(Much less than usual as I watched A LOT of Drag Race!!)
Hi all, I hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of the year! It’s time for me to share what I’ve read in December, so here goes! P.S. I did start many books that I didn’t finish, so this may be a shorter list than usual!
1.) The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.
Full stop, this book was so cute. It was super light in tone, and left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling every time I put it down. I am a huge fan of this one, and it helped me come up with my Christmas present for my Mom this year, so I lend it a lot of credit for that! Very charming, and after I finished it I looked up “books like the very secret society of irregular witches”, because I wanted to read something else just like it! If that’s not high praise, I don’t know what is!
2.) Wings by E.D. Baker.
With full transparency, this was a book I’d read as a kid that I think about every so often. It popped up into my head, and I wondered if I could find it again! I have the Barnes and Noble Nook app, so through that I found it on my Nook, and then was able to read it on my phone. This held up pretty well as an adult, and I loved running into small details that I either remembered or had forgotten! While I think the beginning of this book was a little frightening as a kid, it had me hooked back then, and once again I wanted to see what happened at the end!
3.) Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri.
This book started off really strong, and I was immediately drawn into the world. I had started it about a month ago but had other things to read, so when I borrowed this one again, I was excited to see where it would go. However, the entire middle of the book felt incredibly drawn out, and I started getting really bored when there weren’t any twists. I kept waiting for something to change, but even when it came it was a bit disappointing. The majority of the book was in one location, and the climax didn’t build in the right way for me. I did finish the book, and there was potential at the end that I liked, but I decided against reading the second book.
4.) They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman.
This was a very well done mix of Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying. With a secret society, lots of hazing, and a murder to solve, I am excited for this as a TV show/Movie. I saw that Sydney Sweeney had bought the rights, and I believe Halsey will be involved in the project so I am excited about that. The book was gripping, and I was also kind of repulsed and scared to pick it up each time, because of the hazing and the murder suspense, respectively. Would recommend, though it did do anything groundbreaking.
5.) Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I read this in book club, and had high hopes, given that my friend who is the slowest reader of us, finished it in a day and LOVED it. The book did not disappoint, and I can’t decide if I like this or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo more (they are by the same author). I am definitely a Taylor Jenkins Reid fan, and I think she has a way of writing flawed characters that is very unique. No one is perfect, and this book did a great job building each character. This one differed from Evelyn Hugo because it had a really important family dynamic, that I think each of my friends and I really related to. Additionally, the story was set in the past, yet it didn’t make me feel like it was an antiquated world. Highly recommend!!!
6.) A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos.
This is the first book in a fantasy series called the Mirror Visitor series. It was originally written in French, and with regards to media flow, I am impressed that it landed in my hands! And I am so glad it did! While the book started off feeling a little grey and detached, an animated scarf (animated with life and movement fyi) drew me in, and added a sense of coziness that endeared the book to me. While I was expecting a stronger romance aspect, I was happy that it is either very slow-burn or not happening, because I was able to get to know the world and that main character very well. With regards to the fantasy aspect, it is a bit like Caraval mixed with the Hunger Games, in that some of the characters are wild and unexpected. I also am a fan of the magic system, where different countries have different powers. While I felt like the main character had a longer adjustment period to the ‘new world’ than I would have liked, looking back I think that it makes sense for the character, and doesn’t detract from my enjoyment at all. It is just something to be aware of if you decide to pick it up! Also, I would like to note that the cover art reminds me of The Mysterious Benedict Society’s cover art.
The Missing of Clairedelune by Christelle Dabos.
This is the second book in the Mirror Visitor series, and I am about halfway through at the moment. I am very much enjoying where this second book has gone, with many key characters sticking around and/or coming back, despite the plot twists and location changes. Thus I am more familiar with most of the characters, and am enjoying getting to know them more, rather than meeting new characters that aren’t flushed out all the time. I am really enjoying this book, and the world/time period makes me feel very cozy and comfortable. I am also excited about where the plot is going, with regards to the disgraced, and the main character being familiar to a deity figure. I am really happy with this series, and I think it’ll probably be something I’ll reread in the future. I would definitely recommend these!
And that is all. While reviewing this, I found that there are 8 books from December that I started to read and stopped, or have not yet finished. I hope I can read more in January!
Hope this passed along a few good recommendations! Happy New Year!
Cover Photo by Sadie (xoxostrawberries__) on Pinterest
Leann I Am 