I've never been the best at writing book reports so this is not what this is. I've been keeping track of the books I read for a couple of years now and, after committing to reading more in my yearly lists, I feel like posting a monthly list of the books I read would encourage me to read even more.

So here's what I borrowed from the library in the month of January.

If you're interested to see what else is on my waiting list, check out my 2023 reading list.

And please share your recommendations in the comments (women, queer, POC authors are all I've been reading since 2017 and I'd like to keep this trend going!)

1. Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women's Pain by Abby Norman

For quite a while I've been trying to understand what happens in my uterus, and in preparation for a series of medical appointments, I wanted to read stories of people who've had issues obtaining a diagnosis.

2. Beating Endo: How to Reclaim Your Life from Endometriosis by Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD, and Amy Stein, DPT

In the same vein, this book, written by two doctors working hand in hand - one is a pelvis pain specialist, the other is a physical therapist - helped my put words on my symptoms and take a holistic approach. I ended up downloading a body graph and listing all the things that happen or have happened to my body in order to maybe draw connections between these events and symptoms.

3. Guantanamo Voices: An Anthology: True Accounts from the World's Most Infamous Prison, edited by Sarah Mirk

I was shocked to realize that I did not know that Guantanamo still existed and that people were still unlawfully held there. I am incapable to explain the loopholes and made-up reasons that were imagined to come to this result. I really want to learn even more and see in what small way I could advocate for a change.

4. An American in Provence: Art, Life and Photography by Jamie Beck

I've been admiring Jamie's work for close to a decade and even more closely since she moved to the South of France. From the time she and her partner created the cinemagraph to the time when Jamie created her now famous pandemic series #isolationcreation, I have admired both her technique and vision.

5. The Little Book of Cottagecore: Traditional Skills for a Simpler Life by Emily Kent

I can never get enough hygge inspo. Cottagecore could be my middle name. I want to keep this book for way longer than the library allows me and test all the DIYs and recipes!

What are you currently reading? I'd love to know, please share your recommendations in the comments below!