My Book a Month Christmas Present

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For Christmas, I asked for books. I’ve been wanting to read more but never seemed to make the time, so I suggested a Christmas present that would keep me on track. My original suggestion was twelve of them, one for each month of the year.

James took that idea and made it work better for me. Instead of giving me all twelve at once, he decided to give me one book a month across the year, wrapped as a surprise, with one rule: I have to finish the current book before I get the next one.

January: Strange Pictures by Uketsu

My first book of the year – the one I unwrapped on Christmas Day – was one I’d shown an interest in before.

It isn’t too long and the format makes it easy to get through. There are pictures throughout, as the title suggests, and the way it is written means it’s an easy read. I like mysteries and page turners, and this one had enough oddness to keep me interested and wanting to finish it quickly.

I made time to read whenever I could. A few pages here and there added up. I read before bed, took my book to work for lunch breaks, and picked it up instead of scrolling. That small, deliberate reading routine made it feel enjoyable rather than forced.

By the end of the month, I’d finished two books (including one I was already reading) which felt like a satisfying start to the year.

February: Becoming Unbecoming by Una

At midnight on 1st February, James handed me my next wrapped book, the second of my extended Christmas present.

I’d been excited for this day all month. It turned out to be a bit of a struggle to get this book, so it meant even more to get it on time!

It’s about a girl who is around at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper. I enjoyed reading The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey, which is set at the same time and place, so even though it’s supposed to be quite dark, I’m very much looking forward to reading it.

Now I’m going to start February with a new book and a good reason to make time for it. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year’s books will bring! Thank you, James ❤️

Becoming Unbecoming was fantastic.

A quicker read, being a graphic novel, but having the whole month meant I didn't rush it and I slowed down to appreciate the art work and sit with it a bit more.

As an autobiography, it was heavy in places. It doesn't shy away from how it felt to grow up at that time, and there's an underlying sense of unease throughout.

I'm really happy James chose this for me, as it's not something I would normally have gone for myself - but in a good way.

March: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

I'm only a few chapters into my March book, but it already feels like another great pick.

It's set in the 60s, and there's a clear sense of imbalance in the way women are treated and taken seriously. The characters feel quite unconventional and I'm curious to see how it all unfolds.

April:

May:

June:

July:

August:

September:

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November:

December: