The Bookshelf: January

One of my goals for 2024, in addition to not buying any new books (no matter how sorely I'm tempted), was to read four books a month. Because one of my other goals was to scroll less and put the phone down, by January 11th, I'd already reached my "four books" for the month...and so I kept going. I'm sure other months will be less cozy and less "reading-friendly," so I shall make hay while the sun shines...or rather, I shall snuggle up while the sky is overcast and it's cold outside. 

Photo by Tom Hermans on Unsplash

I've kept track of my reading progress on Goodreads (feel free to friend me there if you are so inclined) as well as giving little reviews on both my personal Facebook account and Instagram. And for those who might stumble across this little piece of online real estate, I've done a brief overview below. If you make it through, I'd love to hear from you in the comments about the best book you've read this month. I might have to add it to my "Books to Remember" list on Amazon. We're up to thirty-two after month one. This is not looking promising for 2025's book budget.

January 2024 Booklist  

1. Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose - ★★★★★ American missionary serving in Papua New Guinea during WWII, captured and interned for the duration of the war by the Japanese, endured incredible hardship, remained focused on the fact that God put her there for a purpose. It's well-written, but not a light book, definitely what I would call "heavy" reading, but certainly worthwhile. I just had my 13-year-old read it for a school assignment and she loved it as well. Five stars. (Amazon Associates Link)
2. Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read - ★★★★ After the last book, I was looking for something a little lighter to fill the evenings, and picked up the second book in the Thrush Green series. It did the trick, transporting me to a 1950s English village, where a cup of tea and a cozy fire can fix just about anything. In some ways, it was harder to read this directly after book #1 because it felt so flippant after something so serious; however, that says nothing about the book itself, just my reading choices. Four stars. (Amazon Associates Link)
3. The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett - ★★★ I saw someone on Instagram recommend the first book from this author (The Appeal - which is also on my "to read" shelf), so they were two of my last books purchased in 2023, before the ban on book buying. Cons: I dislike the writing style. The whole book is written as emails, text messages, and interview transcripts, which I didn't realize before buying. Pros: It was a fast-moving plot line, with enough twists and turns to hold my interest. Three stars. (Amazon Associates Link)
4. The Watchmaker's Daughter by Larry Loftis - ★★★★★ This book wasn't even on my list to read (or my bookshelf), but I stopped by my parent's house to drop off books #1 and #2 for my mom to read, and she thrust this into my hand and said I had to read it. Two days later, I closed the back cover. I could not put it down. This is a fantastic historical account, not only of the life of Corrie ten Boom but also of her family and friends' involvement in the Dutch Resistance and those who found refuge in the secret Hiding Place. Heavy stuff, but absolutely worth your time. Five stars. (Amazon Associates Link) 
5. The Nineties: A Novel by Chuck Klosterman - ★★ The author and I come at events from very different viewpoints (not a deal breaker, just not as enjoyable), and his writing style jumped from topic to unrelated topic, though by the end, I noticed the pattern and was more prepared for the switch. I slogged through the first two-thirds, but the last third was better when he started talking about how 90s television affected cultural changes, the Clinton/Bush political climate, and how 9/11 officially ended a decade and a whole era of American life. Two stars. (Amazon Associates Link) 
6. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport - ★★★★ If you can overlook the fact that Newport focuses on Twitter/X in the final chapter, and the statistics he shares being five years out of date now, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book (go for paper over digital!). Screentime is taking over our life and our kid's lives, and we're not the better for it. If you've been feeling like something's off or if you've been around the next generations at all (glued to their phones), Newport would say you're on to something. Includes helpful ideas to help us regain control of this tool before it fully controls us. Four stars. (Amazon Associates Link)
7. Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants by Lee Goldberg - ★★★ If this were going up against other books in the same genre (cozy mystery-esque) I might have given it five stars, but not compared to all other books in the world. If you enjoyed the television show, Monk, then you should try one of the books in this series. Pros: Written by the same guy who wrote the show, so he knows his characters. Cons: I dislike what he's done with Natalie (more whiny, more annoying, more sexual). Quick, easy read. Good for a "no deep thinking required" refresh between deeper books. Three stars. (Amazon Associates Link)
8. Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood - ★★★★ This is book #2 of 3 in the "Marlow Murder Club" series from Thorogood (who was also the writer behind the BBC mystery series, Death in Paradise, and subsequent follow-up books featuring DI Richard Poole). As I thoroughly enjoyed both the television show and the books, I decided to give this series a shot when he came out with the first book and was hooked. If you're a fan of the show, or of the DI Poole books, or if you enjoy a clean, cozy mystery (think Agatha Christie), I would recommend giving this a go. Four stars. (Amazon Associates Link)

And that's a wrap on January. Eight books is one-third of the number of books I read in all of 2023, so I'm pleased with the way 2024 is starting. My screen time is still higher than I'd like, but there's been a definite downturn in my mindless scrolling, and an uptick in my focused reading time, so win-win. Remember, if you've read any thing worth recommending this month, leave a note in the comments or come find me on IG and add to my "Books to Remember" list. 

Simple Goals Mid-Month Update

If you saw my 24 Simple Goals for 2024, here's a quick check-in on how some of those things are going. On Instagram, I simplified them even more. 

Without further ado, here's the update on my #SimpleGoals:

1. Stop buying books - So far so good. Even though I have already added 26 books to my "Books to remember" list on Amazon for 2025 or this year's Christmas wish list. 
2. Save for a rainy day - I haven't put anything into savings, but I'm not shopping or buying either, so it's a good step towards this goal. I also switched to cash for eating out, so when the envelope is empty, we're all done for the month. 
3. Make better food choices - I'm not snacking as much, and have been mindfully eating smaller portions, but as I sit here typing this out, I'm also eating a Stroopwaffle...soooo, there's that.
4. Simplify and clean out - I've made it 14 days into The Minimilists' 30-Day game. It's the 16th of the month, but I still see it as progress. And over the weekend, I took a huge load down to donate at Goodwill, which, quite possibly, gave me more of a high than buying it all to begin with. Download the free calendar (it helps). And don't worry, they don't spam your inbox.
5. Put down the phone - There has actually been a lot of progress on this. In order to help break this habit (or addiction, let's call it what it is!), I set up a bunch of Do Not Disturb (DND) boundaries and app timers, which have helped curb the "need" to check my phone every time it vibrates.
6. Start walking - Mentally, I was aiming for 5-6 days a week once the Hubs got the treadmill set up again in its new location. However, realistically, my weekly schedule allows for about three times a week. There are definitely ways I could do more, but for now, I'm looking at it as three is better than nothing.

Half-way through the first month of the year, I'm relatively pleased overall with how things are going. If you've set goals (or are still goal setting), how's it going for you? What's the number one thing you want to be different a year from now? What are you doing to make that a reality? Hit me up in the comments below or find me on Instagram and let's chat!

24 Simple Goals in 2024

It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be big. It doesn't have to be mind-blowing or world-changing. It just needs to be something to aim for. Something to work towards. Something to help you say no when you want to say yes...or yes when you want to say no. Simple goals. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

24 Simple Goals in 2024

1. Buy no new books.
2. Read 48 books from my own shelves.
3. Use the treadmill.
4. Put the phone down.
5. Clean out and pare down.
6. Save for a rainy day.
7. Use cash for certain expenditures.
8. Burn the candles.
9. Create a repertoire of simple meals.
10. More fresh foods, less processed, sugary, high-carb stuff.
11. Avoid Amazon on bad days and late nights.
12. Say "yes" to something new at work.
13. Say "no" to things that don't add value.
14. Eat the food we already have.
15. Participate in teaching my newest driver how to drive.
16. Save for a school trip in the '24/'25 school year.
17. Host more meals with friends and acquaintances.
18. Listen more. Talk less.
19. Spend time with my parents. Time is fleeting.
20. Give quality gifts, not quantity (next Christmas).
21. Build relationships with family.
22. Write more.
23. Don't stress about what "might" be.
24. Count my blessings.

What's on your list?