Introduction
One of my primary goals carrying over from 2023 into 2024 is to read more. As I mentioned in my 2024 goals and habits introduction post, I’ve always been a good reader, but I’ve struggled with both motivation and maintaining engagement.
As a result of my previous struggles, I started to pay closer attention to the books or series upon which some of my favorite movies and TV shows are based. Using this as a starting point, I found some excellent stories I knew would hold my attention.
This led me to series like Shetland by Ann Cleeves, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, a reread of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, and You by Caroline Kepnes.
Early-January 2024 Titles
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
The third installment of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, Voyager follows Claire and Jamie’s next chapter after spending twenty years apart. True to form, Gabaldon pulls you in from the first pages and keeps you hooked the whole way through.
After returning to the 1940s in the hours just before Culloden, Claire spends twenty years thinking, as he had planned, Jamie had died on Culloden moor. Only after the death of Reverend Wakefield does Claire, along with Roger Wakefield – the reverend’s adopted son – and Jamie and Claire’s daughter, Brianna, find that Jamie did not perish at Culloden.
Following research into Jamie’s life after Culloden, Claire is faced with the difficult decision of whether to chance going back to the eighteenth century in hopes of finding Jamie. Frank, Claire’s first husband, died a few years prior, so Claire’s main tie to the twentieth century is Brianna. After learning more about Claire and Jamie’s relationship and seeing for herself the passing through the stones of Geillis Duncan, Brianna urges her mother to go back and find Jamie.
Voyager follows Claire and Jamie’s reunion in Edinburgh, their return to Lallybroch, and their voyage to the Americas after Young Ian is kidnapped attempting to retrieve some of the hidden riches meant to fund the failed Jacobite Rebellion.
Why I Love This Series
As mentioned above, I came to this series after watching the STARZ TV series for the first time. Falling in love with the characters and Jamie and Claire’s love story, picking up the books was a natural next step for me.
Any bookworm will tell you that the book is often better than the series or movie. In this case, I would say they’re on par with one another. Gabaldon’s writing style is so expressive and detailed that it’s not difficult to become engrossed. The adaptation does not disappoint, though either. Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe bring to life Jamie and Claire with ease and make the story that much more exciting to watch.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Drawing on the diaries, journals, and logs of the crew, Alfred Lansing brings to life the incredible voyage of the Endurance and Ernest Shackelton’s Antarctic voyage that ended up spanning roughly 18 months from 1914 to 1916.
After becoming stuck in an ice floe, Shackelton and his crew waited several months through a punishing winter in hopes that the Endurance would free itself from the ice come spring. When, however, the sheets of ice clamped down on the Endurance and made it clear she would be crushed rather than freed, the men were forced to abandon ship and set off largely on foot in search of land.
My dad and mom recommended I read this book a few years ago but I’ve just now started.
What I’m Loving About this Read
Having majored in history in college, this book speaks to the historian in me. While I’m not typically one for nautical tales, I’m really enjoying this story and haven’t lost engagement.
I love a good underdog story and anything chock full of resilience and positivity despite adversity.
What are you reading?
I hope you’ve found some good reads this new year! If you want to join the conversation and talk about your favorite titles, feel free to find me on social media – all of my sites are linked on my homepage and throughout my blog.
You can also follow me on Good Reads. I’m just getting my profile up and running again on there and hope to use it a lot more this year. I’d love to connect and see what you’re reading!
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