January in a Nutshell

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The first month of the new year has come and gone. We are still finding ourselves in the grip of COVID-19 and lockdown has us all climbing the walls. Luckily, this virus has not been able to stop us from reaching for a good book. I have had a good reading start to the year, with seven reviews done and dusted.

Here is a brief overview of what I have been reading during January, if you haven’t yet, check out my reviews and remember to leave a comment if any of these titles ended up on your reading pile. Okay, let’s get started.

Number 1

Be Afraid by Mary Burton – My introduction to Mary Burton, with the audiobook of Be Afraid – I enjoyed this book while doing my 2021 bullet journal set up. Mary Burton won me over with this title and I have added her to my author to watch out for list. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Number 2

All Fall Down by MJ Arlidge – this book found its way into my Christmas stocking (my family knows me so well) I enjoy MJ Arlidge’s book and All Fall Down was a pleasant start to my reading year and a welcome addition to my already bulging bookshelf.

Number 3

The Truth About Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell – During a much-needed escape from the house, I visited a local secondhand bookstore and discovered a copy of this oldy, published by Arrow Book in January 2010. Lisa Jewell is one of those author’s I always keep an eye out for, but the title of this book was what caught my eye – I went to school with a Melody Brown – so naturally my curiosity was piqued…. Loved this book.

Number 4

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth – this was my first NetGalley review for the year – I am new to Sally Hepworth but enjoyed this book. One of my goals for 2021 is to read at least one new author a month – well one new to me author. I have been caught in a rut reading only authors I know so it is time to change things up a little and expand my reading experience.

Number 5

At the Edge of the Desert by Basil Lawrence – This book was a review copy from Penguin Random House South Africa. I selected this title because the blurb sounded very promising. Unfortunately, this title left me a little disappointed, it was not what I was looking forward to.

Number 6

January Book of the Month!

Shiver by Allie Reynolds – My first review copy from Jonathan Ball Publishers. Shiver is without a doubt my book of the month! There has been a lot of talk about this book on Twitter so when I noticed this title, I simply had to request a copy. This debut novel truly wowed me! I enjoyed every page and simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you are looking for a chilling thriller then this is the book for you – get a copy – you will not be disappointed.

Number 7

The Butcher of Berner Street by Alex Reeve – This title arrived with Shiver from Jonathan Ball Publishers – it was not a title I requested. However, I believe in reading every book a publisher sends me, so I knuckled down and got started. I would never select anything in the Historical Fiction genre, but this book turned out to surprise me. It was beautifully written, and the story quickly got under my skin. Leo Stanhope is a character with a story of his own and the author made it impossible to put this book down. This book proved to be something very different from my normal reading but an entertaining read well worth adding to your TBR.

Young Adult Reviews

Alicia added three reviews to our Young Adult page, with school back in session her reviews might be slowing down a bit but keep an eye out for new posts. She always manages to surprise me with a new review when I least expect it.

Number 1

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – This book is part of a three-book series. Alicia enjoyed the movies so while I was doing Christmas shopping, I saw the series bundle and added it to her Christmas presents. She didn’t seem to enjoy the books as much as the movies…. I will have to pick better next time.

Number 2

Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi – The last book in the Shatter Me series, this was a difficult book to get hold of. It seemed to be sold out everywhere I went, and Alicia has been dying to read this. Her reviews of this series are sure to make you want to give them a try.

Number 3

The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare – This book series has been on Alicia’s shelf for a while. She has read the books and watched the TV series (which she made me watch with her). Since starting the blog, she has started reading the books again and is proving to be rather opinionated in her reviews…. I am loving it.

Well, folks, that’s it – January in a Nutshell. I hope you have enjoyed our reviews this month and that you are looking forward to what we have in store for you in February. Remember to subscribe to the newsletter, then we will keep you up to date with what we are up to. Not to worry, I love reading way too much to spend my time filling your inbox. Leave a comment if you have a book recommendation for us. Until next time, Happy Reading!