Reading Roundup: January 2018

Welcome to my first reading roundup of 2018! Instead of forcing a massive list of 60+ (I hope!) books on you at the end of the year, I’m going to share my reading updates monthly. Since this is a new thing, I’ve included a bit of information where things might be confusing, but most of it is pretty straightforward.

Books I Finished

I read 7 books in January, putting me 2 books ahead of my reading goal! I started the month finishing a book every other day, but slowed down by the end into what I feel like will be my normal reading post. These are the books I read in January (I linked my review if there is one):

• Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict ★★★★
• The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine ★★★★★
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris ★★★★★
• Killman Creek by Rachel Caine ★★★★★
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ★★★★
• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden ★★★★★
• Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter ★★★★

Page Total: 2,318

Wow – I need to cool it with the five-star ratings!

Book of the Month

As you probably noticed above, I tend to rate many books 5 stars. I don’t know why, but I think it’s because I become so attached to books that I can’t bring myself to rate them as anything else. And I read a lot of good books. And I tend to find the good in books that I read. So, anyway – I read a lot and I give most books really good ratings. Therefore, each month, I’m going to pick a book of the month a.k.a. my favorite book out of everything I read!

I had so much fun reading The Bear and the Nightingale and it was the perfect winter read. When speaking to some friends, I described it as a fairytale for adults and that’s still the most accurate description I have. By ‘for adults’ I don’t mean that it’s raunchy or includes bad language; rather, it just doesn’t feel like it’s meant for kids. It’s just a story about a family in Russia with some spirits and creatures and a girl who can talk to horses thrown into the mix. If you’re looking to mix up your reading and dive into a new genre, I highly recommend this book!

Buy The Bear and the Nightingale

Books I’m Currently Reading

I’ve got quite a lot in progress right now, but I love having the variety. I’m trying out audiobooks (for like the tenth time – I don’t think they’re the thing for me!) and also reading a fun little book about hygge. A Gentleman in Moscow is my normal read for the moment, but I’m reading a bit about the big M word at the same time (note: that’s ‘money’). I like having a fiction book as well as a non-fiction going at the same time. It’s nice to also have something lighthearted in case I’m not in the mood for reading. I wouldn’t be surprised if my ‘currently reading’ list is this long, if not longer, every month!

• Lolita narrated by Jeremy Irons (Audible)
• The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
• You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Books I Purchased/Downloaded/Borrowed

This month, I spent £54 and acquired 13 new books, averaging £4.15 per book! I’m trying to cut down on spending this year, books included, and went a bit OTT this month, but I’m still impressed by that average price. We are still living at Sean’s parents while our kitchen is finished and, once I’m home and close to the library again, I’m sure I’ll spend less on books! I’m only going to include the title and purchase location in this section – I’ll include more info once I’m reading/have read these books!

• Tips for Living (Kindle First) – Available on Kindle Unlimited
• The Little Book of Hygge (Kindle Daily Deal)
• Magpie Murders (Second Hand)
• Save with Jamie (Second Hand)
• Lolita (Audible)
• The Wife Between Us (Kindle Daily Deal) – There are great deals on this one on Kindle in both the UK & US right now
• Behind Closed Doors (Second Hand) – Only 99p in the UK!
• The Gentleman in Moscow (Bookstore)
• The Bear and the Nightingale (Bookstore)
• Midwinter Break (Bookstore)
• Turtles All the Way Down (Kindle Daily Deal) – This is a bestseller and it’s only £1.99 in the UK right now!
• Not if I Save You First (Goodreads Giveaway Winner!)
• The Light We Lost (Kindle Daily Deal) – Currently available for just 99p in the UK!

Note: Deals mentioned are active as of 7 February 2018

Reading Challenge Progress

• Progress This Month: 6/40 – Overall Progress: 6/40
• Progress This Month: 7/60 – Reading Goal: 7/60

For those of you following along with my PopSugar Reading Challenge progress, I ticked off the following prompts this month:

• The next book in a series you started (Killman Creek)
• A novel based on a real person (The Tattooist of Auschwitz)
• A book set in a country that fascinates you (The Bear and the Nightingale)
• A book by two authors (The Last Mrs. Parrish)
• A book with song lyrics in the title (Never Let Me Go)
• A book that’s published in 2018 (Carnegie’s Maid)

I’m so happy I got off to a great start in the month of January, because I am now motivated to power through February and the rest of the year! Next, I’ve got The Night Circus lined up, plus I can’t wait to read the following new releases from my favorite authors: Still Me (Jojo Moyes) and The Great Alone (Kristin Hannah).

Let me know what you’re reading this month! Also, if you follow any of my recommendations, let me know what you think. Happy Reading!