Wow, the first month of 2019 is already over!! I have a feeling the whole year is going to be like this, it’s going to be 2020 before we know it, haha. Today we’re going to talk about what we read in January. Did we have a good start for the new reading year? Find out in our January wrap up!

Candyce

January was an amazing reading month for me! I hope I can keep this up every month. I wouldn’t complain if I did. I read 24 books and 1 novella in January! I’m also very happy with myself, because out of the 24 books, 5 of them are backlist books. That’s the amount of backlist books I read in 2018, haha. Let’s take a look at what I read this month!

Alienated – Melissa Landers

Alienated is the first book in a trilogy that I’ve had on my shelves for quite awhile. I am big fan of LUX, so this sounded like something I would really enjoy. I did in fact enjoy Alienated, but it’s a fact that it’s going to take a lot to beat LUX, haha. My review is scheduled for later this month.

Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo

My first reread of the year! I’m happy I decided to reread this, because after a year there was a lot that I had forgotten. Shadow and Bone is definitely a good start to a really good trilogy! The Darkling is definitely an interesting character.

Siege and Storm – Leigh Bardugo

The sequel to Shadow and Bone and I will never understand how people say that nothing happens in this book. After the first couple of chapters there is so much going on!! We’re also introduced to Nikolai who has come to be a favorite character of mine!

Ruin and Rising – Leigh Bardugo

I actually read a whole trilogy this month, haha. Ruin and Rising was definitely a good conclusion to this trilogy. I love when books surprise me and that happened quite a few times with this one. The ending was good even though I would’ve liked to have seen a few things different.

Ice Like Fire – Sara Raasch

Two years after reading Snow Like Ashes, I finally picked up Ice Like Fire. I have to say after a few chapters, I was able to piece together some of the things I had forgotten. I loved how the author wrote this book and the ending was really interesting. At times it felt like things were going a bit slow or happening too easily, so it wasn’t a five star read.

Beneath the Citadel – Destiny Soria

This book was a pleasant surprise! I read this for the group read in the TBR & Beyond Book Club. When a fantasy book is a standalone it can be tricky. We need worldbuilding, but it can’t take over the plot of the book. I think this author balanced that very well and I loved the characters! The ending left me happy, but I wouldn’t mind more books about these characters.

Pretty in Punxsutawney – Laurie Boyle Crompton

Growing up my mother was watching a lot of ’80s movies, like Pretty in Pink. Pretty in Punxsutawney is described as Pretty in Pink meets Groundhog Day. The main character keeps repeating her first day of school. This was such a fast and fun read. It was a great way to start off my reading year.

The Secret to Dating My Best Friend’s Sister – Meghan Quinn

Meghan Quinn is an author I really enjoy, so I was excited for this one! He’s always been in love with his best friend’s sister, but she turned him down. She has her own dating service. After studying psychology, she uses different interviews and lists to match people. After losing a bet, he signs up, but to win her heart. I loved this book. The characters were so much fun! Even though she runs a dating service, she was actually pretty clueless about her own feelings.

Burning for Autumn – Freya Barker

This is the first book in a new series by this author. I really enjoyed Burning for Autumn. It had the perfect balance of mystery and romance. A few characters from another series made an appearance as well, that is always fun to see!

A Crown of Wishes – Roshani Chokshi

A Crown of Wishes is the companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen and I actually think I enjoyed this one a little more. Gauri is such an interesting character to read about. The myths and legends I learned about while reading A Crown of Wishes made this book very interesting!

One Cruel Night & Cruel Money – K.A. Linde

One Cruel Night is the prequel to Cruel Money. The author made this free for everyone! I’m happy I read it before Cruel Money, because when you jump in, you understand exactly why the main character feels like she does. Cruel Money is described as Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions and that’s so true. This world is a rollercoaster and I can’t wait for the second book.

Lifel1k3 – Jay Kristoff

This book really took me by surprise! I really loved this book and all the twists and turns. It’s interesting to see robots being used in this story and how they can develop. WIth the way technology is these days, it wouldn’t surprise me if something like that could actually be made. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Courtside Crush – Kayla Tirrell

Kayla Tirrell has become one of my favorite authors and her newest book, Courtside Crush comes out this month. It’s a modern day retelling of Romeo and Julie and so much fun! The forbidden guy is actually really sweet, but her brother has other thoughts! My review will be posted on release day!

Happy New You – Collected Authors

Julia Wolf is the author I have read a few books from and when I heard she was writing Happy New You with other authors I was really excited. I have to say it’s pretty amazing you can’t tell that so many authors wrote together. Happy New You is a fun story of exploring new things and maybe even love!

Game On – Kelly Jamieson

Sports romances are a favorite of mine, especially hockey. Game On sounded interesting because it combined both. The main character seems really macho, but he’s actually the sweetest. She’s not looking for love, but she could use him for something else. Both of them aren’t looking for love, but can they avoid it? Game On is filled with a lot of humor and very realistic dates (like food poisoning, haha).

Ace of Shades – Amanda Foody

Ace of Shades takes place in what seems like a dystopian Las Vegas. One of the main characters is looking for her mom and the other needs money to pay off a bet. This world is so interesting with it’s gangs, talents and shadow game. I wish we learned more about the game, but I can’t wait for the next book.

The Birds, The Bees and You and Me – Olivia Hinbaugh

This book was really a pleasant surprise. The main character’s school only teaches abstinent only sex-ed. She’s been raised differently and knows how important information can be. I loved the take on this book and the main characters. Even the love story fit this book really well!

The Princess of Baker Street – Mia Kerick

The Princess of Baker Street was such a heartbreaking but touching book! It’s really different than anything I’ve read. This book needs more attention, because it brings important messages. You don’t know what someone’s life behind closed doors looks like and bullying really hurts someone.

Illegally Yours – Katie Meader

This was a fast and fun read. It’s kind of a forbidden romance. The main character falls in love with the divorce lawyer her sister’s ex hired. That definitely complicates things, haha. The characters are fun, there’s a lot of humor and romance, but it missed something for me.

Amria  – Meg Anne & Jessica Wayne

Amria is the sequel to Star-Crossed and starts off right where the first book ended. Our main characters are still looking for answers about the druid trying to kill them all. This book is actionpacked and filled with humor and romance. And the ending!!! I need the third book now!

The Dreamer – Meg Anne

Last year, I read The Chosen series by this author. The Dreamer is a prequel to the spinoff series with Effie. All I can say, is that this novella left me wanting the first book right now. I can’t wait to see what the author does with these characters.

This novella is part of an anthology written by multiple authors – Of Thrones and Crowns.

This Summer at the Lake – Daphne James Huff

I always love reading new contemporary books and This Summer at the Lake sounded like one I would really enjoy. I was right, I really enjoyed it! The two main characters don’t seem to have anything in common until an accident changes that. They actually really connect and help each other. I loved the connection these two characters had with each other.

Moonlight Scandals – Jennifer L. Armentrout

Moonlight Scandals is the third and final book of the de Vincent trilogy and it’s about Devlin. Devlin is the brother that has me going back and forth. The things I’ve read about him in the first two books didn’t really make me like him. This book changed that though and the paranormal elements I wanted more of in the first two books makes an appearance in this book.

The Life We Wanted – Kelsey Kingsley

Kelsey Kingsley knows how to write books that leave you wanting more of the main characters. The Life We Wanted sucked me right in! I honestly think this book is going to be the one other books have to beat this year! It’s her best book yet!

Isabelle

January turned out the be a pretty good reading month for me! I read a total of 16 books, 6 of which were backlist books so I’m on track with that. There were also 4 review books, an all of them I already reviewed, #proudbookblogger here haha. Let’s dive into the books!

Riverdale: The Day Before – Micol Ostow

I read this one as part of a blog tour and definitely enjoyed it. It wasn’t the best book ever but a fun read for a Riverdale fan!

The Hockey Saint – Howard Shapiro

I got a copy from Netgalley but didn’t realize it was the second in a series. While I don’t think I missed out on much because of that, I also really didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t like the story or the art so that doesn’t really leave a lot to like.

Beneath the Citadel – Destiny Soria

This was a book of the month in the TBR and Beyond Facebook group and I listened to the audiobook. Candyce read it as well and our buddy review will be up tomorrow. I really liked the story and loved the fact that it was a standalone. It had some great characters and a really interesting world.

the mermaid’s voice returns in this one – amanda lovelace

I read Amanda’s previous poetry collections and quite liked those. So when I saw this on Netgalley I was happy to read and review it. I read it in 1 sitting and enjoyed it a lot. This is what they call ‘modern poetry’ I believe and I think it might be something you’ll enjoy even you normally don’t read poetry. Or especially when you normally don’t pick up poetry 😉

A Series of Unfortunate Events #7-#9 – Lemony Snicket

The Vile Village
The Hostile Hospital
The Carnivorous Carnival

It had been quite awhile since I last read a book in this series but I wanted to continue the tv show. So I started listening to the audiobooks for these and pretty quickly listened to these 3. I needed a little break after these because they can be a little repetitive. Although I have to admit the last one ended on quite the cliffhanger!

The Grisha Trilogy – Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising

In honor of the release of King of Scars Candyce and I did a little Grisha week on the blog an posted our reviews for the original Grisha trilogy. I did a complete reread and Candyce finally read book 2&3 after rereading the first one as well, and this was such a good decision. It was great to get all the details and characters straight in my memory before starting King of Scars. I already started reading it and I just know I wouldn’t recognize half of these characters if it wasn’t for my reread.

Artemis Fowl #1-#2 – Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl
The Arctic Incident

I’ve had these books for over 2 years I think but I never picked them up. With the movie coming out this year I figured it was time to finally pick them up. I ended up listening to the audiobooks and really enjoyed myself. Hopefully the movie will do the world and the characters justice! I will definitely be continuing this series.

Ice Like Fire – Sara Raasch

Another buddy read! Haha, Candyce and I did a pretty good job at that. And this was my 6th backlist book this month as well, super proud of that. Definitely a better start than last year, I hope to keep that up. I didn’t love this one as much as Snow Like Ashes but the ending definitely got me pumped to read the last one in the series.

That’s Not What I Heard – Stephanie Kate Strohm

This was another blog tour book I read and one I really enjoyed! I was expecting a fast and fun read and that was definitely what I got. This book was released this week and I would highly recommend picking it up if you’re in the mood for something light and funny. I know I will read more books by this author for sure.

Two Can Keep a Secret – Karen McManus

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Karen McManus’ previous book; One Of Us is Lying but I decided to give this one a try. The best part of One Of Us is Lying was the character development while I didn’t like the resolve of the mystery. I liked the mystery better this time around! Although I did guess the ultimate twist at the end, I didn’t see them all coming. The characters didn’t really go through that much growth in Two Can Keep a Secret but I did like reading about them.

The Vanishing Stair – Maureen Johnson

I really liked Truly Devious last year and after that ending I was looking forward to the sequel A LOT! Before I realized it, this one was released and luckily I had access to the audiobook. We got quite some answers, more than I was expecting actually. But there are still some big mysteries remaining and I’m so excited for the last book already haha.

How was your reading month? If you read any books you think we need to know about, just let us know! We love discovering new books!