January Wrap Up and February TBR

Read in January: Mystery/Thriller

January was a weird month for me. I read a lot of books but I didn't really love most of them, they were just kind of meh. I don't want to call it a reading slump because I didn't hate any of the books and I read twelve books (two I'm calling February reads). My theme was Mystery/Thriller but I didn't really read many traditional Mysteries. And actually, the book that enjoyed the most was a Contemporary novel. 

The Books:

1.) There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake 
Rating: 7 out of 10 [Full Review]

2.) The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black 
Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [Full Rating]

3.) The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister 
Rating: 7.5 out 10 [Full Review]

4.) A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

5.) Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

6.) Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard 
Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

7.) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 
Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

8.) Cut Me Free by J.R. Johansson 
Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

9.) Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson 
Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

10.) All Fall Down by Ally Carter Rating: 9 out 10 [Full Review]

Other Posts: 

Discussion Post: My Book Buying Ban 

To Be Read in February: Retellings

January's theme is retellings. Many of the books I plan to read don't totally fit the theme but I'm really trying to be a little more flexible. I think a lot of the meh feelings I had last month was because it was all too structured. Sometimes it's good to change thins up. So, here are the books...

ARCs 

1.) We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler- Add to Goodreads

This is a Contemporary but the synopsis sounds really interesting concept. I'm tipping a toe in the "contemp water" but I'm excited to give this one a try.

2.) Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton - Add to Goodreads

This is my debut for the month. It's a YA Fantasy which is my Kryptonite. I've seen some mixed reviews but I'm also intrigued by this synopsis and so I'm excited to read it.

3.) The Marriage Game by Alison Weir - Add to Goodreads

This one is historical fiction about Elizabeth I and her romance with Robert Dudley. It sounds amazing!

4.) The Sin Eaters Daughter by Melinda Salisbury - Add to Goodreads

This is another debut that is a Young Adult Fantasy. It sounds really amazing and I've heard some amazing reviews and some mediocre review but I'm excited.

5.) Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Colanita - Add to Goodreads

I've actually already read this one and it is a fun and creative Fairy Tale Retelling. I'm taking part in the virtual blog tour for this one and I have a really exciting post for it coming up.

New Releases

6.) Fairest by Marissa Meyer - Add to Goodreads

Another one I have already read. I love Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles series and this was Levana's story. It was great... Review to come. 

7.) Vendetta by Catherine Doyle - Add to Goodreads

I have been so intrigued by books with an Organized Crime/Mafia theme and this one is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet which means a tortured love story. Sign me up! 

Other Reads

8.) Beauty by Robin McKinley - Add to Goodreads

I recently got very excited about reading some McKinley when fellow blogger Jessie and Terri did a whole week explaining how awesome she is. I got a copy of her Beauty and the Beast retelling and I'm excited about it.

9.) Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire - Add to Goodreads

I love me some Gregory Maguire. I haven't ready many of his retellings beyond The Wicked Years but I've heard good things about this one and I have a copy so this seems like a good opportunity to read it. 

10.) March by Geraldine Brooks - Add to Goodreads

My amazing OTSP Secret Sister got me this for Christmas and I'm so excited to read this one. I liked a previous Geraldine Brooks book I read and my love of Little Women knows no bounds. 

Classics

11.) Little Men by Louise May Alcott - Add to Goodreads

12.) Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott - Add to Goodreads

As much as I love Little Women, I am embarassed to say I have not read Little Men or Jo's Boys. That needs to change and for my classics when I do a retelling month I like to read the classic that a retelling is based on so I thought this woulds be perfect.

That's my plan for the month. It seems like a lot of books for me but as I said, I've already read two of the books listed here and I'm partially through one of other book on the list (although February is a shorter month). The other thing I'm going to try and do this month that I liked doing last month is be flexible with what I read. I'm going to pick up whatever I feel like next and not stick to such a rigid schedule. 

What did you read in January? What is your plan for February?   Have you read any of the books on my list? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

December Wrap-Up and January TBR

Read in December: Sci Fi Month

December was an interesting month of reading for me. I read a lot more than I usually do. A week of vacation, helped out with that I think. But despite the fact that I read a dozen books, many that I liked, I wasn't really blown away by many of them. They were good but they weren't stellar ten star reads like I was expecting. They were good books though and many of them I would recommend.

1.) Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

2.) Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

3.) Beautiful Curse by Jen McConnel

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

4.) Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Rating: 10 out of 10 [Full Review to Come]

5.) Vortex by S.J Kincaid

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

6.) The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

7.) Zodiac by Romina Russell

Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

8.) This Shattered World by 

Aime Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

9.) Catalyst by S.J. Kincaid

Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

10.) A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

11.) The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

12.) The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review to Come]

To Read in January: Mystery/Thriller

ARCs That Fit the Theme

1.) There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake - (Amazon / Goodreads)

This is my current read and I have to say, it is really odd. The writing style is weird, the characters are unique, and the plot is interesting. I'm curious to see how it all develops.

2.) Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham- 

(Amazon / Goodreads)

I loved the first Veronica Mars book, but I am a little biased. I'm excited for this one because I hear it has more Logan. But even if it doesn't, it has more Veronica.

3.) Cut Me Free by J.R. Johansson - (Amazon / Goodreads)

I'm slightly nervous about this one. It looks pretty dark, which I don't normally mind but something about this book makes me nervous but I'm kind of excited about that.

ARCs That Kind of Fit the Theme

4.) The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - (Amazon / Goodreads)

This will be my first Holly Black (don't harass me!) and I am so excited about it. I've heard she is great at world-building which is something I love in my Fantasy. Plus I've just gotten into fae stories and I hear this is a quite dark.

5.) The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister - (Amazon / Goodreads)

This is Historical Fiction which has been compared to Water for Elephants and The Night Circus so I'm intrigued. There definitely seems to be a mystery element to it but I'm mostly intrigued by the Magical Realism and Historical elements.

 Backlist Books That Fit the Theme

6.) Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas - (Amazon / Goodreads)

7.) Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas - (Amazon / Goodreads)

I have heard great things about Abigail Haas' books and the mindblowing mysteries she has written. So I am taking the opportunity to read both Dangerous Girls and Dangerous Boys for my Mystery themed-month.

Classic

8.) Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle - (Amazon / Goodreads)

So I feel like it's been awhile since I've read a classic. I want to read 10 Classics this year so I should start now and what better Classic for my Mystery themed month than the first ever Sherlock Holmes.

Back Up Books

1.) All Fall Down by Ally Carter - (Amazon / Goodreads)

This one will probably get read. I may actually listen to the audiobook. I really liked the Ally's Gallagher Girls series even though I didn't finish it. I'm so excited about this new series though!

2.) Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall - (Amazon / Goodreads)

I was really excited about this one but I have seen some mixed reviews. I mean it totally seems like a me book though. I love a good globe-trotting mystery!

3.) Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - (Amazon / Goodreads)

I've had this one on my shelf since BEA and I've really wanted to read it but never got a chance. I really should read books I own before buying new ones so this seems like a good opportunity for that.

That's my plan for January. I'm excited to read these mysteries and others. What is your plan for January? Have you read any of these books or do you plan to read them? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!