MONTHLY RECAP – FEBRUARY 2k19 // Stress, Hauntings, The Day of Love + lots of: she did THAT. (she not being me in any of those cases tho. i WISH lol)

I can’t fathom that February is already over. I don’t even want to believe it. That’s so surreal and the fact that time seems to be constantly sprinting through 2019 just added more weight onto my shoulders. They are already exhausted!! I’m already exhausted!! Please stop, I’m begging you, universe and all the powerful gods and goddesses listening right now and/or looking down on me. I feel like I’m on a constant productivity deadline when all I need right now is two months off from college and essays and homework and applications to just get some sleep and breathe. through. Stress, stress, stress. Stress here, stress there, stress everywhere. I’m tired. Emotionally, physically. Just all-around Hard Work™ and Internal Screaming™ is a #mood.

I’ve been super duper busy this month — and that’s definitely going to continue in the beginning of March, too. Uni stuff, soft hearts. Me: tries to write something for uni. My last two brain cells: *crying* How do you write that word again? *yelling across the room that is my brain* helP ME. –> I’m going to be so happy when this time is over!! Puh, well, that needed to be written. Couldn’t hold it in anymore. 😭

On another note, I’m thinking of STARTING A BOOKSTAGRAM ACCOUNT. Mostly because I want to get back into photography, grow as a book blogger and connect with readers/book lovers that only/mainly interact on that platform. I want to set that project into motion in, like, two months?? But I have to do so much before that!! Find my theme, learn how to properly use TAGs, research challenges/topics/theme weeks and readathons etc. I can’t believe I’m about to make my life even busier after I only just re-started my blog. Wish me luck, soft hearts!! Also: if you have any tips, please tell me in the comments. ♥ 

Book-wise I haven’t been reading THAT much but (!) — if you’re counting the fanfictions I’ve been reading before bed and while riding the bus + the articles I’ve been reading as research for some of my papers and essays for college –> then it’s A LOT MORE. So there is that, folks. Moving on: I read Josh & Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating (check out my review here) and it’s been my fourth read (and best) from writer duo Christina Lauren –> It was super cute in the beginning + I’m the #1 fan of the friends to lovers trope but it kinda didn’t give enough time to aspects of the story that were important for me to really fall into the story and completely immerse myself in their love/life. But: it made me realise that I indeed do still have a marshmallow heart.

My second read is The Silent Companions written by Laura Purcell. It’s a gothic horror story about a widow arriving at her late husbands estate and it’s 10/10 atmospheric, indeed. I’m currently taking my sweet sweet time going through this book. It’s very good and I would love to just sit down with it — but I can’t because I don’t have the time yet. I’m too busy with writing and not-writing-but-researching my papers (it’s a struggle). My third read is Marlon James‘ Black Leopard, Red Wolf — I’m only at the beginning (75 pages in) and it’s not one of those books you can just rush through. It’s full of minor characters, lots of violence, sexual situations and intricate history that doesn’t make sense to me yet. I’m 100% confused but also 100% intrigued. We will see how it goes; the aspect I’m the most interested in are the shape-shifters so that’s a good sign because it seems to be a big part of the story (judging from the title of the book lol).

• Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating (Christina Lauren)
• Black Leopard, Red Wolf (Marlon James)
• Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Jessica Townsend)
• Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee (Jeff Zentner)
• Migration (Helen Marshall)

I WATCHED BIRD BOX. After reading the book (and loving it!) – check out my review here – I was super hesitant and nervous going into this film. I can’t believe that I’m saying this and I’m super positively surprised — but I shouldn’t have worried because it was real good?? It was different plot-wise (obviously –> like every book-into-movie adaptation) but those changes didn’t ruin the movie and/or lower my enjoyment (!). I was genuinely scared at times and the atmosphere was so perfectly captured that it totally reminded me of the book in that aspect. Creepy. Creepy. Creepy for sure. Also, the whole forest scene that wasn’t in the book?? A++ for THAT.

TW: self harm, suicide

Also: watched July 22 on Netflix and I don’t really want to think too much about it because it’s something that really happened and that’s scary. Definitely hits too close to home. Movies about scary things like THAT put a different kind of fear into your heart than Bird Box did because it feels more real-life and could-happen-to-anyone and people-like-that-are-out-there and that-happened-and-it-could-happen-again. I cried twice.

And then: I re-watched The Mummy and The Mummy Returns because CHILDHOOD and MELANCHOLIA and I was sick and always coughing and my nose is running and I just needed ice cream in film form?? And it was just what I needed!! Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are #goals and their kid in the second film is the perfect mix of both of their personalities and all the references to the first movie?? Iconic. Maybe I’ll watch the third movie tonight, I’m hyping myself up right now. It’s not perfect (which film is??) but there are so many Good Things™!! Evelyn is the clumsy queen of my heart in this film, 10/10 love her, me *in different tones with different emotions behind them throughout the whole movie* she did THAT

First (1st) order of business: THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY. New obsession? Check! I binge-watched the whole season in two days and continued to follow the twitter account, reblog memes from it, search for fan videos about #5 (my fave) and Klaus (my other fave) and just screaming into the void everytime someone mentions it (!!). The whole family dynamics are perfectly complicated and ridiculously interesting and every character is so complex and well done?? AND THE MUSIC CHOICES. Don’t even get me started on that music timing and placement and the huMOR.

Soft hearts, if you haven’t given this show a chance yet, you definitely should.The dialogue is super duper fantastically funny and relatable in it’s delivery and the interactions between different characters open up so many potential storylines and — just everytime I’d watch an episode I would find another dream team (Klaus/Ben) or dynamic duo (Luther/Diego) or my personal favorite who I nicknamed „Doom & Despair“ (Number 5 & Klaus) and I would fall deeper into this black hole of love and affection for The Umbrella Academy. *whispering* please try it? It’s a different kind of superhero show with messy characters, complex relationships, lots of time travel and so much potential.

MY SECOND OBSESSION OF THE MONTH IS THE RAIN. I wasn’t expecting ANYTHING but that show totally grabbed me by the heart. I went on my second binge-watch marathon of the month and just straight up consumed the whole first season. The Rain is a danish post-apocalyptic TV show that starts with a virus (that is spread through the rain) killing millions of people by contact and two siblings and their parents finding shelter in a bunker. The first episode was good and made me watch the next one — but suddenly I was into it, really into it. There was that one moment in the 2nd episode that absolutely sold me and that made me go „SHE DID THAT“ and I still have to shake my head in astonishment and affection everytime I think about that scene.

I’m not 100% yet and need to get my thoughts sorted but yes, it’s not perfect at all and the show has a few issues/plot holes with the main storyline and also yes, the characters make dumb decisions sometimes. Yes, yes, yes to (probably) all of the things that people haven’t liked about the show but I kinda really adored and loved it anyway?? It just has so much charme and heart and made me feel so much!! And the way the characters interact with each other?? it’s so real and human. In every interaction (and especially when they first meet each other/new people) the scenes are filled with tension and they practically brim with all the emotions that come with being human. It’s about morality and humanity in the big scale, yes, but also in the little things and where is the line and when do you cross and do you even need to and can you live with yourself if you do? There is so much jealousy, anger and fear but also understanding, affection and love. It’s just very honest in it’s portrayal of the different feelings you go through?? and i love THAT so much. I can’t properly put it into words right now but I’ll definitely rewatch it soon-ish and hopefully that will make me put everything into coherent sentences. This is getting TOO long so I’ll stop now.

^^ I know I’m super late to THE PARTY but I just started watching The Haunting of Hill House (I’m on episode 3) and it was supposed to be a buddy-watch with my older sister but guess what? She already watched the whole season in, like, four days because she got addicted and couldn’t stop and only told me when I asked on what episode she was? lol. That should tell you that IT’S GOOD, SOFT HEARTS. The spooky atmosphere is more than only SPOOKY; it’s creepy in the obvious way that haunted houses are creepy but it’s also creepy in other ways too that surprised me and captured my attention. I’m watching this over the course of the next three weeks (probably) and hopefully after that I can still walk in the dark through my own room without feeling watched. *fingers crossed* wish me luck, soft hearts. lol.

• Eminem – Good Guy ft. Jessie Reyez
• Ava Max – Sweet but Psycho (Acoustic)
• Tom Misch – South of the River
• Dounia – So Cool
• half alive – still feel.
• Jessie Reyez – Figures 
• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – Shallow
• Lauren Aquilina – If Looks Could Kill
• Raleigh Ritchie – Bloodsport ’15
• Dermot Kennedy – Swim Good (Frank Ocean Cover)

• Favorite Romance Books + Anticipated Romance Reads
• that’s all lol
• there was supposed to be two more posts but i got sick and time kept running and there was uni and life and depressed me under a cover of blankets
• but!! i’ll try to make this monthly recap thing a regular thing so that’s one post for sure every month (if i make this work)

• this graphic with that caption over this bullet point ^^ is too big for this little space and i’ll probably change it for the next monthly recap but we’ll make it work this first time around because i got no energy to make a new one rn (i changed it in revision of this blog post lol so you’ll see the better version)
• #TheUmbrellaAcademy: Pick a Member, Pick a Book (by Avid Reader aka Angel) –> i love umbrella academy (like you can see if you read the first portion of this post lol) and this post idea is glorious for my umbrella academy loving heart
• By Any Other Name // 5 Steps That Will Help You Choose An Awesome Blog Name (ft. A Free Worksheet!) (by Novels & Waffles aka Kat) –> i wish i would’ve read this post before i re-did my blog lol this is A+ advice and you should read it –> i like my name because its true to myself but it’s not very telling?? you kno, not book related at all and more of a TV show & movie reference?? so there is that. good job, past-me
• 5 HACKS FOR TAKING BETTER BOOKSTAGRAM PHOTOS (ON A REEEEALLY LOW BUDGET) (by Paper Fury aka Cait) –> in the above ramble i mentioned that i’m thinking of starting a bookstagram account so this is a must-read for me and comes at the perfect time, also A+ advice again
• BASIC HTML TUTORIAL THAT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL FOR EVERY BOOK BLOGGER WHO USE WORDPRESS.COM (by TALEOUTLOUD aka Karlita) –> i need to try all those helpful advice soon-ish, this could 10/10 improve the look of my blog posts and i’m HERE for it, thank you in advance lol

• apparently Disney’s Christopher Robin is coming to Netflix in March, so I’ll definitely watch that movie finally (hype hype hype)
• being DONE with college assignments and for the semester to finally come to an end (time to breathe through in the last two weeks of March before it starts again in April :c)
• my mom’s birthday!! and my nephews birthday!!
• spending time with my friends and family in my semester free time

• new book covers were revealed!! and they are pretty!!
• The Water Dancer (Ta-Nehisi Coates)
• The Paper & Hearts Society (Lucy Powrie)
• The Mystwick School of Musicraft (Jessica Khoury)

• Imaginary Friend (Stephen Chbosky)
• War (Laura Thalassa)
• Eight Will Fall (Sarah Harian)

Goodreads // Twitter

What are some of YOUR favorites this month? Anything you can recommend? Are there any TV shows that you binge-watched this month?