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What I Read: April 2024

What I Read: April 2024

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This was an odd month of reading for me!

My picks were a bit all over the place: Thriller, fantasy, historical fantasy, magical realism, literary fiction and non-fiction:
– Red Island House by Andrea Lee
– The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest
– The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
– Nightmare Fuel by Nina Nesseth
– The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
– Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
– To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang

I enjoy shaking things up from time to time, but I am definitely getting the urge to return to ‘romantasy’ (romantic fantasy) or picking up a beach read from Elin Hilderbrand now that temperatures are really heating up.

But first, let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: March 2024

What I Read: March 2024

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I’m not sure when it happened, but with my reading I’ve seemed to have made the switch from “romantasy” (romance fantasy) back to thrillers again. I’ve always loved a good mystery and appreciate a well-thought out twist, so it’s not the most surprising trend!

March’s reads included four thriller/psychological suspense novels (some of which were SUPER disturbing) and two non-fiction picks:

-The Maid’s Diary by Loreth Anne White
-Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
-The Brain’s Way of Healing by Norman Doidge, MD
-Dear Child by Romy Hausmann
-Raise Your Game by Alan Stein, Jr.
-The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: January 2024

What I Read: January 2024

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Are we a full month into 2024? Yes.

Did I still type 2023 when writing this post? Also, yes.

I hope everyone’s 2024 is off to a good start. Mine’s certainly off to a busy start. Between changes at work, changes outside of work, my car needing an oil change, my yearly doctor’s appointment, etc., I’m in a survival state. You know those periods in your life where you’re just hanging on and hoping it’ll pass? That’s where I’m at.

But that didn’t stop me from escaping into books with this month’s read included an interesting mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and non-fiction:
– The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
– Running with Purpose by Jim Weber
– Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling
– The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
– Kill Show: A True Crime Novel by Daniel Sweren-Becker
– All Systems Red by Martha Wells
– Artificial Conditions by Martha Wells
– Fate Calls the Elf Queen by J.M. Kearl

YEAR IN REVIEW: A Breakdown of My 2023 Reads

YEAR IN REVIEW: A Breakdown of My 2023 Reads

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I’ve been looking forward to writing this post!

It’s like a “Spotify Wrapped”, but for the books I read. I’m a bit of a nerd and love diving into all of the numbers. How many books did I read? What genres did I choose? What were my favorites?

According to my book journal, I read 79 books in 2023!! That’s an all-time record for me.

Let’s take a look at the breakdown and my top 10 picks from the year!

What I Read: December 2023

What I Read: December 2023

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And just like that we are tying a bow on 2023.

I really don’t know where the time went. I know you always hear that the years go faster as you get older, but it’s so weird to experience. 2023 really did fly by.

December proved to be a strong month of reading, which included finishing up an 800+ page book that’s been on my list for a while:
– The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
– Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
– A City on Mars by Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith
– The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
– Long Live the Elf Queen by J.M. Kearl
– The Only One Left by Riley Sager
– Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Time for the reviews!

What I Read: November 2023

What I Read: November 2023

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How are we already in the last few weeks of 2023? It’s like it was January, I blinked, and now, suddenly, I’m thinking about New Year’s resolutions again.

November wasn’t my biggest month of reading in terms of number of books, but several of these books were thick! (I also put a big dent in another 800-page book that will probably be included in my December recap).

Here’s the list:
-The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
-Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
-Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
-Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
-Up To Speed by Christine Yu
-What About the Baby?: Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction by Alice McDermott

Oddly enough, I am maintaining my near-even split between non-fiction and fiction even though I consider myself largely a fiction reader.

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: October 2023

What I Read: October 2023

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I was on a roll with reading this month, finishing 9 books! I really leaned into fiction, reading only two non-fiction books:

-Hollow Heathens by Nicole Fiorina
-Rootbound by Tarah Dewitt
-Cat Tale by Craig Pittman
-A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
-The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman
-Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
-Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
-Pumpkin Spice Scare by Molly Maple
-The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

As you can see, the book choices are really all over the place. I had two holiday-esque books, romance, fantasy, and a memoir throw in there as well.

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: August 2023

What I Read: August 2023

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To say this year has been flying by would be an understatement.

I remember looking forward to summer one moment and now I find myself already thinking about the holiday season and enjoying pumpkin spice lattes. Time is so weird.

In August, my reading picked back up from the slower July and my trend of leaning toward fantasy continued.

August’s reads included:
-The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark
-King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair
-Queen of Myth and Monsters by Scarlett St. Clair
-The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis
-Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
-Your Money Or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joseph Dominguez
-Cultish by Amanda Montell

Now for the reviews!

What I Read: July 2023

What I Read: July 2023

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Despite my intentions to read some beach-y, fun summer books… that didn’t happen.

In fact, my reading seemed to slow way down this month. In part, because I was traveling and exhausted. But I did also tackle a 784-page book, so that likely played a role.

I still seem to be continuing my trend this year toward non-fiction and fantasy with July’s reads including:
-A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
-A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
-The Power of One More by Ed Mylett
-Ragdoll by Daniel Cole
-Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt

Now for the reviews!

What I Read: May 2023

What I Read: May 2023

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I seriously can’t believe we are already halfway through the year! Where is the time going?!

I feel like I have so many things I want to work on and accomplish before the year’s end, but I can’t seem to get myself to actually do the things. Anyone else struggling with this lately?

Something I can get myself to do is read. In May, I read six books, four of which were non-fiction:
-The Practice by Seth Godin
-Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
-Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton
-A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
-Beach Read by Emily Henry
-The Fun Habit by Mike Rucker, PhD

Let’s get into the reviews!