January Wrap-Up

For me, the year started with extreme mediocrity and almost no productivity. I hit a slump smack middle of the month and haven't really gotten out of it. 

I opened this blog this year, feel it has been a little longer. but I haven't really been productive or creative here either, the posts? Ya, they were drafted a little longer ago. 

I did finish 7-ish books this month.

Brambles by Intisar Khanani

★★★★

This was my first read of the year. (Thank you NetGalley.) This is a short story that takes place before Thorn which gives Alyrra's account of what actually happened. I am yet to read Thorn but this definitely intrigues me more. 

Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis

★★

So this is the book that put me into a slump. I don't even really want to talk about it. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it was um not good.

If you want you can read my review here.

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

A sorority of witches. Sounds so fun. It wasn't. I dnf'ed it like 40% through so I didn't rate it. I did listen to an audiobook so maybe that's why it didn't work. still, the story felt way too generic and even stereotypical with the insta-love and no dimensional characters. 

Also, ps there are a bunch of hp references.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

★★★★★

I reread it. I was having a terrible month both reading-wise and personally, so I just reread this amazing amazing book. I don't really have a review for this, but I talk about how much I love this book in every single insta (@meraki_reads_) post including this book.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

★★★★

This was darker, I liked it more than I expected. I love the writing of these books. It's barely 200 pages and it felt good to get through a book after the slump. Hoping to get through the series this month.

The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe

★★★★

Bisexual con artist, found family, trauma recovery, morally grey characters, a bank hostage situation. I could go on. The main storyline- the hostage situation- happens in four hours so it's really fast-paced. And Nora's past is slowly revealed kinda along with the hostage situation and it is very interesting to read.

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty

★★★★

First non-fiction of the year, first non-fiction in a while. it was a little morbid as you would expect from the title but this was also s interesting. death is a very I don't know closed off topic but in this book the author doesn't shy away. my favorite was 'What would happen to an astronaut body in space?' and 'Can we give grandma a Viking funeral?' spoiler alert no. 

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

★★★★★

I got an arc for this. I got an arc for one of my most anticipated releases and it didn't disappoint me. the writing on this is the best thing ever. The prose is so beautiful and I could go on and on about it. Here's my review.

I have been seeing this on some blogs and I wanted to try it too.

• Read at least 4 books 
• Read the arcs I've been procrastinating on
• Post at least 2 times a week on the blog
• Draft my WIP properly (it's a messy bullet list right now)
• Keep updating and organizing with Notion