Favorite Books Read in January 2022

Happy Tuesday! It's been a while since I've shared some of my favorite reads, so I thought it'd be fun to share my favorite books from January 2022. I read 32 books in January! It was an excellent month to read.

There were several books that I was really excited to read. Some of the books I read were anthologies, a few were novellas and/or short stories, and others were novels.

Not only did I think it'd be fun to share my favorite reads in January, but I thought it would be fun to link up with Steph and Jana for their "Show Us Your Books" series.

Lies by A.L. Woods

Oh my goodness! This is not a book that I would typically read, but I'm happy that I did. Lies is a second-chance married couple romance. The story falls into several other tropes like workplace romance, opposites attract, and accidental pregnancy. I've read second-chance romance books before but have never read one that involves a married couple, infidelity, or the loss of a child. However, this book really got my attention, so I decided to give it a shot. I devoured this book in a day...it was so good.

Lies is a standalone novel set in A.L. Woods' Reflections universe. The story is about Dougie and Penelope, a newlywed couple whose marriage is falling apart. I don't want to give too much away, but Dougie and Penelope were keeping secrets from each other. However, I think Dougie's secret was far worse. Penelope's "lies" seemed more understandable because she was grieving. It was evident that communication was not one of these characters' strongest suits. Their lack of communication and secrets literally almost destroyed their marriage. Dougie and Penelope kept so much stuff buried inside that it almost consumed them as well. Once everything was out in the open, Dougie really tried to work things out while Penelope was going through a range of emotions and was contemplating divorcing Dougie. Eventually, they both decide to try to work things out.

For more information on the book, click here.

I received an ARC from Grey's Promo in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Snowed Inn for Christmas: A Christmas Anthology

Yes, I am still working my way through some Christmas books. It took me a while to finish this anthology, but only because I had many holiday-themed books to read in November and December. I also had many other books that I had started or needed to finish. 

This anthology was really great. The collection featured nine novellas about couples being together during Christmas. These short stories could be classified as "insta-romance." I love that each couple and story was different. I also loved that there was a story that featured a married couple. 

Pack Darling Part 2 by Lola Rock

I was so excited to read this book. This is the second and final part of the Pack Darling series. The story follows Lilah and the Wyvern pack (Atlas, Jett, Orion, Finn, and Hunter). The Wyvern pack are supposed to be Lilah's mates, but they mess up big time at the end of the first book. Pack Darling Part 2 picks up immediately following the first book's events.

I absolutely loved the groveling that the guys did, and I loved how each one of the guys changed. The character growth was incredible, especially for Jett and Atlas. I also loved how confident Lilah was and how she made sure to stand up for herself and put herself first. I wish there was more of a storyline with the Sorenson pack. I also think that Orion should have done some groveling as well. Lilah definitely forgave him almost immediately. However, I love that he and Lilah got to spend time together. I love that the guys' dads stepped up a little and made sure to make changes to the staff at the school that Lilah lived at; however, I think there should have been more groveling on their part. Of all the characters, it seems that Hunter was the most respectful of Lilah's wishes. We find out what happened to Jett, which was terrible. 

Overall, everything tied up together at the end, but I love that there was an opening for a possible new spinoff series. Fingers crossed that it actually happens.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

I've always loved reading mythology, folktales, fairytales, etc., and am always interested in reading anything by Neil Gaiman. He is one of my favorite writers and storytellers. Norse Mythology had been on my TBR list for a while, and I finally decided to go ahead and read it. And I am so glad that I did. 

Norse Mythology is Gaiman's retelling of myths. The stories are primarily about Odin, Thor, and Loki, with a few other characters thrown in the mix. All of the stories lead up to the final story, which is Ragnarok. 

You can tell that Gaiman researched Norse mythology, and I loved that he included a notes section and a glossary at the end of the book. I ended up looking up several of the different people mentioned in the glossary, and I also learned more about the Poetic Edda. 

I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans by Ginny Hogan

I'm More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans is a book about dating. I enjoyed reading this book and thought it was funny. I loved that this book included lists, short stories, observations, fake text conversations, etc. It definitely made the book even more interesting and unique. I loved the graphics as well. Reading this book almost felt like reading a magazine which I absolutely loved.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What did you read in January? What are you currently reading?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...