I closed out the year with a strong reading month – 9 books read in December! Lots of romance and light reads this month, which is just what I like for December. My favorite book this month was The Queen of the Tearling, which came very close to knocking The Hating Game from my favorite book of the year. I’m so glad I was given the chance to read that novel for TLC Book Tours and can’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the trilogy.

Here are my December book reviews!

Dare to Desire by Carly Phillips (★★★★☆)

Just a really fun and sexy romance novel that I read on my way home from my cruise. It had great characters and an easy-to-follow plot. I really liked the chemistry between Alex and Madison, and I’m really enjoying the “Dare to Love” series by this author. It’s hot, hot, hot.

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan (★★★★☆)

This book started off really, really slow and I nearly abandoned it because nothing was clicking for me. But I’m so glad I powered through and kept going because, about 60% of the way in, the story picked up immensely. It follows four girls who were assigned to the same dorm during their freshman year of college. There’s a chapter devoted to each character for each different time period – during college, five years after graduation, and then a year later. I felt like the characters were so well-written and real; they were unlikable at times, but wholly lovable at others, just like any regular person. If you love a good novel about female friendship, pick this up!

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (★★★★★)

I reviewed this novel on my blog last month, and you can read my review here. (It was also my #2 book of the year!)

Mosquitoland by David Arnold (★★★☆☆)

There is something about the way that male authors write female teenagers that rubs me the wrong way. They always have to be these brash, sassy, overly philosophical characters. John Green is the biggest offender, and David Arnold definitely follows his style. To be fair, the novel was good. I liked the movement of the plot and thought the way everything was revealed at the end was fantastic. But I just couldn’t get past my annoyance with the main character and the fact that she just didn’t feel real at all.

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins (★★★★☆)

This novel felt more serious than Higgins’s other novels. Most of her novels are more of the chick-lit variety with a sweet plot and characters getting into all sorts of crazy trouble. This one involved a heavier topic (infidelity) intermixed with a lighter love story. Even though I was looking to read a light-hearted romance novel, I’m glad I picked this up and read it because it was thoroughly well-written. I really enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters, and the love story made me so, so happy. Still, I wish at least one of the author’s main characters could not be a marriage-obsessed woman who needs to find a man NOW so she can have kids. It feels like every single character has the same motive, and it’s tiresome.

Then Came You by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆)

Another super fun, super sexy romance novel from Shalvis. She never lets me down. 🙂 This story followed the romance between Wyatt, a new vet in town, and Emily, who is an intern at the veterinary hospital. They hooked up one night during a vet conference a few months ago, never thinking either would see the other again. But surprise! They now have to work together. The novel was fun, sassy, and heartwarming. Her books just make me so happy!

Dare to Touch by Carly Phillips (★★★★☆)

Another sensational romance from Carly! You’ll notice this is the second book of hers I read in December – what can I say? I was in the mood for another steamy, quick romance and this fit the bill completely. I read it within 24 hours on Christmas Eve, and it was truly the perfect light novel for that time of year. The main characters in this book had cameos in the first two books in the series, so it was fun to finally dig into their story and see them get their happy ending. Totally recommend this series for romance lovers – it’s fantastic!

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn (★★★★☆)

Julia Quinn writes such delightful characters, and I was so happy to dive into one of her novels during Christmas. I love the dialogue the most in these novels because it feels so very real. So many times, the dialogue in romance novels feels forced and doesn’t read the way most people talk. In this novel, we get the love story between Hugh Prentice and Lady Sarah Pleinsworth, two characters that were introduced in the previous books in the series. Hugh is dealing with a disability after a duel and Sarah is longing for marriage – but the last guy she would ever marry is Hugh, as he was the one who called for the duel involving her cousin. But, as love stories go, the more time they spend together, the more they realize how much they have in common and begin falling in love. The romance is a slow build and I love the way everything falls into place so sweetly.

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick (★★★★★)

If I had finished this book before I published my favorite reads for 2016, this would have made the cut – and probably in the top five. It was excellent. I am generally neutral about celebrity memoirs – usually, I like them but I don’t love them. But I loved this book. It was exactly the kind of book I would imagine Anna Kendrick would write – full of snark and self-deprecation, but also with a whole lot of heart. She’s really had such an amazing career and has worked with some really amazing people in the industry, and I like how honest she was about how terrifying it can be to be in Hollywood. This book made me laugh out loud more than a few times, and I really hope this is just the beginning of her writing career.

DECEMBER BOOK STATS

• Number of books read: 9 (3,082 pages)
• Format breakdown: e-books (6), physical books (3)
• Genre breakdown: romance (5), fiction (1), nonfiction (1), YA (1), fantasy (1)
• Number of diverse reads: 1 out of 9 (11%)
• Where I got my books from: Overdrive (3), TLC Book Tours (1), library (2), Amazon (3)
• Money spent on reading this month: $15.47

What was the best book you read in December?

November was a pretty excellent month for reading! I really loved just about every book I read and wound up reading 8 books in total, to bring my yearly total to 86 books. So, now I know I will break 90 books read, which is a feat! I haven’t hit that number in a few years. This month, my favorite book was Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. (Fun story: on a whim, I downloaded this title to my Kindle to read on my cruise and when I came back to work, my coworkers had generously gifted me with a copy of the book, as well as an adorable tote bag that has a portion of the novel printed on it. They were bummed they didn’t manage to find a book I hadn’t yet read, heh, but I was so excited because I loved the book so dang much that it’ll be fun to carry the words around on a tote!)

Let’s dive into the reviews!

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin (★★★☆☆)

This was not my favorite novel from Giffin, but it was a good one. It explored how deeply a loss can affect a family, even if the loss happened fifteen years ago. I didn’t love how contentious the relationship between Meredith and Josie was, and I found Meredith to be so incredibly unlikable that I didn’t care for her storyline at all. But I think the novel does a good job of tackling the subject of grief and how it changes a family.

Show No Mercy by Cindy Gerard (★★★★★)

This was my third reread of this novel and I loved it just as much as all the other times I read it. Gabe and Jenna are two characters who are so easy to like and root for. You just want Gabe to let Jenna into his life, and you want Jenna to “tame the bad boy.” (Trope-y, I know.) It’s fun, it’s fast-paced, and it has a pretty startling conclusion.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

My first Agatha Christie novel! I read this for my work book club and we all raved about it. I found the first 100-150 pages to be a little slow, mostly because there were so many characters to keep track of. It was such a fascinating premise: ten people are summoned to a private island by a man they don’t really know and once they all arrive at his house, they start getting killed one by one. It’s like a game of Clue! There’s no doubt that Christie is a phenomenal writer and I can totally see why her novels are so popular and beloved. I kept trying to figure out the “whodunit” but I couldn’t, and I was super surprised by the ending.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K Rowling (★★★★★)

This book destroyed me the first time I read it, and even though I knew what was going to happen this time around, I was still just as devastated. The final 100 pages are just tough to get through. Why did I put myself through this misery again? The story. The story is just so good and I still have so much love for Harry. I know what’s coming in the last book of the series, and I’m trying to prepare myself.

10% Happier by Dan Harris (★★★★☆)

Dan Harris writes in such an easy, relatable way, which made this whole book really fun to read. It’s a book about meditation and mindfulness, but it’s coming from a skeptic’s point of view. Really, nobody would have ever expected Harris to ever go on this journey, and it’s only after he has a panic attack on national TV and can’t find beneficial ways to control his anxiety that he embarks on it. Skeptics of meditation and mindfulness will really enjoy this book, I think. One of my favorite quotes:

“‘What you need to do,” [Eckhart Tolle] said, interrupting me this time, and speaking with uncharacteristic brio. ‘Make the present moment your friend rather than your enemy. Because many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment. And imagine living your whole life like that, where always this moment is never quite right, not good enough because you need to get to the next one. That is continuous stress.'” (p. 67)

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer (★★★☆☆)

I’m not even sure why I requested this book on Overdrive – maybe I’m just obsessed with women in comedy memoirs? – because I’m not a huge fan of Amy Schumer. Her humor is a little too vulgar for my tastes, so I went into this book a little apprehensive. I was pleasantly surprised to end up liking it. I mean, it doesn’t compare to Bossypants or Yes, Please or Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, but there were quite a few great essays in this book. When Amy decided to get real and personal, and left out the vulgar comedy bits, that’s when she was at her best. I think she has an important message to share, and I think it’s worth picking up this book, as long as you can handle plenty of talk about penises and vaginas.

Melting the Ice by Jaci Burton (★★★★☆)

This was probably one of my favorite novels by Burton, and I was glad for the chance to read it nearly uninterrupted while on my cruise. It was sexy and heartfelt and had a male lead that made my heart go pitter-patter. I also really loved the female protagonist. I can get easily annoyed with female protagonists in romance novels, especially ones that are underdeveloped, but I felt that Carolina was really fleshed out and fun to read. I think the dark moment of the novel was a little silly and too easily solved, but overall, a very solid novel from Burton.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (★★★★★)

I’m so glad I finally read my first Sarah MacLean novel after hearing her books raved about by book bloggers. I am a convert and cannot wait to start making my way through her entire backlist. I felt that MacLean nailed down the right verbiage and the right setting, something I feel isn’t always present in historical romance. She really did her research and it made for such an authentic read. And, maaaaaan, did I love Callie. She was so spunky and fun and vulnerable and brave. I loved every minute I spent with her story and was so happy when she got her happy ending. Swoon, swoon, swoon.

NOVEMBER BOOK STATS

• Number of books read: 8 (2,931 pages)
• Format breakdown: e-books (5), physical books (3)
• Genre breakdown: romance (3), fiction (1), nonfiction (2), mystery (1), fantasy (1)
• Number of diverse reads: 2 out of 8 (25%)
• Where I got my books from: Overdrive (5), library (2), friend (1)
• Money spent on reading this month: $0.00

What was the best book you read in November?

October was a pretty good reading month for me, as I read 8 books and met my Goodreads reading goal for the year! I set my reading goal fairly low (for me!) at 75 books and I’m thinking it’s possible I can make it to 90 or more (especially with my upcoming cruise at the end of the month during which I’ll have copious time to read).

I think I need to take a moment and stress here that yes, I read a lot and no, I do not think everyone needs to read as much as I do. I read a lot because I have the free time to do so: no partner, no kids, no crazy social calendar. And I read a lot because, as an introvert, it’s my way of recharging my batteries. In essence, I need it to feel like myself. You may have a different way to recharge your batteries, like baking or watching TV or knitting or exercising. But the last thing I want is for someone to compare their reading list to mine and feel shame or guilt. We all have different priorities! And that’s totally okay.

With that off my chest, let’s dive into this month’s reviews!

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (★★★★★)

This novel was probably one of the best I’ve read this year. Not because it was life-changing or had an important message or anything like that, but because of the way it made me feel. This book made me feel so grateful to be a reader and get to enjoy this incredibly fun story. It’s romance, but please don’t let that deter you from reading it because the overall story is just so delightful. I never wanted this book to end and I’m 99% sure I’m going to buy a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf and reread frequently.

Confess by Colleen Hoover (★★★☆☆)

Usually, a Colleen Hoover novel is an emotional process. She writes in such a way that just captivates me and makes me lose all focus because I can’t stop thinking about the characters and the story. This novel was not that experience. That’s not to say the novel wasn’t good, because it was, but it just didn’t have that same emotional gut punch that her other novels have. I also reallllllly couldn’t stand the main character; she was super frustrating and made decisions I didn’t care for.

The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley (★★★★☆)

I reviewed this book earlier this month and you can find the review here.

Results May Vary by Bethany Chase (★★★★☆)

I read this for my in-person book club and it was a heavier read than I was expecting. The story begins with the main character, Caroline, discovering her husband of ten years has been cheating on her… with a man. Normally, the stories I read about infidelity write about it in a way that seems to glamorize it, but this one really dug deep into how irrevocably painful infidelity truly is. The author takes readers on a journey as Caroline tries to piece her life back together and decide whether she can forgive her husband or if the secret is just too massive and heartbreaking to get over. It’s a remarkable story and the writing is exquisite.

Rumor Has It by Jill Shalvis (★★★☆☆)

There’s not too much to say about this novel. It was a cute contemporary romance that continued Shalvis’s Animal Magnetism series. It’s one of those novels that’s just easy. There’s nothing hard or gritty about it. It’s just meant to make you smile and believe in love for a little while.

Dare to Love by Carly Phillips (★★★☆☆)

Another cute contemporary romance, though the writing fell a little on the cheesy side. Also, I felt that the male protagonist was a bit too controlling at times and I was a little uncomfortable with some of his actions, but that could just be my preconceived notions. It was a good story, but not outstanding.

Joyland by Stephen King (★★★☆☆)

I read this for Postal Book Club and this is what I love so much about this book club: reading books I would have never picked up on my own. Thankfully, this wasn’t a horror novel, but more a coming-of-age story coupled with a mystery. I’ll admit that the mystery never gripped me, nor was I very interested in it, though the reveal did end up surprising me! But the way this book was written made me clearly see why Stephen King is so beloved. He’s truly one of a kind.

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn (★★★★☆)

I read this novel in, like, two days. It was excellent! It’s a Regency romance, the second novel in Quinn’s Smythe-Smith Quartet series, and fiercely feminist. I loved Anne for her vulnerability and her badassness when called upon. She was loving and gracious and I just wanted to see her happy ending. I felt that Daniel, the male protagonist, wasn’t as well developed and I would have liked more from him, but overall, a great novel.

OCTOBER BOOK STATS

• Number of books read: 8 (2,655 pages)
• Format breakdown: e-books (4), physical books (4)
• Genre breakdown: romance (5), fiction (3)
• Number of diverse reads: 1 out of 8 (13%)
• Where I got my books from: Overdrive (3), library (2), friend (1), TLC (1)
• Money spent on reading this month: $0.00

What was the best book you read in October? What’s your favorite way to recharge your batteries (and psst! Extroverts also need to recharge, so you guys aren’t off the hook here!)?