What I read in January 2023

And January’s done! I went into a semi-hibernation mode and did find myself hitting reset a little since the new year. That had a positive impact on my reading in that I’ve already hugely enjoyed the books I’ve reviewed this month and ticked a few things off my vague like-to-be-able-to-achieve-in-2023 list. So, onto the five great books I read this month…

My January Book Reviews:

(Click on book title for my full review.)

/ Lie With Me by Philippe Besson

/ The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

/ Undoctored by Adam Kay

/ The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell

/ Weyward by Emilia Hart

If you fancy a reading challenge that is very do-able this year, I can recommend the Oxfam Reading Challenge – it has a monthly theme and you do the rest! It’s the perfect level of commitment for me. January’s theme is thriller and I feel that The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels absolutely ticks that box. It might be slightly more crime fiction but it tips into thriller territory and was definitely my most thrilling read of January. Highly recommend!

My other fiction books were a great blend. Lie With Me is translated from French about a man who falls in love with another man in a small French village in the 1980s when it just wasn’t acceptable to do that. Such a beautifully written, heart-wrenching read. The Whispering Muse is the latest slice of perfect Gothic fiction from Laura Purcell and Weyward is a witch-themed feminist tale – all of them fantastic reads.

Reading more non-fiction is on the above mentioned list and I’m aiming for one a month this year, so have started well with Undoctored – Adam Kay’s memoir that references some of his hospital diaries, as did his worldwide smash This is Going to Hurt. Undoctored takes a far more personal approach for a still really funny but truly emotional read.

So that was my January, what did you read this month – let me know below. Until next month, happy reading!