With a lofty goal of reading 75 books in 2018, the fact that I only pulled off reading four is a bit concerning! I was sick a few weeks this month which you’d think would make for a perfect reading situation, but I slept a lot and I haven’t mastered reading while sleeping yet. I’ll catch up in February so I’m not too worried! The following books are the four I was able to read and what I thought about each. Overall, I enjoyed most of my reading experiences in January!
Fan Girl by Rainbow Rowell
When I picked this up, I had no idea what this book was about. I’d seen it photographed and read rave reviews on social media so I decided, on a whim, to grab it and read it. Without reading the back, I jumped in, trusting the bookstagramers wouldn’t lead me astray! A few pages in I started reading about places and restaurants that are familiar to me. Building names and campus hangouts mentioned in the book were taking me back to my own college days. Finally, I made the connection that the book takes place at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, the school at which I received my bachelors degree! This made reading FanGirl even more fun for me! It took me back to my own days on that same campus! Rowell sure knows how to write young adult literature. The storyline was intriguing and the book flowed smoothly throughout. I would definitely recommend this for someone looking to find a place to get lost in for a weekend! That’s how long it took me to finish!
While My Eyes Were Closed by Linda Green
I downloaded this book on my IPad before a trip to Tucson to visit my sister and her family. I hate flying so I was looking for a mystery type novel to help distract me on the plane! It definitely kept me interested enough to get me through my flight relatively unscathed. The mystery in this book wasn’t as suspenseful as I usually prefer but the story line was great. I am usually pretty good at predicting what will happen in books but this one had me on my toes! It had a few twists that I definitely didn’t see coming!
My Forever Girl by Heidi McLaughlin
Ok this will be harsh but I did not like this at all. I was excited because the series is coming out on the big screen so I assumed it would be a great book. The writing style and vocabulary felt very young and amateur. I wanted to close the book so many times because the phrasing and word choice was painfully simple. I felt like any Joe Shmo off the street could have written this book. The storyline was cute and, while the ending was predictable, it was on the heartwarming side. Now if only it was written better! This is a definite no go for me!
Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee
This was my favorite of the month by far! I actually spent a whole weekend evening only reading this book, with no temptation to turn on the tv or binge on Netflix! This book resonated with me closely for personal reasons which I’m sure is part of why I enjoyed it so much. As a dog trainer and huge dog lover I enjoyed the story being told from the perspective of both the owner and the dog. I have already recommended this to a number of people!
All in all, I had some successful reads. I guess I’ll really have to kick it in the butt in February to catch up on my goal! Although, February is short and the Olympics are on everyday so…. we’ll see!
Erin
What better time to start a blog about finding happiness in cozy places than at Christmas?! Christmas is, by far, the coziest time of year! Am I right?! Some people are so wrapped up in the stress revolving around this time of year that they don’t step back to enjoy the best parts of it. I’m the other kind of person that throws myself so deeply in the coziness of this time of year that I start stressing and fearing it being over. I worry about going back to a boring, Christmas magic-free life. But for now, I will stay in the cozy, happy mindset that is Christmas for me. 
tradition to go to the mountains and chop our own tree down, in a permitted area of course. We typically do this the weekend after thanksgiving and then the fun REALLY starts. This year I decked out our house in white lights and garland and man-o-man does it get my happy juices flowing. The warm white lights match the flicker of candles throughout the house. The fireplace and the tree lights make the ornaments glitter and sparkle throughout the tree. Isn’t reading about it just making you get the warm fuzzies?! It’s making me think about ditching this blog post to go lie in my living room. Just kidding… but seriously. I grew up in a house that was always colorful and bright for Christmas. The tree lights were vibrant colors and the ornaments were a modge podge of childhood school projects and hand-me-down ornaments from family members. It was the perfect family tree and truly kicked off my love of Christmas. The décor in my own home is quite a bit different with metallic accents and hardly a bright color in sight but it still takes me back to the magic I felt every year at Christmas as a kid.