January was a big reading month! I don’t remember the last time I read so many books, and I think it was perfect to just take it in a good January book and relax after a crazy fall and Holiday Season!

I also crossed off one of my 2020 goals and made it to the Boston Public Library to get a library card! The idea is not only to check out books, but to also spend more time at the library. If parking wasn’t ridiculous in that area of the city I would be working from the library more often!

While I have a lot of books in the TBR pile, Barnes and Nobles and amazon shopping cart, I will say that the January Reading list will be hard to beat!!

Trying something a little different by bringing in #bookswithwine and giving you my recommendations on the wine that best compliments the story. Reading with wine has always been one of my greatest pleasures and much like a novel each bottle of wine carries its own story; of soil, flavors, weather, and history. Here’s to hoping you enjoy this series! Cheers!

January Books and Wine Pairings

One Day in December: 4.5/5 Stars

by Josie Silver

Best Paired with Rombauer Chardonnay: Full bodied with minerality yet stone fruit flavors bringing forth depth, while balanced acidity gives just the right finish.

This was a sweet little love story that spanned the course of a decade. There were so many moments that made me want to cry, but I felt like this book was so true to human nature, and how timing really is everything. I devoured this in a day.

Ninth House: 5/5 Stars

by Leigh Bardugo

Best Paired with Barba Vasari Old Vines Montepulciano: Dark, inky, full bodied and juicy just like the plot of Ninth House. Also holds dark fruit and delicious dark chocolate flavors making it sinfully tasty.

Secret Societies at Yale University? At first I was like ok, no way. The lead character is named Galaxy, Alex for short. NO WAY was I going to love this. But I did. I couldn’t put it down. Leigh Bardugo has a way of wrapping up all this beautiful magic while immersing yourself in one of New England’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Alex turns out to be phenomenal character and I love the twists and turns she takes as she steps into her own. I loved this so much that I plan on flying through the rest of Leigh Bardugo’s books this year.

The Wives: 3.5/5 Stars

by Tarryn Fisher

Best Paired with Meomi Pinot Noir: smooth tannins, silky texture, and consists of grapes from three different CA appellations, much like the many twists and turns this novel takes you through…

This book was just meh for me. It was a very quick read, and I started to catch on quick…at least I thought I did. While I wasn’t exactly enthralled with the story line, although I’ve read a lot of thrillers so I’m a harsh critic, I will say I NEVER expected what the last paragraph delivered.

The Sun Down Motel: 5/5 Stars

by Simone St. James

Best Paired with Michael David Winery Petite Syrah: Bold flavors, deep colors, and firm tannins featuring blackberry flavors along with chewy leather notes… the perfect slow burn to get you through the night since you wont want to put down this book…

When I picked this up I thought for sure….corny ghost stories. I grew up with a haunted home in the family, so I am all about ghosts, however, authors tend to take terrific ghost stories and make them sound ridiculous and too drawn out to be believable. Not St. James. She gets to the point and the creep factor in this novel is HIGH. Bouncing back and forth between events of several murders in 1982, and present day, this book is fast paced and keeps you turning pages until the very end.

Good Girls Lie: 4/5 Stars

J.T. Ellison

Best Paired with Neethlingshof The Owl Post Pinotage: starts off timid, but cherry and plum bursts into the party mid palate, complemented by hidden flavors of smoke that sneak up on you.

This book has all the makings for a phenomenal read, all girls boarding school, secret societies, hushed murderous cover ups from the past…but it fell a little flat for me. Which is sad because I really wanted to LOVE this book. I felt that there were some story lines that could’ve been drawn out more to add to the allure, and other story lines that could’ve been shorter. All in all it was a quick little fun read non the less.

The Perfect Horse: 4.5/5 Stars

by Elizabeth Letts

Best Paired with Decoy Merlot: A dry red wine with smooth dark fruit flavor profiles displaying earthy tones. You’ll experience sweet undertones of cocoa and finishes off smoothly.

A true story based off of bravery where a small number of people from opposing sides come together to save the brilliant Lipizzaner stallions. These horses have been a revered tradition in Vienna and the Spanish Riding School is the oldest riding school in the World.

A small story amidst WWII but with a big impact, while it may be a slower read it is definitely worth the heartwarming feel good vibes.

What I listened to in Audible:

The Soulful Art of Persuasion: 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer: 4.5/ 5 Stars

by Jason Harris

Best Paired with Flowers Pinot Noir: a medium bodied red yet holds delicate fruit and floral nuances with a refined finish. The perfect wine to uphold Jason’s tips on putting soul into last relationships as an influencer.

This book has so many gems if you are an influencer, or even an entrepreneur. Harris has a way of telling you stories that envelope you and make the point stick. I love how a major portion of his book covers generosity and how to use that in this day and age. Generosity should be viewed as a strength rather than a flaw.

Things are changing so rapidly in the social media space – and this book helps you navigate the best way to keep up.

Big Magic: 4.5/5 Stars

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Best Paired with Nicholas Champagne: creamy texture with a flavorful finish with delicate bubbles to get you in the right mindset to find your creativity and follow through with those dreamy ideas.

I have been a long time fan of Elizabeth Gilbert, of course I loved her runaway hit Eat, Pray, Love, but I’ve also loved her view on life in general. and this book delivers her view in epic portions. Gilbert believes that Ideas are living, breathing things and that they float around waiting for someone to use it. If you accept the idea and bring it to fruition great! If you pass on the idea then someone else will use it with great success.

The point is that you have to find confidence in yourself and hone your instincts so you can take notice of these ideas, and then run with them. Don’t let someone else do what you could’ve done. This is a great read for anyone creative. Anyone that stresses they will fail or they aren’t good enough, or just how to be continuously creative in general. It was fascinating to listen to her and I loved it!

Take a look at other reading lists!

What January books did you love reading? Let me know in a comment below!