My January Book Reads.

I’ll be adding all the books I read in 2023 to my storefront.

The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan – I started the month by reading this one! It was my second favorite book of the month. I’ve loved Hilarie since her days on TRL and even now, One Tree Hill is a show I still watch (again and again) today. It was interesting to hear about her private farm life — though, I do follow her on instagram and she shares a good amount there, too. It was happy, sad, heartwarming and crushing all at the same time. She made me think I could run a working farm. 🙂 Much of her book talks about pregnancy losses. I finished this book the first week in January and found out the second week in January that I was having a miscarriage. I do wonder if the book would have meant something different to me if I read it even just a week later.

Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon – I moved on to this book, which was a quick read. I probably could have read it in two days, but it took me three because I didn’t love it. There were a few times I thought I should just stop since it wasn’t what I wanted to be reading about… but I stuck it through. I think I had an expectation that it would be about her life — kids, marriage, work, struggles, etc. But it wasn’t, at all. So that’s my fault. Some parts just felt forced and silly.

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes – This was the only novel I read this month (which I don’t usually enjoy… I much prefer reading about people’s lives.) But I read it because I love Reese Witherspoon and it was her book pick of the month and she described it as a thrilling suspense novel. I didn’t love it. It took a full week to get through and again, I thought about giving up. There were interesting parts but it was a bit confusing and the ending sucked. I would argue there wasn’t even an ending! I don’t recommend it.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah – From there, I read Born a Crime. This was my absolute favorite book I read in January. This is a book, I would read again, and again and again. It was that amazing. I was actually mad at myself for NOT reading it sooner. I was upset when I finished it! If I was going to recommend one book for someone else to read, it would be this one. I learned so much about him but also growing up across the world. His stories are funny, devastating, and leave you with the feeling of “wait, no way that’s possible!” The only thing I wish the book touched on a bit more was how he became famous. I felt like that was a part of his life he omitted, maybe because it can just be googled! I loved this book.

Raising Anti-Racist Children: a Practical Parenting Guide by Britt Hawthorne – So, I really love Britt Hawthorne. I follow her on instagram and she has a background in Montessori and I do think I align with her on most parenting/world views. I did like this book overall but there wasn’t anything I heard, that I hadn’t heard before. Maybe just because I do follow her and other accounts like hers. I do read a good amount of books about being anti-racist. And I think I’m willing to hear, and see and alter views, opinions and language as time goes on and I learn new things. The book was filled with positive reminders but there wasn’t anything that I was like wait, what?! My biggest problem was that I listened on audible and this is not a book you can listen to. I’m going to have to buy the actual hardcover copy because there are so many lists and worksheets to work through to “do the work of being anti-racist” and it’s just not possible to do that in your head. So, I wish I had known that before I used my audible credit on the audible version! One nice thing is that many of the lists break down ideas, conversation starters, and tasks by your children’s ages.

It’s February now and I’ll try to share my February books later in the month!