Intro
January was a monthly bonanza for me. I was able to read ten books and keep track of my reading with minimal wondering around!
Granted the winter months make me feel like staying indoor rather than living life outside but it has been quite fascinating!
Reading
Heroes die by Matthew Woodring Stover is an incredibly appealing and unique story following Caine and his adventures. Only Caine is an entertainer coming from a different dimension and both worlds were incredibly fascinating! The characters and the world building are the highlights of this story. This actually starts the Acts of Caine series that I plan to continue reading soon!
Afraid by Mandasue Heller is a thriller; we follow a teenager who finds herself in incredibly complicated circumstances and trusts a friend she only met online.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is an interesting omage to Classics and Dostoevsky (specially Crime and Punishment). It is told from a one point of view, a naive Californian who is accepted in an elite college and there he is exposed to the ancient Greeks mentality and in-depth analysis with a small group of students about this age. It is a story of murder and how murder affects each member of this cabal.
It is an interesting journey into the mind of these individuals and, as said before, it pays tribute to the Classics. I really enjoyed the quotes and the continues reference to Greek literature. It was incredibly entertaining but it is a not a fast-paced story and it probably best enjoyed slowly.
The Worldbreaker saga, with the Mirror Empire, Empire Ascendant and the Broken Heaven by Kameron Hurley is the first series that I have completed this year and I could not be happier that this was how I kicked-off my fantasy journey. I love world building, it is probably my favorite element of any fantasy story. This is one of the most unique and intriguing world buildings I came across until now; it is connected to a version of astrology, it has magic and it has a multiverse. It also has one of my favorite young characters ever with Lilia. She is just outstanding through and through and she is not overpowered; she is human, she makes mistakes and she has to face the consequences of her decisions. If you are looking for a book that throws you right into the story and it has one of the most fascinating world building, this is the series for you. Also, this series is a really strong advocate for women and LGBTQ characters. Kameron Hurley also does not shy away from brutality, in any shape or form. Quite fascinating!
Started the Dagger and the Coin series, with The Dragon’s Path, the King’s Blood and the Tyrant’s law by Daniel Abraham is a five-book series and it is a series based on a few characters that live in a quite large continent and they interact.
I started the All Souls trilogy with A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. This was the only book that I started on a whim and it was not included in the list of the options for the month. Yet, I had had this book for a very long time, I kept seeing advertisement to the show and so I decided to give it a go. In fairness, I tried to read it a while ago and I stopped. I enjoyed the characterization of Diana and I loved the description of her rowing passion. I actually bought – many years after I read those few pages – a rower and I always mentally went back to that description.
I loved the way history and the passion for history threaded the story. I loved the world building too. I could not care any less for the vampires and the love story so this is a mixed bag for me.
I also wanted to start reading a romance series to see if I cared for the genre at all but it turns out that I really do not care at all for it. So I can feel more comfortable with the choice of prioritizing other genres over this one.
Books and book-ish things I am obsessed with right now
January determined also my first Archer and Olive purchase even and it is taking a while to deliver! I cannot wait to check the quality of the products!
Tv series and movies
The first trailer for Moon Knight dropped and it was fantastic! I cannot wait to see how the series will develop.
I went on a binge watching three seasons of Succession, an HBO series. It is a drama focusing on family and business. The characters are fantastic, the writing on the show is outstanding and the plot is unwinding in a very compelling and fascinating ways.
Ozark season 4, part 1. I guess if you watch Ozark this is all I would need to state. If you do not watch it yet and you like drama, crime, power and family, this is the right show for you. It is one of the best shows on Netflix – and overall – in my opinion. Not only the writing is superb but the characters are some of the best I have seen in a long time. The interactions between the characters are fascinating and they felt authentic.
Comics
I read Astonishing Times, all five issues. It is a limited short story and it explores a society where superheroes are the normalcy and they are not exciting news any longer.
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How was your January? Did it provide you with a ton of entertainment and satisfaction?
Let me know in your comments down below!
Solseit 