I have started to attack my to be read list quite agressively, which means that I have started to buy more books that are in my list or that are relatively recent releases. Keeping that in mind I have bought a couple of books in January and as always I will list all the real, hard copies that are sitting next to me right now. Here we go!

Neil Gaiman – Neverwhere

Neil Gaiman is a very popular author and I’ve always felt like I might like him a lot, but I have never actually gotten around to read anything by him. Well, this is going to change, because last month I picked up his book!

Neverwhere is a book about Richard Mayhew who’s single act of kindness changes his whole life, because from London he knows, he is transported to a new Underground London – city called Neverwhere, it lurks with monsters, murderers, knights and angels. A strange and unexpected destiny awaits him in Neverwhere.

Bill Karwin – SQL Antipatterns: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Database Programming (Pragmatic Programmers)

This book is something I found on Vlad Mihalcea’s blog, he reviewed the book here. His review got me really interested in it. Although I usually am not a part of creating databases, I still feel like it would we fun to judge and compare the work we are doing to the good practices described in this book.

Although it is supposedly not very popular amongst programmers, it has good reviews from people who aren’t SQL programmers (like me) or are beginners at it. So as I have little knowledge and use, I hope to get some interesting information and hopefully learn something I could use in my limited SQL needs.

Maureen Johnson – The Boy in the Smoke (Shades of London #0.5)

I’ve actually already read this World Book Day novella and have been quite disappointed in it. It is a novella in the Shades of London series and although it was published after the first book, it takes place before it. You can check out my goodreads review here.

This book  talks about boy who was born in a family with a lot of money and demands, but not much love. Stephen’s closest person is his sister and although they couldn’t be more different from each other, they love and care for one another dearly. Everything changes, when their parents expel Stephen’s sister from their house and lives. She needs to work for herself and take care of her, but not all the decisions she make are good ones…

Maureen Johnson – The Madness Underneath (Shades of London #2)

After reading the first book, which was really addictive (I wouldn’t put it in my favourites though), I was very eager to read the second one. Unfortunately, I read the novella above first and kind of got out of the bubble of wanting to read this one. Shame! But definitely will continue with the series. I don’t really want to go into detail so I wouldn’t spoil the first book for those who haven’t read it.

This book follows the events of the first book. The Shades – a secret police force that deals with unusual murder and sighting cases, have a new task and they have to deal with the new threat that seems to have taken over London… But they can’t do it alone the Shades have to find means to get their friend Rory back to help and solve this mystery.

Barbara Demick – Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea

This book has been in my to-read list for so long already. And at last I have bought it.

Barbara Demick is an American journalist, who’s interest currently the bureau chief of Los Angeles Times in Beijing. But in 2001 she just moved to Los Angeles Times and reported on economical and social changes in North Korea, following the life inside cities of North Korea and stories people, who got out, told. This book follows six people in time period of fifteen years and tells the stories of what ordinary people’s lives in North Korea are like.

Holly Black – The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

I did not really like Holly Black’s book The Darkest Part of the Forest (review), so it’s understandable that it took me quite some time to get my courage and buy this book. But honestly, the title seems so cool that it is almost enough to forget my previous experience.

Tana lives in a world where Coldtowns exist – cities you can enter, but never leave. In them quarantined monsters and humans live together in a horrible game of predator and prey. One morning, after an ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses with only two other survivors…

Chuck Palahniuk – Fight Club

I’ve actually read this one as well. I was quite excited to read this book as I saw the movie very many years ago and didn’t remember anything at all. Including the famous plot twist. You can check my review here.

This book is about an office worker, who is tired of his life… until he meets Tyler Durden – projectionist and waiter. Both together they create a fight club, which helps to fight their inner demons and everyday annoyances, but at some point it goes too far. Far too many fight clubs have been started and all they are chanting is the name of the creator, they listen to only one person – Tyler Durden. They are his army.

So these are the books I have bought in January. Well, actually I’m missing one, because I bought it as a gift while I was in Toulouse this month, so that one is a secret and not really mine! Let me know your thoughts on the books I revealed and suggestions, what should I give a try first! Thanks, cheerio!