Happy New Year! I hope 2018 is treating you super well so far.

Don’t you just love the fresh thrill of the unknown that comes with every changing year? What will you achieve in 2018? What are you looking forward to? Tell me in the comments–I’d love to know!

Personally, I’m wildly excited to ramble on at you about my reading and writing pursuits for another twelve months! This year is sure to bring lots of fun, and you can count on finding me right here, ready to share it all with you.

I’ll be talking more about my goals for the new year in Friday’s post, so be sure to check back in for all the details! Right now, though, let’s get down to business! Here’s how my reading fared in December:

1. Fighting Destiny by Julie Trettel – finished!
2. Quickies by Eddie Cleveland – finished!
3. Kiss of Christmas Magic (limited time holiday bundle) – not finished – and apologies for the missing link on this one. As I mentioned in December, it was a limited collection that isn’t currently available for purchase. I didn’t really intend to finish this one. There are so many books included in this compilation that I should have plenty left to read next Christmas and maybe the Christmas after that, too!
4. All Fall Down by Christine Pope – not started (sorry, Christine Pope!). I didn’t get around to this one, so I’ve shifted it to a new spot a little later on my reading list for 2018.

One great thing about reading in December? I discovered Eddie Cleveland.

Um, hello. Okay. I’m gonna need you to stop what you’re doing–or maybe don’t, since you’re reading along with me here. Just pay very close attention. I have no affiliation and no reason to tell you this, other than pure personal advice from me to you, friend: if you like erotic romance, run to Amazon and buy something by this author. Yes. I said run. To Amazon. And yes, I know it’s a website. I’m still telling you to move your ass. You can thank me later.

One bummer thing about reading in December? I didn’t do as much of it as I’d planned. Some major Real Life changes have happened in the last couple of weeks–those will come up in the 2018 goals post. For now, the tl;dr is this: it was a very different kind of month than we’d anticipated.

Anyway, as always, my ratings and/or reviews for the books I finished are up on Goodreads. Rate The Black Wolf Series, be my buddy, ask me a question, whatever. It’s all good. Yeah. I just went there with the unintentional Goodreads pun. Wow…this is awkward…

On that note, let’s just switch to what I’m reading this month!

1. 1. The Alpha’s Mate by Jacqueline Rhoades – I can’t remember if I picked this one up on Kindle Unlimited or through a promotion–or if I bought it outright. What I do know is it has been lingering on my Kindle for just about forever. I snuck a peek at the first few pages and got hooked, so I’m looking forward to diving in.
   2. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay – One of my goals for 2018 is to broaden my reading scope back out to include a little less fluff. I used to read a wider variety of fiction genres. I also liked exercising my mind by studying nonfiction topics. Due to years of heavy Real Life work slog, I’d fallen into a rut of only reading things that were super easy to digest. Then, with my focus turning to writing, I concentrated on devouring the types of books I knew I wanted to write. It’s time to feed my brain a little more. I’ve had this one recommended to me so many times now. I hope it’s a great place to start!
   3. The Woodsman Collection by Eddie Cleveland – Remember when I told you to read something by this author? Yeah. Still serious about that one. I picked up this and one other collection he put together as holiday offers. Apologies for the lack of a link (the promotion is no longer available). Think of it as Fate agreeing with me. Go check out his list of works on Amazon and treat yo self.
   4. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert – I’ve had this one on my Amazon wishlist since it came out. I read about it in a magazine my mom had and thought it sounded fabulous. I got it for Christmas–YAY!–so it’s on the list.
   5. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf – See my remarks about Bad Feminist. This one is my *bonus points* book for January. It’s a new thing I’m doing. If I give myself an extra book to look forward to–one I can’t read until I read everything else on my list–I think it’ll motivate me to read even more. Can you tell I’m a goal-oriented person?
   6. One Empire Night by Autumn Jones Lake – not pictured (because I may or may not have finished it in, like, three hours the day it came out and felt guilty putting it on the list. Don’t judge me.)

There you have it–my first reading list of 2018! I’m looking forward to a fabulous new year of reading and I’m hoping January kicks it off right.

Now I’m handing it over to you. Comment below to share what you’re reading this month or tell me about the last book you read. What are your reading goals for 2018?

Cheers!