My year often begins with reading goals and excitement. This year, I began with many current reads and three book club recommendations. Based on my initial pace, I imagined I’d end the month without completing any book.
It surprised me when I finished five novels spanning across various genres. I hopped from contemporary romance to memoirs and even literary fiction. I like to think that I’m a mood reader, but there are times I adhere strictly to my TBR.
Today, I will be yapping about the five books I completed in January and my general thoughts on them. Not to worry, there would be no spoilers.
The Five Books I Completed in January
My TBR pile is probably as high as Rapunzel’s tower right now, and my Pinterest board is proof. As a member of three book clubs with regular meetings scheduled, I’m never out of options for books to read.
Although my book club recs are heavy on genre fiction, I am committed to reading other genres I enjoy. This year, I intend to explore more creative nonfiction. I fell in love with CNF after reading The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. It opened me up to real experiences framed in beautiful prose.
However, completing these books came with a price. My sleep schedule has not recovered, and my responsibilities have finally caught up. I could only put them off for so long, so let’s dive right in.
Book 1: The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
This was the first read nominated in TheBookClub (TBC). Our quest for a modern love story led us to Goodreads, where we selected this novel. The reviews hyped the book up, and I was excited to start reading.
Unfortunately, my excitement morphed into disinterest by chapter six. The story was cute, and some characters were adorable, but it felt underwhelming. The science talk seemed to overshadow the characters and the love story itself.
Although my friends and I argued about who we preferred between Jess and River, we all loved Fizzy and Juno. In the end, the love story felt a little meh, so I’d rate it 3 stars.
Book 2: The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy
The cover of this book caught my attention while I was scrolling on Pinterest, so I decided to make it my next read. The author’s grip on language hooked me from the first chapter. Here was a woman who knew what she wanted to say and how.
This novel is the second book in her Living Autobiography Trilogy. In this memoir, Deborah Levy’s flowing descriptions of the mundane piqued my interest. Her marriage was ending, life as she knew it was changing, and she had no choice but to adapt.
I loved this book, and as it opened me up to the world of Deborah Levy, I look forward to reading more of her work this year. As a fan of writers and their real lives, I’d rate this 5 stars.
Book 3: Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
Discovering this author last year might have unlocked my love for chaotic fiction. I’m talking magical realism with threads of fantasy woven in. I have a theory that the chaos I avoid in my life shows up in certain books that I read.
This short novel followed Tsukiko’s relationship with her older teacher. The disbelief that trailed my reading did not deter me; I forged on. My annotations and highlights are proof that it was a fun read.
The imagery in this novel made me feel as though I was watching the characters from a bench in the story. Also, I did not understand most of the literary references to Japanese poets. Because the end broke my heart, I would rate it 4 stars.
Book 4: The Obsession by Nora Roberts
This was the second book of the month for TBC. After a unanimous decision to return to authors we loved in high school, we agreed on this book. For context, TBC members include me and four friends from high school with a mutual love for reading.
Three of us had read the book in the past, and we all wanted to reread it. Yet, being aware of the plot did nothing to quell my frustration with certain characters. In hindsight, a real-life Xander might just make me scream because the audacity?!
All the screaming aside, I love this book. I admit that the trauma heaped on Naomi felt a little excessive, and I was glad when it was over. I’d still give this 5 stars because who wouldn’t love a male protagonist with more books than he needs?
Also Read: Why I Reread Books in My 20s
Book 5: Things I Don’t Want to Know by Deborah Levy
When the tingling from my last read wore off, I went back to the first book in the Living Autobiography Trilogy. I was able to connect more pieces of the puzzle from The Cost of Living while admiring her writing style.
Reading about writers and their lives fascinates me. They don’t have to be my favorite author because I find a lot of their experiences relatable. Some of my struggles as a writer are on these pages, and it makes me feel less alone on my journey.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is this:
Writing made me feel wiser than I actually was. Wise and sad. That was what I thought writers should be. I was sad anyway, much sadder than the sentences I wrote. -Deborah Levy”
In this memoir, Deborah Levy’s trip to Majorca birthed a trip down memory lane to her childhood and life after. I admired the flow and sequence of events and the vivid descriptions she used.
Although there were major themes in this book, I was too busy admiring her writing style to analyze them. My search on Google revealed this was a response to Orwell’s Why I Write, but I haven’t read it yet to make any connections. I will rate this book 5 stars.
Patterns I Noticed in My January Picks
Excluding the memoirs, the common thread I noticed among my January reads was romance. From contemporary to chaotic, love stories dominated my shelf. Yet, the book that stood out most to me was Things I Don’t Want to Know.
I couldn’t get over Deborah Levy’s grasp on language, and I was making so many highlights, my screen was a blur of blue. The metaphors and foreshadowing made it feel like she was walking me through the hallway of her life.
Bear in mind that I have not read many autobiographies, so this sort of feels new. I am now more inspired to capture the details of my life into vignettes that will live long after I’m gone.
The novel that did not meet my expectations has to be The Soulmate Equation. An okay read, but it was not scintillating enough for my taste. I enjoyed the homey vibe and the community Jess had supporting her, so it wasn’t all bad. The happy ending was also cute, so yay for that too.
Final Thoughts
The five books I completed in January were a result of the school break and a scattered sleep schedule. For the rest of the year, school might prevent me from reading as much; I’m a little sad in advance.
Although my reading goals are quite loose this year, I intend to explore more creative nonfiction. I can notice my slow pace this month, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Book club meetings are coming up and I have a lot of catching up to do.
I’d like to know if you’ve read any of the books I yapped about; please leave a comment, and let’s talk about it.
