January was not the month I expected in so many ways. Every day seemed to bring some type of shock-and-WTF moment. From my social media feeds, a lot of people may agree with that statement. For me, this looked like a lot of stress at work plus continually crippling migraines plus a lot of friends going through seriously deep trauma. So, I’m going to count six books read as a win, if only because they helped me escape reality for a little while.

My January Reading Recap

Here’s what I read this month.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Ms. Henry is becoming a favorite rom-com author for me, and Book Lovers is another example of why. Having always wanted to work in the literary world, I was immediately drawn to the main characters’ roles as literary agent (Nora) and editor (Charlie). I related to Nora, the workaholic female lead, and I loved her relationship with her sister, Libby. Her slow-burn romance with Charlie in a small town was excellently played, especially as Nora recognized all the overused romance tropes that such a setting could imply. Five stars and more Henry books, please.

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger

You can read my full review here, but I’ll give you a summery of my thoughts now. Like Mother, Like Mother is a drama-filled family saga, just my type of book. In about 300 pages, Ms. Rieger takes you through three lifetimes of women struggling with big decisions, obligations, and society’s expectations. My favorite female lead was Lila, the determined journalist who came up in the 1970s and 80s to rise to the top of The Washington Globe at the end of the century and held her own in the boardroom. Five stars.

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Ms. Waxman is another favorite author, and I enjoyed The Garden of Small Beginnings because of how it examined grief and the question of moving on. Lilian, who had a mental breakdown after her husband’s shocking death three years’ prior,  is dedicated to her two daughters and her sister, Rachel. When her work as an illustrator takes her to a gardening club, not only does she meet some quirky new friends and learn to grow vegetables, but she also finds peace in starting a new chapter of her life. Four stars.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

What happens when a college girl gets impregnated by her professor, decides to keep the baby, and needs to make some money? For Margo, that answer is to start an OnlyFans account and to get advice from her former WWE wrestling star father on how to gain followers. Margo’s Got Money Troubles is quirky and witty in so many ways, but ultimately it is about family and caring for each other. Also, I loved Ms. Thorpe’s use of first-person and third-person-limited points of view to tell Margo’s story. Four stars.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I realize I likely have an unpopular opinion on this one. From Blood and Ash was not what I’d hoped it would be. The story is strong in premise, but I found the female lead, Poppy, to be whiny. Are her complaints valid? Yes. Who wants to be The Maiden, wear a veil constantly, and be kept in the dark about what will happen when she is given to her kingdom’s gods? But after a few chapters of this narrative, I got the point. I also picked up on the twist early on, which is a rare win for me. Will I continue reading this series? Maybe, but I’m not in a rush. Three stars.

Staged by Elle Cosimano

For complete transparency, I read Staged because I wanted a short story to break up my reading and add another book to my Fable count. Ms. Cosimano, creator of Finley Donovan and her madcap mysteries, knows how to create great characters and settings, but this realtors-solving-a-murder short story didn’t do much for me. Could I write a short story like this? No, but I wish the resolution wouldn’t have been as easily discovered. Three stars.

What’s Next

To no one’s surprise, I have so many books on my to be read shelves that I need to put myself on a book-buying ban. But February means a new TJ Klune book release (The Bones Beneath My Skin) and I’m determined to read my S.A. Cosby backlist: My Darkest Prayer and Blacktop Wasteland. 

But first, I have to finish Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm, which I’ve been reading for seven days and am only at 60 percent. Early thoughts? Not my favorite.