Hello friends!

I hope you’re all well and I hope the first month of the year has treated you well – I sure can’t complain!

Today I’m bringing you my first monthly Wrap Up of the year! January was a fairly calm month, but I was still able to read a bunch of cool books that I enjoyed. So I can definitely say I started my reading year the best way!

I ended up reading 7 books in January, all of them part of my original monthly TBR plan plus a few random reads here and there. I’ve read a few books from series I’m currently reading, two standalone thrillers I’ve been dying to get my hands on, a short story, and a contemporary YA romance!

Let’s take a look at the books, shall we?

This is the list I have to share with you today! Let’s take a closer look:

1. Penance by Kanae Minato: 4.5/5⭐

This is the amazing standalone thriller I was telling you about! I’ve already told you I loved “Confessions” by the same author, so I was dying to get my hands on this one! I knew the story would be different obviously, but what surprised me is how similar the writing style and structure is to her other book. So I was thrilled to be reading a similar book (not in story, but in style) to “Confessions”! Really amazing book, I need to find more books from this author, I love her books!

Synopsis

“The tense, chilling story of four women haunted by a childhood trauma.
When they were children, Sae, Maki, Akiko and Yuko were tricked into separating from their friend Emily by a mysterious stranger. Then the unthinkable occurs: Emily is found murdered hours later.
Sae, Maki, Akiko and Yuko weren’t able to accurately describe the stranger’s appearance to the police after Emily’s body was discovered. Asako, Emily’s mother, curses the surviving girls, vowing that they will pay for her daughter’s murder.
Like Confessions, Kanae Minato’s award-winning, internationally bestselling debut, Penance is a dark and voice-driven tale of revenge and psychological trauma that will leave readers breathless.”

2. Off the Grid (Full Throttle #1) by K. Bromberg: 3/5⭐

This was my first time reading a racing-themed romance book, and I enjoyed it but overall it was a little… bland? There was something slightly off about this story that I can’t put my finger on. I had some difficulty caring about the characters and the plot if I’m being honest. With that said, it was an enjoyable read for the most part.

Synopsis

“Spencer Riggs is sexy, intense and driven in his pursuit of all things racing.
That pursuit now includes me.
The cocky bad boy of racing struts onto my father’s team like he owns it. One look from him and I can tell he thinks he owns the boss’s daughter too.
I’m determined to resist that panty-melting smile he keeps flashing my way. I have no time for distractions. Fulfilling a last promise to my father is my only goal.
Race after race, city after city, I do my best to keep it professional. I swear I do.But one night after a hard-fought win, we’re celebrating, and Riggs claims his own sweet victory. Me.
His sizzling touch owns my body, but it’s the broken man beneath the public façade who slowly wins my heart.
Before I realize it, Riggs is the one I’m willing to risk everything for. Even if it means breaking a promise. But with our hearts on the line, will he risk everything for me?”

3. It’s In His Kiss (Bridgertons #7) by Julia Quinn: 3.5/5⭐

Hyacinth was not one of my favorite Bridgertons. It’s not that I don’t like her, but I never truly cared about her as a character – and I don’t know if that’s the reason why I didn’t care a lot about this story. I liked the search for the diamonds and the visits she paid to Lady Danbury, but as far as the romance went, it didn’t pique my interest. It was just another Bridgertons book… time to read the last book, Gregory’s story! I’m so happy I’m finally finishing this series soon.

Synopsis

“The seventh novel in Julia Quinn’s globally beloved and bestselling Bridgerton Family series, set in Regency times and now a series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix. This is Hyacinth’s story: she’s all grown up and ready to cause havoc…
All the ton agree: there is no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton…
Fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and – according to some, particularly Gareth St. Clair – probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her – something charming and vexing – that grabs one and won’t quite let go.
Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual – and annually discordant – Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to help him out with a knotty inheritance problem he’s facing. However, as they delve into the mysterious St Clair history, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the past – but in each other; and that there is nothing as simple – or as complicated – as a single, perfect kiss.
Find out why readers love Julia Quinn…”

4. Borrow My Heart by Kasie West: 4/5⭐

Cuteness overload! You know by now that I’m a huge Kasie West fan, so I’m not surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. This book in particular is perfect for animal lovers, something I wasn’t expecting. It was really cute, the romance was adorable and the plot was interesting – I was rooting for Bean the entire time! Super adorable, definitely recommend.

Synopsis

“When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush.
Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.
Asher is cute, charming… and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he’s waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s… amazing.
It’s not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she’s not who she says she is? Wren’s not so sure… After all, rules exist for a reason.”

5. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas: 3.25/5⭐

I’ve had this book on my TBR List for a very long time, and I had high hopes… but I’m a little disappointed with the story. I really think this story had the potential to be a really engaging and thrilling book, but the plot felt a little flat to me. Not a terrible book, but I needed more action and a wow factor to make it incredible.

Synopsis

“There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.
First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.
That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school… Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.
There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.”

6. The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman: 4.5/5⭐

This quirky story was so funny, I actually laughed at how loud a few times! If you are familiar with Fredrik Backman’s work, you will definitely recognize his style here. He is able to write really funny stories and make them wholesome while subtly sharing his views and comments on humanity – and this book was no different. He has a really special way of writing that I find fascinating and very unpredictable. It was a really fun and easy-to-read short story!

Synopsis

“In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.
Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?
Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.
Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.”

7. Steel Tide (Seafire #2) by Natalie C. Parker: 4.25/5⭐

I’m really liking this series! It’s full of action and I really like the heroine. I’m curious to see how this series will end after reading the cliffhanger. Very cool, I’m impressed with this series!

Synopsis

“The second book in a heart-stopping trilogy that follows the captain of an all-female ship intent on taking down a vicious warlord’s powerful fleet.
Caledonia may have lost her crew, but she’s not done fighting yet. After nearly dying at the hand of a powerful foe, Caledonia is pulled from the sea and nursed back to health by a crew of former Bullets that call themselves Blades. The Blades escaped Aric Athair’s clutches and now live a nomadic existence, ready to disappear at a moment’s notice should trouble come their way.
But Caledonia wants to do more than just hide. She wants to find the Mors Navis and her beloved sisters. She wants to continue fighting Aric’s fleet and to take back the Bullet seas. She’ll need to do everything in her power to convince the Blades that fighting is their only option, that there has to be a life better than the one under Aric Athair’s reign, and that finding the women of the Mors Navis is the first step to revolution.”

As usual, I’ll be posting the reviews for these books soon.

What about you guys? How was your reading month? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading friends, I’ll catch you guys later!