It’s time for a look at my January reading life!
It’s time for another wrap-up/haul post — and some fun stats!
What I read:
(each title link will direct you to my review for more thoughts!)
emoji key:
✨ review copy → 💞 buddy/group read → 🔁 re-read → 🎧 audiobook → 🍰 graphic novel/manga
🫙 TBR jar → 🗓️ 2023 TBR → 🌻 seasonal TBR → 😻 Devour Your TBR
- The United States of Cryptids // J.W. Ocker ✨
- Episode Thirteen // Craig DiLouie ✨💞
- The Dismembered // Jonathan Janz 💞🫙🗓️
- War // Laura Thalassa 💞
- Freaky Briefs: 75 Short Absurdities // Jeff Strand 🫙
- Famine // Laura Thalassa 💞
- Ark // Veronica Roth 🫙
- Doctor Ice Pick // Claire Prentice
- The Tiger Came to the Mountains // Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- In Darkness, Delight: Creatures of the Night // edited by Andrew Lennon & Evans Light✨🫙
- Something Akin to Revulsion // Judith Sonnet
- “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People // Aubrey Gordon ✨🎧
And now, for some of my favorite recent hauls:
- Guests // Kealan Patrick Burke (adult horror)
- The Stolen Heir // Holly Black (B&N exclusive edition; YA fantasy)
- White Horse // Erika T. Wurth (adult thriller)
- Godkiller // Hannah Kaner (adult fantasy)
- How to Sell a Haunted House // Grady Hendrix (adult horror)
- The Bone Shard Emperor & The Bone Shard War // Andrea Stewart (adult fantasy)
- Sister, Maiden, Monster // Lucy A. Snyder (adult horror)
- Wasps in the Ice Cream // Tim McGregor (adult horror)
- Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women (special hardback re-release; adult horror anthology)
- Night’s Edge // Liz Kerin (eARC; adult horror)
- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride // Roshani Chokshi (eARC; adult fantasy)
And finally, a little life update:
January was absolutely WILD for our family! As many of you already know, we took an impromptu weekend trip to New York to check out a house, and realized that not only did we not want that house, but we didn’t want to move to upstate NY at all. 😅 It’s a long story and I’ve talked about it a bit in previous posts, but the silver lining is that it made me realize maybe I was just feeling very wanderlust-y, and not necessarily wanting to move right away, plus our kiddo seems to have suddenly reached that “terrified of change” age, so… we decided to make the most of our current location and work on renovating our home instead of putting that money towards moving. It’s been a VERY busy past few weeks of remodeling with lots of cleaning, painting, laying new floors, etc., but it’s honestly been a lot of fun and our house is coming together so nicely into something we’re proud of. It’s an old house and we’ve been viewing it as a temporary spot for so long that we’ve never really made it ours, but it’s long past time to change that, especially if Isaac wants us to put down roots here for a while – and who knows, maybe now that we’re giving it a fair shot, we’ll find more to love about this area? 🤞 Even if we don’t, at least we’ll have pretty new paint colors and stuff to look at. 😂
How was your month? What was your favorite book you read or hauled, or what was something nice that happened in your life?
— destiny ♥
Laura Beth
February 3, 2023Great haul! Remodeling and renovating is a lot of work, but it is fun! Al and I want to update our house too. We are looking for a new dining room set, patio furniture, and re-do the bathrooms. It’s exciting to think about. I’m excited to publish my debut novel on February 21st, and then get back to work on my other books!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 20, 2023Thank you! Ooooh, that sounds like a lot of work but a LOT of fun, too – especially the end results! Good luck whenever you tackle the renovations! And good luck with your debut, that’s SO exciting!!!
Laura Beth
February 24, 2023Thank you! We found patio furniture that we like – So that’s next on the list. I have a Books page here on my blog with the link!
ChapterMalliumpkin
February 3, 2023I love your haul! I can’t wait to read Godkiller with you! I’m glad you’re taking time to give your home some love and having fun along the way! January was a wild month for Falco and I, as well, with all the home renovations. But we’ve been getting so much done and it’s been coming along nicely! And the cats are happy about their new mats!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 20, 2023I can’t wait to read more of Godkiller with you all, too! And thank you! I’m glad you guys’ renovations have been going well too! ?
ChapterMalliumpkin
February 21, 2023Yes! We were just talking about replacing wall paneling last night! I’m also hoping I can get out of this reading slump and get back to Godkiller. It’s such a fascinating book from the few chapters I’ve read.
Kara
February 3, 2023I think you’ll like White Horse. It’s pretty intense and not easy, but it’s very well written.
We are repainting our baseboards. After 17 years of being scuffed and kicked and not cleaned on the regular, they need it. It’s amazing how different the one finished room looks now. We also replaced the blinds in that room. So much dust.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 20, 2023Thank you! I’m looking forward to it!
Oooh, I bet that new paint is really refreshing! Baseboards get so gross so quickly, right? ?
mistysbookspace
February 4, 2023I bought The Stolen Heir by Holly Black this month too!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 20, 2023I’m nowhere near ready to read it but I had to lol!!
Leslie
February 6, 2023Looks like a great month!! LOVE all the charts though. haha! I hope you have an amazing February! <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 20, 2023Thank you love!!! I hope February is being good to you!!
Leslie
February 21, 2023Yes, it hasn’t been too bad! I’m excited for another month of pregnancy down. haha
yourwordsmyink
February 21, 2023I also got Stolen Heir this month, I really enjoyed it. I hope you have a good February!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 22, 2023I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ? and thank you, I hope you did too!