january book report.

I made a list of the first ten books out of at least twenty five that I would like to read this year. One month into it and I've sadly only read one book on the list but also one that wasn't on it at all. Promising now to step it up in February.The first thing I flew through like a beast finished was the A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book. I love the girls of ABM so much and get so much great inspiration from them on the regular. This book wasn't full of any really technical tips about how to use your camera or other equipment, but it was extremely helpful and inspiring. In the book are 95 tips and ideas for taking beautiful photos of your every day world and more, and even though I've done a lot of the things that they talk about, it's so easy to fall into a rut and forget what you know and when to use it all. It was a quick and easy read and I recommend it to anyone who loves taking pictures (or even if you're a little scared of the camera and want to learn more) for sure. It is also going to make a killer coffee table book now that I'm finished with it.The second book I finished this month was The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling). This book has me feeling a bit disappointed. I thought that since Miss JK has kept me in bed reading all night from the age of seven to present day that this book would consume me in the same way as Harry Potter always has, but it really didn't. I found this mystery novel kind of underwhelming. Sure, clues are provided throughout the verrrry drawn out first half of the book, but nothing too major that gets you thinking about who the killer is going to end up being. But then all of a sudden the PI whose point of view we hear from most knows exactly who it was and how he/she did it down to a science. It's just a bit farfetched if you ask me, and I feel like I wasn't so shocked while reading about the big reveal as I have been in the few other mystery/crime novels I've read, especially since you're made to suspect literally every single person in the book, including who it really was at one point in my own case. It was no Gone Girl, I'll tell you that much. I don't say this often, but I honestly don't really recommend this bad boy. I found it hard to get into and when I finally did get into it I was unknowingly being set up for disappointment. However, tons of people raved about this book so maybe I'm just an exception. Who knows.

So that's January gone and done in terms of reading. I'm excited about starting another novel, but also pretty amped up about the inspiration I have gotten from reading the ABM photo idea book and hoping that I'll find a few other things like it in the months to come.

2/25 complete. Hold me accountable, cyber world.