This is a beautifully illustrated nostalgic book, that invites you to step out of the winter cold and into this lovely life.

I LOVED the artwork. The diary . . . eh, not so much. Carson's journal consists mostly of "went out bought some stuff, here's the list of what I bought, came home, drank some beers, watched some movies, went to bed." Yeah, there's personal interaction, and unrequited longing, but there's really nothing going on that hasn't occurred in any one else's life. Is that the point? Beauty in the mundane?

If her next book is ALL artwork, I'll definitely buy it.

This beautiful illustrated story is Carson Ellis's love letter to her younger self. The story is taken from her diary entries from when she was a young artist living in a warehouse with other young creatives. There are no huge revelations, just day to day life of a young person finding themselves in the world.

One Week in January was an excellent read. I loved the character study and the writing felt propulsive. I would read more from this author again.

there is beauty in simplicity and the everyday life and is so realistically portrayed in the diary entries and paintings throughout this little book. I love taking glimpses into people's lives and with this being so la vie boheme, so broke indie art kids, it really hit me in my soft spot. I want to frame so many of the paintings throughout because they capture a time that isn't directly relatable, but the vibe certainly is

Carson Ellis found a week’s worth of her own diary entries from a transitional moment in 2001 and illustrates them now, in retrospect. While the diary entries are primarily unadorned, descriptive lists of things done and said, the spaces between the lines—what’s unrecorded—says much more. What’s left unsaid are fears and uncertainty about the future, loneliness alongside moments of connection, and clearly, moments of creative collaboration between friends. The paintings bring out these moments in rich illustration.

I could see this book keeping company on a playlist that includes Lena Dunham’s series “Girls” and Greta Gerwig’s film “Frances Ha”—it is in the same vein of 20-something smart, young creatives finding their way. As Ellis points out, some of it is “cringeworthy” but that’s standard fare for creatives in our 20s, when we will simply need more time, more practice to hone our taste and to know how to move confidently in the direction of our art. The single week captured in this book foreshadows a life full of possibility. Nostalgic and hopeful, mundane and self-involved, but overall it felt authentic, and I found it surprising endearing.

I feel like the intro to this really downplayed how fun it actually was to read—Carson Ellis is kind of like "I recorded an extremely mundane list of things every day", but it was in fact a weirdly fascinating snapshot of a very specific place and time that may never be repeated. The paintings were great to look at also. I listened to a lot of The Decemberists after reading this; I think it's mandatory.

I’m always on the lookout for local writers and stories. This was a fun & fast read (at only 80 pages) by one of our Portland iconic content makers, with gorgeous paintings. Ellis is author and illustrator of mostly children’s books, including the Wildwood and Mysterious Benedict series. It’s a different kind of book that does exactly what it promises - offers up one week from over 20 years ago of her raw journal, one week in the lives of her and her friends, set in our beloved city of Portland OR. I’m grateful for this view of Portland’s maker culture. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an Advance copy.

I loved this book! I’ve been a long time Carson Ellis fan. The art in this book was so beautiful, and it was the perfect accompaniment to Carson’s journal entries. A lovely little slice of life for a time gone-by in an artist’s chaotic early days.

This is a lovely snapshot of young artist life. Carson Ellis shows great vulnerability in allowing us to peek into the mind of her 25 year old self, the struggles and heartbreak and romance of life then. Her art, as always, is gorgeous, moving, and mesmerizing. This would make a lovely coffee table book or gift book, as I'm sure the finished copy will be stunning. Don't miss her thoughtful note about marriage in the acknowledgements!

This was such a sweet book. The illustrations were gorgeous, as was the story. I wish I was as talented as Ellis is, but this was a joy to look through. Just wish it was longer!

I am a very visual person and as soon as I saw the cover I told myself: I need to read this book. The art was beautiful, the plot was very interesting too: the author found her diary of her at 25 and decided to illustrate it. Made me wanted to start my own journal and keep track of my days.
Reads very fast and kept me entertained.

Did not finish. Got about 75 percent through but the ramblings and the paintings just could not keep my interest. The best thing I can say is the artist/writer is lucky to have gotten to live as they did at the age of 25 and to practice her craft. I did not enjoy it, but the important thing is that they did. I think.

An engaging diary by a 25-year-old female artist living in Portland in 2001, is enlivened by new paintings. It's amazing how well the diarist captured the era's zeitgeist, as well as the heartbeats of her own life with her touching prose and vibrant art. Recommended!

In another life, I fancied myself a creative soul. "One week in January" filled with the mundane of ordinary life, made me nostalgic for the late 90s, early 2000s. This book memoralizes a normal week of moving, setting up a new house, friendships, and a lifestyle. Entries are coupled with artwork that sets a beatnik feeling throughout. A quick read that's worth revisitng a snapshot in time.

I received a temporary ebook ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author and artist Carson Ellis has won awards for her work in children's books, and this is her adult debut, based on an old diary that she uncovered. At the time of writing, she was twenty-five and had just moved to Portland. This book features a week's worth of diary entries with accompanying illustrations, capturing a moment in the author's life and a lost era where new move-ins had to battle with the phone company to get landlines properly connected. The book is brief but poignant, particularly related to Ellis's artistic aspirations and unrequited feelings for her friend Colin, who has now been her husband for many years.

This book will be nostalgic and meaningful for many people who relate to the author's experiences, and who came of age at a similar time. However, it's quite short, and the entries themselves are just simple and mundane summaries. The blurbs for this book make it sound much wittier and more profound than it is. It's just a collection of ordinary diary entries that aren't particularly compelling in and of themselves, but reflect a unique time period and convey the experiences of a now-successful artist.

"One Week in January" is a treat to read, full of delightful artwork, and diary pages that make you feel you are glimpsing the world of an endearing 25-year old. Perfect for a friendship gift or to put on a reading table to peek at for inspiration. Thank to NetGalley for the ARC. #OneWeekInJanuary

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for an unbiased review. This review will be cross-posted to social media platforms closer to the publication date.

This author created new illustrations for an old diary chronicling a week in her life when she moved to Portland, OR at 25 years old.

I thought this was a lovely little read, and the illustrations were gorgeous. I’m a handful of years older than this author and found this to be a really nostalgic book for me, taking me back to a much simpler time. I also live just outside of Portland, and the author/artist did an amazing job of capturing old Portland.

I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4.5 stars.

I absolutely loved this beautifully illustrated journal documenting a week in the life of Carson Ellis in 2001. I’m about 10 years younger but had a glimpse into the Portland / artist / indie scene through zines, so it was a bit of a nostalgic read for me in that way. And remember when checking your email meant more than just tapping your phone? Somehow Carson managed to perfectly balance the mundane and profound, and knowing that she ended up happily married to Colin made it such a sweet read. Highly recommend for fans of Carson’s work, the Decemberists, and early aught indie culture. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for allowing me an advanced copy of this gem.

Oh if I could travel back in time to my 25 year old self and read my every thought for a week! A fun and thought-provoking read brought to life with beautiful illustrations.