Books I Read in January

 My reading goal this year it to up my total books to 120-- that's 10 a month!  I'm not really sure I can reach that goal but I'm going to give it my all.  I struggled to read more than 7 books this month but one of them was nearly 700 pages long so that didn't help; it was a great book though so I didn't mind.  


I was so fortunate to find lots of great books to kick off my reading year!  I'm already wondering if a few of these might make it into my favorite book post.  

1. November 9 by Colleen Hoover-- Wow! What a fantastic story!!  Fallon's life changed November 9th when she was caught in her father's house fire.  Two years later her life changes again on November 9th when she meets Ben.  The two decide to meet up each November 9th to make sure each is following their dreams.. through the years they begin to fall in love but is all as it seems with their love story?  Lots of great plot twists and such a heart wrenching story from start to finish. 


2. Escaping Peril (Wings of Fire #8) by Tui T. Sutherland--  Though this is book 8 of the series it's the third book in the second segment of stories; I had already read the first two and wanted to finish off their saga.  It's such a cute middle grade fiction and I just need to know how these dragonets fulfill the prophecy.  I love how each book is told from a different dragon's point of view and we get to know more about their innermost thoughts and fears.  This book was told from Peril's point of view as both her and Turtle head out to find the missing dragons.  Peril and Turtle are funny and awkward and communicate with sarcasm.. I found myself chuckling a few times. 


3. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid-- I just knew I had to read this after seeing how many bloggers has this book listed in their top reads of last year.  I was sucked into the story by the end of the first chapter.  Emira is a twenty five year old post grade who feels a bit lost as her friends all start moving onto "real" jobs.  She has been babysitting for Alix, a budding author, and while she knows she needs something with more money and benefits she can not bear to leave the little girl Briar she has become quite attached to.  While babysitting late one night, Emira is accused of kidnapping Briar by store security (because Briar is white and Emira is an African American) this sets off a whole chain reaction of events.  Poignant and dealing with quite a few heavy topics it was a great read.   


4. Side Trip by Kerry Longsdale-- Joy has decided to drive cross country in honor of her late sister Judy's route 66 bucket list. Though Joy passed up her fiancé's suggestion to join her since she wanted to do the trip alone she soon finds herself picking up a passenger. Told in a series of "before" and "afters" with a surprise twist ending I found that once again Kerry Longsdale delivered a fabulous story.  


5. The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley-- Julian leaves a notebook behind in the café one day filled with brutal honesty about himself and his life and encouraging other readers to do the same. As each subsequent person finds the book lying about in various places, they read the stories, add their own and over time all these lives becomes interwoven.  I thought this was such a fun story and another story with some fun unexpected twists! 


6.  Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes-- I was really disappointed in this book. I had this book on my Amazon wish list forever and my son bought it for me this Christmas. Isabel goes to Paris at Christmas; using the hotel suite she had reserved for her honeymoon.  While in Paris she looks back on two failed engagements she's had while looking to fall in love for a third time with a French Aristocrat after a fortune teller gives her an odd reading.  Alec is in the hotel suite next to Isabel and is nursing a broken heart after his fiancée left him-- he too happens to be staying in his honeymoon suite.  Alec and Isabel meet and become friends and through a rather predictable turn of events falls in love and are engaged by the end of her trip!  It was all just much too unbelievable for me and the characters were constantly contradicting themselves or repeating themselves and I just thought the story was rather tedious and far fetched.  


7. Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer-- It has been ages since I read the Twilight series but I immediately fell into the story as if I had never taken a break.  I did keep thinking it would have been great to read this book (told from Edward's point of view) alongside the other books told from Bella's point of view but regardless I just LOVED it!  


Linking up with: Spread the Kindness, 



















Comments

  1. Replies
    1. It was fabulous! Now I want to re-watch all the movies (even though I did not like them as much as the books).

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  2. November 9th and Such a Fun Age sounds good! I may have to pick up Midnight Sun.... I did read (and own) the rest of the Twilight series.

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    1. I own the other Twilight books too and was so afraid that I wouldn't remember the story well since it has been such a long time between readings but within the first chapter I picked it all right back up... and loved it just as much.

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  3. I have not read any of these yet. I have set my reading target of 60 books for the year #MMBC

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  4. I love your book suggestions. I have five books from the library sitting on my coffee table right now, and I struggle to move between them all. I have book attention disorder because I love all of them, but they each offer something different. LOL

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    1. I have 12! LOL. I just keep requesting more too... it's awful. I actually feel pressured to read because they are piling up on me so fast.

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  5. I've had Such a Fun Age in my reading list for a couple of months now... I'm hoping to read it this summer since that's when I do most of my reading during the year.

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    1. I do the bulk of my reading then too! It's so much easier when the kids aren't doing schoolwork each day.

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  6. The Authenticity Project is on my list. How do you write your list of books read in January when January isn't over? Are you done reading for the month now?

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    1. LOL. I guess I should use "books I read in the last 30 some odd days" since technically these are the books I read between Christmas and today but since I tend to always publish my book posts right around the same time each month I just go with the latest month's name. I will read a book or maybe even two before January is completely through and I'll just tack them onto the start of February's book post and so on and so on..

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    2. That's why I started posting in the early month following, because it stressed me out to be inaccurate! lol.

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    3. LOL. It bothered me at first too but I've gotten over it at this point. I figure as long a I am sharing everything I've read in a fairly consistent manner I'm covering it all and that's all my readers really care about.

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  7. I'm definitely checking out the book about Route 66 since doing that trip is on my bucket list!!!

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    1. It was a really cute and originally told love story.

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  8. How do you find the time to read so many books! I'm lucky if I can manage 2 in a month! Some great books here, I particularly like the concept behind The Authenticity Project.

    Katrina x
    #AnythingGoes

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    1. I read ALL the time-- while I'm brushing teeth/ blow drying my hair, while eating breakfast, waiting in the car line to pick up my boys, waiting at the doctor's office, etc.

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  9. Side Trip and The Authenticity Project both sounds really good. Adding to my never ending goodreads list.

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    1. I know what you mean! I have so many books on my to be read list that I will never ever get to them all.

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  10. I have no read any of these; thank you for the recommendations! Joining you from the Farm Fresh Tuesday Hop!

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  11. Great book list, Joanne. I have never read The Twilight books but I do enjoy the movies. Midnight Sun looks really good but I should probably read the whole series first. Thanks for sharing!

    Shelbee
    www.shelbeeontheedge.com

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  12. Wow you did do well Joanne! I intend to up my reading game as of next week. It’s been too long since I picked up a book. X

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  13. Some interesting choices you have there. I buy books from time to time but never get the time to read them. Thanks so much for linking up with me at the #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 21, open until February 26. Shared on social media.

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    1. I just love reading! I have three books sitting next to me right now...

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  14. I loved November 9! Such a fun age is on my list to read.

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  15. I loved November 9 and Such a Fun Age! The Authenticity Project is on my to read list.

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    1. It was a really neat story! Made me wonder what I would write...

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  16. I own November 9 and really need to read that soon. I also want to red Such a Fun Age!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  17. The Clare Pooley book and November 9 are on my TBR for someday. Was quite hooked while reading Such a Fun Age!

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    1. It's amazing how quickly those TBR lists grow!

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  18. November 9 has been on my list for years.. I even own it already lol.
    i keep meaning to read midnight sun - i tried to re-read twilight a couple years ago but couldn't get back into it lol. wish midnight sun had come out with the others!

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    1. I wish Midnight Sun had come out with the others too.

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  19. 700 pages is ton and 7 books is still great for the month. I read a Kerry Lonsdale book a few years ago and remember liking it, but don't think I've ever read others by her-- I can't think of what one it was off the top of my head.

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    1. Aw, thank you! I'm trying to just let it go... I mean I did set a goal and all but I can't let myself get stressed out about it.

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  20. Such a Fun Age has been on my list for a long time and I keep thinking I actually own it, but I just verified that I do not, so I ordered it. I read The Authenticity Project last year and found it a delightful read!

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    1. I'm not always too sure about which books I own either..

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  21. I've been so intrigued by the mentions I've seen of The Authenticity Project, but I haven't read it yet. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your month!

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    1. It was so cute! I loved how this notebook brought a bunch of random people together.

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