I have been wanting to write this wrap up post about everything I read in February for some time, dear reader. February was a much better reading month than January. I completed 12 books, and I owe a bunch of thanks to the creation of my very first month-long readathon, Folklore February, where I read folktales, fairytales, and fables.
FolkLore February Readathon
I read eight books and watched one movie for this readathon. Reading beautifully illustrated picture books added a layer of whimsy to my folkloric experience. Additionally, I read “Snow-White and Rose-Red” from my Brothers Grimm collection (Flame Tree Publishing) in anticipation of reading Snow & Rose.
I highly recommend watching Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. It is a perfectly blended musical, dark fantasy, and stop-animation film with all the feels. I loved it even though it made me cry like a baby.
In addition to reading and watching a movie, I hosted (for the very first time) reading SPRINTS on my YouTube channel. Sprints are a wonderful way to engage with your community of followers while completing reading goals or productivity tasks. I hosted three times throughout the month and had a blast. Kelsi joined me as a co-host which made it an even more enjoyable experience.
- Read a Folktale. (Stone Soup by Marcia Brown)
- Read a Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen. (The Snow Queen adapted and illustrated by Richard Hess)
- Read a Fairy Tale by the Brothers Grimm. (Rapunzel adapted by Barbara Rogasky and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman)
- Read a Fable. (The Hare and the Tortoise illustrated by Brian Wildsmith)
- MOOD READ or WATCH (Snow & Rose by Emily Windfield Martin)
- Read or Watch a Retelling of a folktale, fairytale, or fable. (The Cajun Little Red Riding Hood by Berthe Amoss)
- Read a Fractured Fairy Tale. (The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Brian Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith)
- Read a Folktale from a country other than your own. (The Mitten adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett)
- Watch a screen adaptation of your favorite folktale, fairy tale, or fable. (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio)
Even though I enjoyed everything I read for Folklore February, my absolute favorite story was Snow & Rose. It was fantastic, and I actually enjoyed it more than the original fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm. Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read during Folklore February, please check out my Folklore February wrap up video.
Other February Readathons
In addition to Folklore February, I participated in a weekend readathon, GarbAugust 1.5: Wasted Weekend, hosted by Olly at CriminOlly. This readathon was a fun event where you read something trashy. I chose a book I picked up at a recent library sale called Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times by James Finn Garner. They are modern retellings of classic fairy tales. The stories were short, sweet (and not so sweet) as well as entertaining. It was a 3-star read for me.
I participated in a week-long reading event, the Little House Readathon, hosted by Elizabeth at LizziefayeLovesBooks. This readathon was wonderful because I revisited a childhood favorite, The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I loved reading the Little House on the Prairie series as a child. The Long Winter is the 6th book in the series and was the group read for this event. The story is about the horrendous winter the Ingalls family and their neighbors of De Smet had to endure from October-April of 1880-1881. I gave it 5 stars!
Cozy Cottage Book Club
At the beginning of February, I finally finished Stardust by Neil Gaiman. It was the January selection for the Cozy Cottage Book Club. I did not finish the book in time but still attended the online meeting and had a splendid time. Stardust is a beautifully written fairy tale for adults. It has romance, magic, fantastical creatures, and villianous characters set both in the village of Wall and the beautiful and dark world of Faerie. I was captivated by the whimsical world as well as the well-developed and likeable characters. 5 stars for a magical journey!
Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay was our February book club selection. It is a psychological horror novel about a family of three vacationing at a cabin in an isolated wooded area. All is well until four strangers unexpectedly show up at the cabin with an ominous message that is not well-received, leading to brutal and heartbreaking consequences. I had high expectations going into this novel which was my introduction to Paul Tremblay’s work. Unfortunately, I finished reading this novel with more questions than answers.
It was an okay but not exceptional read for me, thus earning a 3.5 star rating. I am eager to see the film adaptation, Knock at the Cabin, since I have been told the film is less ambiguous than the novel. I already put the film on my Halloween Movie Marathon list. Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on this book or the other books I read in February, please check out my February wrap up video.
As you can tell, dear reader, I had an marvelous month of reading in February. My book club selection for March was Vacancy by K.R. Alexander. I read several middle-grade books for Middle Grade March, and I finished my first book for the FOMO Book Club. Stay tuned because I will be posting a wrap up of what I read in March. I will also be sharing my epic plans I have for April. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!
“Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.” ~ Mary Schmich
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