  While I didn’t like that some important things were left open (What does Maya believe? Does she believe?) and I was annoyed with others (Is her mother ever thinking about anything else than marrying her daughter off?), it was very real and very raw. It shows racism in many different forms and how people try to deal with not only racism, but a culture they are not really a part of. Or don’t really feel to be.
• Berühre mich. Nicht. by Laura Kneidl ★★★★/5
  (German only) An ihrem 18. Geburtstag flieht Sage von Zuhause und wohnt fortan in ihrem Auto auf dem Parkplatz der Universität. Schnell freundet sie sich mit April an. Doch Aprils Bruder Luca löst völlig unterschiedliche Gefühle in Sage aus: Sowohl Angst und Unsicherheit, als auch Neugier und Lust.
  Das Buch war unglaublich gut geschrieben und ich fand die Entwicklung der Beziehungen von Sage zu ihrem Umfeld sehr gut beschrieben und sehr interessant. Vom Ende war ich nicht so begeistert (irgendwie kurz und knapp abgefertigt), aber der Rest der Geschichte war einfach top.

• The Art of French Kissing by Brianna Shrum (ARC) ★★★★/5
  Carter loves to cook. It is her passion and she would love to study it. So when there is a competition to win a scholarship, she applies and gets accepted. What awaits her there are extremely good cooks and bakers, friends and foes and love. And above all, a lot of fun and a lot of stress.
  Oh my, that was hilarious! I read it in an evening and I couldn’t stop laughing. The writing style was very easy and fitting to the competitive yet realxed atmosphere. I know, that is contrary but both fits the book and the writing style also fits both? And the recipes! I was hungry even though I just had dinner. And while the main character is a straight white girl (I think?), the love interest is queer (he’s not sure about his sexuality and defines himself as queer), her best friend is a lesbian and there are also two lesbians at the competition. And black people. And Indian people. And Asian people.
• Herrscherin der Tausend Sonnen by Rhoda Belleza ★★/5
  Orig. title: Empress of a thousand skies
  Rhee, the last survivor of an old family of emperors, is supposed to become Empress of her own planet. But her enemies are trying to kill her and she flees, not being safe anywhere. But she wants her throne and fights for what is right.
  This book actually just confused me. It went too fast, there were no details, the characters were just… not even characterized really. After hearing a lot of good things about it, the bookdisappointed me.

Yay, that are the books I have read in February. I’m pretty happy with my reading month. What about you? What did you read? What was your favourite? Are you happy with your reading month?