January 2016 Wrap Up

 

January’s books were kinda average but I have decided to do something new with my monthly wrap ups. I wanted to include the books I DNF because even though I DNFed some books, some of them might be to your tastes.

Books

3.5/5

Horror

The Cuckoo Song by Frances Harding– One of the more creatively eerie books I’ve read in a while. The first half of the book was really good and scary (hello, dolls that blink at you *shudder*) but then it got really convoluted and it really dragged in the middle but the writing is wonderfully suspenseful.

Romance

The following three will be a part of a mash up review I have coming soon..

3/5 (Might be the only “steamy” romance cover I like.)

4/5

3/5

Urban Fantasy

2/5

A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly– Review 

Fantasy 

4.25/5

The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski (aka my favorite book of the month)- Review coming closer to the release date

Remember when I won an ARC of this book and said there has to be a catch? Well, there was..(sigh)

Ok, if you go on my Goodreads, you’ll know that I did give this book a 4 stars (more specifically 4.25 stars) and that’s because there was one plot trope that affects the rest of the book that angered me so much–so much that I actually wrote a letter to Marie Rutkoski asking her why she chose to write the story like this (politely) because I’m batshit crazy lol but I’ll talk more about it in my spoiler discussion).

Rest assured though, this book was absolutely brilliant, heartbreaking, and beautiful. Guaranteed to be in my favorites list of 2016.

Reread

4.5/5

The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski- I think this might be still my favorite book in the series although The Winner’s Kiss comes so, so close. Every word and sentence is so deliberate and makes my heart swoon.

Graphic Novel/Manga

3.75/5

Imagine playing Where’s Waldo in this picture..

Young Bride’s Story Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori-I’m absolutely stunned at how insanely detailed and impressive the drawings are. I wish the story itself was as good. It’s about a 20 year old girl in 18th century China who is getting married to a 12-year-old boy and she’s starting to like him! What.. Anyways it’s like a slice of life manga with not too much action so far but about her going through her everyday life which makes for a slow but pleasant story.

DNF

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer– How did this ever get published?? More like the land of cliches..

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie– I really, really wanted to like this one and I think the themes and concepts are really original but the characters were kinda meh. But it might just be I’m too stupid to understand it lol

The Shameless Hour by Sarina Bowen– At first, I was excited that there was a NA book that follows a nonvirginal heroine but I didn’t like how that was her defining characteristic and the plot just went in predictable ways so bye.

Short Stories

All of these are written by literary fiction authors.

Fiesta 1980 by Junot Diaz– As always, Junot Diaz never fails to impress me. Fiesta 1980

The Shared Patio by Miranda July– Really trippy and not sure how I feel about it

Brownies by ZZ Packer– A very thought provoking story about race. Loved it.

Jealous Husband Returns in Form of a Parrot by Robert Olen Butler– This was really interesting but also kind of bland at the same time. I am, however, interested in reading his full length novels now since they have to do with the Vietnam War.

How did your January reading go??