Mini Reviews - My February Wrap-Up

Hi guys! Today I'll be reviewing 3 of the books I read last month. So in February I read 7 books. To see all the books I read and the rating I gave each one of them, feel free to check out my Goodreads shelf by clicking here ^^

And now let's start with the reviews...

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Genre: YA Fantasy 

My Rating: 5 stars

The Plot: Simon Snow is the Chosen One and he is about to begin his last year at Watford School of Magicks. This new school year comes with a fair share of mortal danger and magical enemies, which Simon’s pretty much used to by now. What’s new though is that his roommate and arch nemesis, the vampire Baz, is strangely missing this year. Between obsessing about the whereabouts and evil intentions of Baz and preparing for an unavoidable confrontation with the great evil he was prophesized to end, Simon has quite a lot on his mind this year. With its mix of drama, magic and the occasional ghost sighting, this is the story of a Chosen One unlike any you’ve met before.

My Review: If you think this is a mere parody of Harry Potter, think again! The book takes the usual tropes of fantasy books and chosen ones and twists them in completely new directions. The characters were all fresh spins on usual clichés such as the chosen one, his love interest, his arch nemesis, his wise mentor and his side-kick. The pacing was excellent, cut in with the right among of magic and action and more dramatic and slower scenes. You don't need to read Fangirl to enjoy this book. Carry On is a fantastic book of its own and my only regret is that we don't actually have seven books-worth of it! 

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Fantasy, Anthology 

My Rating: 5 stars

The Plot: Between a retelling of The Little Mermaid, the story of how a princess fell in love with her guard and a dash back in time in some of our favorite characters’ past, this short story collection presents nine stories set in Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles, including five which have never before been published. And to complete the collection, there is an epilogue to Winter that no fan of the Lunar Chronicles would want to miss…

My Review: Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes simply sweet, these stories were all beautiful and really added to the already fantastical world of the Lunar Chronicles. We get glimpses in the past of both main and supporting characters and we get to see how our favorite characters got to the point where they were when we first meet them in the books. The show stealer of this collection was definitely the last story. I'm not going to say anything about it except that it features the most beautiful wedding ever ^^ If you loved the Lunar Chronicles, you need Stars Above in your life! And preferably right now!

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir 

My Rating: 4 stars

The Plot: In her autobiographical book, Jenny Lawson opens the discussion on depression, anxiety and mental illness in a relatable and hopeful way that will allow many readers to connect to her story. Through a mix of funny anecdotes and heartfelt confidences, Furiously Happy offers a fresh and upbeat approach to the discussion of mental illness.
 
My Review: This is an upbeat book about depression, which is honestly not something I’ve come across before. The reason why this book works is because it’s written by someone who knows what she’s talking about because she lives through it every day. Jenny Lawson is sincere and never tries to sugar-coat her struggles. And yet, she stills manages to deliver her story with humor. With a narrative voice which is both sincere and humorous, she never shies away from discussing the more difficult aspects of her struggles with her issues. Instead, she gives us a truthful overlook of what life can be for people facing mental illness.

Have you read any of the books mentioned here? Share your thoughts about them with me in the comments! Have a great March guys ^^

March gif source