Between motherhood and going to school, my desire to read is nearly nonexistent, which is comedic given that my degree plan is English. I will cut myself some slack, though, because just because I am not reading a novel doesn’t mean that I am not reading a ton. That said, my love for it feels a bit deadlined, so in order to spark that desire again, I decided I am going to attempt to read 50 novels this year. If I’m honest, the thought is a bit overwhelming, but I gave myself some rules… which is that I have no rules. This is about reading things that catch my eye on a whim, delving into the recommendations of people’s hearts, and of course rereading the novels that once filled the spaces of my mind. So, in honor of that mindset, I am going to share the books that I read for the month of January… and hopefully I can persuade you to read some of them…💘

(#1) I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

Rating: 3.5/5

I came across this book when I was looking through the audiobooks they have on YouTube. The incredibly brief synopsis under the video and the mixture of shocked comments were just the right amount of encouragement that I needed to listen further, and boy, I am glad I did. This book did its job! As a thriller, it shocked me, it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable, and it was well written. I will say my rating for this story fluctuates, but I deem that to be due to the level of discomfort this book gave me. If you need a good thriller read with a crazy twist, this book is for you… and the audiobook is excellent! (And yes, for you reading gatekeepers, audiobooks are an acceptable form of reading 😉)

(#2) The Rock Eaters by Brenda Peynado

Rating: 5/5

This is one of those books that I love to see as both a writer and a reader because I aspire to be able to write stories like this. The author does an excellent job of taking her readers on a multitude of different journeys through different genres, and each one lands with an ending that brings you to a shiver and a thought. I love this collection of stories so much. It is one of those books you want to tell everyone about, and the best part is that I found it on an end cap at my local library. Gotta love our librarians, they know where the true gems are!

(#3) I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Rating: 6/5

OOOOOOOOOOH, this book was so good. I don’t think I have ever read a book where I would want amnesia just to forget it so I could read it again. The author does an incredible job at capturing the essence of what it means to be human… when faced with your own morality, with the lack of anyone but yourself to hold you accountable. This story is deeply human and leaves no mercy for the reader. If you read anything this year, let it be this book. Do not go into it with any other intention but to experience the story. I love this book so much that I am thinking of doing a full review of it. If you’d be interested, let me know!

(#4) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Rating:5/5

Okay… okay, I know… I should have read it already, but at least I read it now. It took me maybe an hour to get through the entire book, and let’s just say it is a classic for a reason. Steinbeck has such a way of capturing the many horrible things that were embedded in the fabric of American culture. And reading it after the last novel was like some kind of sick, cruel joke because I was devastated for an entire day afterward. All I can say is this book is uncomfortable, complex, and absolutely devastating.

Stay tuned for next months list… ✨

Shay

If you have any book recommendations for me or you read any of these let me know in the comments, I would love to see what your thoughts are!

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