Recommended Reading - January 2014

This year, my goal is to read 85 books. This is a lower goal than I set for myself in 2013 - 100 books. I managed to read 101, but it was a push there at the end. This year, I'm giving myself permission to read a bit less and to, oh, I don't know, write more. Go outside. Spend time with my husband. Do some kind of art work. Breathe.

*****

Books Read in January:  6

Total Books Read in 2014:  6

Standouts:

The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle - this is not an easy read in regards to the subject matter, but Riggle does an excellent job of using three different points of view to paint shades of gray on what's usually considered a black and white subject. It's the added dimension and depth that take this contemporary/women's fiction/family drama story to another level.

*****

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis - this YA dystopian novel flew across the pages. The prose is sharp and tight, the voice tense and tough, and it's because of those things, that when all the emotional and heartbreaking moments hit - and believe me, they will! - they're even more powerful and shocking. And if you're looking for a heroine to give Katniss Everdeen a run for her money, look no further than Lynn. She, along with the other characters in this book, will not soon, or easily, be forgotten.

*****

Have you read anything great during the first month of 2014? Read either of the Standouts or plan to? What books are you looking forward to over the next couple of months?