Books I Read this January
This post may contain affiliate links; please read my disclosure policy.
This past month had quite a bit of variety when it came to the books I read. There were vampires, hostages, Chinese superstitions, and thrillers. This January, I made an effort to read some books that had been on my “to read” list for a while as well as some that came out last year. There are so many books coming out in 2022 that I’m excited about, and my want to read list never seems to get any shorter. As far as the books I read this January, I’m making my way through my list! Hope you find some new books to add to your “To Read” list! For some more suggestions check out my post for the list of books I read last year.
Books Read in January
Rock Paper Scissors
I loved the book His & Hers by Alice Feeney, so I couldn’t wait to read her most recent book, Rock Paper Scissors. This first book read in January didn’t disappoint! Traditional annual wedding gifts, secret letters and a wedding on the brink of collapse. It’s a spooky domestic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands that makes you question how well you know your spouse. Can’t wait to read her next book, Daisy Darker. Rating: 5/5
Four Winds
Kristin Hannah has done it again! The Nightingale, The Great Alone and now The Four Winds. Set it Texas in the 1930’s throughout the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. Elsa watches the farm she’s raised her family on succumb to the dust and questions whether she should stay on the farm or head out west to California. A historical fiction novel that will hook you from the beginning. Rating: 5/5
One by One
I finally got around to reading Ruth Ware’s newest book from the fall of 2020, One by One. A tech startup organizes a retreat for all eight of their founders and employees at a rustic ski chalet in the French Alps and while everything seems picture perfect, tensions are higher than anticipated. Shortly after their arrival, a winter storm approaches. When the group returns from skiing, an avalanche strikes the mountain and the chalet is cut off from the base of the mountain until further notice. It’s only then they realize that one member of the group didn’t make it back from skiing, and no one is suspicious until another member of the group turns up dead. One by One is a thriller that will hook you from the beginning and keep you guessing. I’m excited to read her new book this summer, The It Girl! Rating: 4/5
All These Beautiful Strangers
This book has been on my “want to read” list for a few years now, and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it! All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehforth (her first and only novel currently) follows the story of Charlie, whose mother disappeared when she was seven. She is now 17 and attends Knollwood, a prestigious school in the Northeast. While at school, Charlie is tapped to be a part of the A’s – the school’s elite secret society. During the semester-long initiation, called The Game, she uncovers secrets about her mother and her disappearance. Told from various viewpoints with different timelines, which can be hard to follow but Klehforth made it easy to keep things straight. This book had a little bit of a slow start, for me, but once you figure out some background, you’re hooked. Rating: 5/5
Hostage
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh takes you on board an inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney with Mina, your flight attendant. Told from two viewpoints, one being Mina’s and the other being Adam’s, her husband at home watching their daughter. Shortly after takeoff, Mina finds a note from someone on board who wants to send a message, and knows just how to get to Mina to make her help them. A lot can happen on a 20-hour flight. Rating: 4/5
Every Last Fear
Alex Finaly’s breakout novel Every Last Fear is a page-turning thriller with twists to keep you guessing. The novel also provides an insight into how different family members handle heartbreak. Matt Pine returns to his dorm to find FBI agents waiting for him with news that his family was found dead while on vacation in Mexico. Matt finds himself in the spotlight once again, and it’s not where he likes to be. In grade school, Matt’s brother was arrested for murdering his high school girlfriend. Recently, a documentary was released about the case. When he returns to his hometown, he is met with hostility and memories he would rather forget. This book is told from different viewpoints between past and present, but is easy to follow. Finlay’s new book The Night Shift comes out this spring and I can’t wait to get a copy! Rating: 4/5
Night Tiger
The Night Tiger by Yanhsze Choo has also been on my “want to read” list for a while. This story takes place in Malaysia in the 1930’s and is centered around a Chinese superstition. Ren, an orphan boy, is tasked with finding his late master’s finger and returning it to his grave within 49 days of his death. Ji Lin, a dancehall girl, is bewildered when one of her dance partners leaves her with a severed finger and is later found dead. While Ren searches for the finger, his and Ji Lin’s stories intertwine in ways you couldn’t imagine. Do you ever read a book or watch a show and think goodness, why can’t those two just cross paths already? That’s how this story feels at times, but not in a bad way; instead it’t written in a way that keeps you reading page after page. Rating: 4/5
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires
Of all the books I read this month, this one was the most out of my normal realm. Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires was different. Maybe I think so since I don’t normally read vampire stories. Aka I’ve never read Twilight. Patricia lives in a quiet town in South Carolina with her family. Everything is picture perfect. Until a new neighbor arrives and children start disappearing. This book has the housewives of the 1980’s and southern hospitality that comes with it, which I loved. I think the only thing I have against the book is simply not being into vampire stories as much as I am into other genres. Rating: 3/5
You May Also Like
Books I Read this Spring
My Favorite Authors
