If I’m honest, January was kind of an underwhelming reading month for me. I read some books that I liked okay, but nothing really knocked my socks off until my last read of the month, Getting Clean with Stevie Green. 

Surprisingly, I did stick pretty well to my January TBR! I read all three of the ARCs I planned to (plus one more!), checked off my spiritual/self-care book of the month, and crossed off two books from my Book of the Month backlog. The only thing I didn’t do was finish reading Jane Austen: A Life, which is in large part due to how tiny the font is! 

Do I slightly suspect that keeping the plan is part of why I was underwhelmed? Yes, yes I do. Mood readers gotta mood read, my friends. 

Nevertheless, I’m coming in February with more book plans that I may or may not break as time goes on. Let’s take a look at what I hope to read this month. 

(Full disclosure: Specific book links are Bookshop.org affiliate links, which earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Book of the Month links are referral codes). 

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Read Harder Task of the Month: Keep On Keeping On with Jane Austen: A Life

No new news here — I’m going to try and actually get back moving through Jane Austen: A Life, small font and all. 

In case you missed January’s update, this is for the first task in Book Riot’s 2022 version of the Read Harder Challenge, read a biography of an author you admire. 

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NetGalley/Review Copies of the Month

There are only two February releases on my NetGalley shelf and I’ve been a bit more cautious about accepting/requesting additional ARCs while I get caught up, so I’m hoping I can get well back on track this month! 

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher (out February 8th, 2022) 

This is one of those books that’s been lingering on my NetGalley shelf for a while and I’m pretty sure it’s been in a previous post or two. It’s the fake dating trope with a witch and a werewolf who pretend to be in a relationship to appease the magical powers-that-be, so it’s sure to be a good time. 

With Love From London by Sarah Jio (out February 8th, 2022)

A woman inherits her estranged mother’s bookstore in London? Count me in! It just so happens that this one will tick off a Read Harder challenge task, as well — a book set in a bookstore. 

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Spiritual/Self-Care Book of the Month

It’s a buddy read, friends! I’ll be reading Women Who Run with the Wolves with an extra splash of accountability, and I’m excited to dig in! 

I’ve loved the bits of this book I’ve read, but keep floating away from it for long periods of time because of reasons. Not this time (probably)!

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Book of the Month Book of the Month

The bookish bingo I’m participating in continues through February, so I’m planning to tackle at least one or two more of the Book of the Month backlog. 

I’ve got my eyes on Project Hail Mary and/or Beautiful World, Where Are You. They’re both relatively well-hyped books I am, in theory, excited about but which I haven’t read for different reasons. 

Project Hail Mary is long and it’s science fiction, which makes it a bit intimidating even if I loved The Martian. Beautiful World, Where Are You is Sally Rooney, and I have mixed feelings about the experience of Normal People still, so… waiting to be in the mood, I think. 

There’s also a good chance I’ll read something from my January BOTM box first, which isn’t exactly the point of the challenge, but it would prevent further backlog buildup, and isn’t that the point, really? 

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And there you have it, book friends! I’ve put February’s plans on the table and now we’ll wait to see if I follow through. 

Do you have any exciting reading plans this month? Let me know all about them!