January Review

Reading to keep out the cold

Photo by Yang on Unsplash

If you are new around here, I usually write about all things women literature related, with a free essay every Sunday. As a thank you to my paying subscribers, I also do these monthly roundups of great books and recommended reads.

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This month has seen some snowy, treacherous weather in my neck of the woods, together with freezing temperatures. Perfect weather really for reading a good book or watching a good film 🙂

I had a couple of popular essays this month that seemed to resonate with how a lot of us are feeling, or the ways in which the collective ‘we’ are wanting to approach 2025.

Firstly, my re-post of an earlier essay on Virginia Woolf’s New Year’s Resolutions, which struck a chord with readers in their simplicity.

Secondly, my essay on attempting to bring more intention to my own reading life this year, despite (or because of) my rebellious streak, spoke to a lot of readers who also struggle with the inherent distractions of being human in the twenty-first century.

I have been making a real stab at bringing more intention to my reading life this month. To do this, I have started having my teeny Hobonichi Techo planner beside me (a gift from my good friend

Petya K. Grady

) and a pencil to make notes of any quotations that stop me in my tracks, themes that occur whilst I’m reading, as well as underlining in the book itself and folding back the pages I want to return to later.

I am finding this is making for a far more immersive reading experience and is something I plan to continue. I realise this may mean I get through less books than I might otherwise, but I am finding that the very slowing down of my reading pace is helping my absorption of the text and opens up the whole reading experience.

(I do not look this glamorous whilst I am reading) Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

I have also sought out podcasts relating to the books I am reading (more below) and again, hearing the author speak about the themes of their novel, as well as reading from the text, has really helped to bring the story to life for me.

Another thing I have tried this month has been my very first ‘Silent Book Club’. I had heard of these before in other places, but I recently discovered one had been started in my own city, and the next meeting was at a lovely cafe just down the road. Touted as ‘an introverts dream book club’, it was so heartwarming to see how many readers showed up, despite the weather being pretty dire. It makes me more convinced than ever that we are all looking for more meaningful activities and connections, and where better to start than with our favourite books?

With this in mind, here is a look at the reading, watching, and listening that has been filling me up this month…