After putting this list of titles at the beginning of my TBR posts for the past year, I’ve decided this section deserves a post of its own. So here we are! I’m excited to share these books with you.
January was a tough reading month for me. Due to having more away-from-home work than I am used to, company, garden work, family life, trips, etc., I felt like I had hardly any time to sit down and just read last month. In the end, I really shouldn’t have felt sorry for myself. I finished 13 books last month: 7 audiobooks and 6 physical books (4 of which I finished in the last 8 days of January!).
It’s not an understatement to say that I’m a little audiobook-ed out at the moment, and am really looking forward to all the delightful physical books I have on my TBR shelf for this month!
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1. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James (★★★★): A delightful peek into what may be behind Jane Austen’s writings. It isn’t the greatest fiction ever, but I loved it (especially because it helped me finally identify one of my favorite writing tropes—I discovered I love romances where the characters don’t end up getting married for noble reasons! Weird? Maybe, but I love them.).
2. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (★★★★ ½): Hilarious, heartwarming, delightful…think Pippi Longstocking, Amelia Bedelia, young Anne of Green Gables, and you’ll have an idea of what this book is about. SO much fun!
3. New Kid by Jerry Craft (★★★): I enjoyed parts of this graphic novel, but overall, it wasn’t for me. An underwhelming read.
4. The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan (★★★★ ½): This was a great story! Unexpected, more difficult than I anticipated, a fascinating peek into the art world and pre-WWII antisemitism…this is one I wouldn’t mind reading again sometime.
5. The Trouble Begins at 8 by Sid Fleischman (★★★ ½): An interesting biography about Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain. Not a standout story, but enjoyable enough.
6. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (★★★★ ½): This was so much fun to read! Even better than when I heard it read aloud—I love Anne!
7. The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming (★★★★ ½): I loved this peek into little-known World War II history! As a bonus, it wasn’t overly feministic (which I feared)—a fascinating read.
8. Lilith by George MacDonald (★★ ½): I’ve just about concluded that MacDonald’s fantasy stories are not for me. I struggled with this one, BUT it was fascinating to see parallels to Narnia in this story, so that was its saving grace for me!
9. The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson (★★★): A sweet story about an orphan girl living in a lighthouse on Lake Superior. The story was somewhat contrived, but I enjoyed her imagination, the setting, and the family aspect.
10. A Small Book About Why We Hide by Edward T. Welch (★★★★ ½): A wonderful devotional. Convicting, encouraging, helpful…I’d love to reread this one day.
11. The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox (★★★★★): This book reminded me why I love reading all over again. Excellent, excellent story; highly recommended!
12. Lyddie by Katherine Paterson (★★★★): A fascinating, unusual story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in pre-Civil War Vermont before, and despite the feministic leanings of the story, I ended up enjoying it.
13. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson (★★★★ ½): I connected with Gilly before the end of the first chapter. She has a foul mouth and isn’t an ideal character, but her storyline, the setting, and the people around her are all fascinating and well-written.
Whew! After going through most of the month feeling like it was a disaster in the reading department, I’m thrilled for all the ones that ended up being unexpected hits.
Have you read any of the books above? What did you read in January?
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