Last month on I Heart Romance & YA
Happy Friday and welcome February, Wormies! It’s been pretty meh in January because I actually got the trifecta of slumps – blogging, reading, and bookstagramming! Gasp! I know! While I have posted consistently on this blog, the posts had already been scheduled and now, I’m at the point where I won’t have posts to schedule now! Anyway, I am slowly getting out of this rut and I have a few ideas set for next month.
January was also the month of achievements! In January, I already met my 2019 Reading Goal of 10 BOOKS! I know, I know. I knew I was going to meet this goal in the first 2 months of the year but this is one of my promises to relax and read at my pace. So, yay for me!
I also reached 1000 followers on Instagram for about 2 seconds yesterday! It’s not as amazing as I thought, but I knew that I was going to lose followers within a few hours or so. Anyway, if you want to help me reach 1K on Instagram, please give me a follow! I’m @zerisse on Instagram, btw.
I feel like January doesn’t really show my crazy slump, though. But 10 books is pretty good for someone in a slump!
For now, Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis is the longest book, but I also want to point out that The City of Brass was an 18-hour listen!
I had to pick two books for the best reads of the month for totally different reasons! The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty is an AMAZING adult fantasy with well fleshed out characters and world building! More than Words by Mia Sheridan, on the other hand, was an angsty, emotional, ugly cry read for me. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading both!
- [3 Jan] Wicked Knight by Sawyer Bennett
- [4 Jan] Playing with Fire by Rebecca Hunter
- [12 Jan] More Than Words by Mia Sheridan
- [17 Jan] Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey
- [24 Jan] Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis
- [25 Jan] Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
- [31 Jan] Repeat by Kylie Scott
- [1 Jan] 2018 End of the Year Stats
- [5 Jan] It was an Amazing December! | December 2018 Monthly Wraps
- [7 Jan] Get to Know Me All Over Again OR NOT!
- [14 Jan] How Long Should Your Book Review Be?
- [15 Jan] Previously Published Books I Want to Read this Year
- [20 Jan] Currently Reading 2019 Weeks 1-2: New Year, New Me?
- [21 Jan] Should Authors Respond to Reviews of their Books?
- [28 Jan] I’m not As Well Read as You Think
I’m hardly excited about new releases now because I usually don’t check what coming out or when things are published (for the most part). But this month is different! Devil’s Daughter is one of my most anticipated books since LAST YEAR! PEOPLE! This is one book that I will drop everything to read!
The Risk has also got me excited after I read that teaser and then, of course, the blurb! This Off-Campus spin-off Briar U is really looking to become another favorite New Adult series!
Pierre and I didn’t see a lot of movies in January. In fact, we didn’t go to the theater at all! But I admit that the TWO documentaries that came out about the Fyre Festival was riveting and both docs hooked me so much! OMG! If you haven’t seen both, I highly recommend it. Especially since there is also scandal surrounding the two documentaries.
Another reality show that I watched is The Masked Singer on Fox (well, I just stream it on Hulu). I mean, this show is just ridonculous and I can’t stop myself from watching it!
Also, there is a new season of American Greed so I binge-watched that baby while bookstagramming or blogging – basically background noise. Yeah, I’m weird. This is one of my favorite shows, actually.
How was your January?
Have you read any of the books that I read? Have you read my two 5-star reads?
Have you watched the two Fyre Festival documentaries? Any new shows that you watch?
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I have The City of Brass and an ARC of the sequel here to read this year. You’ve confirmed that I’m going to love it. I’m happy you can feel more relaxed with your reading schedule now–that’s the best part of reading for me is unwinding.
Same! I got mine from Avon and despite the length, I enjoy both of the books!
And yay to relaxed reading!
Ha! Congrats on meeting your GR goal already. 🙂
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…January 2019 Wrap-Up & Best of the Bunch
Thank you, Nicole!
10 books are about what I read in non-slump months. lol. See my January wrap up
Donna recently posted…Book to TV: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
I read 12 books of my 150 goal, but 5 of those were rereads. I count those, too! I have specific older TBR reading goals & haven’t started that yet, but I am determined to do it! I have More Than Words out from the library, based on your suggestion, and I just bought the Shalvis book, but haven’t read any of the books you listed. Can’t wait for Devil’s Daughter!
I count rereads, too! I just haven’t had the time to reread! LOL I hope you enjoy More than Words!
So, you only planned to read 10 books for the whole year? Or was that just your January reading goal? I need to do a bigger post for end of the month in February I think. I started using a Google doc for tracking my reading, need to figure out how to make the charts in that but not in the same spreadsheet. I loved Repeat by Kylie Scott, read/listened to that myself this month. You can check out my January Wrap-Up in the link below.
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…January 2019 Wrap-Up Post and Looking Ahead to February
I intentionally set my reading goal to 10 knowing that I would meet it pretty quickly so I don’t have to stress out with meeting reading goals and just relax!
Congrats on hitting your reading goal and getting 1k followers! It’s disappointing how quickly people on Instagram follow and unfollow. Have a great February!
Aj @ Read All The Things! recently posted…Book Haul: Trash To Treasure
Ha! IG is like that. But I actually prefer high engagement now than the number of followers!
I am hoping that Devil’s Daughter is better than that last book. Good for you reading your reading goal.
Lover Of Romance recently posted…Book Review-Cage by Harper Sloan
I hope so, Renee! I heard that the Wallflowers are making cameos in the book so… eeeep!
Hooray for meeting your GR goal! Hee hee! And now the pressure’s off. I kind of did the same, just not as extreme (low). I set mine at 50. I know it’s do-able, I’ll meet that, and then there’s no pressure. So much better than setting a crazy high number and then stressing over it. Pfffttt!
Your Bookstagram pics are just… gorgeous. I wish so much that I had an eye for beautiful photos like that bay alas I do not. 🙁
Leo was the first book I ever read by Mia Sheridan and it made me fall in love with her. I need to read More Than Words soon!
Tanya @ Girl Plus Books recently posted…January Wrap-Up
Thank you, Tanya! Yes! I intentionally made it really low so that I can relax and not care about my reading numbers. I’ve currently read 15 books so far!
More than Words is really good and gave me all the feels!