The Bookmark Lit Bulletin wraps up the last month in reading and what was on the blog, as well as what’s coming up next. You can check out my book haul, books read, posts shared, challenge updates, etc. You can read past bulletins here. If you’re looking for more personal updates, you can check out my Lauren Lately feature; it highlights my life events and non-bookish fun from the previous 30 days.
Still in a great reading place this month! I managed to read the same number of books in February as January, even with 3 less days in the month! I also had a really great reading month overall with the vast majority of books at 4 stars and above. Feeling really great so far 🙂
9 books in February
9 read • 0 rereads • 0 DNF
Pages read: 2894 • Average rating: 4 stars
Genres: 5 mystery/thriller, 2 contemporary, 1 paranormal, 1 fantasy
Formats: 2 paperback, 2 egalley, 2 ebook, 2 mixed format, 1 hardcover
Sources: 4 borrowed, 2 library, 2 review, 1 purchased
Age Target: 7 adult, 2 young adult
Here are all the books I read this month and the challenges they applied to!
Most Addicting
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A booktok recommendation
- 52 Book Club: Title starting with the letter “H”
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: Domestic thriller
Hardest to Get Into, But Big Payoff
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with mythical creatures
- 52 Book Club: A book everyone has read
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: A backlist book that isn’t contemporary romance or mystery/thriller
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: Paranormal
Fun and Worthwhile Novella
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book that takes place entirely in one day
- 52 Book Club: Related to the word “murder”
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: Verbs
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: A novella
Coziest Vibes
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: Friend recommended
- 52 Book Club: Has an epilogue
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: First book in a series
First Five-Star of the Year
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A historical fiction book
- 52 Book Club: Sends you down a rabbit hole
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: N/A
Cute V-Day Time Loop
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book based on a popular movie
- 52 Book Club: A contemporary setting
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: N/A
Journey is Better than the Destination
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book about a family
- 52 Book Club: A book about siblings
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: Set in a different country from where you live
Not as Good as the First
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book written during NaNoWriMo
- 52 Book Club: Doesn’t fit any of the other 51 prompts
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: N/A
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: Has a plant on the cover
Cute Sloooow-Burn Romance
- Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with a queer lead
- 52 Book Club: A book with a dedication
- Buzzword Reading Challenge: N/A
- Must Read in 2023: N/A
- Romanceopoly: Burger Joint – MC in the food industry (consulting at least!)
- Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: N/A
Popsugar Reading Challenge: 34%
52 Book Club: 33%
Buzzword Reading Challenge: 8%
Must Read in 2023: 8%
Romanceopoly: 8%
Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge: 35%
Breakdown: 22 purchased | 0 free/gifted | 5 review copies | 1 BOTM
All review copies were provided for free in exchange for an honest review.
For Review
From Penguin: Meet Me at the Lake by Fortune, The Daydreams by Hankin
From Forever: Return to Hummingbird Way by Ryan
From Macmillan: Going Bicoastal by Adler, The Prince & The Apocalypse by McDowell
Currently Checked Out (Library)
Some of the same books from last month but here’s an updated group!
Purchased – Digital
Kindle: That Sounds So Good by Music, Evergreen Chase by Black,
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Garber, The Vanishing Half by Bennett
Audiobooks: Project Hail Mary by Weir, Hell Bent by Bardugo
Purchased – Physical
BOTM: The Writing Retreat by Bartz
B&N: Better than Fiction by Martin, The Fraud Squad by Zhao
Target: The Do-Over by Painter
Book Barn: You Say It First by Cotugno, The Stand-In by Chu,
My Imaginary Mary by Ashton/Meadows/Hand (Lord book for my sister)
RJ Julia: Legends and Lattes by Baldree, A Quiet Life by Joella
Chapter 3 (Book Barn): Eight Perfect Murders by Swanson, This Time Next Year by Cousens,
The Christmas Wish by Kelk, On a Night Like This by Kelk, Death at First Sight by Gregory,
Going Going Ganache by McKinley, Dark Chocolate Demise by McKinley, Vanilla Beaned by McKinley,
Partners in Lime by Baker, Pride Prejudice and Poison by Blake
- [2 Feb] Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano ★★★★
- [2 Feb] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin ★★★★
- [2 Feb] Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire ★★★★½
- [10 Feb] Begin Again by Emma Lord ★★★★
- [10 Feb] The Housemaid by Freida McFadden ★★★★
- [10 Feb] Kill Joy by Holly Jackson ★★★★
- [16 Feb] Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ★★★★
- [16 Feb] Shady Hollow by Juneau Black ★★★★½
- [16 Feb] Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett ★★★★★
- [1 Feb] Must Read in 2023 // Backlist Reading Goals
- [3 Feb] Bookmark Lit Bulletin | January 2023
- [6 Feb] February TBR
- [7 Feb] Top Ten Tuesdays #395: Debuts
- [8 Feb] 2022 Reading via StoryGraph
- [14 Feb] Top Ten Tuesdays #396: Valentines Day
- [17 Feb] Series Audit
- [21 Feb] Top Ten Tuesdays #397: Heroines
- [28 Feb] Top Ten Tuesdays #398: Mystery/Thriller
I can’t wait to read Emily Wilde!
I REALLY loved it!!