Happy New Year to every one of my readers. We've had a wild start to the new year and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. But as unpredictable as January has been, the constants have been my TBR, always watching, always waiting, and ready for reading. Did you read anything amazing in January? Let's dive into what I read this month.
"Definitely Dead" by Charlaine Harris
This is the sixth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. When Sookie's cousin dies in Louisiana under abnormal circumstances, she makes a trip to claim her apartment. But between the vampire queen, her new shape shifting beau, and past discretions following her, the trip is anything but average. Follow Sookie through a twisted maze of unlikely situations to unravel the truth of what happened to her cousin.
These books continue to be far fetched and often over pumped with unimportant details. But they are easy to read and somewhat enjoyable as long as you don't mind the main character talking down on every woman that isn't her.
"Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times" by Katherine May
This book dives into May's story of falling into her own winter, which can best be described as hard emotional times (very open to interpretation depending on the individual). She draws parallels to how we prepare our homes for winter and how we can use this same type of logic to prepare ourselves for hard times emotionally. I found this book to be beautifully written and extremely insightful. As someone that suffers from occasional emotional wintering (sometimes short and sometimes not) this book was easy to relate to and had me feeling so comforted and seen in my struggles. I think this is something everyone should read, especially if you're looking for a new perspective and ways to move with acceptance through your own wintering. This one will definitely be going in my private collection.
"The Final Girl Support Group" by Grady Hendrix
In horror movies, there's always a final Girl left standing after the monster has been slayed. A girl that effectively stopped the killer in it's tracks, even if it cost her absolutely everything. But what happens to those girls after the dust settles? After the interviews and book deals and the limelight disappears? Welcome to the final girl support group, where Lynette and five other final girls meet to discuss their ongoing fears and struggles. But after ten years of everyone attending, suddenly someone doesn't and a tailspin ensues. Someone is killing off the final girls. Follow Lynette as she struggles through her own fears to find the truth.
So, I absolutely love Grady Hendrix. Let's start there. And I love how each of the women's stories in this book corresponds with an old horror film i.e. Halloween, Scream, Friday the 13th, etc. Hendrix always has this element of nostalgia that is enjoyable to read. I did have some issues with this book, and I didn't love it as much as some of his others I've read, but it was still a good book.
"The Art of Starving" by Sam J. Miller
Matt is a highschool teen that hasn't eaten in days. And he believes that by not eating, he's gaining superpowers. The skill comes in handy in the search for the reason why his sister left. Because it doesn't make sense that she would pick up in the middle of night and leave them. There must be a reason. But can Matt really continue to not eat in order to find his sister?
I found this book to be extremely problematic. Yes, there was some decent representation here, but overall I don't really recommend it. This book primarily focuses on a teenage boy with an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, and suicidal ideation. I think the tone and language used in this book concerning those issues is extremely harsh and can be triggering for a lot of people. I also found the plot line to be a little chaotic and messy. The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the spotlight it shines on the fact that boys also suffer from eating disorders and is an issue that's often overlooked. Please, if you decide to read this, use caution.
That's it for me! Did you read anything amazing this month? Let me know in the comment section! Are you reading anything special for Black History month? I'd love to know what your lineup looks like. Happy reading, we'll talk soon.
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