February wrap-up, favourites and other

Dear reader,

I don’t know how to start this wrap-up. February has been… let’s say, weird. Well, mostly painful.

After sharing how amazing January was for me, I am ashamed to tell everyone that last month somehow broke me. My mental health has been a wreck and got even lower than before, which is terrifying for me. This is why I didn’t post much lately, why I deleted Twitter, why I shared nothing anymore on my Instagram stories, why I also starting to read way more than usual: My brain is a mess and I don’t know how to fix it.

The good news in all of this is that in less than two weeks I’ll be going to spend a day at a new hospital to meet with some professionals who know how to deal with cyclothymia and eating disorders. So… yay.

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READING WRAP-UP

In February, I read 10 books. It seems okay but I actually struggled a lot reading last month. It all started with a huge book hangover because I found out about one of my favourite read of all time. I almost didn’t make it to 10 books because of it, but I started reading a lot again during the last week. (Actually, I read 10 books in a week, meaning 4 for February and 6 for March. Oops?)

Here is what I read:

• Renegades by Marissa Meyer, 5/5 stars;
• Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee, 5/5 stars;
• La bête humaine‬ by Emile Zola, 5/5 stars;
• Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda, 5/5 stars;
• The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, 5/5 stars;
• Smoke by Dan Vyleta, 3/5 stars;
• Spider’s Web by Charles Osborne (novelization of an Agatha Christie’s play), 4/5 stars;
• Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, 3.75/5 stars (arc);
• Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, 4.5/5 stars;
• Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi, 4/5 stars.

It may seems like a lot, but for me it isn’t. Considering that I can read 10 books in a week (am I a robot?), reading only 11 in an entire month is a disappointment. But I’m trying to be kinder on myself and will be proud of what I have been able to read despite my book hangover and mental health.

My favourite book of the month was, by far, Renegades. I know that some people find it slow paced and somehow boring but I adored it – it was perfect for me and I have to say that I have a soft spot for superheroes stories. You can always read my review about it to know more about my thoughts.

I also have to talk about Hamilton: The Revolution. If you don’t know, I have been a huge fan of the musical for years. When I say years, I mean that it just started at Broadway. Yes, that long. I finally had the opportunity to see the show live in London last month and bought the book I am talking about there. The thing is that I have been waiting for that book when it was first announced, I was there when it was released, screaming all over Twitter with Lin, using the hashtag #Hamiltome. But, I haven’t bought it. It was expensive and I couldn’t afford it. When I was in London, in the theatre, I couldn’t just walk past it and even though I was completely broke afterwards, I don’t regret it. I listened to the audiobook, only to hear Lin’s voice, and it was perfect. I can’t express how much this musical and this man mean to me.

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MY FAVOURITES

• Tom Stanley Holland

Okay, I know, again. But! it is important, at least he was. I spent a good part of February watching movies he played in (and again tons of videos, I admit it) and it made me feel good. Maybe not as good as I want to be but it was a start. I really owe this man a lot.

• The Good Place

The Good Place is a tv show on Netflix and I can’t recommend it enough. You may start it thinking it makes no sense and that it’s completely ridiculous and maybe even stupid – but wait for it. I had such a good time binge watching it and I’m still so surprised about everything that happened.

• Le meilleur pâtissier

It may makes no sense to you, so here is what is is: It’s the French adaptation of the Great British Bake Off. We’re good? Great.

I have always watched this show – I don’t watch tv but for this one, I don’t care. Unfortunately my parents got bored and somehow forbid me to watch it in the living room. As I didn’t have a tv in my room at that time, I missed the entire last season. However, we started catching up with my best friend (who is now addicted) and it is always so fun to watch an episode together. (We watched five in a row, okay.)

• English Breakfast Tea and porridge

It’s not a lot favourites but I’m glad I still found some highlights to February. During this month, I started to drink way too much tea once again, mostly because I was missing England, and to eat porridge every morning. It really made me feel good before leaving for work or university.

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Well, here we are. Many things changed in a month (especially if you (re)read my January wrap-up) but I’m proud to still be here, fighting every day. I am really trying to get better and hopefully March will be a better month for me: I am going back to Disneyland, to London (for the Harry Potter studios) and am also attending a book fair. Things should be good.

Feel free to share with me what you read and what you loved during February!

Love always,

Clara