I’m still struggling a bit with choosing Netflix over reading, but I’m getting back into a better balance, I think. I have a ton of books waiting to be read on my iPad that I can’t wait to dive into, which always motivates me to want to read more. And as always, I’m open to any suggestions!
Here’s what I read in January.
A Burning by Megha Majumdar
I’m starting this list with my most recently read – it was an incredible story, but also difficult to read. It’s a winding story about politics, about someone accused of a carrying out an act of terrorism, and how the people in her life reacted to the situation. I didn’t go into with any expectations, but it still went in directions that I didn’t expect. I think it’s absolutely something that everyone should read – it takes a story about a few characters and makes you think more broadly.
The Girls by Emma Cline
When I saw that this book was about a cult, I knew that I had to read it – I’m strangely obsessed with reading/watching anything about cults. It was interesting, but kind of disappointed me – it was about someone on the outskirts of a cult, and I wanted to read more of the “inner circle” things! It just wasn’t my favorite of the bunch.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Okay, I LOVED this book. It’s been compared to both The Westing Game (which was one of my favorite books growing up) and the movie Knives Out (which I also enjoyed!) and I think that’s completely accurate. It’s about a girl who finds out she’s been named as the inheritor of a billionaire’s estate, but it turns out that there’s also an elaborate game/puzzle behind it all. The second I finished reading, I Googled to make sure there was a sequel (there is) and I am counting down the days until the release!
What Would Frida Do? by Arianna Davis
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this – it was a biography of sorts about Frida Kahlo, but it was broken up into sections that weren’t strictly chronological. I also really appreciated that the book didn’t shy away from talking about Frida as a disabled woman… though I wish it hadn’t been framed as Frida achieving things despite her disability. But I learned a lot about Frida’s life and her work and it actually left me really inspired.
Admission by Julie Buxbaum
When I picked this up, I didn’t realize that it was a fictional take on the celebrity admission scandal from last year! It was a fairly quick read, and I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. It’s a (again… fictional) inside look at how the decisions made have ripple effects, and about when we know things/when we decide to be willfully ignorant.
Don’t forget – you can find all my monthly reads for January on Bookshop.org here.
