Insert obligatory statement here about how quickly it felt like the month flew by. Time goes by fast when you’re having fun (or are just busy, or any number of things). I had a surprisingly good reading month. It definitely helped that a couple of the books I finished in January were ones I started in December 2022. But they still count! So here we go for my monthly book blog wrap-up for January 2023.
Book Reviews
I posted four reviews in January. From earliest to latest they are:
- Love On the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
- Ledge by Stacey McEwan
- Stardust in Their Veins by Laura Sebastian
- Bookworm by Robin Yeatman
I also want to highlight my roundup of “on my radar” book blogger posts. I also participated in some book memes, which you can find in my January 2023 archive.
Blog Statistics
Every month I share some statistics from Google Analytics because I think it helps put expectations into perspective for other micro-bloggers like me who are out there.
My top five posts for unique (not total) page views in January are:
- Anticipated First Quarter Reads: 54 views
- 2022 Book Blog Review: 39 views
- 2022 Top Ten Favorite Books: 36 views
- ARC Review: Stardust in Their Veins by Laura Sebastian: 32 views
- New Year’s Book Tag: 29 views
#BeatTheBacklog
I finished four books from my physical backlist owned prior to 2023. Those books include WHAT’S THE T? THE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS TRANS AND/OR NONBINARY by Juno Dawson and A ROOM CALLED EARTH by Madeleine Ryan. I also finally finished ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS, a middle grade book by Neil Gaiman. And I read the novella A SPINDLE SPLINTERED by Alix E. Harrow.
NetGalley
I submitted two reviews to NetGalley, keeping my ratio at approximately 80%. But a few approvals arrived, so I’m currently sitting at 77%, which is still quite good.
Other Bookish Items
I finished nine books in January, which is fantastic for me. Those books are:
- WHAT’S THE T? THE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS TRANS AND/OR NONBINARY by Juno Dawson
- ICE PLANET BARBARIANS by Ruby Dixon (audiobook)
- ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS by Neil Gaiman
- BOOKWORM by Robin Yeatman (ARC)
- STARDUST IN THEIR VEINS by Laura Sebastian (ARC)
- A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas (audiobook)
- TO SNAP A SILVER STEM by Sarah A. Parker
- A ROOM CALLED EARTH by Madeleine Ryan
- A SPINDLE SPLINTERED by Alix E. Harrow
I worked on spending less time on WordPress. This is a fine line to walk because I want to post content, but maybe not as frequently. And I also want to blog hop to show support. But, as everyone knows, all of that takes time away from reading, which contributes to our content! Anyway, I think I did pretty well this month. I didn’t post as much, but I still had on par stats. And clearly I read more. This is a work in progress, though, as I figure out what works better for me.
And that’s it for my monthly book blog wrap-up. How was your January in review?
Huh, didn’t know of this Odd and the Frost Giants. Might give it a go some time.
Also how’s the non-book related goals going?
Yea, I found it at a library sale last year. It’s a fun read and the illustrations inside were an unexpected bonus.
Thanks for asking about the non-book related goals! They’re going well. I am sticking to getting my workouts in; I decided on 4x/week to do something. We repainted our entry hallway, so I think next I’ll tackle the dining room. We’ve also reorganized most of one of the guest bedrooms; just a couple more things to do in there and we’ll have one room all set (except for painting).
I’ve had Odd and the Frost Giants on my TBR for ages. What’d you think of it in the end? It’s one of Gaiman’s books that aren’t talked about a lot. I recently read a short story by Alix E. Harrow that made me want to check out her backlist ASAP! I hope you have an awesome reading month in February 🙂
I enjoyed it! It was my second Neil Gaiman read. I’m glad I listened to his Norse Mythology book beforehand because it gave me some background which helped me have a more comprehensive understanding of Odd and the Frost Giants. (Though, you don’t need to read Norse Mythology beforehand…the story makes sense without it.) It’s a middle grade read, so it’s a quick read, which is nice.
Yes, I just saw Harrow’s short story pop up in my Kindle suggestions the other day! I’ll have to read it before I cancel my KU sub. Thanks for the rec! 🙂
You rocked last month! There were so many books that sounded really good or that I read and loved in your wrap up, and I definitely understand the fine line between blog hopping and managing time better. Here’s to a productive February!
Thanks, Leah! 9 books is not the norm for me, but I’ll take it! It’s always reassuring in a way to know I’m not the only one who sometimes feels overwhelmed with keeping up with both the community but also the reading aspect.