January 2022 Reads {02.03.22}

 

Happy Thursday friends! I hope your week has been going well and you're getting ready for a fun weekend ahead.  We've been getting a ton of snow the last few days so we are buried at home and keeping warm.  We're also still working our way through the living room project which is coming together so beautifully.

For today's post I thought it would be fun to share a quick review of the books I read/started in January and share the books I have on my agenda for this month.  If you've been keeping up, then you know I have a goal to read 40 books this year which is about 3.5 books a month from now until December.  I'm happy to share that I hit my goal for January and plan to hit my goal in February too.  I've got so many books on my to be read list that there's really no reason for me to not hit my goal this year.  So here's my review of the books I read/start in January.

Educated by Tara Westover

I have had my eye on this book for a while and was excited when I was able to download it to read on my phone/iPad.  I really did not know much about the book when I picked it up other than it was a very good book and had made several different lists the year it released.

And I have to say... this book is really as good as it was described to be.  It's about the life of the author and you get insight into her life and her education.  I will have to warn you that there are some scenes in the book that were a bit rough to get through, but not because it was bad to read; rather, because it was dealing with abuse.  

Overall I think I would give this book a 4 out of 5 starts.  I'm not usually one to read this type of book and found myself wanting to stay up late to read the book.  This was given a 4 because, while it was a very good book, it was not a book that I would want to read over and over.

Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: A Handbook for Unapologetic Living by Jes Baker.

This book was a book I grabbed on a whim to read. I tend to like self-help books (especially in the beginning of the year) and this one was no different.  If we're being honest, I had not heard of Jes Baker prior to picking up this book, but I am so glad I did.  It provides a lot of great resources about obesity and health and interactions in society as a person of larger stature.  I enjoyed reading a book from the perspective of a person that is living their life unabashedly. 

From a rating perspective, I'd give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.  It keeps you engaged and provides a lot of information based in research, but I do not feel like I left the book feeling like I needed to make changes in my life.  That could just be where I am in my journey or could just be the book itself.  But overall I liked it and would reference it again in the future.  

Midnight Spells Murder by Mary Angela.

This book is part of my Once Upon a Book Club Halloween 2021 Box and I really enjoyed it.  I had the choice between a sweet box or a scary box but ended up picking the sweet box because I tend to not enjoy horror books/films.  Unfortunately due to shipping issues, I did not get my Halloween box until January 2022, but I was so excited to dig into the box and added this to my books in January.  

While it was a sweeter story, the book had some mystery and even a murder mystery.  I really enjoyed reading the book and really loved all the little gifts that came with my box.  If you enjoy murder mysteries that are not too heavy, then I'd recommend checking out Marcy Angela's books.

Overall, I'd give this book a 4 out of 5.  I really enjoyed the read and have thought about it a few times since I finished it.  I actually am thinking of getting the first book in the series and reading it as well.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. 

Someone on my Instagram friends list shared this book as a good read so I borrowed it from my local library.  I have not finished the book yet, but overall I am enjoying the read.  The chapters are short (which is awesome) and you get the story from multiple character's perspective. 

I will be sharing my full review of the book in my February book review so check back next month to see my final thoughts on the book.

Well that is all for my reviews this month! Have you read any of these books? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought and get your feedback.  

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Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.