In January, I managed to read 8 books, 4 were library check-out, 2 paper books from my own shelves and 2 e-books that I own. I definitely need to focus on reading books from my own shelves if I am to meet my goal of reading 50 physical books that I already have. Here are my brief reviews of the books I read:
1. Kingdom of the Sweets by Erika Johansen was my first read of the year. It is a dark Nutcracker retelling. If you are a fan of the original story (or the ballet), definitely check it out. It was not my favorite ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. A Rose by Any Other Name by Mary McMyne is historical fantasy set in Elizabethan England. I really enjoyed this one. The main character is a wise woman and a singer, determined to live her life the way she wants to. She is fiercely independent and I admired her resilience and strength. Will Shakespeare does play a role in the novel, and he is not a likable character ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa is a YA fantasy novel inspired by Japanese mythology and folklore. This was a re-read for me as I finally decided to finish the trilogy. I liked it the second time around even more than the first, and can't wait to complete the series. The main character is a half-human half-fox girl who has to go on a quest to save a precious scroll from falling into the wrong hands. On the way, she finds unexpected friends and meets powerful enemies, but through it all, her kindness and empathy really make her personality shine. She is the most unexpected hero and I love rooting for her ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo is a historical fantasy novel set in the time of Spanish Inquisition. Our main character is a Jewish girl forcibly converted to Catholicism. She is a lowly scullery maid dreaming of a chance for a better life. She also has magical powers and one day inadvertently reveals her talents to the mistress of the house. This book has a magical competition, court intrigue and romance. It also includes a redemption arc for one of the characters that I really enjoyed. Overall, this is a well-written and enjoyable novel. The only thing I was not a big fan of was the ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. Gamayun Tales I by Alexander Utkin is a graphic novel based on Russian folk tales. This was a quick read. I spotted it in my local library and was curious to see what the artist did with the original material. It did not disappoint ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel was the first non-fiction of the year. The author interviews renown scholars about evidence that the four gospels of the New Testament accurately narrate the story of historical Jesus. I thought this book was very informative and gave me some food for thought ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Count Averin, the Wizard of the Russian Empire by Victor Dashkevich is a historical fantasy/mystery novel set in the alternative Russia. The time period is sometime after WWII, but Russia is a monarchy, the Bolshevik revolution did not succeed. In this world, demons sometimes breakthrough from their dimension and can be subjugated into serving humans by powerful wizards. Our main character is not just such a wizard, he is also a private detective called to investigate a murder that clearly had a supernatural hand in it. I really enjoyed this novel and am planning to continue with the series ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8. Crumbs by Danie Stirling was another graphic novel I got from the library. It was a cute and heartwarming love story set in a fantasy world. Definitely recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
