This post is going up a little later than usual and than I would have liked because...I'm a Mom in December. I have A LOT going on. Even in a pandemic. It's just my "A LOT" is wrapping and baking and decorating (am I out of picture frames to wrap in my house? Feels like I should be!) and trying to finish the EIGHTEEN books I had left to read in December to hit my goal. And being confused by 2nd grade math worksheets (Matt and I are nightly quoting Incredibles 2 "Why did they change math? Math is math!"). Home a lot besides school runs and Target pick-up orders (I had one singular in store shopping trip for gifts this Christmas season, a record low) and library curbside hold pick-up (they start pulling the holds from our 4 cards when they see me pull in, even before I call). Life is still busy but it's almost all busy I like!
A lot of picture book posts lately:
Here's what I've been reading...it's a lot.
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karin Yan Glaser
I accidentally, but helpfully, lined up a bunch of quick reads after I got a bit bogged down by reading Harry Potter #s 5 & 6 back to back (enjoyable but take A LOT of time). I've written about the Vanderbeekers previously, delightful middle-grade series about 5 siblings who live with their parents in Harlem, NYC and get into adventures around their neighborhood. If these weren't nearly 300 pages each I'd read them aloud to Luke. 4 Stars
Away in a Manger, Time of Fog and Fire, The Ghosts of Christmas Past by Rhys Bowen
Finishing up the Molly Murphy series that I've been working on all year! It was nice that it worked out to read the two Christmas set ones in November and December! I have a post planned about the whole series after the new year so there isn't a ton to say now other than I really enjoyed this series. Molly was a fun protagonist and it made me very glad I wasn't a woman living in NYC at the turn of the 20th century. 3.75 Stars
Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter
Feels a bit strange to pivot from Christmas back to fall but that's how my reading went this fall. Denise Hunter has been writing fun Christian romances trilogy's that I've been reading for awhile. This was the final one in this trilogy and I honestly don't remember the details of what happened. A couple fell in love...and I enjoyed it, pretty sure. 3.25 Stars
Three Keys by Kelly Yang
Another middle grade book, this one set on the opposite coast (LA area) and a pre-teen (or early teen) who lives in a hotel that her parents now partially own and she helps run (as much as a 12ish year old can). There are their monthly guests and her school friends and more politics (immigration) than I was expecting but I still enjoyed this book. 3.75 Stars
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
Less politics than I was expecting in this book, set around a freshman senator and his secret (I think?) girlfriend. I appreciated how the politics were toned down even if there was, obviously, a lot of government talk. I've been hit or miss on her romance series and this was more of a hit. More open door than most of what I read. 3.75 Stars
Cobble Hill by Cecily von Ziegesar
I really enjoy the occasional book set among rich people living in NYC. This was a bunch of neighbors living in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. I had to keep referring to the jacket to try and keep all the couples straight but it didn't matter too much who was who. If you like reading about rich people with some of the same problems (kids, school, jobs) but also some other problems (rich people problems), this was exactly what I was expecting. 3.75 Stars
Admission by Julie Buxbaum
What I think I will always remember when I see this book is how I found it on the library second hand sale rack, for 25 cents, TWO WEEKS before the book came out. It wasn't a library copy, was in pristine condition. Not an ARC (advanced reader copy). I have no idea how it ended up there but I snatched it up and canceled my library hold (and will be putting it in a little free library now, when I finally make it past one). Set around a fictionalized version of the college admission scandal. It humanized the privilege with that but still didn't make everyone completely likeable. I finished this on Thanksgiving Day since we were home. I'll remember that part too. 3.5 Stars
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Somehow, I end up reading a British romance set around Christmas, every year around Christmas. This filled that slot this year. A single woman signs up to go on 12 dates in the month of December. Spoiler: she finds love. Spoiler: it's with the person it's completely obvious she will end up with by about page 10. It drug a little since I knew where it was ending up and took too long to get there. Maybe 6 dates of Christmas would have been ok. 3 Stars
Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence by Sarah Young
This was my devotional for the year. Only has 150 entries which is why I finished it in November and not December 31st. And I knew I had Advent devotionals starting December 1st anyways. My second time through this one and I appreciated it again. 4.75 Stars
Finding Love by Toni Shiloh
An e-book I started on my phone on July 1st and finally finished about November 30th...if that tells you anything. I picked it up because of the characters' names and it was predictable and obvious but ok. 2.75 Stars
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Finishing up my Harry Potter reread for 2020 and even though this was at least my 4th time through this...I was still amazed and in awe of how perfect the last 200 pages are. It couldn't be tied up any better. (and I bought my copy while we were on Maui, 13 years ago!) Although, considering how Harry's life was from age 11-17...isn't it assuming a lot to trust he'll die with the Elder Wand and nobody will try to fight him for it??? That it's power will die with him??? Am I missing something there? 4.75 Stars
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Their romances can also be hit or miss with me but this was mostly a hit. A woman who lives through a time loop (but that premise feels abandoned about 75 pages in?), repeating Christmas weekend at a beloved family cottage with beloved people. My timing of reading this was a bit strange but I mostly enjoyed this. 3.5 Stars
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
I've watched one season of The Bachelor, 10+ years ago, although I do pay to listen to The Popcast's weekly recap of The Bachelor/Bachlorette. This is set around a plus-sized woman being the first plus-sized "bachlorette" in a thinly veiled version of the actual show. It was fun and enlightening. 3.5 Stars
The Office: The Official Party Planning Guide to Planning Parties: Authentic Parties, Recipes, and Pranks from The Dundies to Kevin's Famous Chili by Marc Sumerak
I knew I was going to read this as soon as my sister told me about it but it got bumped up because it seemed to be a quick read and I have a number to hit. I can't decide if it was super cheesy or written for humor. If it was taking The Office too seriously or was in on the joke. The Office is having a moment though and this will for sure capitalize on that. 3.5 Stars
Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas, Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn
This is a delightful Christmas novella series that I've read every December for 5 years now. I'm not actually done with the third, just started it today, but I've read it 4 previous times so I think I can include it in this round up. I wrote a whole post about this series last year! 4 Stars
Read with Luke
The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
We did finish this in mid-November, that's just what happened. We had read this last year and I didn't think it was that funny but then laughed more the second time through. Herdmans are going to be Herdmans. Luke picked this out of the school library and it was fun to read it to him again. 3.5 Stars
Betsy and the Circus by Carolyn Haywood
We've been slowly reading the Betsy series this year too and this was one I never read as a kid. I think Luke appreciated it since my parents took him to the circus...maybe in 2019? I kept thinking of The Greatest Showman since I had semi-recently watched that. 3.25 Stars
What have YOU been reading? I have 11 books to finish in 2020 (already in progress on 5 of them!) but 2021 looks to have lots of reading space open!
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