January: My month in review
31 January 2017 
Hah – did everyone else blink and miss January or was it just me? I’ve been so busy. Work is a bloody pest and every weekend has just been chaos. And next weekend I’m off to Iceland – which I’m really excited about. Anyway, my January in review (with a few reviews still to come):
Books read: (with links to reviews)
- Defender by GX Todd (Voices #1)
- Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
- Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
- Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire
- Rosewater –
- Caraval by Stephanie Garber
- Dawn Study by Maria V Snyder
- The Grey Bastards – currently reading
- Department Zero by Paul Crilley
- Deadlight Jack by Mark Onspaugh – review to follow
- The Black Wolves of Boston – review to follow
Last month’s covers are here.
Backlist books
None this month.
Unfinished series completed:
Dawn Study by Maria V Snyder
Books Bought: – showing restraint this month
- Authority (The Southern Reach Trilogy, Book 2) by Jeff VanderMeer
-
Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
-
The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth
Review Books: (with links to Goodreads)
- Rosewater by Tade Thompson
- Blood Upon the Sand by Bradley Beaulieu
- The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy 1) by Jen Williams
- The Darkhaven Novels (3) – Windsinger by Smith, A. F. E.
- The Turn by Kim Harrison
- The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
My Cover Compare this month.
I prefer the second cover – both are quite dramatic and really quite different but on balance I would probably pick up the second book.
Events:
Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and Bookish (every Tuesday)
Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Breaking the Spine where every week we get to shine the spotlight on a book that we’re looking forward to.
The Friday Face off by Books by Proxy
Friday Firsts is a weekly event hosted by Lisa at Tenacious Reader. which is a great way to let everyone know the first sentence and first impressions for your current read.
SPFBO – Ten finalists (details here). Books read: Outpost, Shadow Soul and Paternus review of The Grey Bastards complete – review to follow
Readalongs:
- Readalong for Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey – completed
- Readalong for Chimes at Midnight (Toby Daye Book 7) by Seanan McGuire – completed
Classic Clubs read:
Unfortunately none this month but I’ve bought a copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall which I’m really looking forward to.
Books and travelling with Lynn 
What a great January. I’ve got The Turn and The Collapsing Empire, which I’ll be reading in due course:). You may have been busy at work, but you’ve read an impressive number of books. And it’s also an awesome list. I’m with you on the 2nd The Turn cover – I’m not sure why they chopped the head of the woman in red, frankly.
Yeah – poor woman!
I so want to read the Kate Forsyth and Jen Williams books!! I need to get me hands on them and then of course find time to read them.
x The Captain
Yes, finding the time – there’s the tricky part of the equation. I’m so looking forward to them both though – I will make time!
Lynn 😀
January did whiz by. I’m curious about Caraval and the Toby Daye books- I’m reading more urban fantasy and am seriously considering trying those. I just read the first Mercy Thompson and now may try McGuire.
Love that Windsinger cover.
The Toby Daye books are excellent and I really do recommend them. The first one isn’t the best in the series – more a set up – which i think is also my recollection of the Mercedes books. They book improve with each book.
I liked Caraval – it’s had mixed reviews but I loved the writing and the magical elements.
Lynn 😀
Looks like you have a great January!
Many thanks 😀
January went fast for me too! Looks like you got some good reading in, though!
I did some early reading in December to try and get ahead a little. I still seem to be behind though! Still, it was a good month.
Lynn 😀
Definitely!
That’s actually the first time I’ve seen that second cover for The Turn. I still think I’ll have to stick with the red dress – it’s so eye catching 🙂
I wonder why they chopped off the woman’s head!! They’re both quite eye catching in such totally different ways.
Lynn 😀
What an awesome month. I’ve heard mixed things about Caravel but I still want to give it a try. January did fly by and I’m hoping February slows down some and I get more reading done this month than last. At least it’s starting off well because I love my current read – Brendan Reich’s Nemesis.
Oh please let February slow down! I liked Caraval – it has had mixed reviews but the writing was lovely and I found the whole competition really quit intriguing.
Look forward to reading about your current read.
Lynn 😀
“The Turn” sounds fascinating and it’s the first time I’ve heard about this series, so I will add it to my “next” list. And I’m looking forward to your thoughts about “The Collapsing Empire” 🙂
Yes, I’m excited to get to that one too – especially seeing as you loved it!
Lynn 😀
My January also flew by – I was so busy but it a good/fun way! Even so you have still done a great amount of reading. More happy reading in February 🙂
Thanks Jessica, i do have some lovely books coming up so I’m quite excited about them.
Lynn 😀
Great month! I am starting the year behind already!
I did try to do some catching up in December tbh and even though Jan and Feb seem quite packed I’ve kept March and April fairly low key as well.
Lynn 😀
January did go by quickly! And you’ve got some great books that I want to read here.
I hope NetGalley gets ARCs of the new Scalzi for Americans soon!
Ohh, I hadn’t realised the Scalzi wasn’t available to US on NG! I saw it on there and just assumed it was. Hopefully soon then. 😀