I wanted to highlight my book of the month, but I was not allowed to pick one of my top 5 from 2016 so I chose The Palest Ink. I just reviewed this on Monday and if you read it, you would know I loved it!
The Palest Ink by Kay Bratt
This book ended up being a prequel, which I did not know earlier. I really enjoyed this book. The Palest Ink is set during the time of the Cultural Revolution in China. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t really learn about that in school. For me, this topic was entirely new and I really enjoyed reading about it. At the heart of the story is the friendship between two boys who must navigate the moral injustice and suffering of China together. This book was really moving and brought home the idea that the personal is political. I would really recommend you picking it up!
A Brief Note About January
January was season of the advance reads. I feel like every book was published in January! So I’m issuing this warning. There will be a lot of advance read books in January. That means there will be a decrease in books I bought from my to read list. At the same time, that does not mean I was swayed in any way in my opinions. I have talked about my process for free books before, and I choose each book carefully (and would normally buy them myself!) For the whole month of January it’s basically advance copies. However, I am going to make up for this by posting every Friday part of my For Fun Friday series! I have begun this series this month, and will continue next month.
Last, but not least, the Comment Challenge
I just found out about this comment challenge this week, but it is a book blogging interaction event. Each month I am paired up with another book blogger and I vow to comment 5+ or 10+ times and this connects the book blogging community more. I am really intrigued by it and very happy to participate. My partner is Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature and we have both committed to commenting at least 10 times! I love interacting with more book bloggers and I hope it will make you all happy to see more comments here 🙂 It is hosted by the two lovely bloggers,  Lonna @ FLYLēF and Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense My personal part of the challenge is the dedication to comment at least 10 times in January, and hopefully for more months if it works out!
So, in my opinion, three pieces of good news!
What was your favorite book this month that you read? What are your new years resolutions?
If you like what you see, I would encourage you to subscribe!
It is so hard for me to find books on Asia at all, fiction or otherwise, but this one is definitely intriguing! I’ll have to keep an eye out for it.
Here’s to lots more reading and blogging and bookish adventures come January!
Totally! I think that, Human Acts, and Amy Tan’s works this year were all centered in Asia. So those are some other recommendations 🙂
Here here!!
I’m looking forward to reading all your January posts 🙂 There seems to be a tonne of awesome sounding books coming out next month, so I can’t wait to see which ones you’ve had a look at.
Aw thanks! I have been trying to write as many as I can before I go on my mini vacation. That is so sweet about the advance reads, I felt I needed to say something beforehand 🙂
I’m participating in the comment challenge too and am excited about it! All the books I read in December have been outstanding so I can’t even pick one favorite. For the first time ever – they all made my “best of the year” list.
Haha, don’t you just
hatelove that? It was so hard for me to pick my top read of 2016, but good reading years are the best!!Hello! So great to meet you! I’m looking forward to following your blog and learning about new books! Hmm. The best book I read this month? I’m going to pick Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton, it was an audiobook, but it was so good!
Hello! Audiobooks can be so surprising, right? The narrators can make or break a book! I’m so happy to be your partner 😀
Yay! Thank you for joining the Comment Challenge. Your enthusiasm is very infectious. Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature is someone I’ve known for as long as I’ve been blogging (1+ year). I hope you guys make lasting blogging friendship.
Aw I hope so too! I really have been trying on my own to comment more on the blogs I follow, so this came at the perfect time!