What I Read in December 2022
(save this post for next year's holiday reading recs)
A little New Year housekeeping
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The December Books
I attempted to read a few Christmasy books in December but by halfway through the month I stopped reading altogether to focus on end-of-the-year tasks and family time. I surpassed my initial reading goal of 25 books by 51 for a grand total of 76 books read in 2022. Thank goodness for audiobooks! Here is a look back at the books I read in December.
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Synopsis: Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.
There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.
Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.
My Thoughts: What a beautifully written debut. Badger effortlessly weaves stories of her ancestor's traditions and culture through a wonderfully fantastic YA/Middle Grade novel. Elatsoe has the gift of her Six-Great-Grandmother, the ability to raise the ghosts of animals-- including her partner-in-crime, her dog Kirby. After Ellie's cousin dies in a mysterious accident, she joins up with her family and friends to get to the bottom of the secrets hiding in the seemingly idyllic town of Willowbee. I'm not able to accurately capture my reading experience in a review. It's impossible to nail down to any one genre. Elatsoe expertly addresses racism and colonialism in America in a way that is accessible to younger readers. It's dark at times but still heartwarming and entertaining due to the magical realism and mystery elements. I'm so glad I read this one slowly and encourage you to pick it up and do the same!
Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert
Synopsis: With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn't just a seasonal specialty--it's a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra's yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She's ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.
For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He's never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he's been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.
After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they're feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.
My Thoughts: After reading 2 new holiday romances that just weren’t my cup of tea, I want to shout it from the rooftops that the 3rd time is a charm!
Once Upon a December is full of Christmas magic. When Jack Clausen meets Astra Noel Snow at the Milwaukee Christmas Market, it’s love at first sight. Only their timing is off. She’s going through a divorce with her super annoying ex, Trevor, and Jack is only around for the Christmas season. Or so it seems. I don’t want to give away the twist if you’re going into this book with fresh eyes because it’s just so much fun!
This was such a cute story. The main character is a librarian in her mid-30s, there are tons of food references, a cute puppy, great side characters and more. There are a couple of plot twists at the end that really surprised me! I thought everything came together perfectly. Once Upon a December was a real treat!
My only complaint is that because I listened to this book on audio, I thought the narrator was pronouncing “Yule market” strangely. Turns out she was pronouncing “Julemarked” perfectly. 😆
read if you love:
✨ books with a magical twist
😍 second chance romance
🐶 cute dogs
🥐 sweet treats
🔥 heartwarming, clean romances
👯♀️ close female friendships
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
Synopsis: Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.
Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.
This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.
My Thoughts: The last time I read this book was in 5th grade and now re-reading it as an adult, the story immediately came back to me. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a classic for a reason. What a delight! The seemingly unlovable Herdman children become endearing almost overnight as they take on their roles in the church Christmas pageant. They ask all the right questions and in the end, it really is the best Christmas pageant ever! Barbara Robinson perfectly captures the chaos of Christmas with kids while reminding you of the true reason for the season. I can't wait to read this to my kids year after year.
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
Synopsis: Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn’t ask for more. But when Bee’s favorite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he’s making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee’s career is about to take a more family-friendly direction.
Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns this is a task a lot easier said than done. Though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her co-star is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan’s promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he’ll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom.
But things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont, when Nolan recognizes his new co-star from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he’s a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel’s execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan’s singing career comes snooping around—and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee.
And if Bee and Nolan can’t keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor.
My Thoughts: Okay, besties... this was not a merry little meet cute. I'm not afraid of a little spice but the title of this book is absolutely a bait-and-switch. If you haven't read the description and picked up this book by accident based on the very adorable cover, it's about an ex-boy band member who ends up acting in a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie with his adult film star crush. I honestly thought it had a lot of potential having a plus-sized MC. Because Nolan was so obsessed with Bee's body, I felt like the authors really missed the mark with body positivity by making that the main source of his attraction to her. I still have no idea what else contributed to their relationship. Despite being written by two authors, Nolan and Bee had the same voice. It made the story boring and at over 400 pages, entirely too long. I gave this book 2 stars because I wanted to DNF so many times. I only felt obligated to keep listening because I spent $ on the Audible credit. Read this if you liked The Roommate...but make it Christmas.
Nine Liars (Truly Devious Series #5) by Maureen Johnson
Synopsis: Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.
Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.
The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.
Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.
My Thoughts: I forgot I preordered Nine Liars on audiobook before I canceled my Audible subscription so I was so excited when the notification popped up that it was available on Tuesday! I read this book in 3 days. I don't always read murder mysteries, but when I do they're Young Adult!
This story starts out with Stevie missing her long-distance boyfriend, David, and struggling to find her place in the world when her friends are covered over in college applications. Stevie can't seem to stay away from an unsolved case so when David's Oxford friend Izzy begs her to solve the mystery of The Nine, she finds herself OTW to London. Is it completely believable that a bunch of teenagers would be able to jet off for a Thanksgiving study abroad trip? No, but I loved the setting anyways and it was a nice change of scenery from snowy Vermont.
There are A LOT of characters in this book. On top of the old cast of Ellingham school friends, there are 9+ new cast members wrapped up in the murder mystery. Luckily, they're all introduced in the first chapter if you need to flip back for reference. The number of characters and overall story structure felt a lot like Agatha Christie's novels this time around. Nine Liars is written in Maureen Johnson's typical style and follows the pattern of the other Truly Devious books. The chapters alternate between the present day, flashbacks to the mystery Stevie is involved in, and various testimonies. Just when you think you've solved the mystery alongside Stevie, there's another big twist. This book felt more YA than some of the other books in the series because it's very obvious from Stevie's actions (and reactions) that she is a teenager. She has friendship and relationship drama and all the insecurities that come along with being a 17-year-old girl.
During parts of the story, I really missed Nate, Janelle, and Vi. Especially Nate! I almost forgot they were there with Stevie. His big reveal was such a sweet friendship moment, though. I'll stand by this forever - David is THE WORST. I'm not sure how to explain it, but Stevie almost seemed less involved in solving the murder this time until the very end. The mystery of The Nine was so well written it was easy to overlook the sort of imbalance of the alternating storylines. The end was so thrilling. I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for her to figure it all out. The big reveal did not disappoint. While this wasn't my absolute favorite of the Truly Devious series (or maybe it is?), I much preferred it to Box in the Woods and I hope Maureen Johnson continues this series forever! The book ends on a cliffhanger (no surprises there) so we better get book six ASAP!
Side note- My only criticism of the audiobook performance is that the narrator made David sound like a 50-year-old British man. It was odd!
Whew! It was a great year of reading and I'm looking forward to focusing on my 2023 reading goal.