Books I Read in January

I had a really good reading month in January, I read 10 books and 2 graphic novels. Here's what I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...

Everless by Sara Holland - This is the first book in a fantasy duology, that is set in a world where time is currency. This was a great first book, the plot is unique and there are elements of mystery and political intrigue that kept me entertained. I did struggle getting into the writing style, but I enjoyed this book.

Frostblood and Fireblood by Ellie Blake - This book follows a Fireblood, Ruby, who lives in a world of Frostbloods and she becomes enlisted to take down the corrupt Frostblood ruler. I enjoyed the first books in this trilogy, it definitely has plenty of cliches, but I found the story interesting and the writing is executed well. I'm looking forward to the release of the last book in June.

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu - This follows Bruce Wayne before he becomes Batman. I'm not a huge superhero fan, I like watching the movies, but I was never into the comics, but I've really enjoyed the DC Icons series so far. I also was surprised to see a Filipino main character in this book, and I wish she had a larger role. Overall this was a quick and fun read.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - This story follows Jules and her sisters, who are kidnapped and raised in the world of Faerie. There has been so much hype surrounding this book, that I was eagerly anticipating it's release, and I was not disappointed. It took a while for me to get swept up into the story, but once I did, I couldn't put this book down. The plot definitely leans towards a slow burn type of story, and I loved that aspect. I really grew to love the characters and I can't wait until the next book is released.

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli - This book follows Asha, a dragon slayer, enlisted by her father to kill the first dragon and motivated by his promise to end her impending marriage. I loved this story, the world building is incredible and I loved the characters. I listened to this on audiobook, and I would highly recommend it. This is another book that had a slow burn development and at times it did drag, but I still really enjoyed it.

Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett - This book follows Kamzin, who is enlisted by a renowned explorer to help climb a deadly mountain. I enjoyed this book, the world building is so well done and I love how the author was inspired by Himalayan culture. I was also really surprised that the author chose not to explore the love triangle angle of this story, and I really enjoyed that it wasn't an issue in the story.

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye - This story follows two enchanters as they compete against each other to become the royal enchanter of Russia. I was really intrigued by the premise and the inclusion of Russian history, but every other aspect of this book fell flat. There was no world building and the plot suffered due to an instalove-love triangle. I really don't think I'll continue on with this story.

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - This series follows six criminals, who are hired to pull of an impossible heist. This was a reread for me, because I saw that the audiobook for the first book was on sale, and I've been dying to be back in this universe. The first time around, I didn't fully understand the hype surrounding the first book and I came to absolutely love the second. Reading this again, I was able to fully understand how incredible the first book is, the world building in that book and the character development is absolutely stunning. The only (tiny) issue I have with this series, is that I feel like one character's storyline was left incomplete, and I fully believe that Leigh Bardugo could write a billion more stories surrounding these characters. I absolutely love both of these book, and I definitely will be rereading them again soon.

Wires and Nerve and Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer - This is a graphic novel series that continues the story from The Lunar Chronicles, and follows Iko. I really loved the chance to get back in the Lunar Chronicles universe and read more about some of my favorite characters. These book are  great and quick reads, and I loved the character development of Iko and Kinney. I really hope Marissa Meyer is planning to write more from this universe, because I never want it to end.

And those are all the books I read in January, I did start Wild Beauty but I didn't get too far into it, so I should finish that this month. So many of my anticipated releases are coming out this month, including Immortal Reign, the final book in the Falling Kingdom series, and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. - Jessica