January Wrap Up

I read a total of 11 books in January, which is really good for me! I have to say, it's because all of the books I read this month were AMAZING. Honestly. 

*Normally, I won't write as much of a review with each book, but considering this is my very first wrap up, it will be a bit more lengthy than the rest.*

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: This is a middle grade book about a boy named Bod who is raised in a graveyard after his parents are killed. Neil Gaiman expertly tells a story about what it is like when all your friends are ghosts, and how helpful they can be when Bod needs to evade the murderer who killed his family. This was my first Neil Gaiman book and I really enjoyed it! 

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta: This book follows Francesca and how she navigates being one of the few girls in a school that was previously an all-boys school. This book delves into love, friendship, and some deep family issues. I thought this book was good, but not great. While it felt more real than the usual contemporary-romance book, (which can veer towards the cheesy side) it didn't blow me away. I'd recommend if you're looking for something

 short and sweet.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher: Stolen is written as a girl's letter to the man who kidnapped her. Gemma is sixteen years old when she is kidnapped and taken to the Australian desert to live with her captor. I could not put this book down. I was captivated by the writing style, the characters, and the plot. I think I put my real life on the sideline as I read this because I needed to know what happened.  As I dove into this, I found my own feelings toward the man who captured Gemma to be conflicted. I didn't want to like him but the more I got to know him I found myself unsure of how I wanted this book to end.  Lucy Christopher makes the reader experience the same emotions that Gemma does. This is easily one of my favorite books ever. 

 

The Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness: This is a YA science fiction series following a boy named Todd who lives in a place where all men can hear one another's thoughts, referred to as the 'noise.' Todd has to flee his town and gets caught up in a society on the brink of war. I adore this series. It delves into really deep issues from our own society while at the same time succeeding as a coming of age story. The character development of the characters from the first book to the third is incredible and it was so much fun following all of them on their journey. If you haven't read this series yet, then do it now!

The Knife of Never Letting Go:

The Ask and the Answer:

Monsters of Men:

      

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare: AH THE EMOTIONS! These books will make you feel so many emotions it's not even funny.  I think i love this series even more than the Mortal Instruments, and that's saying a lot. Cassandra Clare's characters are probably the best I've ever read. You literally love every single character in this book. The fact that it is set in 19th century London just makes it even better. I will say that the first book starts off a little bit slow, but by the time you're on the second one you can't stop. While reading the final book, Clockwork Princess, I found myself literally sobbing multiple times toward the end and I don't cry while reading! Ever! 

This series is amazing and everyone needs to read it.

Clockwork Angel: 

Clockwork Prince:

Clockwork Princess:

 

Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne: This is a cute romance book about a girl who moves to snowy Mackinac Island with her mother and helps her open up a cozy B&B. 

After finishing the Infernal Devices, I had trouble figuring out what to read next. I didn't want to read anything too heavy, because I felt like nothing would compare to Clockwork Princess. My solution was to read this short and fun 'fluff' book and it cured by slight reading slump! It's a very cute and quick read for anyone who just needs something light and romance-y!

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid: This is a sci-fi YA book following a boy named Tom who is recruited to help fight World War Three. Only, WW3 isn't fought by soldiers on battlefields, it's fought by gamers who manipulate ships in space against enemy ships. This book felt like a cross between Pacific Rim and Enders Game. It is for a little bit of a younger audience (Tom is 14 in the book) but I still found myself very entertained throughout the whole novel and stayed up late into the night wanting to see what happened! This was fast-paced and super fun and I can't wait to pick up the next in the series.