January 2025 Wrap-Up

Happy February, bookworms!

How has everybody been doing with sticking to their 2025 goals? I’ve gotten sick twice already since the year started, so my goals to improve my physical health have been delayed 😅 I did manage to read a bit more consistently though. I didn’t finish many books in January, but I’ve been better at reading, or at least listening to my audiobooks, daily. I managed to finish 2 books and 1 audiobook. I’m excited for February since the Smutathon is happening again (along with the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest). I would like to read more of the books I got from the RITCR event, so we’ll see how well that goes.

I had a pretty fun editing month and completed a proofread and a copyedit. I’m excited to see how February goes because I’m fully booked and there’s a lot happening this month. If you’re interested in getting some edits done on your manuscript, you can check out my Editing Services page and tell me all about your manuscript 😄

My Library

Sweat and Soap Vols. 1-3 by Kintetsu Yamada

Review:

I absolutely loved Home Office Romance, so I was excited to read this series. @sushisrainbow recommended it many years ago and I finally got around to reading the first volume. The concept of this manga is a bit odd, but it’s just so pure and the characters are so loveable that you can’t help but enjoy it. Also, hyperhidrosis (which I’m assuming Asako has) is a condition that is quite underrepresented in media, so I love that it’s portrayed here. I love the MCs and thought Natori was such a simp for Asako in the best way possible. He was just so thoughtful and attentive to her slightest mood shifts. The couple experiences a few misunderstandings throughout the volume, but they always manage to be honest with each other and communicate their feelings in an effective manner. I’m excited to see what happens next for this couple, since they get together quite early on in the story, so I’ll definitely be continuing this series!

4.5/5⭐

Netgalley eARCs

I don’t have too many Netgalleys requested at the moment, so I’ve mostly been catching up on my ARCs and library books.

Other (e)ARCs

From Wednesday Books

Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris

Review:

I don’t usually read contemporary novels, but I loved the concept of being able to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. The world-building around that worked perfectly and everything was explained very conveniently. Wilson discovering the photos was very convenient too. The rest of the story is, in my opinion, a bunch of misunderstandings bundled together. I thought there would be some deep dark secret surrounding Annie’s death, but it was the total opposite. The mystery surrounding everything was a lot less intense than I expected. This story mainly focuses on Wilson’s friendship with Annie and Ryan, and how she can fix their friendship before Annie leaves at the end of the month, while experiencing some family troubles as well. I’m glad the scene at Fish Grotto was explained well, but I felt like the book would be a hell of a lot shorter if the characters just communicated effectively in the first place 😅 It was still a fun read though!

3.5/5⭐

Audiobooks

Le Fay by Sophie Keetch

Review:

This was such a perfect sequel. The betrayal! The deceit! The romance! The feminine rage! This was such an emotional rollercoaster. I absolutely HATED King Arthur by the end of the book. Merlin as well. I really hope Arthur gets what he deserves in the next book, because if he doesn’t, I WILL RIOT. I also didn’t know why there was such a focus on Morgan and Accolon for the first half of the book, but all that emotional buildup definitely pays off in the end. It all suddenly made sense 😅 Morgan goes through so much, so I’m really hoping she has a happy ending. She freaking deserves it. The side characters on Morgan’s side were all so sweet and supportive, and I loved the bits with Alys, Tressa, and Robin. Overall, this was just such a great book that gave me all the feels and I highly recommend it!

6/5⭐

I hope everyone has a super awesome February! Are there any romance or smut books on your TBR, if you like that genre? If not, what book are you looking forward to reading? Let me know in the comments ☺️

Happy reading!