What I Read: January

Usually I'm an overachiever when it comes to resolutions. The calendar turns to a new year and I have all my goals outlined, written down, and committed to memory. Not this year. This year I made one goal. Read 60 books. Sixty books in which anything longer than 150 pages qualifies as a book. Luckily I have two book clubs to help me reach this goal. Apart from that, I have a long list of to-be-read books that I keep track of on Goodreads. I figure if I aim to read six books a month I'll have a little flexibility and a better chance of meeting my goal. Read anything interesting lately? Leave a comment and I'll add it to my 2017 list. Meanwhile, this is what I read during January.

1. When Breath Becomes Air - This book has already received a lot of acclaim. No doubt you've probably heard of it. For that reason I was a little wary starting it. Mainly because I thought it would be too heavy. In truth I appreciated the philosophical aspects of the book as much as I did learning about what decisions and life path the author took in his journey to become a neurosurgeon. 
2. Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye - I received a complimentary copy courtesy of the publisher and was completely sucked into this middle-grade/graphic novel. It felt like such a treat to read and I eagerly anticipate the next book that comes out in March. Also, it speaks a lot to how much I enjoyed this book, since I immediately passed it off to my husband, who also liked it. 
3. The Sun is Also a Star - A young-adult novel that I listed to on Audible. The voices were fantastic, but I really had to put on my willing suspension of disbelief hat to get past the unlikely plot. Overall though, I think it's a fine YA read. 
4. The Whole-Brain Child - Outright fascinating. A thoughtful approach to parenting and one that provides effective tips to helping children thrive. I will definitely return to it over the years and might even be so bold as to gift it at a baby shower. 
5. The Snow Child - It's probably a bad idea to select a book based 100% on the cover. However, that's exactly how I choose this book. Luckily it was a beautiful account of life in frontier Alaska. With strong characters and an engaging plot. I appreciated nearly everything about this novel. 
6. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared - Apart from the longest title ever, I had higher hopes for this one. I liked the modern telling of the escaped centenarian and his felon accomplices, but would have preferred it without the lengthy flashbacks. 

If I had to give the month a letter grade, I'd say it was a solid B. Have you read any of these books? My hope is to read a bit more nonfiction in the coming months.