January 2024 Reads: A Book Review Roundup

My goal for 2024 is to read more. Usually, I do a weight loss goal or a fitness goal of some kind, but since I am pregnant, that doesn’t make a lot of sense this year. So I am trying to make time to read. It’s been surprisingly easy and I’m shocked how much I have already read this month. I started my 2024 reading goal with 25 books. I wanted to read my book club book every month, plus one for fun and then find a time to add in an extra book throughout the year. I’ve read 13 books in January. So I’ve already upped my goal to 50 books in 2024.

I was able to read this many books for a few reasons. First, I added the Kindle app to my phone. I end up spending a lot of time in my toddler’s room waiting for him to fall asleep so this is where the majority of my reading happens. Secondly, I use the Libby App to read books from my library. The shorter books that have holds become available much more quickly than the longer books, so I read a lot of shorter, lighter reads this month. It was just easier to get my hands on them. I can usually finish these in a day or so. Finally, I’m a fast reader. I always have been. So when I’m committed to a book, I finish it pretty quickly.

Here’s a roundup of the books I read in January 2024. I liked most of these and they kept me hooked throughout the month:

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult – ★★★★

I was a huge Jodi Picoult stan in high school. I kind of stopped reading her books after the Alaskan Dog Sled book because I hated that one. This book was very similar to her books I loved back in high school. Plus the lawyer in the book is the same lawyer from “The Pact” and “Nineteen Minutes” and I loved both of those. So I was very happy to read the reminiscent style book of hers. I called the ending but there was a twist in the middle I did not see coming.

Beach Read by Emily Henry – ★★★★

My sister turned me on to Emily Henry books and I can’t get enough of them. Her books are feel-good, easy reads and I can read through them very quickly. I liked “Beach Read” and the characters, but it wasn’t my favorite Emily Henry I read this month (more on that in a second) but I still really liked it. Worth a read, but hold out for my favorite in a few.

Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry – ★★

I wanted to like this one because Emily Henry is one of the authors but it wasn’t my favorite. A LOT was going on in this plot. I was hoping for a Thelma and Louise situation which was kind of the theme, but it got lost a little along the way.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan – ★★★★

Sometimes I like a love story with someone a little older and not just two hot people in their twenties falling in love. Nora is divorced, forty and has two kids. So it was a light, feel-good read, but I like that it wasn’t just twenty-somethings falling in love.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – ★★★★

We love an enemies-to-lovers trope. This time it’s set in an office of two executive assistants. Super cute story and again, a very easy read. I also watched the movie after I read this one, and the book is so much better. Lucy Hale is a perfect Lucy, but do yourself a favor and read the book.

Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham – ★★★★

If you love “Gilmore Girls” and you’ve read “Talking as Fast as I Can” you should read this one next. Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) puts together a candid and charming collection of essays. She’s very witty and Gilmore fans can just hear her reading this to you in your head.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry – ★★★★

This book is practically a Hallmark movie in book form. Which is also kind of the theme of the book. It’s a lovely read and you’ll fall in love with Nora and Charlie. I would rank this second in my Emily Henry books this month.

Happy Place by Emily Henry – ★★★★★

Ok, this is my favorite Emily Henry book from the month. We LOVE a second-chance love story plus a beach house full of your besties. If you’re going to start Emily Henry books, read this one first. I just loved it.

True Biz by Sara Novic – ★★★★

This is my book club book for the month. It was one of the first books I read this year. There were aspects I loved about it like learning more about the deaf community and each chapter teaches a little bit of American Sign Language. But there were other parts I didn’t love, like Kyle/Slash. I’m giving it a four for the pieces I thought were super interesting, but if you took that part away, I would give it a three.

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood – ★★★★

This was on the Goodreads best romance list for 2023. I liked the academic love story (they are physicists hence the “theoretically” part). The emails from her students had me cracking up. It got a little spicy once they finally got together and went a little off-plot, but overall another cute, easy read that I would recommend.

Friends Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry – I’m not ranking this one 🙂

I’m not ranking this one because it doesn’t feel right to rank. I am the biggest “Friends” fan on the planet and was wrecked by Matthew Perry’s death. I decided to read his memoir and it was heartbreaking. Especially knowing that he dies. It’s hard to read, but it was a beautiful book learning about his life and everything he went through. Definitely worth a read.

The Cousins – Karen M. McManus – ★★★★

I loved the “One of Us is Lying” series so I’m reading more Karen M. McManus series. This was another good mystery story about cousins who had never met and were summoned to an island by a mysterious grandmother. I liked it a lot! Good twists along the way.

The Legacies – Jessica Goodman – ★★★

It’s giving “Gossip Girl” meets “Pretty Little Liars” and I am here for it! Good twists happening throughout.

January’s reading journey was a delightful mix of genres and emotions, leaving me eagerly anticipating the literary adventures that lie ahead in the coming months. Whether you’re in the mood for romance, suspense, or self-discovery, this eclectic list has something for every reader. Happy reading!