Hello readers!
It’s me, your favorite geek, back to recap the blink that was January. I still can’t believe the month is over already – January definitely went 80 mph in a 25 zone. I feel like I was just writing about my goals and reads for the month and now it’s almost February! The weather has been wickedly cold these last couple weekends which have been really helpful in catching up on my reading. I had an ok reading month but I somewhat deviated from my original plan. So without further ado, let’s talk about this month’s books!
A few years ago, I wanted to start off the year with Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. I decided to go after that goal this year and start off 2022 as a Year of Yes. I both read and listened to this book (and Everything Is Figureoutable, which I’ll talk about next). Rhimes narrated the audiobook and it added such a personal element to the story. I don’t love nonfiction but this was really a home run. Rhimes was warm, relatable and extremely down to earth. She’s the writer of mega hits like Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder but she also struggles with the things a normal person does (weight, self confidence, staying within her comfort zone). If you’re looking for an inspiring, feel-good read, look no further!
After wrapping up Year of Yes, I moved onto Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. As I mentioned, this was a read and listen combo as well. Forleo also narrated this one and her energy is infectious. You can feel it in her voice and her writing. This was a re-read for me and I enjoyed it as much as the first time I picked it up. You can’t help by feel inspired and optimistic when reading this one. The stories and anecdotes are extremely applicable and relatable.
Shifting gears, I flipped over to a thriller that has been sitting on my shelf for months, Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. I LOVED Feeney’s debut novel, Sometimes I Lie, but wasn’t really drawn into this one. The premise sounded good – a couple wins a weekend away at a secluded chapel turned house (with an underlying notion that one of them isn’t leaving the chapel alive). Overall, this felt slightly boring and drab. Things finally started to pick up in the last 100 pages but I saw one of the twists coming from the beginning and the others were just very strange. I have another one of Feeney’s books in my backlog, I might get to it eventually but I think she’s going on the back burner for awhile.
The last book I started, and have been slowly making my way through, it Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff. While I am enjoying this book, it’s a bit of a slow burn. I’m a little over 100 pages in and I enjoy it when I sit down to read but don’t feel drawn to the book. The writing style does draw you in but I just don’t have that desire to pick it up (and it’s a long one, about 750 pages).
So that was my January. I have a Black History Month TBR planned for February and then I’m going to be trying something new for my March TBR. Make sure you stop back for all the details! How was your reading month? Pick up anything outstanding? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@ItsMrGeekToYou).
Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek
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