What did you read this month?
My monthly round-up
It is pretty safe to say that I have started 2025 with quite a reading month. January seems to have been the longest month ever. I have read a rather impressive nine books at the time of writing this. I have two more that are nearly finished, so it might be as high as eleven.
How did I do it? No idea. I have listened to audiobooks this month and driven a lot for work, so this has certainly helped.
Not that anyone should be impressed by the total, because reading well is so much more important than the total we read. If you read one book this month, you will be doing better than most people.
Overall, I have read some good books, some amazing books and one overhyped first in a series that I will not be continuing. Can you guess what it is?
Tarnished - Erica Rose Eberhart
This was my first five-star read of the year. It is a brilliant sapphic fantasy novel that was engaging from the first page. You can check out my full reviews here.
Ordinary Men - Christopher R. Browning
This is such a detailed, fascinating look into Police Battalion 101, who, during World War II, became brutal killers. The book is so well researched, and rather than being just about the terrible crimes committed, it also delves into the psychology behind how ordinary men became killers. It also inspired this article.
Audiobooks
I listened to three audiobooks this month. The first was Zen in the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M Pirsig. It was okay but not great. It may have been better to read it, as it was hard to follow on audiobook.
The second was my favourite book of the month and was Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. If you have read this yourself, I would urge you to check out the audiobook. The narrator is superb and makes the book. I would say it would not have been a five-star read for me if it had not been for the audiobook.
My final audiobook was Stoner, John Williams. Again, this was well read, but it is the writing that made this so special. It had prose I wanted to dive into a swim. How a book about one quite boring man's life can be so engaging is a mystery to me, but if you haven't read it, I would highly recommend it.
Classic Red
My classic read for this month was Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. This was another excellent read and follows the life of Charles Ryder as he becomes friends with Sebastian and visits the eccentric Flyte family. It is a short read for fiction, but nonetheless thought-provoking. The author is very critical of the Catholic faith and its contradictions, so it might not be for everyone.
Reading with my Daughter
My daughter and I have enjoyed reading Tilly and the Bookwanderers this month. I am not sure which one of us enjoyed it most. Tilly, who lives with her grandparents in a book shop, finds out she can read characters out of books; she then discovers she can read herself into books and so follows adventures in Green Gables and Wonderland, to name a few. We loved this book and can't wait to read more in the series.
Overhyped
My overhyped read was A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. Did you guess right? The book is okay, but I didn't like any of the characters. I was determined not to pick this up, but when your son buys it for you for Christmas, you feel like you should. It wasn't terrible, and I heard that the next book is better, but I won't continue with the series. If the first doesn't grab me, why would I read more? There are too many books in the world.
What was your favourite read of January?
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HAIL MARY was wonderful!
I also reread THE SECOND STAR. A premise I've never seen before.
Now, I've started 4 books.
Good idea!