Monthly Reading Wrap Up -- January 2017

Oh, January! You were full of so much promise. So much promise with much activity and potential. We started the year off with Romance Bingo 2017. I had so many books lined up because I'm a sucker for romance. And even so, we were doing so, so well. There was even a readathon involved and I believe we made progress.

But then, after being sick a week into the new year, I had to remain sick. And then that sick decided that, even a week later, as I started getting better, it would recycle itself and start from the beginning. And be sick again. Two weeks later, I think my body is trying to recycle the sick one more time. I feel the sore throat coming on, once again, on the heels of my stuffy nose finally clearing up.

Because that was always how it starts: with a sore throat. Then before you know it, I'm going through the stages of my typical cold: sneezing, runny nose, cough, stuffy nose, stuffy nose with cough, stuffy nose and inability to breathe... and the entire time I don't really sleep.

So for two weeks, I haven't really slept. Sure, I might have gotten some shut eye here and there. But I never actually slept for longer than an hour or two each day... At least, it seems my body doesn't ever really want to sleep until it's time for me to wake up. Because that's just life.

Anyway...

Back to the books, no?

Reading for this month could have been better. I had my plans and I tried to stick to them. But being sick made me want to do nothing but sleep, really... despite the fact that I didn't really get any sleep. So instead, of reading when I couldn't sleep, I just stalked around the house feeling miserable. Because apparently I feel the most miserable when I try to lay down and sleep. And standing up and moving around actually clears my nasal passage enough for me to breathe. So maybe I should just learn how to sleep on my feet?

I plan on posting a mid-Romance Bingo update, either today or tomorrow, though, unfortunately, no BINGO was had. My plans got a little spoiled, but oh well. Then, to top it off, I couldn't even get around to finishing the second of my Reading Assignment books for January. THAT seemed to be my biggest blow this month since I'd been able to keep up with my Reading Assignment books since the first time I participated in this challenge two years ago--and at that time, I'd committed to reading four books from my pre-chosen list. I purposefully lowered my reading level to two books a month from my pre-chosen list because I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to keep up with four.

And yet...

On a separate note, I've been absent from Booklikes this entire month, mainly because I've still been hesitant about posting. Seems that things are going quite well now, so I may consider returning. For now, I will only randomly cross post some non-review posts and try to start interacting more on BL once again.

January Reads

Books Dropped/Put On Hold

None this month! Yay!

Currently Reading

January Reading Stats

Total works read: 10

5 full length print/digital
1 novella
4 audio books

Average rating: 3.35 Stars

Highest Rated: 2 books by Tessa Dare // 4.5 Stars
- (1) A Week to be Wicked
- (2) A Night to Surrender
Lowest Rated: Forgotten Sins by Rebecca Zanetti // 2.0 Stars

Series I started reading:

The Legal Briefs by Emma Chase
Spindle Cove by Tessa Dare
Sin Brothers by Rebecca Zanetti
Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep

Series I completed:

None Completed

Series I have made progress on:

Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis
Dead Wrong by Jami Alden
For Me trilogy by Cynthia Eden

Favorite reads: As it stands the best reads this month were Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove books, even the strange little novella. A Week to be Wicked was extra wonderful and probably my most favorite read this month as it sits at the top of my book rankings so far this year. Because I loved the couple so much and the witty writing! And I can't wait to finish the rest of the series!

Truth be told, I haven't finished The Moon-spinners by Mary Stewart yet, but I am enjoying it a lot. While the book DOES kind of meander into a lot of insignificant tangents, I can't help but love how well the writing presents itself, and how witty the dialogue between characters is. I already knew that Mary Stewart was great at conveying atmosphere and imagery after reading one other book of hers, even if I hadn't enjoyed it. So I foresee that I may end up picking up more books by Mary Stewart in the future.

Disappointing reads: Probably Rebecca Zanetti's Forgotten Sins would take the spot here. It's not like I had been expecting an ultra-fantastic book or anything, but with all the great reviews, and an interesting premise, I really hadn't expected to be so frustrated with said book as much as I ended up being. And then, on top of that, to still be slightly interested in continuing the series for the ongoing mysteries in the background just makes me gnash my teeth, because I want to know... but I don't want to put myself through that kind of teeth grinding frustration again.

Reviews & Notable Posts

Reviews Written

Memes

No Memes this month

Coming Up In February

Tentative TBR

Other Stuff

Okay. So I listed a whole bunch of books above that I want to read in February. I'm not sure if I will actually get to all of them... but I'm going to try. The only thing missing is one more book for my Reading Assignment Challenge. So throw one more book on the pile. Hopefully, I'll be back in good health and in a better mood to both read and blog more often.

Because January just sucked (see opening paragraphs).