A brand new year and some amazing new books! I managed to complete five books in January which isn’t as many as previous months but I’m still pleased with that! I read my first Greek Mythology book which as opened a whole new genre for me.
Here are the books I read in January 2022:
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Tom is a lighthouse keeper on a remote island where he and his wife are the sole occupants. They live a quiet existence, one that lately has been marred by sadness. One night a boat washes up on the shore holding a dead man and a crying baby. After losing several babies of their own, the couple are shocked to discover this tiny infant. The decisions they go on to make alter the course of not only their lives but also those of the baby and her family.
I found the premise to be an interesting one and yet it just didn’t deliver what I was hoping for. I’m clearly in the minority here as so many other readers have loved this book. Unfortunately though, it just wasn’t for me.
Click here to read my full review of The Light Between Oceans.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is the daughter of Helios, the mightiest titan and god of the sun. Her father is powerful and merciless while her mother is a beautiful yet cunning mercenary. Circe doesn’t feel at home anywhere. Her siblings belittle her and she feels she doesn’t belong amongst the gods, or with the mortals. However, Circe has a gift of her own – witchcraft. When her dark power threatens the gods she is banished to the island of Aiaia where she is sentenced to a life of solitude. On her island Circe hones her craft, perfecting spells, learning herbology and taming wild beasts.
The only visitors Circe receives on her island are men wanting to take advantage of a woman left alone. However, when the mortal Odyseuss arrives on Aiaia, Circe is captivated by his intelligence and wisdom. For him, she might just be willing to risk it all.
I LOVED this book! It had me hooked from the beginning. The story is a brilliant one but it’s also so exquisitely written. There are some gorgeous turns of phrase, it almost felt like poetry at times. The descriptions were so vivid, I could almost feel the heat of Helios’ gaze and taste the salt of the ocean. I already know this is going to be one of my favourite books of the whole year.
Click here to read my full review of Circe by Madeline Miller.
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
As a child, Margery Benson is introduced by her father to an encyclopedia full of incredible creatures. It’s here she first reads about the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia. Margery dreams about being the first to capture and document the golden beetle for the Natural History Museum. However, as the decades pass, Margery lives a rather miserable life and works as a teacher, a job she hates. It is now 1950 and Margery is a 40-something-year-old woman who has quite simply had enough of the life she is living. In a moment of clarity, she decides to abandon her job and set off on an expedition to find the Golden Beetle.
She knows she can’t do this alone and so advertises for an assistant to help her. This is when Margery meets Enid, an unlikely companion, and the mismatched pair head off on their adventure.
What a gorgeous book! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don’t know what I was expecting from the book but it certainly wasn’t the emotional punch it delivered. The story was a proper adventure, full of twists and unexpected turns. It’s a book that made me both laugh and cry. It wasn’t a fast-paced thriller and yet I found myself holding my breath during several key moments. I definitely enjoyed this book far more than I expected to and it was a pleasant surprise to become so engrossed in such strong, female characters. I would definitely recommend it.
Click here to read my full review of Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce.
The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
The book is set in Paris in 1750, where Madeleine, a girl who has already experienced tragedy and despair, is sent to work for the city’s most celebrated clockmaker. She is tasked with caring for his daughter, a girl close to Madeleine in age, but years behind in life experience. However, this job is merely a cover for her real purpose. She is ordered to document the clockmaker’s every move and try to uncover the secret projects he is working on. In exchange, she will be granted her freedom.
As children start to disappear from the streets, and rumours start to spread about the nature of the clockmaker’s inventions, Madeleine starts to fear for her safety. Could this be part of a greater conspiracy that leads all the way to Versailles? As tensions heighten and riots spread out across the city, Madeleine knows she needs to find out the truth before her ruse is discovered.
I really enjoyed The Clockwork Girl. It was utterly engrossing and I became instantly immersed in 1750’s Paris. The book and the events of the time are obviously so well researched but the facts are weaved into the story so flawlessly that it never feels like a boring history lesson.
Click here to read my full review of The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola.
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Ariadne is the gentle daughter of the fearsome King Minos, and sister to the monster who bellows from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. This monster, also known as the Minotaur, demands blood and every year 14 innocent young men and women from Athens are given as a sacrifice. Despite being horrified by the brutality and loss of life, Ariadne does nothing.
One year Theseus, Prince of Athens, offers himself as a sacrifice to the beast and Ariadne is instantly infatuated with him. She decides to help Theseus kill the Minotaur, betraying her family and country.
Will Ariadne’s decision to help Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she, as so many other women before her, be treated as nothing more than a necessary sacrifice?
Ariadne was the first book I’d read centred around Greek mythology and it instantly grabbed my attention. The characters were vividly brought to life and I enjoyed reading from both Ariadne and Phaedra’s perspectives. Overall I really enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be looking for more books by Jennifer Saint.
Click here to read my full review of Ariadne by Jennifer Saint.
Some of these books were sent from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.