This is going to be SUPER long. SUPER. In all the Christmas excitement I forgot to do one for November and then in December I finished the most books I've maybe ever finished in a month in my adult life - 27. TWENTY-SEVEN. In thirty-one days. That is a lot of reading. OR...a lot of reading shorter books (about 2/3 of those were under 300 pages). This is how committed I am to always ending my reading totals with a 0 or 5. I know, weird quirk but it is what it is.
I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th!
Other book posts through November and December (largely Christmas related):
Christmas Picture Book Flight: Mice & Christmas
Christmas Picture Book Flight: Christmas in New York
And now, a very long list of what I read:
All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
This book was the first of many Christmas set books I read in these two months that ended up being aggressively FINE. And then the Christmas books I enjoyed are ones that weren't even on my radar until almost Christmas! This one was a bummer because I rather enjoyed this author's previous Christmas set book while this one just felt trite and dull. Something about a singing competition and people keeping secrets. I just couldn't get myself to care and sometimes people were acting ridiculous. 2.75 Stars
Endless Summer by Elin Hilderbrand
A collection of various short stories she's written as sequels or prequels to other novels. I had read a few before and really only remembered the characters from one of these stories well. But still a nice little collection, even if I couldn't remember all the tie-ins. 3.5 Stars
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backwards Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink
Wow, I remember I was still running when I was reading this book which feels like a very long time ago! It maybe repeated the same thing over and over which got a bit repetitive even though I agreed with the overall message. Regret is helpful and I could immediately come up with some examples in my own life where previous regrets changed my actions going forward, in a good way. I do appreciate the kind of regret that has me thinking how to do things better in the future. But maybe could have been an article and not needed to be a whole book. 3.5 Stars
Wherever the Wind Takes Us by Kelly Harms
This was a fun book where a divorced Mom gets her ex-husband's fancy sailboat and knows she can't keep said sailboat because she needs somewhere to actually live. But in order to sell the sailboat she needs to get it from New England to the Caribbean or Miami or something. She tries to do this big sailing adventure with her college age daughter but that fails and they need to bring in a sailing instruction who is very hot and also good at sailing. Strangely, maybe the second sailing book I read last year although I can't remember now which the first was. It was fun, sad at times, but ultimately hopeful. 3.75 Stars
On Earth as it is In Heaven: Restoring God's Vision of Race and Discipleship by Fr. Josh Johnson
I've been listening to Fr. Josh's podcast for a year and half or so. He answers questions about various Catholic things. His is a voice I respect on Catholic issues and so I appreciated his words here about race within the country and the church. 3.75 Stars
Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
This is one I picked up mainly because Ashley C. Ford is talking about growing up in Fort Wayne. As in, Fort Wayne where I grew up. She was even in the marching band and there was a brief period in reading that I thought maybe we were in marching band at the same time in the same city, but then realized that she maybe started high school (not at the same school) right after graduated. ANYWAYS, she had a rough time growing up, her father incarcerated and not a lot of consistent family support. She is a great writer though and had some lovely turns of phrases. Also, she had a whole paragraph about going downtown to see the lit up Santa and wreath which I love so dearly. I loved picking out all the places I knew while also feeling for her having a rather different upbringing than me in the same city. 3.75 Stars
Harvest Moon by Denise Hunter
I've read a lot of her books and they can largely blend together. I think there was an apple orchard involved and I believe two previously married people thrown together to raise their dead friends' little girl? I mean, tragic. But I did appreciate that the little girl (2?) did talk like other little kids I've known, not too baby or too advanced. This is important! I don't remember strong feelings on it either way! 3 Stars
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki
This lady, Marjorie Post, lived a LIFE. Her father founded what is now the Post cereal empire (and makers of my beloved Blueberry Morning cereal). She was married 4 times, had good relationships with many US Presidents AND she's the one who commissioned the building of Mar Largo, aka Trump's current residence. FASCINATING lady. Oh, and one of her husband's was an ambassador to Russia where she collected treasures from the likes of the real Anastasia. This lady just lived an interesting life, even if it was a bit wild at times. I enjoyed my time reading about her. 3.75 Stars
Where There's a Whisk by Sarah J. Schmitt
Fun and chaste YA about teens in a cooking competition in NYC. It was fun and all the food descriptions and talk made me a bit hungry reading it. Just pretty charming seeing NYC through their eyes as they also tried to cook their best and make friends, etc. 3.25 Stars
If You Could Live Anywhere: The Surprising Importance of Place in a Work-from-Anywhere World by Melody Warnick
I picked this up because I enjoyed her previous book about loving where you live, even if it's not where you would have picked. This one was about how, especially since the pandemic, easy it is for people to choose to live somewhere else. Maybe just moving somewhere the weather is more to your liking or just becoming a nomad and living on the road. I don't plan to do either of those things so hard to relate to a lot of this (and my husband's job is definitely one that can't be done remotely, no matter how many things move that way) but this could be helpful for someone considering a change of residence. 3 Stars
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
This book made me feel slightly positive about the midwest weather phenomenon knows as "wintery mix" which, really, is about the worst weather to get here (it means the roads will be slick). I like his commitment to Indiana and laughed at how he said Indy is the most average city in the country. Like, really just a average mix of the whole country. But I appreciated his thoughtful words about a variety of issues. Not sure I can ever come fully around on wintery mix though. 3.5 Stars
A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga
This is middle grade told mostly from the prospective of a little rover who is being prepped to be sent to Mars on a mission. The rover develops relationships with other mechanical beings in the room during all the testing while the daughter of one of the scientists writes letter to the rover. She is a bit jealous of all of the time her mom spends with the rover and not at home. I really felt for this rover which sounds silly but it was just so cute and wanted to do such a good job on Mars. 4 Stars
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss
This was the first of two books I read almost in a row where a group of college friends come together for a reunion and some big event (a wedding in this case). They spend a week romping around a castle and getting into trouble (I eye rolled at the middle of the night snow golf or whatever it was). The protagonist is a bookshop owner in London and she flirts with the groundskeeper of the castle who knew the whole group when they were in school. Another one of the books I read set around Christmas that was just aggressively fine. 2.75 Stars
Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy by Beth Kempton
This was a lovely little book on how to have a calmer Christmas make use of that lovely week between Christmas and New Years to start off the New Year well. This is the first place I've heard that week called "the hush" which I LOVE. Similar vibes and helpfulness to The Lazy Genius holiday docket which I did this year so I had already thought through many of these things, but the reminder didn't hurt. 3.5 Stars
The Rewind by Allison Winn Scotch
This was the next book I read set around a college reunion group. I did like that this was set at the dawn of the new millennium, the night 1999 turned to 2000. Although I could have done with more nostalgia and less friend drama. Two people who did date and hadn't spoken in some number of years were now on a drunken trip down memory lane and then the next day trying to piece together all what happened in the previous 12 hours. I just couldn't believe how quickly they could move past all the drama. 2.75 Stars
One Last Gift by Emily Stone
This was one where the protagonist's brother died right before Christmas and she couldn't even start his annual Christmas treasure hunt for many years. Then she did and was sad. I know, it was supposed to be moving but I just didn't find it that. 2.75 Stars
Dressing the Queen: The Jubilee Wardrobe by Angela Kelly
This was the Queen's jubilee wardrobe for the 2012 60th Jubilee which I remember fondly because we watched some of it from the Queen's official Scottish residence in Edinburgh, just days after being in London. Fascinating how they handled her wardrobe and all that needed to be considered! 3.75 Stars
Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas, Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn
I've read this novella series every Christmas for quite a few years now, often nearly kicking off December and all that coziness. They just feel like Christmas to me. We even did Christmas crackers this year, after I've spent so many years reading about them in these. Charming and sweet. 4 Stars
The Silent Stars Go By by Sally Nicholls
This story should have been a short story or there needed to be more to flesh out the story. Two young lovers are separated by one of the World Wars and then after he goes MIA, she finds out she's pregnant with his baby. The baby is passed off as her little brother (or sister? I can't remember) and then it turns out that the father isn't dead...things get complicated. It felt like some padding added just to make this a full novel but really would have been better to be shorter. 3 Stars
Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom's Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays by Tama Fortner
This was supposed to be a reflection guide to read one page a day or something for the first 25 days of December but I read the whole thing over a day or two. This was more Jesus focused than Calm Christmas above and maybe would have worked better if I had read it one page at a time, but that's not how my library check-out worked. Also, I generally don't find the holidays too overwhelming but this might be helpful if you do. 3.5 Stars
Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo
The last one on this list that I am calling aggressively fine. An aspiring fashion designer falls for the head of a huge department store going in down the block that is threatening all the small shops. They also have to fake a relationship to keep his parents off his back about settling down. blah blah blah, things happen, the relationship becomes not fake. The end. 2.75 Stars
Host for the Holiday by Martha Keyes
This was a super charming and delightful Christmas read set in Paris with two unlikely roommates thrown together to redecorate an apartment and sight-see in Paris. I really enjoyed picking this one up and spending time with these people as they spent time in Paris. Also, closed door romance. Just a delight. 4.25 Stars
Flight by Lynn Steger Strong
I picked this up because I heard it compared to one of my very favorite Christmas movies, The Family Stone. Complicated family dynamics in this one, as a family comes together after the death of their matriarch (there is no patriarch in the picture, he was either gone or dead). Really tried to keep the family members straight (there weren't even that many of them!) but still got them a bit tangled, and it also didn't really matter. Set at Christmas but not real festive. It all came together in the end but I'd still say it's just fine. 3 Stars
Yours Forever, Starry Night, A Promise is Forever by Robin Jones Gunn
These are all Christmas/winter set books in the Christy Miller series that I hadn't read in YEARS. Since 2017 I believe? I read them all very many times as a teen and this series has meant so much to me over the years. 4 Stars
I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life's Essential Daily Habit by Matthew Kelly
Honestly, I picked this up in December because it was short and I was trying to hit that reading goal. It was about improving your prayer life and a worthwhile read if you feel that needs improvement! 4 Stars
Winter Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand
I love this series and have been reading them all, every year since they've individually been released. Nantucket, Christmas (mostly). Complicated, overlapping family drama. I love my annual time with the Quinns. Which I might say every year but that doesn't make it less true. 4.5 Stars
The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp
This is the advent devotional that I've read for many years now, actually finished it in church this year when I had to have Luke there 75 minutes early to sing in the Christmas choir and the roads were ice and I didn't want to drive back home. Helps focus on Jesus in the midst of CHRISTMAS. 4 Stars
Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway
This was an incredibly charming book that I just blew through. London, Christmas. Two people thrown together in the same house after not having a good meet cute over luggage at the airport. Then they are roped into sight-seeing around London together. It was adorable and I just enjoyed it. Closed door romance too. 4 Stars
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
I've been reading this the week between Christmas and New Years for many years now. It says summer in the title but a lot of the action takes place on New Year's Eve so it's appropriate. If I had to pick an all-time favorite book, this might be it. I feel like I say this exact thing every year. 1930s on the East Coast, rich people and their problems and romance and a hurricane. 4.75 Stars
Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young
This is the devotional I was working through all year, the third time (not in a row) I've read through it. Lovely few minutes to start each day. 5 Stars
Read with Luke and/or Sam
True Home by Kallie George
Sam's first read aloud and he LOVED it. LOVED IT. The Heartwood Hotel series that I read years ago with Luke, this was the fall set one, with Mona the Mouse trying to find a home in the Fernwood Forest. Very charming. I'll be picking up the winter one with Sam once I have a library hold free to request it! 4 Stars
From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
I LOVED this book as a kid and read it many times. Many times. I finally pulled it out to read to Luke. He was intrigued by the whole concept even though some things stood out as very outdated (I had to explain what pay phones were), such as how much things cost 60ish years ago in NYC. These were denser chapters than I remembered but still fun to share with him. 4 Stars
More Perfect Than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan
The 4th book (I think) in the Sarah, Plain and Tall series. It was a quick read with Luke and completely stuck the landing which was lovely to read. 3.75 Stars
How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith
This is the 3rd year I've read this one to the boys, a chapter a day for 25 days through December. Winston the mouse is trying to get a boy's letter to Santa before Christmas and has all sorts of adventures around town trying to make that happen. We're actually reading the second in the series right now, even though it's past Christmas (and reading 2-3 days worth a day to fit it in). 3.5 Stars
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
My favorite Christmas read aloud and it makes me choke up every year. The Herdmanns manage to mess up nearly everything but somehow their sudden presence of all the key roles in the Christmas pageant just make everything better. 4.75 Stars
What have YOU been reading lately??
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