Your Curated Reading List for January
This is where I get to play and make recommendations based on my mood and what’s on my radar right now! Perhaps it is a book I think everyone needs to read right now. Maybe it’s an upcoming release I just read about. It could be a deep dive into a relevant topic. It will probably include a book I’ve been obsessed with that I want everyone to know about. Consider this your curated book recommendations for the month. Sign up for my newsletter if you’d like to receive this content automatically each month.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
Although I would argue this is an excellent anytime read, it is of course an excellent one to start now. I read this as an audiobook, but liked it so much I bought my own copy to revisit and annotate in the future. This is the type of nonfiction book that hits my reading sweet spot. It is a series of essays that are part memoir, part “self-help” (or self care/personal inspiration, as I like to say), part deep dive into a wide variety of topics that all connect to the topic of winter ranging from the hibernation habits of dormice to the Stonehenge Solstice celebration. This is probably my least favorite season, and I found her reflections and research to be a fascinating way to start reframing and leaning into appreciation of this time of year made up of cold short days. It’s about simultaneously slowing down and taking care of ourselves when we need times of healing and renewal and finding ways to flourish during literal or metaphorical wintering times in our lives. I truly think and talk about this one at least once a month.
Scavengers by Kathleen Boland
I wanted to give you something that is a January release, but fair warning. I’ve not read it myself yet to give it a true thumbs up or down. Publishing on January 13, I’m ready to pick this one up for its mother daughter story and a setting that is basically my regional backyard (Utah). After losing her high-paying New York City job, Bea retreats to Salt Lake City to stay with her free-spirit mother and regroup. Her mother talks her into joining her on an escapade to follow the clues for a treasure that has been hidden by an antiquities dealer. It’s inspired by the real-life decade-long treasure hunt that ended with its 2020 discovery. I’ll be honest, even though I was intrigued by it, I did not make time to read more about this bonkers true story, so I’m ready to start with a fictional account. This is a debut novel, and one thing you will learn about me is that I’m drawn to debut authors.
To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
Speaking of debuts. This was literally my last read of the year. I finished the last chapter or two on New Year’s Day. Listen. I really enjoyed Atmosphere and typically have good luck with Taylor Jenkins Reid, and it mostly worked for me. So did I think I needed to pick up another queer female astronaut historical fiction book? Well, actually yes. I am low key fascinated with space exploration and astronauts so of course I was going to read this one. What made this one unique, beyond being a debut, is that the author is Cherokee as is the main character who wants to be the first female Cherokee astronaut. It’s really a story about family and the impact that erasure of your family and cultural history has on your identity and sense of self. It’s about obsessive ambition and its impact on your relationships and sense of self. It’s about finding your space in the world and belonging. Ah! It’s so good. Steph is so frustrating and yet I kept cheering her on, despite it all. Even as a Reese’s Book Club pick, I don’t think it got the attention it deserved. It’s an excellent contribution to contemporary Indigenous literature, and I’m so excited to see what this author does next.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion by Beth Brower
First of all - so sorry for the image quality… I had difficulty finding a good one with my searches.
I feel like this is a bit of a IYKYK situation. This past fall, Meredith on the Currently Reading podcast mentioned she couldn’t stop listening and described the setting as a Victorian era Stars Hollow with quirky and charming residents and traditions. That was enough to intrigue me, and I have been obsessively listening ever since. And although I’m truly tempted to purchase the whole series in print, I will say the audiobook is the way to go if you listen to books. The narrator Genevieve Gaunt truly brings Emma and everyone in St. Crispian’s to life. This is completely out of my reading comfort zone, so here’s why it works for me. Brower has managed to write about the universal themes of coming of age, family and friendship, and the importance of community in a relatable and humorous way that is entirely in keeping with the social mores of Victorian times while also making it seem relevant to a contemporary audience. And although Emma is truly written as a product of her time, she is also a curious and independent spirit who is determined to find creative ways to define her own place in the world despite the expectations of society. I can’t fully express how much joy and comfort this series has brought to me at this time in my life. Added bonus: Check out Beth Brower’s website. It’s as fun and adorable as the books.
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As a small thank you if you do place an order with them, use the code BOOKED2026 when you check out to receive 10% off your purchase. You will find links to each book by clicking on the book cover or the Recommendation heading. These links also give you a more detailed description of each book!
