Happy 2022! Here is what I read in January. This month I was stuck at home with COVID which meant a lot more joy reads. I love reading slower cozier books this time of year. If you are looking for something binge-worthy, I recommend Project Hail Mary or The Feather Heist.
I found the premise of this book interesting but it didn’t hold my attention. It probably will appeal to someone who enjoys startup culture and new technology // AI.
This memoir is one of the best I’ve read. I highly recommend it. The narrative is gripping and the writing is lovely. I especially enjoyed listening to the audiobook. 4 stars only because I wish the ending had more details.
This was a "it’s not you, it’s me" reading experience. The writing in this book is breathtaking. At times it reminded me of "Rebecca". I just had a hard time getting into it. I would highly recommend reading it, especially if you love literary fiction. I was able to enjoy it more when I slowed down and took intentional time to enjoy the writing. Very quiet and slow paced, reading over a rainy weekend is perfect.
This book serves as a great overview of the Gardner Heist and the search for the lost art. The first half of this book was extremely hard to put down, but by the second half the writing felt repetitive and as if Boser was scraping for details to fill the book.
The Hating Game 4/5
This book was everything I wanted it to be. The writing was fun and light and played on all the rom-com tropes. If you want an easy read in the same vain as “The Unhoneymooners” this book is great.
His Only Wife 3/5
I liked the themes in this book and found it to be really readable but I wish there had been more character development. At times the story felt more like a list of events than a peak into the lives of Afi and Eli.
If you spoke to me this month there is a 100% chance I mentioned this book. The story was unbelievably fascinating and made something that I never thought I would care about (fly fishing) so gripping. If you like true crime, birds, or museums—read this book!
It is hard to find words to describe how much I loved this book. I really loved The Martin, but this one was even better. It was impossible to put down and the science was surrounded by so much plot detail that it was comprehendible (ish). I highly recommend this book! It not only made me fall deeper in love with space but it made me want to learn more about the science that goes into making the world turn.
This year I am trying to read a book set in each of the states and when I saw Sarah Vowell had a book on Hawaii I was pumped. I love the way Vowell brings history to life, and I especially enjoy listening to the audio version. This book was okay, it held my attention and did contain some interesting information, but overall it felt forgettable.
Girl in Translation 3.5/5
I really was excited to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but the way the story was told was not for me. There was really no character development and it felt at times like reading a history textbook, getting quick paragraph descriptions of events that took place over years.
This book was hard to read. Not because it was overly academic but because the contents hit so close to home. I loved the weaving of her own story and historical context. It felt deeply personal yet also like a revisionist history. This book is important for the global church. May we have the courage to write women back into the narrative.
The writing in this book is absolutely stunning and I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It did feel like the integrity of the plot was sacrificed for the writing style and structure of the book. If you like literary fiction, this might be the book for you. (It was also just a lovely accident that I read three books about Chinese Americans this month.)
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