Books I read in January 2024

This year I’m aiming to read 80 books. Last month I managed to read seven. Some were great, others not so much.

1. Watching You by Lisa Jewell

You’re back home after four years working abroad, new husband in tow.

You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now you’re crashing in your big brother’s spare room.

That’s when you meet the man next door.

He’s the head teacher at the local school. Twice your age. Extraordinarily attractive. You find yourself watching him.

All the time.

But you never dreamed that your innocent crush might become a deadly obsession.

Or that someone is watching you.

Blurb:

My thoughts:

Watching You was an addictive read. The characters were all flawed which made it even more interesting. Some parts were predictable but I think the way it’s written makes up for that.

Rating: 4/5

2. The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

Blurb:

One dead Santa. A town full of suspects. Will you discover the truth?

Christmas in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, to raise money for the church roof appeal. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking amongst the amateur dramatics enthusiasts. Sarah-Jane is fending off threats to her new position as Chair, the fibreglass beanstalk might be full of asbestos, and a someone is intent on ruining the panto even before the curtain goes up.

Of course there’s also the matter of the dead body. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they read the round robins, examine the emails and pore over the police transcripts. Will the show go on?

My thoughts:

It was fun to be back with the same characters we previously met in The Appeal but with a Christmas theme, however not much happens. And it was a bit silly for me. It’s more of a cosy book than a murder mystery.

Rating: 2.5/5

3. Heartstopper vol 5 by Alice Oseman

Blurb:

Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house … But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

My thoughts:

It’s impossible to dislike the Oseman universe. It’s great to be immersed back into the lives of Nick and Charlie as they grapple with the idea of a long distance relationship. The discussion around first loves, first times and healthy relationships is lovely to read about. There’s one book left in this series and it will be a sad day when there’s no more releases.

Rating: 4/5

4. A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber

Blurb:

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

My thoughts:

My first introduction to Garber’s writing was Caraval and while it’s a controversial opinion I did prefer that series to this one. However, that doesn’t mean this wasn’t great. A Curse For True Love was as whimsical as the others, the characters were enthralling and I love Evangeline and Jacks. The only thing I will say as a critique about this last instalment is that it felt like it should have been a duology instead of a trilogy. Not a lot happened in this one in comparison to The Ballad of Never After and I did expect more plot wise. It’s still a fun read though.

Rating: 3/5

5. Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi

Blurb:

Nonso, Remi, Aisha and Solape forge an unbreakable bond at a Nigerian boarding school, where we meet them for the first time in the middle of a riot. The uprising triggers a chain of unforeseen events, forever altering their lives.

My thoughts:

I’m not usually one for short stories but I liked this a lot and how the women were all connected together from one past event. Some of the character’s plot lines weren’t as gripping but overall it’s a book that you could easily fly through.

Rating: 4/5

6. Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

Blurb:

Godwin Baxter’s scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realised when he finds the drowned body of the beautiful Bella, who he brings back to life in a Frankenstein-esque feat. But his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless’s jealous love for his creation . . .

But what does Bella think?

My thoughts:

This was a strange and boring book. It was creepy at times too. There’s a lot of uncomfortable moments and I found it to be quite misogynistic. I did like the originality of it being a book within a book and how the author showed the science behind his creation in a textbook style with images. But it just felt like a male gaze version of Frankenstein.

Rating: 2/5

7. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.

Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death’s door and Kiva receives a new message: Don’t let her die. We are coming.

The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

My thoughts:

I had high expectations for this one, mainly because I’ve heard so many great things about it. I did enjoy some of it. But there wasn’t a lot happening throughout the 400 pages. Without spoilers, there are things that take place throughout the plot that should be high stake and take up most of the story, however those bits only lasted for a couple of paragraphs and didn’t really end up being that interesting. Things I did like included the main character and her backstory; Naari, the prison guard; and the ending. The last few pages have hooked me in and made me want to read the next instalment.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Have you read any of these books? Let me know by commenting below. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter – @bookwormgirl_24