#January books

[bookaddict24-7]

New Young Adult Releases! (January 2nd, 2024)

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Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

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New Standalones/First in a Series:

Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Ghost Roast by Shawnee Gibbs

Sky's End by Marc J Gregson

Cupid's Revenge by Wibke Brueggemann

Stay with my Heart by Tashie Bhuiyan

Just Happy to be Here by Naomi Kanakia

New Sequels:

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White (Song of the Last Kingdom #2) by Amélie Wen Zhao

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Happy reading!

[apolline-lucy]

what was your favourite January read?? mine was THE SPIRIT BARES ITS TEETH 💜

[nach0]

First book of the year! Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

Was a little doubtful going in, I’m not usually a fan of first person or romances, but even I have to admit this was a very intriguing story. Lots of flower language and an interesting, if not particularly creative, magic system.

Would recommend if you like; flawed protagonists, flawed but not Quite evil government, flowers, and forgiveness

[bigxrig]

Even though I’m not reading fan fiction anymore, I thought it would be fun to keep track of what I read each month. I bought a reading journal in November and it has changed me for the better lol it’s so much easier keeping track. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to track the books I DNF but I’ll figure it out eventually. Anyway here are the books I read this month! The title in bold is my favorite book of the month.

Wait For It by Mariana Zapata (4 ⭐️)

If anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn't been one long enough.

Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn't know what the hell she's doing half the time. How she's made it through the last two years of her life without killing anyone is nothing short of a miracle. Being a grown-up wasn’t supposed to be so hard.

With a new house, two little boys she inherited the most painful possible way, a giant dog, a job she usually loves, more than enough family, and friends, she has almost everything she could ever ask for.

Except for a boyfriend.

Or a husband.

But who needs either one of those?

Hans by S. J Tilly (5 ⭐️)

CASSIE

How to make the handsome, brooding man across the street notice me.

Step one: Deliver baked goods to his front porch, even though he never answers his door and always returns the containers when I'm not home.

Step two: Slowly lose my mind as a whole year passes without ever running into him, no matter how hard I try.

Step three: Have my boudoir photos accidentally delivered to his mailbox instead of mine. Have him open the package. Then have him storm into my home for the most panty-melting scolding of my life.

Step four: Still figuring out step four.

HANS

I'm a dangerous man.

A man who has spent the last two decades removing so many souls from this earth that it's a miracle my hands aren't permanently stained red.

I'm a man who belongs in the shadows.

I certainly don't belong in my pretty little neighbor's bedroom when she's not home, touching her things and inhaling her scent.

I shouldn't follow her. Shouldn't watch her. Because no number of cookies on my doorstep will change the fact that love isn't an option for me.

The only option left for me is violence.

The Perfect Fit by Sadie Kincaid (4 ⭐️)

One wannabe writer from Brooklyn.

Three insanely hot billionaires.

One very indecent proposal.

West Archer, Ezekiel Cavanagh, and Xander King. AKA The Unholy Trinity. Ruthless. Ambitious. Intimidating.

With dark tastes and even darker desires, they’ve been searching for the perfect woman to fit into their unique lifestyle for over a decade. But despite their best efforts, none have made it past three months. Believing they’re destined to never find the one, they swear to stop looking.

Until they meet Lily.

There’s something about Lily Sloane, something that captivates all three of them. For the first time ever, it seems like they may have truly found the perfect fit. But as we all know, there is such a thing as too good to be true.

Lily Sloane isn’t the penniless girl from Brooklyn they think she is. And with a past full of secrets and lies that she’s trying to escape, the unholy trinity might have bitten off more than they can chew. When trust is broken, is there any way back?

Knox by Kate Oliver (2 ⭐️)

Knox

When she came in to buy a gun, I knew she was in trouble. This isn't my first rodeo. What I didn't expect was to have my Daddy senses go into high gear.

Addie

My life was going well until I got the call that my past was coming to haunt me. Although I don't want it, I may have to accept help from a man who calls to my Little side. He's dark and dangerous and he would never understand my needs. But he says he will protect me and I can use all the help I can get.

Ash by Kate Oliver (2 ⭐️)

Kylie

In high school, he had saved her from a bully who had cornered her at a party that she shouldn’t have even been at. Then he called her Little Girl and threatened to spank her bottom if she wasn’t more careful with her safety. She was the dorky girl with glasses and braces, and he was her secret crush, the "bad boy" that all the girls swooned over. And even though they hadn't spoken since that night, she still fantasized about being put over his knee.

Ash

He was the “bad boy” then, and the label still fits. But now, he only did bad things to help those who needed his protection. He had been called Daddy many times over the years, but no one had affected him like the little girl from his past who was standing in front of him at the club, drunk and telling him that she had been fantasizing about him since high school.

Recipe for Love by Anne Malcom (4 ⭐️)

Nora Henderson is of the opinion that chocolate cures almost everything.

Which, among a few other reasons, is why she opened her bakery in the small town of Jupiter, Maine five years ago.

People come from miles for her chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. Customers almost come to blows over the last almond croissant. Some even say her chocolate chip cookies help ease the burn of heartbreak.

Nora’s life is good. On the surface, at least.

Underneath the frosting and the sweet décor of her bakery is a broken engagement, doubt and anxiety spirals.

In short, Nora Henderson is a mess.

Not someone Rowan Derrick would ever be interested in. He’s the gruff veteran who owns a construction company, who broods his way around town and can wear the crap out of a backward baseball cap.

He stars in almost every one of her fantasies. She expected him to stay there, to remain her imaginary boyfriend and customer … nothing else.

But Rowan Derrick has had his eye on Nora for a while. Little does she know, she stars in every one of his fantasies too. And now that the beautiful baker is no longer engaged, he’s going to make her his.

Nero by S.J Tilly (4⭐️)

Payton

Running away from home at 17 wasn’t easy. Let’s face it though, nothing before, or in the ten years since, has ever been easy for me.

And I’m doing okay. Sorta. I just need to keep scraping by, living under the radar. Staying out of people’s way, off people’s minds.

So when a man walks through my open patio door, stepping boldly into my home, and my life, I should be scared. Frightened. Terrified.

But I must be more broken than I realized, because I’m none of those things.

I’m intrigued.

And I’m wondering if the way to take control of my life is by giving in to him.

Nero

The first time I took a man’s life, I knew there’d be no going back. No normal existence in the cards for me.

So instead of walking away, I climbed a mountain of bodies, and created my own destiny. By forming The Alliance.

And I was fine with that. Content enough to carry on.

Until I stepped through those open doors, and into her life.

I should’ve walked away. Should’ve gone right back out the door I came through. But I didn’t.

And now her life is in danger.

But that’s the thing about being a bad man. I’ll happily paint the streets red to protect what’s mine.

And Payton is mine. Whether she knows it or not.

King by S.J Tilly (4⭐️) this was technically a reread but I couldn’t remember how it ended and since I read Hans and Nero, I figured I would read it again.

Okay, so, my bad for assuming the guy I was going on a date with wasn’t married. And my bad for taking him to a friend’s house for dinner, only to find out my friend is also friends with his wife. Because, in fact, he is married. And she happens to be at my friend’s house because her husband was busy working.

Confused? So am I.

Unsurprisingly, my date’s wife is super angry about finding out that her husband is a cheating asshole.

Girl, I get it.

Then, to make matters more convoluted, there is the man sitting next to my date’s wife. A man named King, who is apparently her brother, and who lives up to his name.

And since my date is a two-timing prick, I’m not going to feel bad about drooling over King, especially since I’ll never see him again.

Or at least I don’t plan to.

I plan to take an Uber to the cheater’s apartment to get my car keys.

I plan for it to be quick.

And if I had to list a thousand possible outcomes… witnessing my date’s murder, being kidnapped by his killer, and then being forced to marry the super attractive but clearly deranged crime lord, would not have been on my Bingo card.

But alas, here I am.

Gravity by Tal Bauer (5⭐️)

Bryce:

Hockey is my life. This game pulled me from my tiny Quebec hometown all the way to the NHL, and now? I’m the number one player in the league. Team capitaine for the Montréal Étoiles. I’m shattering records and packing arenas every night, and I’ve promised my team: we’re going to win the Stanley Cup this year.

But I’m keeping big secrets. I'm thinking dangerous thoughts, and dreaming about impossible things. Like how a man’s lips might taste, or how his body might feel in my arms.

I can’t go there. I’ve got to focus. Team. Hockey. Cup. What my heart wants doesn’t matter.

So why am I falling head over heels at the NHL's All-Star Weekend?

I can’t do this. I can’t fall for Hunter Lacey. He’s a hockey player. We’re both in the NHL. He’s on a different team. And, oh yeah, he’s straight.

Hunter:

I’m a middle-of-the-road, nothing-special hockey player. Good enough to be drafted into the NHL, and I’ve been on the roster for the past two years, but I’ll never make the Hall of Fame. I’m just trying to keep my head up and get through each day, until this wild ride comes to an end.

Deep thinking isn’t really my thing. Look inside myself? Lotta beer and burgers there.

I never thought I’d be invited to the All-Star Weekend, but here I am. And there’s my hero: Bryce Michel, league superstar.

Saying hello to Bryce turns into hours spent together on the ice, and then an invite to dinner, and then days at each other's side. I’m in heaven. He’s my hero, and this is the coolest—

Then Bryce’s lips land on mine, and the world turns upside down.

Ryder by Jacki James (1⭐️)

Having a meltdown in the local hardware store isn’t the best way to find the man of your dreams. Or is it?

Brennan Taylor is at the end of his rope, and the busted pipe under his kitchen sink was the last straw. He knows nothing about plumbing, or any of the other things his father says a grown man should know, but lucky for him he is about to lose it in front of the perfect man to help him.

Ryder Davis didn’t go to the hardware store intending to play hero. He went after a new faucet for his bathroom. But when he saw the angel in the plumbing aisle, it was obvious Brennan needed someone to step in and fix things for him. No problem, saving a beautiful man in distress was something Ryder was happy to do.

Fixing Brennan’s plumbing turns into fixing his employment situation, and then right on to fixing his single status. But will Brennan’s determination to be the kind of man he thinks he is supposed to be keep him from being the boy a Daddy like Ryder needs?

You Can Count On Me by Fae Quinn (3⭐️)

They say you should love thy neighbor, but I don’t think they meant it the way I want to love mine.

Miles “Rooster” Johnson: As a young single-dad with a teaching job, I haven’t had much opportunity to date. My son is my entire world, and though I would love to have a partner and someone to count on, the passing years have shown that it’s just not in the cards for me. So when the gorgeous lumberjack of a man—the same man that I’ve had a massive crush on since the moment we became neighbors—suddenly asks me out on a date, I’m completely blindsided. Trent could have anyone he wants. He’s charming, flirtatious, and outgoing—the exact opposite of my awkward, anxious self. I don’t know what he sees in me. All I know for sure is that I absolutely need to make this date go well.

Trent Montgomery: I know I have a playboy reputation in our small town, but there’s nothing wrong with playing the field. It’s worked for me so far, even if I have felt some discontent lately. My mama thinks I need to settle down and find someone nice. But she doesn’t understand that I’m just not ready. No matter how beautiful and tempting my neighbor Rooster is or how eager I am to get the silent mountain of a man to open up—no matter how adorable his little boy is, even when he’s threatening me at bat-point to take his daddy out on a date—I know I can’t be everything that they need. I agreed to ask Rooster out, but I think maybe I made a big mistake. All I know for sure is that I absolutely need to sabotage this date.

Bad Idea by Lily Harlem (1⭐️)

Roughneck Riders are not an MC club you mess with, least of all their rough and tough gang leader Heavy. But Heavy has a secret that has to be kept, no matter what—his heart belongs to a man. It shouldn’t. He’s supposed to be into women, like the other guys in the club. Junk is just too cute to resist, though. Add in his delectable body, his sweet submission and his willingness to accept Heavy’s sadism, and the couple are a perfect match.

Junk’s a probie, proving his worth to the club and demonstrating his mechanical know-how. He’s lived on the edge for a long time, flitting from one place to the next. But now that he’s settling in as a Roughneck, life is looking up. Not least because he’s in love—soul-eating, cock-thickening obsessive love. He can’t tell anyone about his desire for Heavy, but what he can do is push his lover’s buttons, all day, in full view of everyone, until he’s damned sure the night will bring a whole host of sinful delights and wicked punishments that will leave him marked, bruised and most of all, wholly satisfied.

Between Love and Loathing by Shain Rose (4⭐️)

Fake dating my enemy so I can design my dream bakery should be easy … as long as I don't fall in love with him.

Dominic Hardy might be an award-winning architectural engineer with fancy degrees and considerable accolades, but he doesn’t know a thing about baking.

He doesn’t even like sugar.

So when my late stepfather’s will states that Dominic Hardy is set to inherit the Pacific Coast Resort he’d painstakingly designed, as long as my bakery can be plopped in the middle of it, it’s no surprise he balks.

And my jaw drops when another stipulation requires us to mutually approve plans for my bakery’s design.

His stuffy taste will never mix with my whimsical vibe.

But then Dominic comes to me with a proposal I can’t refuse. He’ll give me everything I want in my bakery as long as I agree to one thing:

Fake date him for five months.

Keep his ex away by pretending we’re in love.

Smile and stare into his piercing green eyes at a gala or two.

Maybe share a kiss.

Nothing extreme.

Five months of acting in love when I really loathe him and his filthy mouth.

Even when he’s using it on me.

This should be a cakewalk.

Except there’s a fine line between love and loathing, and I think I’ve made the colossal mistake of blurring it.

Unloved by Marley Valentine (3⭐️)

We longed. We lost. We loved. Desperately.

I thought I had my life all figured out. But after a college football accident leaves me deaf, I was learning how to live all over again.

I expected the anger, the frustration, and the struggle to readjust, but what I didn’t expect to happen amongst the chaos, was to fall in love.

Especially not with two men.

Rough-edged puzzle pieces, Rhys, Samuel, and I were nothing but aching memories, painful realities, and hidden scars.

We were products of our pasts, abandoned and unloved, messy and complicated. Individually we had baggage; together we had mountains to climb.

But when the three of us were tangled up in one another, spilling secrets in the dark, hearts beating in sync, nothing else mattered but them.

We needed to break the cycle, because they deserved love… And who knows, maybe I finally did too.

On The Mountain by Riley Hart (3⭐️)

One feels he’s not worthy of love. The other fears he doesn't know how. But the sizzling chemistry between them has both tempted to explore the unknown.

Cyrus

I was intrigued by Crow at first glance. Who wouldn't be? He's a mountain of a man, who was raised in a cult, and now lives secluded in the wilderness. But the draw I feel to him goes beyond mild interest. When his intense gaze falls my way it feels like he can see into my soul, to my deepest yearnings and desires.

I took a bold chance venturing to his mountain uninvited. But I can't help myself. Despite Crow’s dangerous facade, I feel at home when I’m near him. I've never felt wanted or needed… until the mountain man took me in his arms.

Crow

The mountain is my home, the only place that truly suits me. I reveled in my solitude... until Cyrus showed up looking as lonely as I felt. The warmth in his gaze made me welcome someone into my home and my heart for the very first time.

The way he smells. The way he feels. I come apart with his every touch. The past haunts us both. Yet when we’re together the weight of them is more manageable. Cyrus is mine and I don’t ever want to let him go. Still, I fear eventually he’ll want to leave the mountain... and for the first time in my life, I don’t want to be alone.

Latte Darling by S.J Tilly (5⭐️)

I have a nice life - living in my hometown, owning the coffee shop I’ve worked at since I was 16.

It’s comfortable.

On paper.

But I’m tired of doing everything by myself. Tired of being in charge of every decision in my life.

I want someone to lean on. Someone to spend time with. Sit with. Hug.

And I really don’t want to go to my best friend’s wedding alone.

So, I signed up for a dating app, and agreed to meet with the first guy that messaged me.

And now here I am, at the bar.

Only it’s not my date that just sat down in the chair across from me. It’s his dad.

And holy hell, he’s the definition of Silver Fox. If a Silver Fox can be thick as a house, have piercing blue eyes and tattoos from his neck down to his fingertips.

He’s giving me Big Bad Wolf vibes. Only instead of running, I’m blushing. And he looks like he might just want to eat me whole.

Ruthless King by Sienna Cross (2⭐️)

Sold to the mob.

Four words I never thought I'd utter.

Worse, it was my father who did the unthinkable.

When the creditors come to collect, I'm handed over to the most ruthless man in New York City--Luca Valentino.

The head of the notorious Kings is as gorgeous as he is lethal. Dark, possessive, and violent. Nothing like the boy I grew up with, my dead brother's best friend.

And now I'm his…

The longer I spend in this gilded cage, the more certain I become he will ruin me for anyone else

One click now to devour this spicy, enemies-to-lovers mafia romance. I dare you not to fall for Luca Valentino!

Omega for the Mafia Boss by Aria Grace and Jena Wade (1⭐️)

Forced marriages usually aren't fated. Except for those that are...As the eldest alpha in his family, Andro is expected to take over control of the family when his father retires as the patriarch. But before that can happen, tradition dictates that Andro must be mated. And not just mated, but married. Only problem is that Andro has zero interest in taking a mate...or husband.Joseph is the youngest son of the Santoro family...and the only omega. He's treated like dirt but he dutifully manages the books and does what his father asks of him--legal or otherwise.When Andro gets the bright idea to kidnap the mistreated Joey Santoro and force him to become his mate, he has no idea what that could possibly lead to. Both of their lives are changed forever...and their priorities quickly shift away from the families they were raised in to the family they are raising together.

Viciously Yours by Jamie Applegate Hunter (3⭐️)

When Rennick was thirteen, the gods bestowed upon him the name of his fated mate--a human (italics) girl. As the sole heir to the Mountain Kingdom, magic bound him to his kingdom until he ascended the throne on his twenty-fifth birthday, and as a human, she couldn't cross the magical barrier separating the humans from the fae. Heartsore and consumed with thoughts of her, he did the only thing he could and sent her anonymous letters and gifts…

Until he crossed the barrier into her kingdom to claim her as his own.

Six months after Amelia's thirteenth birthday, she received a strange letter from a fae boy claiming her as his mate. Humans weren't taught much about the fae, and one look at the horrifying doll meant to be her belated birthday gift solidified her suspicions that someone was playing a cruel joke. Except the letters and odd gifts kept coming. Against her better judgment, Amelia fell in love with her mysterious admirer throughout the years, certain they would never meet. But on her twenty-fifth birthday, her walk to work was interrupted by two familiar words she'd read a million times.

"Hello, love."

[badwolfarcadiabay]

January book review!

Date: December 28-December 29 (this counts for January because I say so)

Pages/word count: 336

Type: Physical/Graphic Novel

Time: First

Rating/review: 10/10 but also ahhhhahahahhahahahahah/10 because it ended too early. But I love that Charlie is getting more confident and nick is beginning to explore himself!

Date: January 14-January 14

Pages/word count: 247

Type: Physical/Graphic Novel

Time: first

Rating/review: overall good. It was a bit short and we didn’t really flesh out too many relationships as much as maybe I would have liked but it had the implications there and it was a cute story. I got it because gay mermaids like me and it delivered that. So perhaps a 3.7/5. Ik it was short and sweet for a reason, I just wanted more lol

It was a good allegory (for love hitting you fast and etc) just not necessarily a great story.

Date: January 15- January 18

Pages/word count: 293

Type: Physical

Time: First

Rating/review:

- as someone who has been told numerous times I have the vibe/energy of a theatre kid (I would have been if I wasn’t so shy and insecure. Hell I barley mustered up courage to join the swim team) and also loves dnd this book did speak to me on that level. I have also experienced living in Ohio.

- all in all it was obviously a bit cheesy and there were a couple things writing wise I was pulled out of the story for (emphasized the wrong words and some random descriptions) buttt it was pretty fun after the fake dating started and the story really started to story! It started a 3 and ended as a 4/5 for its genre.

[oracleofmadness]

This book! I mean, the witchy vibes mixed in with the very real idea of how witchcraft and its bloody history have deep roots in the fear of powerful and intelligent women. This whole vibe mixed with a modern-day setting, three great characters that personally I just loved, and the fight against witch hunters and all that stands for made for the best read. (Once, again, that's my opinion, I have no idea of the author's intentions.)

This just resonated with me, and I also think this specific time period for me created the ideal reception of this story. Which, btw, can there please be a sequel?

The three main characters have some things in common, and some other things about them that make each girl very unique, for better or worse. Jude is the daughter of a well-known multimillionaire but has been shunned from her family after a bad curse. Her family, however, believes her absence is due to drug use, and it sometimes seems that could be the case with Judes' irredeemably charismatic and yet incredibly aggravating attitude. Zara used to be the best student in her high school, but now is failing her classes while being caught shoplifting books on the supernatural in her search on how to resurrect her murdered sister, Savannah Emer is possibly my favorite character, but it's really impossible for me to choose, She is living day by day pretending to be a student at Oxford. She furiously exercises, toning her body into a machine, while also endlessly increasing her knowledge at the library. I'm not going into much detail here because I love going into books blind and being surprised by every reveal, no matter how early. But, suffice to say, there is more to Emer than this seemingly simple existence.

Wow, I haven't carried on about just characters like this in a review for a while now. Like I said, I really went in with an open mind like I try to do with many things, and I think being open to learning more about these characters and drifting with the magnetic storytelling really helped me enjoy this from beginning to end.

Highly recommend!

Out January 30, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

[fablesstuff]

Better late than never but here's a list and brief review of the books I read in January 2023

Starting off with Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. This was a reread but I still give this book like a 3.5/5 stars. It's a good book and I enjoy the plot and I love Leigh Bardugo but Shadow and Bone isn't my favourite book I've read by her.

Next up was Siege and Storm also by Leigh Bardugo, again a reread and again I'd give it a 3.5/5 stars, and I dont have much else to say about this book

Then I read Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo just to finish the series off, and look I love this book, but the ending makes me so upset, I understand why it happens but it just makes me mad everytime I read it so for me this books like a 3/5, again good series I highly recommend people to read these books

Keeping on with books by Leigh Bardugo I went on to read King of Scars, and I really enjoyed this book, it was a bit of a slower read for me but still 4/5 stars, I loved the expanding on characters stories that felt natural and not forced in any way

Next was Rule of Wolves which is the second book in thar Duology, again 4/5 stars amazing book, highly recommend Leigh Bardugo books to anyone who's willing to hear me talk about them I love her world building, magic system, just everything

Then i read Six of Crows, once again a reread 5/5 stars, I love the crows and im a sucker for a found family trope I gotta say.

And that's all for January, so far I'm 6/50 books for my reading goal this year so not bad!

[strugglinguist]

January's Books

I've been thinking it might be fun to do a month-by-month look at the books I've read and thoughts about them. I read a whopping 12 books in January! This is a mix of winter break energy plus getting lots of Audible credits for Christmas.

Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor

Martyr's Promise by Elizabeth Hunter

A Catalogue of Catastrophe by Jodi Taylor

Paladin's Kiss by Elizabeth Hunter

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy & A.R. Capetta

Sword in the Stars by Cory McCarthy & A.R. Capetta

Doing Time by Jodi Taylor

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

White Fragility by Dr. Robin DiAngelo

A Psalm of the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Saving Time by Jodi Taylor

About Time by Jodi Taylor

I've provided in-depth thoughts below :)

I finished a re-read of Jodi Taylor's Chronicles of St. Mary's series. This is one of my all-time favorites, and it was a joy to read again. Also on Audible, the voice actor who reads them is one of my favorites. Hands down. She does great voices for each of the characters. By the end of the first or second book in the series, she has them down so well that you know who is speaking immediately.

I then read the the 2nd and 3rd novels in the Elemental Covenant series by Elizabeth Hunter. I'm really digging this new series and cannot wait for the next one to release! Elizabeth's world building is amazing, and I have read every single book in her Elemental world. That's 17 books, 8 novellas, and a short story, by the way. Can't recommend her work enough. She also has a few other series that I love like The Irin Chronicles and The Cambio Springs Series.

On the recommendation of my girlfriend, I picked up Once & Future and Sword in the Stars by Cory McCarthy and A.R. Capetta. They were a really fun sci-fi/fantasy YA experience about a reincarnation of the Arthurian legend. Arthur as a lesbian in space plus time travel? It was queer and nerdy and all around wonderful. I loved it!

I then dug back into Jodi Taylor's writing with her spin-off series about the Time Police from the St. Mary's world. The four books were seriously wonderful. I loved learning about each of the main characters. Jodi is also very good at getting me invested to the point that I find myself openly weeping over her stories. I really hope more books come out in that series.

Two more books! I read White Fragility by Dr. Robin DiAngelo. Well... most of it. I still have about an hour of listening. I definitely did a lot of chewing on ideas and reactions to this one. She does well as encapsulating the stumbling blocks to genuine conversations about race because of how White people are socialized. I think it's worth reading as a White person, which is the intended audience, but I think a Black American or other People of Color would find it elementary and waste of time for them.

Finally, a college friend recommended A Psalm of the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers and sent me a Kindle version. It is such a beautiful story about what it means to be alive and worthy. It's a sci-fi book about a future where robots have become sentient and chose to leave humanity behind to learn about the world, and humans have made due without that technology since. A human and a robot meet and go on a journey together learning about one another and life. It hit me right in the feels several times!

[littlestofstorytelling]

Just finished reading the stolen heir by Holly Black. I really enjoyed it, as always with her books I am surprised at the turn of events her characters take, unafraid to make them morally gray characters. Which I love!

Would recommend it to anyone who likes the other elfhame books and faerie fantasy stories.

Can’t wait for the second book the prisoner’s throne in 2024

[contracat25]

Ok 2023 let's go! I'm def excited for a fair amount this year and January is a nice start. So here are a few books that I am most interested in coming out this month.

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai - out January 10

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni - out January 31

The Queering by Brooke Skipstone - out January 12

After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz - out January 24

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: January Books

I hope you’ve all had a great start to the new year! My January has been exceptionally packed with assignments and getting back into the swing of student life. Although my classes have only just started again, I’ve been kept busy with research and planning for my future career, so it has been a challenge to try to juggle everything.

Mark is doing really well on his teaching course. I’m so proud of him because he’s working so hard and really shaping up to be the teacher that I always knew he’d be. We’re still managing to see each other most weekends and as usual, it’s just so easy to be with him. Honestly, get yourself a non-stressful, drama free relationship -it’s great!

2023 is looking like it is going to be a great year for book releases and I’m so excited to get stuck into it properly. I’ve already read some amazing books this month and I’ll be sharing some of them with you here. Once again, I’ve tried to include as diverse a selection as possible to cater for all of your wide-ranging reading tastes. Hope you enjoy!

-Love, Alex x

FICTION: Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey.

At 29, Maggie is newly divorced and loving all the free time she has now, actually. It doesn’t really matter that her thesis still isn’t finished and that her ex won’t answer her messages. She has a new friend in fellow divorcee Amy and her friends’ group chat is proving very supportive. She could even start dating again, if she wanted. Everything is really good, actually. This hilarious, heartwarming debut has some real laugh-out-loud scenes and depicts a lovely journey of acceptance while celebrating the power of therapy. It also explores the wonder of true friendship alongside a heroine who doesn’t always make decisions that you’d expect her to make but somehow are the right decisions for her. It’s an authentic insight into the unique experience of being a young divorcee that doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of intense heartache. I just wanted to give Maggie a massive hug!

NON-FICTION: All The Things They Said We Couldn’t Have: Stories of Trans Joy by T. C. Oakes-monger.

Before Tash transitioned, they never believed that they’d be able to have all the wonderful things that life can bring. How wrong they were. This beautiful collection of anecdotes and candid stories explore transition, the reality of body dysmorphia and how trans people find their tribe. There are some truly stunning images of freedom, peace and joy in this book that melted my heart. There’s a lovely message about making the impossible possible and it’s a sentiment that I think most people under the trans umbrella will be able to relate to. It’s a splash of trans positivity that we need in our cruel world.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton.

Ella is the first Conjuror to attend the prestigious Arcanum Training Institute for young Marvellers looking to hone their craft. However, Conjurors are considered dangerous by many Marvellers and not everyone welcomes Ella into the fold. However, she forms friendships with misfits Brigit and Jacob who become invaluable to her, when a dangerous criminal is on the loose, the Conjurors are considered to be suspects. Then, Ella’s favourite teacher disappears. Can the young Marvellers save the day and dispel the rumours about her and her family? The magic system in The Marvellers is beautiful and I really loved the vivid imagery of it. There are some parallels to Harry Potter, as to be expected with a book set in a magic school, but it’s still unique enough to be excited about. It tackles injustice and inequality really well and I was thoroughly enthralled by the cliffhanger ending. Give me the next book now, please!

YA: This Book Kills by Ravena Guron.

Hugh Van Boren, a handsome, popular, rich kid at elite boarding school Heybuckle Academy is found dead. As a scholarship kid, Jess has to behave herself and get good grades otherwise she could well be out on her ear. So, she’s especially concerned when it transpires that Hugh was killed in the exact same way as the victim was in a murder mystery story that Jess wrote for her creative writing class. Then she gets an anonymous text thanking her for the inspiration. Jess knows that she’s innocent, so what’s going on and who killed Hugh? This is an intricate mystery with multiple suspects and I was completely hooked for the entirety. There is commentary on class and the power of money, which is certainly a relevant topic for the setting and character dynamics. Ultimately, Jess learns a lot about herself, her friendships and how to succesfully form healthy connections. The plot definitely keeps the pages turning and the character development comes very naturally.

MYSTERY: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett.

The story of the cult of the Alperton Angels is legend and now 20 years later, true crime journalist Amanda Bailey is writing a book about the case. The baby at the centre of the case will soon be turning 18 and Amanda thinks it would be a unique angle to get the baby’s take on the matter -if they can be traced, as they disappeared into the care system. But Amanda’s long-time rival Oliver Menzies is also writing a book about the Angels and he might be gunning for the same, lucrative take. Feeling that it might be best to collaborate on this, Amanda and Oliver start to realise that the real truth of the case might never have actually come to light. I loved Janice Hallett’s first novel The Appeal but didn’t really enjoy her follow-up The Twyford Code. I’m delighted that she’s back on form with her latest release, which is an intriguing twisty novel about a fascinating case that I was convinced could have been true. In fact, I did Google the Alperton Angels only to find that it’s not a real case at all -Hallett made that part up too! There is a real addictive, tense relationship between Amanda and Oliver that I couldn’t get enough of. Overall, the book celebrates the search for truth and justice and despite the tragic ending, I think it does that perfectly.

[bksbksbksbks]

Books listened/read in January 2023:

1.) Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix

This is technically a reread, but I went with the audiobook! Sincerely loved it so much more, especially the in between intros. Made the book all the more creepy.

2.) Little Pa - Hemley Boum

The story really stuck out to me, I really enjoyed learning more about this character and his journey.

3.) Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops - Shaun Bythell

As a previous bookseller… how could I NOT love this?? Definitely going to be devouring more of this author if I can.

4.) Queer Heroes of Myth and Legend - Dan Jones

Very fun!! Narration made this a lot more enjoyable too.

5.) Galatea - Madeline Miller

I’m a sucker for Miller’s work, so this story of Galatea?? 🤌✨✨✨

6.) Lot - Bryan Washington

I had been meaning to start this since the collection of stories came OUT. I’m glad I finally dedicated time to enjoy it, so far this has been sticking in my head the MOST. I need to dive into Washington’s stories more. Sad it took me this long to start it.

[musingsofmonica]

January 2023 Diverse Reads

Diverse Reads Published in January:

•”On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity” by Lenika Cruz

•”Age of Vice” by Deepti Kapoor

•”The Daughters of Izdihar” by Hadeer Elsbai

•”The Sense of Wonder” by Matthew Salesses

•”The House in the Pines” by Ana Reyes

•”The Survivalists” by Kashana Cauley

•”Lunar Love” by Lauren Kung Jessen

•”Promise Boys” by Nick Brooks

•”Bad Cree” by Jessica Johns

•”River Sing Me Home” by Eleanor Shearer

•”Maame” by Jessica George

•”Night Wherever We Go” by Tracey Rose Peyton

•”Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute” by Talia Hibbert

•”The Faraway World: Stories” by Patricia Engel

•”Independence” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

•”Moonrise Over New Jessup” by Jamila Minnicks

•”Sorry, Bro” by Taleen Voskuni

•”The Night Travelers” by Armando Lucas Correa

•”Song of Silver, Flame Like Night” by Amélie Wen Zhao

•”City Under One Roof” by Iris Yamashita

[booksthoughts]

January reviews!

[wiltkingart]

Asche and Vindt from Ocean's Blood by Thelma Mantey

[darkandspicybookreviews]

Sorry I’m a little late posting this. But here is my January 2023 Wrap-up. It’s not been a bad start to the year.