thoughts on what i read in january 2020

I love how I thought December had been a bad reading month…. and then January happened and proved me it could get worse. for the first half of the month, I was busy with both studying for my finals and then having to pass my exams, so reading definitely wasn’t a priority. and I think it’s just the continuation of this bad reading slump I’ve been in for months now. but something I’m proud of, and I’ll talk about it a bit more at the end with my stats, is that I’ve read big books this month, and that’s something that makes me happy! also, I’ve only read good books, like my worse rating was 4 stars, that’s also something to be happy about! but let’s talk about the books!

♡ The Princess Diarist, by Carrie Fisher — 4.25 ✰

I decided to start the year with one of the 12 books I want to read in 2020, one I’ve owned for a few years, and it did not disappoint. this book was extremely emotional to read, Carrie Fisher gave us a glimpse inside her brain, shared with us some of her most personal feelings. she was such a brilliant woman. the poetry included in this book brought me to tears. it was truly something different.

♡ Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott — 4.5 ✰

just like many people this month, I decided to give Little Women a try, and the amount of love I have for this story truly surprises me. I didn’t grow up with it, didn’t get to see any adaptations, and yet, the moment I started reading, I knew it was something special. I fell in love with the characters, all of them. they all taught me something, and seeing them grow throughout the book was such a pleasure! my edition did not include the second part, Good Wives, bu as I own it (thank you mom!) I cannot wait to read it and see what happens to them all three years later! I kinda know based on the movie (which I saw twice and would really love to see a third time), but I want to see it through Louisa May Alcott’s writing. this is definitely a story that’ll stay with me for a very, very long time!

♡ The Weight of the Stars, by K. Ancrum — 4.75 ✰

I don’t know how to talk about this book without saying, first and foremost, that it’s such a beautiful one. such a brilliant one. such a unique one. it’s so different from what I’ve read in the past, especially when it comes to f/f relationships.
it’s a book that broke my heart, again and again. it gave me a group of friends, lonely people coming together and forming a family, helping one another no matter what. it gave me a commentary on loneliness and humanity, and what it means to go after something bigger than yourself.
I came to care so much about these kids. so much. also, this book features characters from The Wicker King and oh my heart. it made me so happy. so happy.

♡ The Worst Best Man, by Mia Sosa — 4 ✰

this was the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time! I found myself laughing at loud several times, and it just made me feel really happy! I liked both characters, Max and Lina were relatable, they felt real, and I believed in their chemistry. this book is just a lot of fun time, and discovering more about the Brazilian culture (something I loved!), and I’m simply happy I read it. I’ll completely read the book about Max’s best friend!

thank you Avon for sending me an e-arc

♡ Black Girl Unlimited, by Echo Brown — 4.5 ✰

this was such a brilliant story. the way it deals with trauma with such care, the way it portrays women being there for each other, women fighting for what they deserve, this was truly magical. I find it so hard to believe it’s Echo Brown’s first book, because this was so powerful, written so beautifully, hard-hitting when it needs to be… I will definitely, definitely, read whatever else Echo Brown comes up with. I just want to thank her for sharing part of her story with us.
trigger warnings: death of a parent, suicide attempts, rape, pedophilia, racism, sexism, depression

thank you libro.fm and henry holt & company for the audio listening copy

♡ The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan — 4.5 ✰ (reread)

I reread this bb for my yearlong riordan 2020 readathon (which I host with a few of my friends, here’s our twitter) and my love for this book knows no limits. can you believe it’s the book that started it all? this book is the very first glimpse of this world we had, and as a kid I was so mesmerised by the idea of being a demigod, I wanted this so much. I grew up with Percy, found myself in those books. it’ll forever have a special place in my heart!

and finally, let’s talk about my monthly stats! in January, I read 6 books, 2 037 pages, my average rating is 4.42 (damn boi) and my average pages per book is 340 (!!!)

that’s it for today, I’ll see you soon, have a nice day 🌿