I don't know about you, but I'm so glad that January is over. We had a snowstorm on the 25th followed by a week of very cold temps, which meant that everything that managed to melt during the day turned into ice at night. Fortunately, my husband and I never lost power, so everything was fine, but it was still a tad stressful.
Despite all the craziness, I read eleven books in January! My mini reviews are below, in the order that I read them. All covers (except The Magic-Wife, the Mariner, and the Milkmaid, which was self-published) are linked to Goodreads.
Masquerade, by O.O. Sangoyomi
★★★
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Year: 2024
I had a lot to say about this book, so I wrote a full review here.
The Palace of Illusions, by Rowenna Miller
★★★★
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Release Year: 2025
This was an utterly delightful read! Much better, in my opinion, than the original novella on which it was based. I loved Clara as a main character, and all the supporting characters were wonderful as well, especially Magda. The sister subplot warmed my heart. My only complaint (if it can even be called a complaint) is that Clara went from being absolutely terrified of Nathanael to being in love with him far too quickly.
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, by Donnie Eichar
★★★★
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Year: 2013
I don't think I've ever read a nonfiction book in such a short amount of time. The structure–interspersing the author's personal research with the timeline of the hikers' last days and the investigation of their disappearance that followed–was very compelling and kept me turning page after page to see what would happen next. I finished the book feeling profoundly sad; the author did a great job of bringing the nine hikers who died on February 1, 1959 to life on the page, and this book made me mourn for them. The only things that sometimes bothered me about the writing was a few misplaced commas and the switch to present tense in the hikers' chapters.
House of Many Ways, by Diana Wynne Jones
★★★★.5
Genre: Fantasy
Release Year: 2008
This was a reread for me. Just as delightful as I remembered!
Castle Perilous, by John DeChancie
★★★.5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Release Year: 1988
Well, that was weird.
I kind of just want to leave it at that, but I do have a few more thoughts. First of all, I found it hilarious how blatantly 80s this was. Secondly, the characters felt very one-dimensional; it felt like the author created three categories (80s American, 80s Brit, and generic Medieval; hilariously, Snowclaw was in the 80s American category) and assigned each character to a category. Thirdly, the magic powers received by the characters when they became Guests just seemed too convenient. Fourthly, everyone was too quick with a comeback. All that being said, I did enjoy this and it was a wonderfully wacky read. Kwip might have been my favorite character.
Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
★★★★
Genre: Memoir
Release Year: 2025
I read this for Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month, so I didn't think it would be an easy read, and it wasn't. I appreciate that Virginia did not sensationalize her story, but told the facts as they were (horrible as they were). Learning about the years-long legal battle and all the accusations she faced to help put Epstein, Maxwell, and others behind bars, I can see why some victims might choose to remain silent. I can imagine that for some, putting their abuse and abusers as far behind them as possible is crucial to their healing process. It seemed that for Virginia, bringing her abusers to justice was what she thought she needed. But, seeing the huge toll it took on her physical health and the health of her family, I'm not convinced it was what she actually needed, although the testimonies of victims like Virginia are vital to help bring predators like Epstein and Maxwell to account, and I hugely admire her tenacity.
The part that upset me most, however, was the juxtaposition of the optimistic tone of the ending (which, according to the collaborator's note, was finalized in October 2024) with the knowledge of Virginia's death in April 2025. I was heartbroken that, even after escaping Epstein and Maxwell, she could not escape domestic abuse, and even completely glossed over it in her memoir, ostensibly for the sake of her children.
This book will stay with me for a long time.
The Distance Between Us, by Kasie West
★★★★
Genre: YA Romance
Release Year: 2013
I'm so glad I added this on a whim to my January reading, especially after finishing a couple darker/heavier books earlier in the month. I really needed this light, fun, fast read! As always, I appreciated Kasie West's wholesome storytelling. All her MCs are so different, and I immediately took a liking to Caymen's sarcastic brand of humor (although I'm not a huge fan of her name; all I could think of every time I read it was crocodiles). Skye, Henry, and Mason were great supporting characters, and I liked that even though *SPOILERS INCOMING* Caymen didn't end up with Mason, he was a really great guy, and I loved how he was the only one who knew when she was joking every single time. The ending with Caymen's grandparents did seem a tad too perfect, but I'm not mad about it, and I LOVED that she "inherited" her sense of humor from Sean. *END OF SPOILER* Do I even need to mention that I loved Xander? And Mrs. Dalton? And really everyone in this book.
The Magic-Wife, the Mariner, and the Milkmaid, by Anna Schollenberger
★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
My sister wrote this book for me!!! Which is why I can't link it to Goodreads, as she self-published it on lulu.com. The Magic-Wife, the Mariner, and the Milkmaid is a retelling of The Brave Little Tailor set in a reimagined nineteenth-century Norway with magic. There are all kinds of Scandinavian Folk, including trolls and huldra and selkies and nøkk. I loved all the characters so much and ended up binging the last part of the book in one day.
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, by Timothy Keller
★★★★
Genre: Christian Living
Release Year: 2012
This was a short yet incredibly powerful book.
Jackie and Me, by Louis Bayard
★★★.5
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Year: 2022
Wonderfully written, but rather depressing.
The House Saphir, by Marissa Meyer
★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Year: 2025
Marissa Meyer never disappoints. My favorite thing about this Bluebeard retelling was honestly the characters. I loved Mallory's penchant for the spooky and macabre, Anaïs's magpie-like kleptomania, and Armand's passion for herbs (I nearly swooned when he put elderberry syrup in Mallory's hot chocolate). I almost felt like there were too many twists and turns at the end, but after thinking about it, I do appreciate that it wasn't easy for them to defeat the villain; Marissa Meyer really made her characters work for their victory. My only question after finishing the book is why/how Mallory was still able to see ghosts at the end.
Reading Goals/Challenges
Goodreads Challenge: 10 / 75
Paper TBR: 3 / 12
Nonfiction: 3 / 12
National Month Challenge: 1 / 12
Cover Lovers Reading Challenge: 6 / 50
New Release Challenge: 0 / 12
Rereads: 1 / 5
How was your January? What are you looking forward to most in February? Let's chat!
Comments
Post a Comment