January 2021 Wrap-Up!
Here it is! My wrap-up for the first month of 2021. This month, I embarked on a jumble of books that, looking at them now, have no rhyme, reason, or theme. However, this month was about finishing up books from last year and making a dent in my TBR list! Consider my January wrap-up as kind of an Island of Misfit Toys situation. So, in the very strange order in which I read them, here’s January’s lineup!
KISS (I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night) – Aileen Weintraub
How very fitting that the first book I completed in 2021 was about an 80s hair band. To be truthful, my main motivation behind this selection was that I had a long road trip to make and needed an audiobook. One of my proudest and most loudly-flaunted guilty pleasures is what I fondly call Dad Rock, so this book caught my eye right away. This was a fun, short read, and I got to learn a ton of info about a band I’ve grown up listening to. The writing was a little hokey and not super well-done, but I imagine this book played a part in KISS’s never-ending marketing tactics, so who am I to be uppity about it?
The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde
Here we have a book that, seeing as I studied English for my undergraduate degree, people far and wide have already presumed I’ve read. However, this book was always a daunting classic that I would shy away from in fear of it flying at a cool 15,000 feet over my head. How wrong I was! I absolutely loved this story. Traveling with young Dorian Gray through nearly an entire lifetime while Dorian faces his internal battle with the loss of his youth was a perfect mix of tragic and mystical. The characters were intricate and complex; I felt my favor of Dorian and Lord Henry ebbing and flowing throughout the book.
I had mixed feelings about Wilde’s tendency to stray from the plot and go on one philosophical tangent or another, but I think it would be unwise to play literary critic to Oscar Wilde. Overall, I am sorry that it took me so long to read this. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to dip their feet into (or back into) classic literature.
The Ants – Sawako Nakayasu
Here’s my Poetry of the Month pick! This was a delightful little read, and I have been recommending it to people who want to read poetry, but also those who want to read poetry that is completely different. Each poem revolves entirely around ants, detailing both real and fabricated experiences of the ant and human alike. You can check out my more in-depth review of this book here!
The Shining – Stephen King
This was my very first Stephen King novel, and I really don’t think there was a better place for me to start. I have been determined to find a King sweet spot; a novel that is classic King but one that wouldn’t terrify me for months to come. I definitely found a perfect fit. The writing was haunting and detailed, and the characters were intricately developed beyond what I was expecting. But why did I have expectations going into this novel at all, you ask? Guiltily, I watched the movie long before I read the book, and I’ve loved it for years. Normally, I am a robust advocate for the book-before-movie crowd, and I actually feel so strongly about the comparison of The Shining book and movie that I am writing an entirely separate post about it! Post to come 😁
In A Holidaze – Christina Lauren
Now, I know what you’re thinking right off the bat with this one: Um, a holiday book? There are Christmas lights on the cover?? It’s January!? And I understand this sentiment. However comma, I needed a pick-me-up, as I had spent the last few weeks reading The Shining and A Gentleman in Moscow. Both of these books, mind you, detail men who are trapped in hotels, and I needed something light and fluffy. In a Holidaze was exactly what the doctor ordered. This story had a nice dose of family/ holiday fuzzies, a shot of time travel, and a BIG helping of a soapy love story. This was a light and sweet read that perfectly bookended the holiday season.
A Gentleman In Moscow – Amor Towles
I have to precursor this by saying that Amor Towles is one of my all-time favorite authors. I think his style is incredibly romantic and detailed, and I fall in love with his characters every single time. This novel tells the story of Alexander Ilyich Rostov’s life while under house arrest in a grand hotel in Moscow. Something I love about Towles’s writing is his ability to romanticize absolutely everything— he provides the most elegant descriptions of people, places, food, and furniture alike. This could be a hang-up for some, but I thought the leisurely pace was fitting for the story.
I will say wish I had a bit more historical context when it came to early Russia. Historical happenings are peppered throughout the story, and while my lack of prior knowledge by no means hindered my love of the story, a crash course on the Stalin era would have definitely benefited me. This book was true to Towles; it was elegant and beautifully crafted. I’d recommend this to someone who wanted to spend a long, long time with some pretty terrific characters.
And that’s it! Thanks for checking out my January wrap-up, I can’t wait to show you what I read next month!
