A Great Start to the Year! | January 2021 Wrap-Up
Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!
Based on this month, it looks like it's gonna be another great reading year. I read 17 books! I read 12 novels, and 5 manga volumes. I liked nearly everything I read this month as well, most falling in the 3-4 star range. Once again, I'm trying to be a bit more selective with my 5-stars, and I only had one this month that really left an impact on me, so I'd say that that's working so far.
Okay, let's get into the books!
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Novels
1. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 240 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 1
Goodreads thoughts: Starting the year out wonderfully! This book is just absolutely beautiful and heartwarming. Time travel books almost always stress me out, because of the implications of it, but this set of rules took all the stress out of the experience and just left me with a sense of contentment. I managed to get so invested in these women’s lives in a short period of time it’s ridiculous. The only reason it’s not five stars is because I had a constant question and it wasn’t answered so I’m a little annoyed about that, but maybe it’ll be answered in the sequel.
2. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfeg
Star rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Page count: 301 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 4 - Jan. 6
Goodreads thoughts: That...wasn't good.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Page count: 248 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 1 - Jan. 6
Goodreads thoughts: Whoa.
The first like 150 pages I was honestly kind of bored, I felt like I was too dumb for the text. It wasn’t making much sense and I didn’t understand why so many people liked it. But THEN. Oh man I was hooked and dragged so far deep. The staggering corruption of Dorian is just insane. And the ending? I was just sitting there, trying to wrap my head around it all. Guilt really is the worst thing for a person isn’t it?
4. If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Anne Carson (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Page count: 416 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 8
Goodreads thoughts: I loved this, of course. How could I not love this? Sappho has always been a particular fascination of mine when it comes to Ancient Greek writing, and Anne Carson manages to twist and weave the little fragments we have of Sappho’s lyrics and turn them into something so beautiful and heartbreaking.
Unrelated to the words, but I appreciate that the original Greek is also added, because it’ll make it easier for when I eventually translate the fragments on my own (as part of my dissertation).
5. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Choo Nam-Joo
Star rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 176 pages
Date(s) read: Ja. 6 - Jan. 8
Goodreads thoughts: I found this incredibly enlightening and infuriating, which I suppose is what most people get out of this novel. What I appreciated the most is that each chapter had a list of reference articles and stats at the end that backed up the numbers Cho Nam-Joo mentioned in text. The blatant sexism and misogyny present in Kim Jiyoung’s life makes me want to wrap her in blankets and hide her away from the world.
6. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Star rating: 3 out 5 stars
Page count: 250 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 10 - Jan. 12
Goodreads thoughts: That was completely fascinating. I don’t know if I’m able to really describe it without spoilers, but the slight psychological thriller aspect of it drew me in entirely. I loved how the story unwound itself into something chronological when before it was a tangle of different memories and ideas.
7. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
Star rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 191 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 16 - Jan. 18
Goodreads thoughts: Yoko Ogawa’s concepts are just so unique I don’t know how she comes up with these story ideas.
8. Wings of Olympus by Kallie George (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Page count: 240 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 19
Goodreads thoughts: That was really cute! A fun new take on Greek mythology. I admit that I’m a total snob when it comes to Greek mythology, since I study it and so I often get frustrated when stories tell the myths “wrong” or they make up new things on the fly about the gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters. But this story was less about Greek mythology than it was about the connection between children and animals, so I can appreciate that. I also like how the gods were constantly fighting and trying to one-up each other, which is absolutely how I picture the gods. Any kids who are fans of Greek mythology would definitely enjoy this book.
9. The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
Star rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 288 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 20 - Jan. 26
Goodreads thoughts: Absolutely gorgeous, and very emotional. I knew that this book would hit different since The Alchemist is my favorite novel of all time, but I was still surprised to feel how much it impacted me. I loved seeing all of the little things that inspired The Alchemist and I think that the next time I read it I’ll have another true experience with it. Coelho’s writing and the way his mind works is truly unique and unprecedented and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
10. Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire
Star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 208 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 25 - Jan. 26
Goodreads thoughts: Fantastic, as all of these novellas are. I think this might be my 2nd favorite, maybe my 3rd. I always enjoy the installments that focus on the other worlds. Regan was an interesting character, and I liked her rationality.
11. The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter
Star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 528 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 11 - Jan. 29
Goodreads thoughts: Absolutely incredible. All of the stakes that were raised in the first book were shot up impossibly higher in this sequel and I’m obsessed. Also the attention to detail is phenomenal. The last two hundred pages had me crying off and on because so many things were happening, and that ENDING. I can’t wait to see how the third book ends up.
12. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Page count: 246 pages
Date(s) read: Jan. 30
Goodreads thoughts: tw domestic abuse, child abuse, drug use, homophobic language
This was so emotional and heavy it felt like I was wading through syrup as I read, but in the best possible way. I had to take breaks multiple times in order to keep all of the emotion reigned in but I ended up getting sucked right back after a few minutes. The prose was beautiful and poetic which I suppose made it both easier and harder to read about such awful things like war and abuse, and wonderful things like love and familial bonds.
Manga
1. Erased vol. 1 by Kei Sanbe
No star rating
Total page count: 384 pages
Day(s) read: Jan. 13
Goodreads thoughts: One of my favorite anime, I’m glad I’m finally getting to the manga!
2. O Maidens in Your Savage Season vol. 1-2 by Mari Okada, Nao Emoto
No star rating
Total page count: 384 pages
Day(s) read: Jan. 28
Goodreads thoughts: vol 1: These poor girls, the second-hand embarrassment is real.
vol 2: Less embarrassing than the first volume, so that’s a plus. The art style is beautiful of course.
3. Death Note: Black Edition vol. 2-3 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
No star rating
Total page count: 779 pages
Day(s) read: Jan. 30, Jan. 31
Goodreads thoughts: vol 2: It honestly cracks me up how Light and L deduce things. Like it’s so far from my realm of possibility.
vol 3: Okay now I’m really confused as to how the series is gonna end, even though I’m only half way through
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Total pages read: 4,879 pages
Favorite book of Jan: The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
Least favorite book of Jan: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfeg
DNF'd books of Jan: Novice Dragoneer by E.E. Knight
No unfinished books
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Alrighty, how's that to start the year off? Nearly 5,000 pages in 31 days! I'm super proud of myself for that. And I've got big plans for February too, just you wait!
Until next time!
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