What I Read: January

I can't believe we're already a month into 2015! January has really flown by. :) Anyway, here's what I read this month. Overall, I liked everything I read! As usual, click on the titles to read my Goodreads reviews.

The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales, by Gail Carson Levine. For at least the last 12 years or so, Gail Carson Levine has been my go-to author for sweet, funny fairy tale retellings. This was a lighthearted collection of short stories, and I really enjoyed them. So much fun!

Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery. I am finally reading the Anne series! This was the only one I'd previously read, and I just loved it. It was so charming...Anne has to be one of the most likable characters ever. :)

Normally This Would Be Cause for Concern, by Danielle Fishel. A memoir written by the girl who played Topanga in one of my favorite shows, Boy Meets World (nearly up there with Full House, as far as 90s nostalgia goes!). I had been looking forward to reading it for a long time, but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't especially good, either. And there wasn't much about the show in it.

Like a Flower in Bloom, by Siri Mitchell. I really enjoyed this one. It was surprisingly funny...a bit like BBC miniseries meets romantic comedy, I think. :)

Anne of Avonlea, by L.M. Montgomery. Once again, I loved this one! Probably just as much as the first book. And I think this one was even funnier (loved the chapter where Anne is sharing with her friend in a letter about the things her pupils do and say). I'm definitely loving this series so far and wondering why on earth it has taken me so long to read it!

Notes from a Small Island, by Bill Bryson. I'd been a bit hesitant about Bill Bryson ever since I read A Walk in the Woods (which I didn't love). So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected to. He is negative at times, but not as much so as I expected. It's still obvious that he's incredibly fond of England. The main thing that kept me from loving this book was the profanity and inappropriate content. It seems completely unnecessary! Bryson can write clean humor (and does quite often in this book), so why include the other junk?