The Bookish Bulletin: January 2020

Oh my goodness, you guys! We’re in 2020! Usually, January feels like the longest month ever for me but this year, that really wasn’t the case. January was eventful, to say the least. More on that later! You may have noticed the blog is slowly coming ‘alive’ again and it makes me so happy I could burst. Blogging (and reading books, too) has been a struggle for a really, really long time but I’m finally finding joy in it again! Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to in January (and what I’ll be reading this month)!

January Wrap Up

A Lite Too Bright by Samuel Miller. I started this one halfway through December and finished it on January 2nd. I always struggle with this. Does it count towards 2019? Or 2020? Since I read half the book in January and finished it that month as well, I decided it counts towards this year. It was so good, by the way!
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab. I really wanted to get back into reading, but I wasn’t feeling the long, big books. Since Tunnel of Bones is a short middle grade, I thought it was perfect! I finished it super quickly and I really feel as if it got me back into reading. Like all of Victoria’s books, I really love this one.
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. Woah, woah, woah. This one was so unique! Like, I don’t think I’ve read something like this before? It’s dark and moody and atmospheric and if I start using those kind of words, you know it’s GOOD!
Crier’s War by Nina Varela. GUYS, I’m so excited about this one!! First of all, the main character shares my name and second; I loved this one so much I just had to write a review. Which hadn’t happened in forever. Looking back, I think this one specifically which made me think: ‘Damn, I really love reading.’
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. This was my first audiobook of the year and it was just so. freaking. good! I struggle picking up audiobooks because I genuinely just don’t know what I want to listen to, so I was casually like ‘I’ll just get this one, I guess?’ And then BOOM. I LOVED IT. Review to come, y’all!
These Divided Shores by Sara Raasch. I finished this on the last day of January and it felt like the biggest accomplishment; 6 books in a month! I think that’s the equivalent of what I read in the last half of 2019? Okay, I probably read a little more than that, but it’s just so exciting. And this duology ended so beautifully as well!

Favourite Posts

I only published two posts last month, and to be quite honest with you, they’re both my favourites. My review of Crier’s War by Nina Varela is the first “proper” review I wrote in probably a year or so. I was just so utterly in love with this book, I had to write a review.

The other post I published is a list of some of my most anticipated YA releases for 2020. For a long time, I wasn’t really looking forward to anything new because genuinely didn’t know what was even coming out (besides sequels I was looking forward to). As I was getting back into reading and blogging, I just felt this rush of excitement over upcoming books, and decided I wanted to blog about it!

Blogging & Life Update

Getting back into blogging is honestly making me so happy. For a long time, I would start on a blog project and it wouldn’t really work out the way I wanted to. And then it would often trigger an anxiety attack… Also, I wasn’t reading; what would I even blog about!? It was a serious struggle. I’m back now, though I’m taking things slowly. I have some ideas, and I’ll work them out when I’m feeling up for it. This post, for example? Written up within an afternoon, just because I feel like it! Usually, I’d have my content planned out weeks or even months in advance and in the end, it would make me unhappy. This kind of post is still sort of a monthly thing, but I’m not going to push myself every month to type one up!

I think the main reason I’m doing so well with reading and blogging – and just life in general as well – is because I have started taking antidepressants. The past few months have been so terribly difficult, and I just hit a point this past month where I thought: ‘this is only going to get worse if I don’t act now‘ and so I made a doctors appointment. I didn’t expect to be leaving with medication, but I’m very glad I did. The first week and half were horrendous. Oh my god, I have been so physically sick. This stuff messes with your body! I was told to expect it, so I did, but stubborn me just kept living life as if nothing changed. I even still took on extra shifts at work! Sometimes my hands would just start shaking, and my muscles felt like they’d lost strength. This one morning I was working the cast register at work (standing from 8.30am to 1pm!) and about halfway through, I actually felt my abs! Like, my body had to readjust so bad (I get SUPER tense while stressed/anxious) my abs were holding me up straight, because my back was DONE. Thankfully, it got better at the start of the second week and I can now (after 3 weeks) I think I’m physically fine again.

Mentally, I’m doing very, very well, by the way. I genuinely felt depressed when I went to see my doctor and once I started taking my antidepressants, I realised how much of my life was controlled by a constant state of anxiety. I’m just so much calmer now. Like, I had to go do this work thing where I’d be meeting a group of total strangers, in a place I’d never been before. Usually, this would drive be absolutely crazy for like a week, and would usually make me cry because I would actually be scared. I was a tiny but nervous the night before, but the next morning I took the train to Rotterdam and I wasn’t anxious at all! I did get a little nervous as I entered the building I had to be in, but it was a normal kind of nervous and realising that made me so. damn. happy. I went shopping afterwards, and it was the happiest afternoon I’ve had in months.

Book Haul

So, if you look closely at the picture above, it’s actually not a book haul pic, but a wrap up one, hahah! My head wasn’t in it when I took it, I guess… But then I guess my haul picture wouldn’t actually be that impressive. I bought a lot of books back in November and have been trying not to buy any more books since then. It actually gone really well so far, but of course I did manage to acquire some new books.

I got Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin on Audible at the start of January and started listening right away, I’m obsessed! Then I don’t think I bought any books until I went to Rotterdam at the end of the month. I bought The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess volumes 3 and 4 by Akira Himekawa in my favourite book shop plus Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, which is a Pinguin Little Black Classic. I’ve been wanting to collect these for years (I currently have three) but I never really bought any! Just a few days ago, I ordered The Night Country by Melissa Albert off Amazon and pre-ordered Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare. Both are/have been such anticipated releases and I can’t wait to read them! Finally, I got an ARC of Havenfall by Sara Holland, because I’m part of the blog tour! I’m currently reading it, and so far so good! (Check my Goodreads profile for updates as I read!)

February TBR

Making a TBR for February feels a bit “scary” because January has been such a good month for reading without one. I know I don’t need to make TBR, but I have so many books that I just want to prioritise a few (after finishing my current reads.)

The Night Country by Melissa Albert. I ordered this one so I could read it like right away. I loved The Hazel Wood so much, I just need to find out what happens next! It’s definitely at the top of my TBR.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han. OH MY GOODNESS, I’m so excited for this one. I listened to book one as an audiobook, then read book two in Dutch and now I finally, FINALLY, own the hardcover box set. Which means it’s time for the finale! I want to try and read more contemporary this year and this feels like a great start!
Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare. I can’t believe this has been on my shelf since like… July?! And I still haven’t read it yet. It only feels right to read this one before I’m getting Chain of Gold, though, so now seems like a good time to read it!

I guessing I’ll be able to finish more books, especially since I do want pick up an audiobook! And I finished mangas within a day, usually, so if I’m in the mood for one of my new Zelda mangas, it’s an easy one for the reading challenge, hahah!