Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: December 2024

How is it the end of the year again? I wrapped it up with a few less books (reading Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth will do that to you). But a good month to end 2024.

Favorites of the month:

  • Rhythm of War (reread)
  • A Monsoon Rising
  • Beg, Borrow, or Steal
  • O Goalie Night
  • Wind and Truth
  • Exes Don’t
  • Holiday Hostilities
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him?
  • All the Missing Pieces
  • In the Wake of the Wicked

Least favorites:

  • The Island House
  • Merry Little Match by Celine Rachelle
  • [Reread] Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archives #4) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods #2) by Pascale Lacelle
  • [ARC/ALC] A Monsoon Rising (The Hurricane Wars #2) by Thea Guanzon
  • Since We’ve No Place to Go
  • Servant of the Earth (The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley
  • [ARC] Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome #3) by Sarah Adams
  • Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas by Claire Cain
  • The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Robinson
  • [ARC] Lady Anna’s Favor by Karen Tuft
  • O Goalie Night by K.M. Gillis
  • My December Darling by Lauren Asher
  • One Night Two Holidays by Ali Brady
  • [ARC] A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya
  • [ARC] Dating and Dragons (Dungeons and Drama #1) by Kristy Boyce
  • 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson
  • That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe (Abieville Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson
  • Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive #5) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Games Untold (The Inheritance Games #4.5) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • [ALC] Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
  • A Kingdom of Shadows (A City of Flames #2) by Rina Vasquez
  • An Honorable Deception (The Imposters #3) by Roseanna M. White
  • We Could Be Villains (The Vigil & Ante Files #1) by Megan McCullough
  • Twenty-Four Seconds from Now… by Jason Reynolds
  • [ALC] Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee
  • Exes Don’t (Fall in Love #3) by Leah Dobrinska
  • Holiday Hostilities (Cyclones Christmas #2) by Katie Bailey
  • The Island House (Getaway Bay Romances #1) by Elana Johnson
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens
  • [ARC] All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles
  • In the Wake of the Wicked by V.B. Lacey
  • The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

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Book Review: Mistle Text (An Accidentally in Love Story #5) by Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 302 pages
Author: Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers
Publisher: 33 Partners & Indigo Group
Release Date: September 19th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

HOLIDAY CHEER.

We have found another win for the holiday romance books column.

I do admit you do have to let go of some drama aspects for this one (as you do with holiday books), but I thought it was overall really charming!! The romance got off to a nice meet-cute and I liked the banter between Holly and Archie. They had some sweet moments that built the relationship well.

The plot had those billionaire romance aspects that I know many will love and worked for me most of the time too. I loved the personal shopper side of it too. The combination just worked so well for me.

Faith was a cute addition that only increased the charm on this book. I loved the new family they were creating together and it had me showcasing a huge smile. Faith was cheeky and landed the anecdotes at the right moment.

It’s a lighthearted and quick holiday read that I think will bring the best kind of feels for the season.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: orphaned child (death of parents mentioned; off-page), a mother with dementia

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: November 2022

BIRTHDAY MONTH & HOLIDAY BOOKS. It was a good November.

FAVORITES

LEAST FAVORITES

  • Holiday Romance
  • Fake Santa Apology Tour
  • Spells for Lost Things
  • The Eradic
  • The Belle of Belgrave Square
  • Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD
  • Heart of the Sun Warrior
  • Bloodmarked
  • The Holiduel
  • The Lost Metal
  • The Two Bells of Christmas
  • Cabin Mate
  • Morrighan
  • My Knight Before Christmas
  • Built to Last
  • The Cloisters
  • A Billionaire Inventor for Christmas
  • Talk Santa to Me
  • House of Eclipses
  • [Novella] My Knight Before Christmas (Christmas in Connecticut #1) by Amanda P. Jones
  • Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
  • [ARC] Scrooge and the Girls Next Door (Creekville Kisses) by Melanie Jacobson
  • Dance of a Burning Sea (Moussai #2) by E.J. Mellow
  • [Novella] The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia
  • The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof
  • [ARC] Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song o the Last Kingdom #1) by Amelie Wen Zhao
  • [Novella] Mishaps & Mistletoe (When in West Virginia #1.5) by Lindsey Jesionowski
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • Built to Last by Erin Hahn
  • Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch
  • [ARC] The Eradic (The Eradic #1) by S. Goodey
  • A Newport Christmess (Christmas Escapes #4) by Jess Heileman
  • [Novella] Holly Jolly Christmas Derailed by Emily Bradford
  • Cursed (Gilded #2) by Marissa Meyer
  • A Memory of Light (Until the Stars Are Dead #1) by Allyson S. Barkley
  • The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London #2) by Mimi Matthrews
  • [Novella] Christmas Crasher by Ash Keller
  • [Non-Fiction] Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD
  • Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom Duology #2) by Sue Lynn Tan
  • [Non-Fiction] Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
  • [ARC] Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano
  • [ARC] Saint (The Narrows #0) by Adrienne Young
  • A Not-So Holiday Paradise (Christmas Escapes #5) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
  • Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) by Tracey Deonn
  • [Novella] The Holiduel (Falling for Franklin #0.5) by Hailey Gardiner
  • The Cloisters by Katy Hays
  • Prince of Song & Sea (Princes #1) by Linsey Miller
  • How the Grump Saved Christmas by Claire Kingsley
  • Later On We’ll Conspire (Christmas Escapes #6) by Kourtney Keisel
  • The Lost Metal (Mistborn Era 2 #7) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC/Novella] The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
  • [ARC] Cabin Mate (Under Kansas Skies #4) by Leah Brunner
  • Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater
  • A Billionaire Inventor for Christmas (Dexington Christmas Billionaires #1) by Dobi Daniels
  • [Novella] Christmas at Engine 17 by Ash Keller
  • [ARC] Morrighan (The Remnant Chronicles #0.5) by Mary E. Pearson
  • Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban
  • [Novella] Holiday Hang-Ups by Elle Anne Brown
  • House of Eclipses (House of Eclipses #2) by Casey L. Bond
  • [Novella] The Naughty, the Nice, and the Nanny (Holiday Brothers #1) by Willa Nash
  • Christmas After All by Cece Louise
  • Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unlocked (KOTLC #8.5) by Shannon Messenger

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Book Review: One Day in December by Josie Silver

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary romance
Length: 409 pages
Author: Josie Silver
Publisher: Broadyway Books
Expected Release Date: October 16th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic… and then her bus drives away.

Certain they’re fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn’t find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they “reunite” at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It’s Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

INFINITELY BETTER AS IT WENT ON.

So close.

This was another so close to DNF. I have unfortunately hit a streak of these, but luckily I am still giving them a chance! I started this as an audio book while owning a copy. I did NOT like the audio. I have no concrete reasons, couldn’t connect with the narrator, hated the MC and there was too much language for me to listen comfortably.

So I turned it off and instead tried reading the book. I read it over a month in short spans when I didn’t have to pick up my next book immediately. Did this help? YUP. Game changer.

Laurie really annoyed me at first with her inability to chill about Jack. I couldn’t handle the crazed enthusiasm to find this ONE GUY after seeing him ONE TIME. Then her continual pining for him while he was dating her best friend really bothered me.

Finally, finally. Laurie grew up a bit. Accepted the fate in her hands at present and went about her life. They all did. And from there I saw a growth in friendships, relationships, work, family, many areas! It was terribly difficult to watch the struggles, pain, and hardships that these three had to fight through. The story really blossomed and I was falling hard for Laurie, Jack, and Sarah.

By the end, the story had wrapped around my heart and held it in a tight grip as the movie-like ending rolled on the page. IT WAS SO PRECIOUS. And while cheesy was exactly what this book called for and made me hand over four stars. Why four? I personally could not handle the unnecessary use of language. It was flagrant, out of place and I didn’t like it. Also, since it took so long for me to go give this story a chance I knocked it down a bit.

If you’re like me and curious about this book, I would definitely give a try! Reese Witherspoon picked this book for a reason!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary fiction romance
  • Language: a lot of strong language
  • Romance: kisses, make-outs, love scenes (ranging from fade-to-black to mildly descriptive)
  • Violence: car wreck, physical, emotional
  • Trigger warnings: cheating (by way of kisses), cheating (emotionally attached to someone while with someone else, yes, I do count this as a form of cheating)

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