The 4 Books I Read In January

Hey guys!

I've started experimenting with different things I'd like to include in this blog (See the above graphic), and I'm still trying to decide on what I like and don't like. However, if you enjoy seeing graphics like the one above, please let me know!

Anyway, my Goodread's goal this year was to read 60 books, and have 40 of those be books I haven't read yet. Though I didn't read a whole lot of books in January (for me, anyway), I read 3/4 of these books for the first time! So, without further ado, here are the books I read in January!

1. The Lucky Ones- Anna Godbersen

This book is actual the final book in the Bright Young Things series. This series is set in New York in 1929, and follows 3 girls: Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid. Cordelia has been living with her conservative aunt in Ohio, since the death of her mother, but dreams of running away to New York City to meet her father, who is a famous bootlegger. Letty is Cordelia's best friend, who is also a member of a conservative family, but yearns to be a singer, something she can't do in a house where singing and dancing are forbidden. Then there's Astrid, who is dating Cordelia's brother Charlie. Astrid loves the attention that Charlie gives her, but is always wondering if he is really the man for her. Once Letty and Cordelia make it to New York, they experience more thrills than they ever thought possible. But they learn that beneath the glamour of the city lurks more danger than they could ever imagine. 

I really love this series. YA Historical Fiction is hard to come by, and Anna Godbersen does it beautifully in this series, as well as The Luxe series. I love the Jazz Era, so if you are a fan of 1920's based novels, I highly recommend it. The Lucky Ones was definitely the weakest novel in the series, but certainly worth the read.

Burned- Ellen Hopkins

Burned is YA Contemporary novel. The book is about Pattyn Von Stratten, a young Mormon girl who lives with her abusive dad, her mother who dismisses the abuse as "God's Will," and multiple sisters that Pattyn is responsible for raising. When Pattyn's father catches her in a compromising position with a boy, her parents send her to live with her estranged aunt in Nevada. With her aunt, Pattyn is shown love and compassion like never before, and meets a boy who accepts her for each of her faults. However, Pattyn soon learns that her demons won't let her be. 

The story line to Burned was solid, and it made me want to keep reading. Hopkins did write this book in verse, as if it was a poetry book, which made it quick to get through, but was definitely not for me. I'm still not sure if I'll end up reading the rest of this series, but I enjoyed reading this.

Strange the Dreamer- Laini Taylor

This books follows Lazlo Strange, a former monk turned librarian. Lazlo has always been known as a dreamer, because he has dedicated his life to studying the mysterious land of Weep. When an opportunity arises that allows Lazlo to visit this strange land, and also to help break the curse that was left behind by Weep's slain Gods, he jumps at it. But he discovers that Weep, it's mysteries, and it's "dead" Gods, are far more curious than he could have imagined.

I really enjoyed this book! It was beautifully written, had a solid plot line, and the characters and fantasy elements were wonderfully developed. The only thing I didn't love about this book was that the first 1/3-1/2 of this book was a little slower- there wasn't a whole lot of action, like at all. But the rest of the book was so worth the heavy beginning.

You're The One That I Want- Cecily von Ziegesar

Again, this book is one of the later ones in the series (the 6th, to be exact). Most people have seen the TV show, but in case you haven't: It's about a group of upper class kids that live in New York City, and always find themselves in some kind of trouble. The YA Contemporary series of the same name, follows roughly the same plot.

I really love the show Gossip Girl, but I am reading the series more out of obligation than anything. The books follow a different plot line than the show, and while the plot is definitely entertaining, it's certainly not a must read. I plan on continuing the series to the end, but again, it's not a must read.

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Well, there you have it, the books I read in January! If you guys are interested in keeping up with what I'm reading, or in what I rated these books, friend me on Goodreads! And, as always, feel free to connect with me through Facebook or Twitter. Happy reading!