My Favorite Reads on January 2023 and my February TBR
Never did I ever think I’d be making this post I’m honestly not sure what happened to me, but in one fell swoop I went from being a somewhat sporadic reader to like… going hard on reading. This January I broke a personal record of most books read in one month. I’m not sure at all what my previous record was, but let’s just say… I wasn’t counting because there was no point. Maybe five? Maybe?
Last year I read 21 books. This past month I read 12. That’s more than half of last years books read, and guys, it added so much to my life. Not only did I find myself engaging in considerably less screen time, because… who has time to mindlessly scroll when you have a book to read?! But my brain was filled with so many good and shaping thoughts. My heart was stirred. My mind was grown. My life was better. No joke.
Ok—I’d hate to keep you any longer from your next read so here are my January reads in chronological order. Let’s go!!
—Disclosure: I may receive a commission from purchases made via the links in this post.—
1: The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn't, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi
My first read of the year was The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. This book featured super easy, concise, non-threatening ways to make life… just… better. I was introduced to Kendra Adachi through the Lazy Genius podcast, which was recommended to me by a friend. I thought her approach to life made a lot of sense - as in achieve things, but be chill about it. And being a new step-mom and wife, my life has encountered a lot of changes that require more efficiency and focus on what truly matters in my life, and this book was quite possible the best way to kick off a new year. I definitely recommend giving it a read if you’re looking for ways to live you life more efficiently that doesn’t leave you feeling like you’re behind the curve or have catching up to do.
2: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History by Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman
I’m a huge fan of memoirs, and especially memoirs from comedians. The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullaly and Nick Offerman was my first audiobook of the year, and getting to hear Nick Offerman and Megan Mullaly talk about their lives was just a real treat. Despite their fame, they’re surprisingly down to earth, and I more or less felt like I had just set down to a conversation with the two of them. It was funny, life-giving, a little life-advising, and I walked away feeling like I didn’t have to wax my eyebrows anymore. I mean, I might in the future, but still. Overall, a great read.
3: WayMaker: Finding the Way to the Life You've Always Dreamed Of by Ann Voskamp
WayMaker by Ann Voskamp was a book I started on my honeymoon, which was really crazy because the first chapter is literally called honeymoon and about her honeymoon. That was a trip. No pun intended. It took me a while to get through it, but in the end, I was glad I made the final push to finish it. Ann Voskamp speaks and writes very poetically, so digesting her books takes me a little more time than the average read, but her journey in life, marriage, adoption, and her walk with the Lord was, not surprisingly, inspiring and informative. I walked away feeling a sense of hope that I didn’t know I needed.
4: A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman
A Christmas gift to me from a friend, this book was a true delight. So as not to over-spoil the book if you haven’t read it, A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman focuses on a curmudgeon who has experienced many hardships and misgivings in his life, but is mostly a stand-up citizen. His rag-tag bunch of neighbors surround him and help him to find a sense of purpose when he feels he has none. This book made me cry and filled me with the feels. It also reminded me that connection can be found everywhere so long as we’re open to it.
5: At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe by Tsh Oxenreider
My third memoir of the year, At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider focuses on the journey of her family through several countries over the course of nine months. While I thought I would walk away from the book wanting to travel (and don’t get me wrong, I did), what I didn’t expect was that I’d find myself wanting to settle my roots into my home even further. I was grateful for her honest reflections of time spent away from home, and it had me eager to plan a trip with my family to an unforeseen destination to grow ourselves as individuals and as a unit.
6: The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr
The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr was wildly intense for a theological perspective on women in the church. It had a very “F*** the patriachy” vibe, and it was a surprisingly good, Biblical defense of women teaching, preaching, and serving in the church. If you’re not a church-person, I’d give it a hard pass, but if you’re someone who likes history and stories, you might find yourself liking it. The appendix on this bad boy was lengthy, because it was heavily based in research. So, if you’re looking to learn more about this particular viewpoint in the church, definitely crack this baby open and get ready to have your eyes opened. It’s a minor, theological, and at times controversial hum-dinger.
7: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Hilariously, following my two books written by religious authors, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna was anything but. This books focuses on a young witch, who, isolated because of her powers, finds community in the most unexpected of ways. This is probably categorized as romance, which is admittedly not my favorite genre, but to me, it’s so much more than that. It’s about a woman who is finding her place in the world and finding acceptance within it. It wasn’t a perfect book (see: romance), but all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It felt like a hug, and gave me deep desires to move to the UK and start a tea shop.
8: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Oh my sweet goodness, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri was incredible. Winner of a Pulitzer Prize, it’s not that surprising. Jhumpa Lahiri has compiled a handful of short stories, each detailing the experiences of both immigrants who have traveled to the US from Bangladesh and natives stories from Bangladesh. I walked away with a deeper understanding of other cultures and the hardships immigrants endure when they leave their homes. It was layered, complicated, funny, and sad, and I absolutely walked away from the book better for having read it.
9: Mating in Captivity: In Search of Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel
This is an awkward topic for me to talk about publicly, but as you can guess - Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel was about… well… sex… in the context of a committed relationship. If you’re looking to understand more about your partner and the at time complex nuances found through intimacy, her researched based assessments of relationships - focusing on both gay and heterosexual couples - was highly informative. I listened to this as an audiobook, so getting to hear Esther and her amazing European accent was an additional bonus.
10: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
When I put Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin on hold at my local library, I had no idea that it was such a hot item. I literally found it because I was looking for books that were written about the French experience, and for some reason this popped up. I’d like to mention, this has nothing to do with the French experience, or France or… the French language. Nothing. But, much to my surprise and delight, it was about gaming! I used to be a gamer, so many things about this book felt right at home to me. It follows the journey of programmers as they flat out grind to develop and build games. The format was kind of interesting and felt like something akin to a movie. I didn’t entirely love where the story went or the directions it took, but overall, I’d say it was a work of art that I’m better for having read. I left feeling inspired to unabashedly pursue my own creative endeavors, and that made reading the book entirely worth it.
11: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
I had to fight to start this book. I had to fight to finish this book. But that last forty pages had me, folks. I’m not entirely sure why Peace Like a River by Leif Enger was so hard for me to get through, but keeping with a theme I found with a lot of books this month, the “finding a sense of home” vibes were strong here, and involved the journey of a family as they attempted to locate their outlaw brother and son. There are hints of the miraculous, coupled with utter sweetness, especially through the young, daughter character Swede. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, but overall, I’m glad I read it.
12: Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
My last book of January, I listened to Dear Girls by Ali Wong. I shouldn’t have been surprised, because I’ve seen her stand-up routines, but dang it if this girl isn’t dirty. She’s funny. But dirty. Because of that, I at times struggled to finish this book. Just being honest. It was written in the format of letters to her daughters, where she shares stories of her life. At times it was hard to listen to because she speaks so highly of her husband who she has now divorced, and also the nature of the book was just a little more crude that I’d typically like. However, for her intensely inappropriate moments, she also had deeply endearing things to say, and as with other books I read this month, I gained a deeper understanding for the minority and immigrant experience.
In conclusion, January was a beautiful beast of variety, books old, new, and informative. While I’m not sure if February will be quite as sturdy in terms of books read, I’m eager to see what comes my way this month. That being said, here is my February TBR… for now!
February TBR
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
The Audacity by Katherine Ryan
Babel by R.F. Kuang
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny -
I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Neiquist
All the books include links to Amazon so you can purchase them there. :) Storygraph and Goodreads are where I’m tracking my reading this year, and currently, I’m really loving Storyread for it’s analytics!
See the YouTube video on this topic here:
