Three books I couldn’t put down in January

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.

I almost never actually complete my New Year’s resolutions. But one I really wanted to focus on for 2026 was reading for fun again. I’ve always loved reading, but when the quarter gets busy with school work, I tend to get burnt out on reading anything at all, even books I usually find enjoyable.

To make this goal more achievable, I planned to read around one book per week. So, as February begins, here’s a recap of my three January reads across a few different genres! 

1. “If You Could See the Sun” by Ann Liang: 8/10 

I began my renewed reading journey with a rom-com read. “If You Could See the Sun” was a great first choice to get me out of my reading slump, uniquely blending fantasy and magical realism with classic Young Adult (YA) elements and romance. Of course, Liang’s novel is a cute and lighthearted rom-com. But beneath the surface, it also holds a thought-provoking setting and main plot, making sure you get a little bit of everything.

The story follows Alice Sun, a 17-year-old girl who has always felt invisible at her Beijing boarding school as the only scholarship student. When Alice suddenly gains the ability to (literally) turn invisible, she begins monetizing her power by uncovering secrets to blackmail her wealthy classmates into helping pay for tuition. As the tasks escalate, so do the stakes and Alice’s relationship with Henry, her business partner. Henry also happens to be Alice’s long-time academic rival — that is, until she needs his help hiding her new ability and their antagonism grows into something more.

What stood out most to me was the complexity of Liang’s protagonist. Alice isn’t always likeable, but her questionable morality and insecurities make her realistic. Her growth into a more ethical character is genuinely interesting to follow. Ever since reading “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang, a story with perhaps the most unlikeable but compelling protagonist I’ve come across, I’ve been more open-minded to similar kinds of characters. While similar to Liang’s earlier “I Hope This Doesn’t Find You” in its utilization of an academic-rivals-to-lovers arc, “If You Could See the Sun” offers a refreshing take on this trope that makes it stand out from her other books.

2. “Their Vicious Games” by Joelle Wellington: 7/10 

For my second read, I wanted something similarly fast-paced but different in tone. I picked up Wellington’s “Their Vicious Games” expecting an intense YA thriller. It succeeded on that front, and also definitely delivered on creating tension and a haunting atmosphere. The novel’s pacing reminded me a bit of “The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, which I also read in one sitting, and it’s perfect if you’re in the mood for something sharp, dramatic and a bit unsettling. 

Unintentionally, “Their Vicious Games” was superficially similar to my first read. The story follows Adina Walker, a Black scholarship student at a predominantly white private school, who is invited to participate in an exclusive competition run by the school’s most powerful families. Having had her offer to Yale, her dream school, revoked, winning this competition may be Adina’s only chance to get her life back on track. Yet, what starts as a seemingly golden opportunity quickly spirals into a dangerous series of psychological and physical challenges. Adria would be lucky not to escape the competition with her college offer, but with her life. 

The “game” structure made it very easy for me to keep reading, and the thriller aspects worked perfectly. There’s a social critique of elite meritocracy wrapped in this deadly game, which gave it more weight than I was initially expecting. “Their Vicious Games” isn’t a light read, but it’s engaging and sharp if you’re looking for something that grabs your attention at the start and keeps it until the end. 

3. “This Will be Funny Someday” by Katie Henry: 10/10 

This is my absolute favorite book I’ve read in a long time — maybe one of my favorites ever — and I think it’s ridiculously underrated. “This Will be Funny Someday” follows Izzy, a quiet, anxious 16-year-old who quite literally stumbles into standup comedy, finding an opportunity not only to change her social circle, but also how she sees herself. Izzy starts to live a double life, as her friends, boyfriend and family have no idea about her new passion, and she struggles to balance the two worlds and two versions of herself. 

As the title suggests, the book is incredibly humorous while also deeply heartfelt. I enjoyed Izzy’s internal dialogue and commentary about her life, especially the purely comical scenes set in her high school. One line that stuck with me appears throughout the book: “I think: something. I say: nothing.” It perfectly captures what it’s like to have so much to say but not know how — or feel allowed — to say it. I felt so proud of Izzy as she slowly found her voice, both on stage and in her everyday life. Her growth, in combination with the author’s confident narrative voice, made the story feel honest, warm and inspiring. 

“This Will be Funny Someday” is like a love letter to introverts and overthinkers alike — people who are often overlooked as main characters because they’re expected not to “do” or “say” enough. This story proves the opposite: those inner worlds are exactly what make them worth listening to.

The post Three books I couldn’t put down in January appeared first on The Stanford Daily.