January was actually a pretty relaxing month! I kept steadily busy with Cybils reading, writing posts, and getting ahead on my coursework. I’ve been attending yoga classes twice a week (I’ve never done yoga before – this has been a goal for many years!). I attended the ALA Midwinter conference last weekend, which I will be posting about on Tuesday. If I’m as productive for the rest of the year as I was in January, I will be very happy…I’ll try to keep the momentum going 😛
Book Finished
- A Dash of Trouble (Love Sugar Magic #1) by Anna Meriano
- Thisby Thestoop and the Black Mountain by Zac Gorman
- Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
- The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend
- Escape to the Above (Snared #1) by Adam Jay Epstein
- The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst
- Meena Meets Her Match by Karla Manternach
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Books Reviewed
- Picture books (Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes, Short Stories for Little Monsters, The Snowy Day, The Paper Bag Princess, Miss Little’s Gift)
- Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro
- The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
- Early readers (We Are Growing!, Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, I Like the Farm)
Features
- The Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards finalists were announced on January 1. (I’m a round two judge for middle grade speculative fiction.)
- I shared my ninth annual wrapping up, looking forward reflection.
- I wrote about my goal of reading 52 middle grade novels this year.
- I wrote a discussion post about my favourite chapters in The Lord of the Rings.
- “I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Read That Yet #6” – cast your vote for The Thief, Truthwitch,or Three Dark Crowns.
Shared on Twitter
Upcoming in February
- Feb. 5 – Release date of Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis (historical fiction 1980s Mexico), On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (young adult contemporary), and A Sprinkle of Spirits (Love Sugar Magic #2) by Anna Meriano (middle grade magic)
- Feb. 7 – Release date of A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison (middle grade fantasy)
- Feb. 15 – Cybils winners announced
- Feb. 19 – Release date of The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray (contemporary fiction – family dysfunction) and
The Familiars by Stacey Halls (historical fiction – witch trials) - Feb. 26 – Release date of The Moon Within by Aida Salazar (middle grade verse)
Did you enjoy January? What books, or bookish events, are you looking forward to this month?
A great month indeed. I read Station Eleven but I preferred her book, The Singers Gun. Happy February!
Thank-you! I’ll have to check that out.
Can’t wait to see the Cybils winners!!