I love all things festive during this time of the year, so of course when it came to my book selection, I bypassed a lot of the books becoming available on my library holds and went straight for the Christmas and holiday reads! I’m having to put things on hold again and wait a second time for them but that’s ok haha! I read some super quick reads this month and decided to post this early in case anyone wanted something to read for the holidays!
But first, before we get to the books… some really cute pictures of my baby boy by the tree. It’s so hard to believe Jenson is almost nine months old! He is just such a JOY in our lives.
Ok, on to the reason why you’re here!!!!
“Comfort and Joy” was a very quick read. It was definitely different than Kristin Hannah’s other books I’ve read, but I enjoyed it! I kept feeling like the first part of the book was kind of weird and not really making sense, but once you get into the second half, you will understand why that is haha! Lots of Christmas magic here in this cute read about a woman looking for a warm place full of love after her marriage ended in disaster, and how she finds it in a family looking for someone to complete them as well.
I always enjoy Nancy Thayer reads, just easy light chick lit based in Nantucket. So far I have only read books from her that took place during the summer months, so I thought it would be fun to read a couple that took place around Christmas time! “A Nantucket Christmas” was a cute story, one of blending families and finding acceptance in one another. Nicole has remarried after losing her first husband, and is trying her best to make it a nice holiday season and to get along with her new step children. Lots going on during this story to keep your attention the whole way through!
“Dashing Through the Snow” was the first Debbie Macomber book I’ve read, and while it was a little cheesy at times, it was silly funny too and I enjoyed it. Ashley, a grad student, runs into Dash, former military intelligence, at the airport and they both find themselves trying to get up to Seattle. The end up sharing the last rental car available, and through many unforeseeable events, finally make it up to Seattle. It’s a really cute little love story of two people falling in love on the road in just a couple of days haha!
“An Island Christmas” was somewhat of a sequel or prequel (I’m not sure and it seems like it could go either way haha!) to “A Nantucket Christmas.” This one was about Nicole’s (character from “A Nantucket Christmas”) neighbor and friend, Jilly. Her daughter, Felicia, is returning to the island for a Christmas wedding, which involves the whole family being down for the wedding. Really cute story, enjoyed reading about their crazy holiday trying to get ready for the wedding and Christmas. Also enjoyed the addition of her rescue cat haha…
What can I say about “Winter Garden.” What a story. Just as the cover says, “searing, and breathtaking,” with a “beautiful ending.” I flew through this book once I got past the beginning and got into the story, just could not put it down. A story of two sisters, trying to get to know their mother, who has been closed off her entire life to them. Finally, at the passing of their father, he convinces her to open up to them. At 80 years old, she recounts her life story through fairytales, and it is heart wrenching to read through her story of her experiences in the siege of Leningrad. You know I’ve read so many books on the other side of WW2, from the Poland viewpoint, or France or Germany perspective… but this was a new perspective for me. I already put holds on a couple of other books on the siege of Leningrad because it was incredible and I just want to know more! This book was heavy…cold, dark and full of loss at times, but all of that translated into connection and joy, and it is really beautiful to watch it all unfold. It is definitely up there with “The Nightingale” and “The Great Alone.” Really enjoy so much of what Kristin Hannah writes.
I have started “Twelve Days of Christmas” by Debbie Macomber, and am almost half way through, so once I finish I will come back and update it here. Another quick and easy little read about a girl “killing her apartment neighbor with kindness” because he has been such a humbug around the holiday times. It is a really cute story, I enjoyed reading this a lot! Her books are so clean and just basic feeling, and easy mental getaway from crazy day to day life!
So I’m going to leave this here for now! I am hoping to read two more books before the month is over to hit my goal of 50 books this year on Goodreads! I am SO CLOSE!!! haha!! I love setting goals, it is one of my love languages. Making lists and checking things off, I just appreciate being productive. And making reading a priority over social media or TV this year was super important to me, and has been really beneficial in my opinion! I will update this again later once I am through the month.
Ok so “Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe” by Melissa De La Cruz was my last read for this year!!! I’ve started a new book but will probably include it in my January 2019 post! I liked this little book overall, even though it did have a little language, but I’m also a traditionalist when it comes to relationships and the classics so that part of me kind of felt, “ehh this is weird” a lot of the way through! Kind of in the fence about recommending this one.
Ok friends, I am SO excited about this!!!!!!!!! I hit my reading goal for this year, to read 50 books this year!!! I can’t tell you how good it felt to see that bar hit the 100% completed point, especially when at the beginning of the year I didn’t consider myself an avid reader. Really proved to myself that a lot of it depends on just how you chose to spend extra minutes here and there and your free time! Hoping to hit 55 books for 2019 so we will see how that goes haha!!! Anyone want to set a goal with me?? Let me know, I would love to follow you on Goodreads as well!!!
I would love to hear your recommendations for the New Year! Is anyone else making reading a New Year’s Resolution for 2019? If you’re thinking about it, go for it! I love the Goodreads app because it helps me keep track of what I have read and keeps that count going! Happy reading everyone!
You can check out my other Book Reviews for this year below, or by clicking on the Books tab at the top!
What I’m Reading – November 2018
What I’m Reading – October 2018
What I’m Reading – September 2018