What I Read This January

This year I am participating in the Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge, so I thought I would use my very neglected blog to keep track of what I have read and how I have enjoyed it. The first month has been easy as I have had a lot of free time to read and peruse the library and my own collection of books for things that fit the list. I figure it will get harder as the categories fill up and I want to read what ever I feel like at the time. We shall see if I can stick with it!

In January I read the following books:

The Rosie Effect - Graeme Simsion ★★★

A book with bad reviews – this book received some terrible reviews, although it wasn’t as great as the first in the series it was an okay read. 

Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins ★★★★

A book written by someone under 30 – I have been meaning to read this in a while and I finally got around to it. It was a very cute easy read, I kinda want to sneak the rest of the series into the year if I can.

Ghost World – Daniel Clowes ★★★

A graphic novel – An easy read, a good choice for my first ever graphic novel.

The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint – Exupery  ★★★★

A book that was originally written in another language - Weird in a good way just as I expected it would be.

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison – Piper Kerman ★★★★★

A book with a colour in the title – Such a fascinating read, I didn’t think it would be as exciting as the show is but it was very interesting once it got into the story. I’m very glad to know that real life Larry is not a complete douchepants. 

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares – Rachel Cohn & David Levithan ★★★★

A book set during Christmas – A fun little adventure. I really love this type of story and this pair of authors have done a few like this together, I want to read them all now.

The Bear – Claire Cameron ★★★

A book that scares you – I originally picked this one up at the airport for book chosen based only on it’s cover but decided to use it as a book that scares you as the concept really did terrify me (also I don't really want to read a SCARY book, I mean even as a child I was too chicken to attempt the Goosebumps series). Although not really scary I did put it down before the bear attack happened not wanting to read it. I really didn’t like the way it was written for most of the book but managed to make it through. I would have liked to read more about how the children recovered over time. 

Animal Farm – George Orwell ★★★★

A book you were meant to read in school but didn’t – I think this would have had more impact on me if read at a more impressionable age. Unfortunately my schools never had me read any of the traditionally read at school books like this.

Jasper & Abby: and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle – Kevin Rudd ★★★

A book set in your hometown - KRudd should probably stick to politics, just sayin’. 

Winger – Andrew Smith ★★★★

A book set in a highschool – A good read. I borrowed it from the library after seeing it everywhere, I didn’t think I would get into it but then I couldn’t stop reading it. Heartbreaking.

I am still reading Yes Please and will hopefully get around to finishing that off this month. I only purchased two books this month, which is pretty good for me.  Sleepaway Girls and The Bear - one of which was at an airport so does it really count?