January TBR

With having set my GoodReads goal at 100 books this year, I’m going to have to be a little bit more strict with myself when it comes to my reading. I have a habit of getting distracted and while that is entirely my own fault, I really will have to set some rules. I’ve always had some casual rules, but this time, they’re set firmly. Here’s my plan. At all times I’ll have on the go;

• An ARC. I have a lot of NetGalley books to work my way through, and a lot of physical books leading through the next few months too. I’m determined to work my way through them, in publishing order (with the exception of blog tours),
• An audiobook. I’d almost forgotten just how much I loved audiobooks until recently. I listened to the sequel to The Twisted Tree in just one day, and the book, The Crooked Mask, was so good that I was reminded of just how much that I need audiobooks in my life!
• Free choice. This can be anything I want. One of my own books, or one of the other ARCs if I’m feeling a bit under pressure.

I talked about my 2021 Bookish Goals in a post yesterday but it’s time to talk about actual books.

Glimpsed – G. F. Miller
ARC
28/12/2020 – 01/01/2021 – Finished
I read this book in just a couple of sittings because it grabbed my attention so much, ready for the bog tour in a short while. I’ll be talking about it on the 11th January, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts. I was about 40% of the way through it before the new year, and finished it in the rest of the first day. I’m not going to say much as my review is going up so soon, but I will say that this book surprised me, mainly because of how much I loved it.

The Crooked Mask – Rachel Burge
eBook / Audiobook
01/01/2021 – Finished
I mentioned above that I’d been reminded of how much I’d been reminded I loved audiobooks, and this was the book that did it. It was an absolutely terrifying book in a lot of ways, and I enjoyed the narrator so much that I just couldn’t stop listening to it! I did read some as an ebook, but I listened to most of it. It really was very scary; where The Twisted Tree had been spooky, this was outright nightmarish. Fabulous read.
My review goes up soon, and the book is out in paperback form on the 21st of January.

Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman
Audiobook
02/01/2021 – Finished
After reading The Twisted Tree and The Crooked Mask I really craved some more Norse mythology. As someone who normally sticks to Egyptian mythology, and sometimes a bit of Greek, it was really interesting to read some other myths. I love mythology, seeing where ideas have started from and what explanations people have created for their experiences of life.

Witch – Finbar Hawkins
Hardback
01/01/2021 –
This was one of my Christmas presents from my husband, and I was so keen to start it. It’s a historical fiction set in the time of witch hunts and murders, and told from the perspective of a young woman who sees her mother murdered for being a witch. I have to say it’s not as wonderful as I was excited for it to be, but it’s still an interesting read.

Wench – Maxine Kaplan
eARC
02/01/2021 –
I’ve only read 5% of Wench so far, and still forming an initial impression. Here’s the synopsis:
Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.

From Blood and Ash – Jennifer L. Armentrout
eBook and Audiobook
When the other Hot Key Ambassadors and I had our Christmas season chat, we were naturally talking about young adult books that were must-reads. The others were very much insistent that From Blood and Ash was on that list, and so I’m embarking onto reading that book just so they stop shouting at me if nothing else (all done with love). I’ve listened to the first chapter, but I’m going to start from the beginning again as it was a little while ago (I bought it as soon as the chat was over!).

City of Glass – Cassandra Clare
Paperback
Continuing with my reading of the Shadowhunters collection, I’m on book three of The Mortal Instruments series, which also happens to be book three of the recommended reading order from the author. After the end of book two, I’m really curious to see what happens next, and I’m even more curious to get onto book four of the reading order, branching out into the Infernal Devices side of the series a bit too. I’ve mentioned before that the lovely Read To Ramble and Fi’s Bibliofiles are working their way through them and I’ve got to catch up a bit, so I’m hoping to make it at least one book further forward!

The Mask Falling – Samantha Shannon
Paperback ARC
Book four in the Bone Season series from Samantha Shannon is due out on 26th January and I’m so keen to get my teeth into it! I read the original trilogy when they first came out and I was hoping to have a reread before getting onto The Mask Falling but I don’t think I’m going to have enough time. Either way, I really can’t wait to find out what happens to Paige in this newest installment, as it’s been a rather a wait. That’s not a criticism, by the way. I know the author has had some critic for the length of time between book three and now, but authors are human beings too.

Written In Bone – Professor Sue Black
Hardback Non-Fiction
I think this will be my ‘taking a breath from all the books’ book. You know the book I mean, right? That book from when you have all those books you need to make your way through, but you still need a book. I absolutely loved All That Remains and so I’m really excited to enjoy this one that I bought for myself with an Amazon voucher.

The Burning Girls – C. J. Tudor
eARC
Another one of my January ARCs, I’m really looking froward to reading this one. It’s receiving a lot of press and a lot of excitement across social media, and this is just one of my January books that I’m excited to read in the coming days and weeks.
500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death
30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace
Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide
Bring. It. On.

Well, I’m going to leave it there for now. I think that’s a reasonable start, and when I get to my monthly wrap up, maybe comparing the two will help me be prepared for February. How are you all feeling about your planned books? Am I being over ambitious? Let me know!