Life Updates
I’m happy to report this December has been much more peaceful that last December! Lack of snow aside, I have been enjoying the season. In fact, I think the lack of snow has helped me excel at reading and blogging this month. Instead of going outside to enjoy winter activities, I’m staying inside to read read read and type type type 😛 I have scheduled posts several weeks into January, which is unheard of for me. I’ve also been in a good groove at work. When I return from vacation tomorrow (Jan 2), I will be acting for three weeks in a position one step above my usual position, so here’s hoping that goes smoothly 😁
Books Finished
- Like, Comment Subscribe: How YouTube Drives Google’s Dominance and Controls Our Culture by Mark Bergen
- Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
- Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton
- The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien
- Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
- The Beautiful Something Else by Ash Van Oterloo
- Whats Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
- Empire of Ivory (Temeraire #4) by Naomi Novik
- After the Forest by Kell Woods
- TheFour-Dimensional Human: Ways of Being in the Digital World by Laurence Scott
- Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley
Books Reviewed
- The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa (adult fiction – short stories)
- The Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura by Waka T. Brown (MG contemporary supernatural)
- The Last Hope in Hopetown by Maria Tureaud (MG contemporary supernatural)
- Babel by RF Kuang (adult historical fantasy)
- Don’t Want to be Your Monster by Deke Moulton (MG contemporary supernatural)
Posts Written
- Shared my thoughts on Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi for “I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Read That Yet” #24
- Created TWO lists of 2023 releases still my on TBR for Top Ten Tuesday: one for middle grade and one for everything else
- Listed all the books I gifted as well as received for Christmas 2023
- Discussed Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River with Mom for this month’s Family Reads
- Posted my answers to Jamie @ Perpetual Page Turner’s End of Year Survey (for the 10th time!)
On My Radar in January
- 9 Jan – Release date of Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (Wayward Children #9) by Seanan McGuire (adult portal fantasy)
- 16 Jan – Release date of Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu (MG spooky) and The Parliament by Aimee Potwatka (adult horror)
Cybils 2023 Finalists
January 1st also marks the date that Cybils finalists are announced! If you’re new around here, the Children’s and Young Adult Book Lovers’ Literary Awards aims to recognize children’s and YA authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal. My personal favourite category is middle grade speculative fiction, so I will be keeping an eye out to see which titles made the shortlist. Be sure to visit the website to check out for the full complement, including picture books, poetry, and nonfiction.
How was your December? What new books, or bookish events, are you looking forward to this month?
Looks like you had a great month. Happy New Year!
It’s been such a warm winter! I’m used to not having snow in the winter, but these temperatures are just balmy.
I always look forward to the Cybils announcements too! Saw some board books this time around that I’d never heard of, which is always exciting. 🙂
Happy new year!
Thanks for stoping by, Jane! Happy New Year 😊 I am often out of the loop on books for the under 8 set, so the Cybils is an especially helpful resource for me these days.
Good luck in these weeks at work! And happy Cybils season!
Share with me this groove. I have none. I have barely anything planned in and that is unheard of for me haha.
The trick for me was to have a week off with no obligations looool. Not very practical!! 😅