I love the beginning of a new year – it’s a time for goal-setting and fresh starts! One of my favorite goals to set each year is my reading goal. For 2021, I’ve set my goal at 70 books – I count EVERY book, whether a physical copy, ebook, or audio. In my mind, any reading goal is a good goal – what have you set yours at this year?
In this post, I’ll share what I read, how I read it, and my basic star-rating (and why). I’ll also link to any in-depth reviews I’ve done. I’ve also linked each book to Amazon if you want to pick one of these up for yourself! This post contains affiliate links which means that I will earn a small commission for each book ordered. Here we go — January Wrap-Up:
- The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan- 1/2/21
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I picked up my copy of this on the bargain shelves of my local bookstore. The description pulled me in and I was excited to read it. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations overall and I ended up rating it 3 stars. I would file this book under “legal thriller” – if you enjoy courtroom procedure and suspense, you may enjoy it. You can read my full review here.
- The Lullaby Girl by Loreth Anne White – 1/8/21
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This is the second book in a series following detective Angie Pallorino. I listened to this one via my Audible App using my Kindle Unlimited subscription. If you prefer ebooks or audiobooks – a Kindle Unlimited subscription is the way to go! This series is extremely dark and gritty – not for the faint of heart. It has multiple layers and could be difficult to follow. I ended up rating it 3 stars but the average on Goodreads is 4.3 so if you enjoy a story centered around a damaged detective – pick this one up.
- Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough – 11/13/20
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I swapped for this book and read the Book of the Month branded version. Book of the Month is a WONDERFUL subscription that I receive annually. Each month you can choose one book from 5+ new releases. I’ve discovered some excellent new authors and have read genres I had avoided prior to being a member. If you’d like to join me at Book of the Month you can use my referral link to get your first book for only $5! Cross Her Heart, I only rated 3 stars but you can read why by checking out my review here.
- The Trapped Girl by Robert Dugoni – 1/23/21
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This is the fourth installment in the Tracy Crosswhite series, following a detective who hunts down serial killers in the Pacific Northwest. I’m really enjoying this series and will listen to all of them via Kindle Unlimited/Audible. This one changed its format from the first 3 in the series which kept it fresh and kept me wanting more. I’ve rated each of the books in this series 4 stars but this one has been my favorite so far.
- The Survivors by Jane Harper – 1/27/21
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This was my Book of the Month choice for January. It was billed as a mystery but it was so much more a study on grief and the impacts of trauma. Beautifully written, its characters drove the plot and you felt deeply connected to the story. The pacing was a little slower than I enjoy naturally so it earned 4 stars and you can read my full review here.
- The Chalk Man by Camille Pagán – 1/31/21
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Camille Pagán has a superior knack for writing broken and authentically human characters. If I had to describe this story in a few words I would say it’s a more emotional How I Met Your Mother. Written as a letter from father to child chronicling life as experienced draws the reader (listener) in and keeps them engaged until the last page. I rated this 3 stars but probably only because it is out of my preferred genre and this story had 0 murders.
So that was my January – how about you? What did you LOVE this month?
The Merry Murderino 