January reading summary and February TBR

I only managed to read 4 books in January, and one of them was a novella. But, it’s not bad for a month where my brain was highly preoccupied with work/life decisions and politics.

Here is my very brief assessment of each (links go to Goodreads):

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton (kindle) — I am such a sucker for books set in the dance world, and this did not disappoint. If you also love books about dancers, and/or YA psychological thrillers, you’ll probably also enjoy this book.
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (kindle) — This one wasn’t really my jam, but if you like ghosts and witches, you may really love this novella.
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (kindle) — I enjoyed this one and read it really quickly. But, it contained a few elements that aren’t really my favorite. I’m not a big fan of “underworld” settings, and I’m not a big fan of the fantasy trope where the hero is keeping a great big secret that he can’t tell the heroine and she just has to trust him (like Beauty and the Beast). If you’re into those types of stories, you’ll probably really love this book.
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski (kindle, library) — This is the book that they should use as a reference text in sex ed classes. I was a little bummed by the fact that it’s very much a “pop” science book. I probably would have enjoyed slightly less “pop” and slightly more “science,” but there are footnotes galore for anyone looking to follow up and get more science. Overall, I think this is a very important book (even if you think you know everything about your body and your sex life is great) that more people need to know about.

What I plan to read in February…

I’ve decided to include as many books by black authors as much as possible on my February TBR in honor of Black History Month. Here are the books I’ve selected to read this month (links go to Goodreads):

Writing the Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward (kindle) — This is an essay based on a 1992 Clarion West Writers Workshop that I’m reading in preparation for the world-building workshop I’m attending this month. So excited!
Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison (kindle) — This is another short non-fiction work I’m reading in preparation for the world-building workshop I’m attending this month. So excited!
Home (Binti #2) by Nnedi Okorafor (kindle) — This one just came out on Tuesday. I had it pre-ordered, but I had to wait until I’d finished my (overdue) library loan before I could turn my Kindle off airplane mode and pull down this novella.
The Book Smugglers’ Quarterly Almanac: Volume 2 by various authors (kindle) — I started this over Christmas break, and I’ve been skipping around, reading the various essays and reviews. I haven’t got to the short fiction yet, but so far everything is top notch. Just like the first volume.
The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2) by N. K. Jemisin (kindle) — I’m so excited to read this follow up to what ended up being my favorite book I read in 2016.
Homegoing by Yaa Gaasi (hardcover) — I’ve had this on my TBR for WAY too long. Months ago, I got about 50 pages in and had to put it down. Yesterday, I re-started it from the beginning. Now I’m about 1/3 of the way done with it, and I plan to finish this by the end of this week. My delay in reading this has nothing to do with how much I like it. It’s purely a form-factor thing. I just have limited time available for reading hardcover books.

Since several of these are shorter length pieces, I think this is a totally do-able TBR for February. And, since I’m working on setting more realistic goals for myself, that’s a good thing. Maybe more on that in a future post… Until then, Happy Groundhog’s Day! I hope you have plenty of good books to read to get you through the six more weeks of winter predicted by that lovable, marmot mascot, Phil! 🙂