I can’t believe it’s the end of January. It somehow feels like it’s just started and also has been going on forever.

The month has been a lot *gestures at the world* but I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent here, chatting with y’all in the comments and talking about things that may be light or silly sometimes but that offer a break (at least for me) from the heavier stuff. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time here too! Having said that…

It’s time!

I am officially turning on the paid subscription option. This is still an experiment for me, but I’m looking forward to continuing it. We’ll see how this goes! :) But there are a few things I want you to know.

The Free Option

You DO NOT have to sign up for a paid subscription to continue to be a part of this newsletter. The unpaid option may be the right fit for you. Maybe this month has been too many emails for you and you’d rather return to fewer. If this is you, great!

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For $5/month, you will get approximately three emails each week, including all bookish posts, the Friday Night In posts, and the Happy for Now lists. You’ll also get a monthly roundup post list this one with the added bonus of the book I’ve DNFed.

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Alright, onto the recap!

January 2025 What I Read

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher - (full review here)

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins - I really enjoyed the premise of this one and have been saying “let them, let me” in my head a lot lately.

LifeStyled by Shira Gill - This was a nice little book if you’re looking to simplify things in your life and home.

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella - (full review here)

William by Mason Coile - (full review here)

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke - (full review here)

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins - I like the concept of the 5-Second Rule (as a chronic overthinker) but I think this book could’ve been shorter because the concept is straightforward

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal - I used this audiobook to motivate me to keep moving. It was informative but a little dry.

It’s Easier Than You Think by Sylvia Boorstein - I’ve been reaching for Buddhism and Stoicism things to listen to or read this month for…reasons. This was a fast and warm listen if you have any interest in the basics of Buddhism. It’s dated but I still enjoyed it.

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison - I really enjoy Harrison’s voice and she comes up with fun horror premises, but I had issues with the characters in this one and the friendship at the center of the story.

The Siren’s Call by Chris Hayes - (full review here)

DNFs:

Remember When by Mary Balogh - I loved that this was about older characters but I ended up putting it down because it was too much introspection and not enough action for the mood I was in.

The Glare by Margot Harrison - I liked the premise of this one, but I think I just wasn’t in a YA headspace.

Favorite Fiction: William by Mason Coile

Favorite Non-Fiction: The Sirens’ Call by Chris Hayes

What I Watched

Before Midnight (full review here)

28 Days (full review here)

Training Day - Watched with the hubby. A little too intense for me.

While You Were Sleeping (full review here)

Pulp Fiction - Watched with the hubby because I’d only seen it once way back when and it’s one of his favorites. I definitely understood it better this time, lol.

Child Star (full review here)

My Old Ass (full review here)

Yacht Rock Dockumentary (full review here)

The Sex Lives of College Girls (full review here)

Favorite Watch: My Old Ass

The Glo Yoga app and my results for the monthWhat I Learned

Doing something every day has been easier than doing it sometimes - This month I made exercise my ONE BIG GOAL. I was going to do it a few days a week, but I quickly realized that this hasn’t worked for me in the past and decided to try to do it every day. I alternated yoga/pilates days with treadmill days and it has worked so well! The only day I didn’t exercise this month was January 2nd because I wasn’t on the every-day plan yet. This may not work for everyone, but I’ve found it much easier to do it this way than dealing with the decision fatigue it used to take to decide which days and which exercise to do. (Also, it helped to do the exercise FIRST before I got distracted by anything else.)

I have to keep re-learning this lesson, but as a reader, I have learned that I really need to like (or at least be drawn to) at least one character in a book. I need someone to root for. They don’t have to be a good person, but I need to find them interesting or appealing in some way. (A related lesson is I need to DNF sooner when I’m not getting this from a book.)

Okay, January’s a wrap! Thanks for reading and commenting and just making the month a little brighter. :)

Remember, if you’d like to upgrade to the paid version, sign up below. If you’d like to stay on the list but not upgrade, you don’t have to do anything.

Have a great weekend!

What’s the best thing you’ve read, watched, or learned this month?

Roni

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