january 2024 reading wrap*up!!
a collection of the books i read (or thought about reading)
this fine (super*dee*dooper chilly!!) first month of the leap year!
book links beneath each weekly reading book review video shall take you to the book on bookshop.org where you can conveniently shop for books online while supporting independent bookstores across the country. win win win! (movies take you to imdb.) ;)
✨ weekly reading book review january 2024: episode one!! ✨
here are the books i read (& loved) last week:
❤️ BEAUTY & THE BEAST: DIARY OF A FILM, by jean cocteau (grown*up non*fiction)
❤️ ON THE HORIZON, by lois lowry (middle grade historical poetry)
❤️ THE SECOND ENDING, by michelle hoffman (grown*up SO GOOD fiction)
❤️ NO ONE CAN KNOW, by kate alice marshall (grown*up cold case/murder mystery family secrets; a december book of th emonth pick!! click here for my friend link to join/pick your first book for $5! )
today i’ll be filming my picture book deep*dive crayon box video for the stunning:
❤️ IN A JAR, by deborah marcero
currently reading:
❤️ A DARKENING OF DRAGONS, by s.a. (seth) patrick (middle grade fantasy/faerie tale— so ridiculously great!)
miiiiight read next:
❤️ THE STARDUST THIEF, by chelsea abdullah
❤️ HOW TO TELL A STORY, by the moth collective
✨ weekly reading book review january 2024: episode two!! ✨
this week i read:
❤️ A DARKENING OF DRAGONS by s.a. patrick (perfect middle grade faerie tale quest)
❤️ THE CHANCE TO FLY by ali stroker & stacy davidowitz (musical theatre middle grade for the broadway*bound kiddos!)
❤️ STARLING HOUSE by alix e. harrow (grown*up sentient house gothic appalachia perfection!!)
currently reading :
❤️ MIDNIGHT SHOWING by megan shepherd (also for spooky-inclined grown*ups!!)
also enjoying:
❤️ HAMLET from the royal shakespeare company , featuring david tennant & sir patrick stewart (filmed in 2010)
❤️ OUT OF A JAR by author*illustrator deborah marcero
might read next:
❤️ A STARLET’S SECRET TO A SENSATIONAL AFTERLIFE by kendall kulper (YA; how did this one miss my radar?!)
✨ weekly reading book review january 2024: episode three!! ✨
this week i read:
❤️ MIDNIGHT SHOWING by megan shepherd (grown up spooky cinema art thriller!!)
❤️ LOVEBOAT, TAIPAI by abigail hing wen (amazing YA cultural traveling swoony contemporary)
❤️ & a re*read listen to: SHORT holly goldberg sloan (middle grade theatre!! )
currently reading:
❤️ HENRY HAMLET’S HEART by rhiannon wilde (YA BFF > lovers to.. i dunno, i’m not done yet & i’m fingers crossed for a happy ending?! )
also enjoyed this week:
❤️ the greenville symphony orchestra HARRY POTTER & THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (amazingggg!! thanks for the belated Christmas present, dad!!! )
❤️ ORPHEUS a film by jean cocteau (1949)
miiiight read next:
❤️ LOOT by tania james
❤️ THE BLONDE IDENTITY by ally carter
✨ weekly reading book review january 2024: episode four!! ✨
this week i read:
❤️ HENRY HAMLET’S HEART by rhiannon wilde
❤️ ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by gail honeyman
❤️ LOOT by tania james (not my style for some reason ?! storyline hopping & historical fiction & maybe the “promise of the premise” didn’t come through for me?)
also enjoyed (like, a LOT):
❤️ EMMA (2020 from focus features)
maybe reading next for middle grade joy of palette cleansers:
❤️ NORTH OF SUPERNOVA by lindsey leavitt
❤️ ENOLA HOLMES: THE GRAPHIC NOVELS, BOOK ONE by serena blasco, based on the novels by nancy springer!
✨ weekly reading book review january 2024: episode five!! ✨
this week i read:
❤️ LOOT by tania james (not my style of storytelling)
❤️ SARAH BERNHARDT AND HER WORLD, by joanna richardson (pub. 1977; nonfiction research from my library; i liked the pictures but not strong as far as informative narrative storytelling; some good quotes, but not engaging. i had to return this one to the library before i left for arizona, but i might check it out again & see if it’s any better: PLAYING TO THE GODS: SARAH BERNHARDT, ELEONARA DUSE, AND THE RIVALRY THAT CHANGED ACTING FOREVER, by peter rader.)
❤️ PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER by lori m. lee (middle grade hwong mythology in the modern day; looooved it!! )
❤️ WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS by chimamanda ngozi adichie
❤️ WHY I AM NOT GOING TO BUY A COMPUTER (2 essays) by wendell berry
currently reading :
❤️ THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUÍDEA DIVINA by zoraida córdova (looooooove!! grown*up magical realism goodness)
miiiight read next:
❤️ MADAME BUTTERFLY, play by david henry hwang
☁️ THE LATHE OF HEAVEN by ursula k. le guin
i’d love to know what stories you’ve enjoyed this month or are carrying with you into HEART MONTH!!
thanks for tuning in!
> as ever, my book recs (favourite stories, enjoyable reads, or informative!) by category are available on my curated by category for you on my bookshop.org halthegal page right here! :)
> and please send your february new middle grade release suggestions from you or someone you love who wrote a book! i don’t have a signed, indie pre*order placed yet! (see january’s here!)
>and don’t forget to sign up for the crayon box by january 31 for january’s exclusive (er, amazing!) sticker mail and make sure you’re on the list for february’s very special heart month happy mail! :D
my patreon: the crayon box (a monthly membership and community! join for as little as $5/month to bring real, live happy mail to your mailbox every month + a peak into my studio mess*making with art techniques and create-a-longs as you support my writing and illustrating career!)
❤️xo,
*hallie :D