It feels like January came and went in the blink of an eye. So much so that somehow, it’s February 7 and I’m only posting this recap now!

The new year kicked off in a really fantastic way, full of friends, family, and great books. My husband was off for just over two weeks, which is exceptionally rare, so while I did have to do that painful post-holiday transition back into work and the real world, it was pleasantly buffered by having him at home cooking and cleaning and generally being wonderful. January had me feeling really lucky for all that I have, and for all of the time I was able to sneak in with my loved ones.

Right now, I’m obsessed with all things books. If I’m not reading, I’m thinking about reading or adding books I want to read to my TBR. I’ve read some truly great stories lately and met some wonderful people with similar interests to me, so I figured I’d take some time to recap everything book-related that’s been happening in my world right now, and where I’m focused in the month to come.

Books Read in January 2023

This month was full of fantastic reading, there wasn’t anything that just felt mediocre to me. I progressed in a few series, started another new one, and branched out with some regular and historical fiction.

This month I read:

1. The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake: this was the second installment in the Atlas series and it was hyper-focused on the initiates, which was lovely because Olivie Blake is a master of designing devastatingly flawed characters. There was also a lot of set-up for what I’m willing to bet will be an explosive finale. It was a touch slower than the first book, but I still loved it. I rated it 4 stars, and you can read my full review here.
2. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang: my goodness this was an epic start to a series. The book follows war orphan Runin (Rin) through poverty, an elite military training academy, war, and the discovery of ancient and dangerous magic. I’m becoming increasingly convinced the Kuang can do no wrong, and I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series. I rated it 5 stars, and you can read my full review here.
3. The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas: this book is a prequel and series of novellas that give some extra backstory and context to some of the less focused relationships in the Throne of Glass series. I left it to the end of the series, which I regret; I think it would have been a lot more valuable to read after book 3 or 4. It was still a great read, but reading it earlier I think would have added to the experience of the other books in the series. A solid 4 stars from me, and my full review for the series is here.
4. How To Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann: this book was an inventive take on classic fairy tale heroines that follows their stories in a trauma support group in modern-day New York. This was probably the most unique of the books I read this month, such a strong premise that I thought was really well executed. I rated it 4 stars and my full review is here.
5. The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty: this is currently my favourite fantasy series. This was the second book and UGH it was magical. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. It’s such a unique and wonderful world, with characters that grew substantially in this instalment and become even more loveable. I rated this book 5 stars and my full review is here.
6. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell: a historical fiction piece that follows Lucrezia de Medici and her brief but tumultuous marriage in the 1600s. A really great story with an exceptionally unique female main character. The writing was intensely descriptive which was a bit challenging at times as it’s not my favourite manner of reading, but I still quite enjoyed it. I rated it 3.5 stars and my full review is here.

In February, I still have a huge physical pile of books from the holidays to get through, so I’m focused on reading:

• Book Lovers by Emily Henry
• Promise of Darkness by Bec McMaster
• The Zodiac Academy I: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
• Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
• Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
• A Light in the Flame by Jennifer Armentrout

Once I’m through these, I’m releasing myself from my book buying ban 😊 so the sooner I get through them, the sooner I get to move on to the rest of my TBR list! Speaking of…

To Be Read (TBR) Lists

The screenshot section of my iPhone photo albums is pretty much just a collage of books I want to add to my TBR list on Goodreads. Between this and some of the series I’m keen to continue, I feel like my TBR lists are ever-growing, but here are the ones that really peaked my interest over the last month:

• Lightlark by Alex Aster: a lot of tropes that I like (strong FMC, deadly tournament, fantasy romance, etc.), and the start of a series. Not at the top of my list, but definitely on it.
• The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent: more tropes I love (strong FMC, forced proximity, deadly tournament, etc.) and seems to be highly recommended.
• Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent: I am currently seeing this everywhere, and from people who all have similar tastes to mine when it comes to reading. Heavy on magic, romance, and some epic quests. Hoping to get to this one sooner rather than later.
• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: a really unique premise about a house with infinite rooms and mysteries and recommended by one of my favourite authors.
• Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber: a fairy-tale like story with some dark twists. Sounds right up my alley, and I’ve seen it recommended a handful of times now.
• The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins: a book about a library, secrets, magic, and what sounds like very interesting characters. I’ve eyed this one for a while but finally added to my TBR this month.
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: I literally cannot open Instagram right now without seeing this book. Academia blended with fantasy and romance, all things I love in a story.
• Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo: just released in January and the follow-up to Ninth House, which was one of my favourite books of 2022. I’m so excited to get this one that I’ve been avidly avoiding spoilers all month.

I’m also intending on continuing The Poppy War series, The Daevabad Trilogy, and the Outlander series. There’s no shortage of books to pick from once my book buying ban is over!

What I’m Loving Right Now

I’ve been expanding my love for books into other creative endeavours right now and it’s been so much fun. Here’s some of the areas I’ve been nerding out on that have been particularly enjoyable for me:

Bookstagram

Generally speaking, I’ve found social media to be something that increases my anxiety. Over the past year I worked really hard to limit my time on it, which is actually how I ended up reading so voraciously.

When I launched Forests and Fiction, I also launched an Instagram account and was nervous that I’d quickly find it to be overwhelming. However, the book niche on Instagram, more commonly referred to as Bookstagram, has been the most wonderful exception.

Since I’ve begun posting I’ve met a ton of others who love reading as much as I do and been able to passively follow and engage with even more. It’s like this little pocket of sunshine on the internet where people are kind and passionate and just as nerdy as I am. It’s also been a unique creative outlet for me, which is an aspect of my life that I haven’t dedicated as much focus to over the past couple of years, but sorely missed. The whole thing has just been a really positive experience and it’s a community that I enjoy going to day in and day out.  

If you’re interested, can find my Instagram here.

My Novel Companion

A couple of years ago I got REALLY into bullet journaling. I was convinced that the combination of organization and creativity was exactly what I needed and obsessively used my journals for several months, spending tons of time on Pinterest and Google searching for inspiration and even more time making that inspiration a reality.

Unfortunately, life got really busy, and the upkeep of creating the journals from scratch all the time just ended up feeling like more hassle then fun.

Enter: The Novel Companion.

Over the holidays, a friend of mine sent me a link to a book accessory shop that produces agendas and other bookish-related stuff, including the Novel Companion that I’m now using religiously. What I love about it is it’s like a bullet journal that someone has already created all the templates for. Because that heavy lifting is done, I can spend my time on the pieces I enjoy: filling out the information and decorating the pages.

I bought my Novel Companion from Little Inklings. It took a little while to come in, but it was totally worth it.

• Local indie bookstores

I’m a pretty devout fan of Chapters Indigo. I’ve lived in smaller cities for the past ten years so they’re typically the best resource for the broadest swath of literature.

That said, I’ve made more of an effort to explore my city and the surrounding areas lately to see what independent bookstores I could also support. I know that being a small business is challenging at the best of times, and the past couple of years have not been the best of times. If there’s something I can do to support them, I’m happy to make it happen.

That pretty much sums up January! Did you read anything fantastic last month? Add any great books to your TBR? Feel free to drop a comment below and let me know!