Happy weekend to you all!
My reading year has been not so great so far. I usually have the last couple of weeks off of work in December. I get rejuvenated and, in turn, January is usually my best reading month of the year. Unfortunately I got covid for Christmas. I didn't get to enjoy my holiday, didn't get to spend time with my kids, got really depressed, and got into a giant reading slump. Then last week we had a tornado and lost power for days and my reading has just been a huge struggle. My mind is a mess.
So that's where I've been. I think I've finished two books in this whole month so far which I will list below (both 5 stars!). The good news is I started reading Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky yesterday, and I'm feeling less slumpy.
Posted Last Week
Book Review | Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire ⭐⭐⭐⭐★ - This is a reread review if you are interested in checking it out.
Bookish Goals for 2023 - Just a few goals for my 2023 reading year.
Finished Reading
One Piece, Volume 9: Tears by Eiichiro Oda ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - If I had noticed the name of this volume was Tears I might have been prepared. This one got me ðŸ˜
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This was a reread in preparation of Hell Bent. I'm so glad I reread it because I had forgotten a lot!
Currently Reading
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky - I'm loving this so far. Since it's a scifi novel, I wasn't expecting it to be creepy, but here we are!
One Piece, Volume 10: OK, Let's Stand Up! by Eiichiro Oda - Just more One Piece. My happiness continues.
Write for Life by Julia Cameron - Not loving this, but I am really appreciating how similar her writing process is to mine.
Added to the TBR
City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky - In a wonderful twist of fate, I was offered a review copy of City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I was wanting to read a lot of Tchaikovsky this year, and now I can include his latest! City of Last Chances releases in the US in May so stay tuned for my thoughts.
The Unknown by Algernon Blackwood - I love weird fiction, and I love Algernon Blackwood! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Handheld Press for offering me a review copy. I had no idea this had been published, and I can't wait to share my thoughts on it.
The Dismembered by Jonathan Janz - The beautiful Erica Robyn sent this to me. I won it in a giveaway on her blog. If you aren't following Erica - please go fix that: Erica Robyn Reads.
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire - This probably needs no introduction here on my blog. Lost in the Moment and Found is the latest Wayward Children book. I'm currently rereading them all from the beginning so as soon as I'm done with the last few - I'll read the new one!!
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall - I'm such a huge fan of Kate Alice Marshall. I cannot wait to read this. I'm definitely doing 2023 wrong having these last three books still on my TBR without having read them immediately.
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo - I'm ready! Let's do this! If you know, you know.
This post is being shared as part of The Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz, Book Date’s It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post.
You have really been through it the past few weeks!! I hope that things are much better from here on out!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Erin.
DeleteSorry to hear that you're struggling a bit at the moment. I'm right there too! January hasn't been kind... And I know so many people who spent Christmas break ill with either covid or other respiratory viruses... It royally sucks.
ReplyDeleteHopefully things will pick up for you soon and you'll get your reading mojo back too.
Thank you, Nicci!
DeleteI'm so sorry you had Covid, ugh. Hopefully February will be a better month for you. I'm going to try to read Ninth House this year, i feel so left out, lol.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you do get to read it! And thank you!
DeleteI'm sorry you had such a dismal December and January, both generally and in your reading. I hope you're right, and your reading slump is lifting. It's so frustrating, especially if reading is normally what you turn to to lift your spirits. I wish you a much better February!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly right, Lark. It makes it even tougher. Thank you!
DeleteOh man, you have been dealing with a lot! Sorry you had to deal with all that. I hope you are feeling better after the Covid and that you didn't have a lot of damage from the tornadoes. I need to read that Leigh Bardugo series some time. Here's to a better week and hopes February is better!
ReplyDeletehttps://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2023/01/29/weekly-wrap-up-104-january-29th-2023/
Thank you, Lisa. I hope you eventually get to pick up Ninth House.
DeleteI'm so sorry about Covid. I really hope February will be a better month. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Yvonne!
DeleteSounds like December was tough for you. ((HUGS)) Maybe you didn't read a lot of books, but you can't argue with the quality.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true. Thank you!
DeleteCOVID for Christmas was just plain mean! And then a tornado and no power??? Downright cruel.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your return to reading has kicked off with a couple of 5-star books, though!
Right? I was certainly feeling beat up.
DeleteI’m sorry you were sick for Christmas. That would have depressed me as well. I hope you’re feeling more yourself now. Congratulations on 2 5 -star reads this month!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jodie!
DeleteCovid and a tornado and no power? You have been through too much!
ReplyDeleteThe Leigh Bardugo series seems to be getting a lot of buzz these days. I will be curious to see what you think about the new book. Kudos to you for rereading the first book.
I hoping to pick up the new one in February. Fingers crossed!
DeleteSo sorry to hear about you having Covid and a tornado. I hope this week is better for you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I appreciate it.
DeleteI'm sorry January was so rough. I am reading Hell Bent without the reread of Ninth House and I'm surprised how much I remember. I would have liked to reread though.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
That's great! I'm glad I reread Ninth House because I had forgotten most of it!
DeleteScary that the tornado came so close and that you lost power! I hope February turns out to be a much better month for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I could use an uneventful month.
DeleteI hope you enjoy Hell Bent. I still have to read the first book, but I love Leigh Bardugo. I hope you enjoy reading this week!
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday Post.
Oh, I hope you manage to pick it up soon!
DeleteOh man, that is an awful way to end the year/start the beginning of a new year. Glad all you lost was power! Hopefully, you are completely out of your reading slump soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Cindy.
DeleteThat's a lot. Covid, a tornado... yikes. Hope the slump is on the way out. I love the look of that Marshall book and have been seeing her everywhere. Adding that puppy.
ReplyDeleteGreg - you need some Kate Alice Marshall in your life!
DeleteWow, you have really been going through it for a while. I hope February is a better month for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary!
DeleteI just tried One Piece, but book 1 didn't work too well for me - I'm super picky on the art!
ReplyDeleteI want to try Tchaikovsky, but maybe not the spooky ones, lol.
https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/01/29/sunday-post-76-01-29-2023/
I get it. If I had to complain about something, it would be the art. HOWEVER. Found family treasure hunting pirates? :) I love it.
DeleteUgh, that does sounds like a tough month. I only read two books all month, too. Hope we both have a better February.
ReplyDeleteOh, I sure hope so, JoAnn!
DeleteSorry to hear about getting Covid and the tornado. I just finished reading Ninth House.. looking forward to getting my hands on Hell Bent.
ReplyDeleteOh, yay! I hope you loved it. I'm hoping to pick up Hell Bent soon.
DeleteI hope you get back into the swing of things with reading soon. It looks like you've got some great books lined up in your TBR.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nikki!
DeleteI'm glad both the books you did read were winners. You have some great looking titles coming up - I hope you enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear that you got COVID-19, and I hope that your reading year only continues to improve from here on out. I've been thinking about reading Ninth House-- I love the dark academia genre and I've been seeing the sequel around a lot recently!
ReplyDeleteclaire @ clairefy
I feel like Ninth House takes a while to build up but it's worth it!
DeleteWhat a time of it you've been having! I don't wonder you're having some trouble getting your reading going. It is good to hear you're feeling less slump-y. I hate that reading slump feeling. It tends to bleed over into everything in life. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Katherine! The slump does make everything harder.
DeleteI don't know if I want to start getting in to One Piece. The series seems never ending.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
If you start One Piece, you'll never run out of stuff to read. lol
DeleteI got a copy of City of Last Chances too, so excited! Considering his last book I read didnt' really do it for me, I'm optimistic about this one though.
ReplyDeleteI love his imagination. I'm excited to see what he does with the new one.
Delete