December Reading – Maps and Meanderings

Hello Lovely Readers! It has been awhile. I hope, despite everything that was different about this year, that your holidays were good and that you were able to find some bright spots. My Christmas was definitely different, but there were still bright spots and happy memories that will come out of it. In some ways it was also nice to have a more relaxed season and to have a few days that were genuinely “off” time to recuperate a bit from how busy December was for me work wise.

Early in the month my reading got a major kick start when In A Holidaze came available from the library. I was on the wait list since the release date and was certain that it would come available in time for Christmas in July if I was lucky, so I was beyond excited when I got it in perfect time to read for this Christmas. As you will see below, it was exactly what I needed to get me into the reading mood.

If you can think way back to the beginning of December, you might recall that I am testing out the idea of setting myself both seasonal and monthly reading Bingos. We are currently in the middle of the first seasonal Bingo, so I’m not going to talk about that one, but I have completed the first of the monthly Bingos, and I am going to incorporate the results into the wrap ups below and then at the very end we can take a look at the finished product and see how I did with my board.

1. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (3 Stars)
Family and Friends

I originally added this to my TBR back in October with the intention to read it for one of my spooky or atmospheric reads. I didn’t have any trouble getting it from the library, but I had real trouble actually picking it up, and then even when I finally started it, I could not get past the first chapter. I wish that I could say that it was worth pushing through and finishing, but I found it to be an average read. I gave it a 3 stars because I didn’t dislike it in anyway, and there were aspects of the main character that I really enjoyed, but overall I found it just okay. I used this book for the “Family and Friends” prompt, and if you have read this book you will know that it’s a bit tongue in cheek but also very fitting.

2. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (5 Stars)
A Book Published in 2020

This is the latest Christina Lauren romance, and this time there is a bit of a time travel twist mixed in that I was 100% there for. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and though I have only read 3 Christina Lauren novels so far, this one may have pushed The Unhoneymooners out of it’s place as my favourite, though only time will tell. I loved the groundhog day/time travel aspect and I loved how the romance developed between the main characters. I also really enjoyed seeing the main character’s growth and the way she came into herself over the course of the book. Overall, this was the perfect holiday romance for this year and it was exactly what I needed to get me into the reading mood.

3. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich (1 Star)
A Christmas Mystery

This is the first Janet Evanovich book I have read and, based on her popularity I expected so much more. I may still give her another try since I have since discovered that Goodreads has very mixed reviews for this particular novella – people either love it or they absolutely hate it as compared to her other works. The only thing I enjoyed about this novella was that there was occasionally a great line of dialogue or thought from the main character that makes me think she may be enjoyable in a different story. Not only was this story too short and underdeveloped, but some of it was borderline, if not outright offensive. I don’t give 1 star ratings very often, because I think that sometimes it is just that a book was not right for me, but in this case I would actively recommend that you do not pick this book up.

4. Americanos, Apple Pies, and Art Thieves by Harper Lin (4 Stars)
Many Happy Returns

Americanos, Apple Pie and Art Thieves by Harper Lin

This is book 5 in the Cape Bay Cafe mystery series, and like the others in this series, I really enjoyed it. I have found this to be a solid cozy mystery series and I don’t know why I’m not making my way through it quicker. I like the main characters and all the secondary characters, and I really like the relationships that the characters have with each other. I am also a sucker for a cozy series set in a cafe, so there is that. The only thing that could have made this better was if I was on the “Christmas” book of the series instead of the Thanksgiving book.

5. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (4 Stars)
A Book with Green on the Cover

This book technically could have counted for one of the free spaces, but it felt a bit cheaty to me to count a book as both “free” and something else. So here we are. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this one, but I had a lot of fun with it. I like the concept of a group of guys reading romance novels and banding together to help each other fix their relationships. I also liked the commentary about romance novels that appeared throughout the story. If you enjoy romance novels, this is one that I would recommend, and I look forward to picking up the second book in the series.

6. Snowy Nights at the Loney Hearts by Karen King (3.5 Stars)
A Christmas Romance

Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel by Karen King

This book was a pleasant surprise. It was one that I picked up on a deal on Kindle, and since I have mixed success with those picks, I am always happy when I find a winner. I liked that the Christmas theme was prevalent throughout the story instead of just being a thin backdrop to an otherwise normal romance story. In this case, the main character is tasked with taking over and running an annual Christmas dinner at her sister’s Bed and Breakfast while her sister is unable to get home from her vacation in time. Overall, this was an enjoyable seasonal read and I am glad that I picked it up. I would read more from this author.

7. Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke (3.5 Stars)
A book that includes Baking

After the disaster that was Visions of Sugar Plums, and my mixed enjoyment of the Leslie Meier seasonal mysteries, I was happy to find myself thoroughly enjoying this book. I liked all of the characters, and I liked that the main character has a bakery. I read this as an audiobook, so the recipes included at the end of each chapter were a bit distracting, but once I realized they were always at the end of the chapter, they became easy to skip. Even after discovering that, I found myself listening to them on more than one occasion – who would have thought that listening to someone read a recipe aloud could be so enjoyable. This is book 26 in the Hannah Swensen series, but it is the first one that I read and I had no trouble understanding what was going on. I will be adding more in this series to my TBR over the upcoming year.

8. Promise of Love by Tamie Dearen (2 Stars)
A Book with Red on the cover

After being pleasantly surprised with the last two books on this list, this one was a let down. I wanted another fun Christmas romance, and though this one fit the category, I did not enjoy it. I didn’t like the main character, I didn’t like her love interests, and there was something off about the pacing. I wrote in my Goodreads review that the book felt like it was trying too hard and I stand by that still. I don’t think I will be picking up anything else from this author.

9. Small Favor by Jim Butcher (4 Stars)
A fantasy Read

I don’t really have anything to say about this one other than that it was another solid, and enjoyable entry in the Dresden files series. I am still enjoying this series, though I am starting to get concerned because I know that there is a book coming up shortly that takes the series in a different direction that people either love or hate. I am both looking forward to that book and dreading it.

Other Completed Squares

Read 5 Books
Snuggle up by the Tree or Fire
2 Audiobooks
Hit 100 Books in 2020

Missed Squares

A Book Under 100 pages or a Short Story
Both Free Spaces

I didn’t think it was going to be possible, but I managed to complete all but 3 squares on my Bingo this month – and two of those were free spaces! I am also didn’t need to use any book for more than one square – not counting the “other” category. I would say December Bingo was a success, though honestly I’m not sure how much it shaped my reading. I can’t tell if I picked books to fit the squares or if I got lucky, so I think it’ll take a few more months to determine if this is a good tool to help me meet my reading goals.

And along those lines… you may have already guessed this, but there is not going to be a Bingo for January. It’s only the second month in and I’ve already missed it. I am going to try for February, because I did enjoy the process, but I may end up abandoning the monthly Bingos and focus on the seasonal ones only. I love the idea of Bingo, but I can’t help feeling there has to be some other, more original, game idea that would work for me.

How did your reading go in December? Has your January reading game started out strong or, like me, are you struggling to actually pick up a book and read? Let me know your favourite read from December in the comments.

Until Next Time,

Hello Lovely Readers! It has been a couple weeks since my last post. Work has been kicking my butt for the last couple weeks, and then I caught a cold that added it’s two cents into the butt kicking. But I am back and ready to jump back in, and what better way than with a look at how my reading went in November.

Despite my best intentions, November was another mediocre reading month for me. It is not uncommon for my reading to slow down at the end of the year, and then when you add in the extra life stress that I experienced this month, it’s not entirely surprising that I didn’t read as much as I wanted. It also didn’t help that the first two books I picked up in November were disappointing.

I finished a total of 6 books in November. I read 2 audiobooks, 2 e-books, and 2 physical books. My favourite read of the month was A Rogue of One’s Own and my least favourite was Hallowe’en Party. While you will see a non-fiction book on this wrap up, I can’t count it for Non-fiction November since I’ve been reading it in weekly portions since September.

1. Slayer by Kiersten White (3 Stars)

I had a really difficult time getting through Slayer. I enjoyed it while I was listening to it, but as soon as I turned it off, I didn’t feel any pull to pick it back up. Many evenings I didn’t listen to anything before bed because I just didn’t care. This book had a lot of potential, and all of the elements of a book that I should have enjoyed. I can also see the potential for the rest of the series (that ending, though!). But unfortunately, overall it fell flat. I will most likely pick up book 2, but if I feel the same way about it that I did about this one, I don’t think I’ll force my way through it.

2. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie (3 Stars… maybe 2.5?)

I hate to say it, but this book was so disappointing, and I had such high hopes. A Halloween themed Agatha Christie? How was it possible I had never heard of that before. But it did not live up to expectations. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but it was long and it was tedious. I had the motive figured out pretty early, but it was a long process to get to the final reveal and the culprit.

I also had a hard time with the amount of time spent on the possibility that the murder was likely to have been committed by someone who had recently been let out of a psychiatric institution. I don’t know if this was an issue relevant to Christie at the time, but it was overdone and unnecessary. Even as a misdirect for the murder, it was such an obvious misdirect. While I am glad to have read this one, it will not be one that I recommend to those looking to pick up Agatha Christie.

3. The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman (3.5 Stars)

I considered giving The Girls Weekend 4 stars, but I settled on 3.5 because I had mixed feelings. I enjoyed it more than I have enjoyed some other thrillers lately, but there was just something about it that didn’t quite hit the spot. I was drawn right into the story at the beginning, but by the time it reached the middle, my interest began to wane, and then the ending was just okay. Based on the build up throughout, I wanted more intrigue and spice from the ending. In the end, it wasn’t my favourite, but I would pick up another book by this author.

4. A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore (4 Stars)

This is the second book in the A League of Extraordinary Women series. I really enjoyed the first book, but I liked this one even more. This series is historical romance with a humorous side, and it completely hit the spot for me. I consistently enjoy all of the characters in this series, and I loved the interactions and the romantic build up between our two main characters. Though I loved the humour in Book one, I liked the relationship better in this one.

5. White Night by Jim Butcher (4 Stars)

I’m not going to say too much about this, other than to say that I am still really enjoying this series. If you are new to this series, it definitely takes a few books before it hits it’s stride, but I have been consistently giving 4 star ratings to the past few books I’ve read in the series. Though the main draw is definitely the fantasy world and the humour, I also love the characters and the way they interact with each other. Looking back, one of my criticisms of the first few books is that I didn’t always believe the relationships, and I am so glad that aspect has improved and settled in.

6. None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different from Us by Jen Wilkin (4.5 Stars)

This book is different from what you normally see on this blog, and I think this is the first non-fiction that I have completed this year. I read this book over the past couple months as part of a weekly virtual Bible study that I participated in, and I really enjoyed it. The author challenged me, and made me think, and she presented the concepts and attributes of God in ways that I had never considered before while remaining very accessible. If this is something that you are interested in, I would highly recommend this book.

Last month I introduced a new feature where I look at some of the books or goals that I anticipate reading in the upcoming month. Looking back on last month’s preview, I did a mediocre job of predicting my November reading. I predicted I would need to read like it was my full time job in November to meet all my goals, and you already know I didn’t do that.

While I did continue reading some of the spookier, thriller type books, I didn’t read all that many of them. And I certainly didn’t read a big fantasy book. I picked one up and got about 50 pages at the most into it. Suffice it to say, I didn’t do all that well at meeting my November goals.

December Preview

This month’s preview looks a bit different yet again. I am testing out the idea of a monthly Reading Bingo to help guide and direct my reading for the month. I’ve tried to keep the prompts general so that they fit my goals for the month, but aren’t too specific that they won’t work for others, because I would love for you to join in!

In addition to the picture below, I have attached the PDF file. Feel free to download it and join me this month in working towards a BINGO or two! And let me know in the comments if you’re going to participate, or what you think of the prompts, because I’m thinking of continuing these monthly boards in 2021 and would love the feedback. (Spoiler Alert There may also be a seasonal board coming in the next couple weeks.)

Here are the prompts for December, and a bit of explanation where necessary. Depending on how much of a challenge you want, you can either use one book to fulfill multiple prompts, or use only one book per square.

A Christmas Romance
A Fantasy Read
Christmas Cookies – Read a book that includes baking
Family and Friends – Read a book that features family and/or friends. This one is open to your interpretation.
Listen to 2 Audiobooks – If you don’t read audiobooks regularly, feel free to challenge yourself to read one instead of two.
A Book with Red on the Cover
Many Happy Returns – A Book you were meaning to Read this Year. If you’re like me, you have a list of books you intended to read this year, now is the time to pick one and cross it off your list.
Read 5 Books
Snuggle up – Read a Book in front of the Tree or Fire. It is completely acceptable for this to be the fire on your television.
A Book Published in 2020
Free Space! Use this for any book of your choosing.
Hit 100 Books read in 2020. Okay, so this one is specific to me. Whatever your goal is for books read this year, insert that in this prompt.
Presents! This is a bonus free space that you can use for any book of your choosing.
A Christmas or Seasonal Mystery
A Book with Green on the Cover
A Book under 100 Pages or a Short Story

December Reading Bingo