Phew, the year ended in a bit of a frenzy, with lots of Christmas craziness (did you know it’s SO FUN and SO MUCH WORK to be on staff at a church in December?!?!??) and lots of great, fun books.

Here’s what I read this December!

ps— affiliate links are included!

my top rec:

know my name by chanel miller

my 2019 goal progress:

15 books this month

181/175 total (I did it!!!)

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

rating: ★★★★☆

review: This was a fun one, even though I’m probably not the target demographic, as it’s all about a middle-aged single mom. When her ex comes back to town after three years and wants time with the kids, she takes a little getaway that ends up becoming a “momspringa” (like the Amish rumspringa tradition!) that changes her life. I loved the literary references (she’s a librarian!) and the mother/kid dynamics and the transformation of Amy over the chapters.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

rating: ★★★★☆

review: I added so many books to my “want to read” shelf and my library holds list after seeing all the contenders for the @goodreads 2019 choice awards, especially ones from the romance genre! (2019 was the year I fell hard for romance books... who have i become...) — This one ended up being a lot cuter and better and more surprising plot-wise than I originally expected, and I liked it a lot! The cover is irrelevant and cheesy though. 👎🏼 There are some Legally Blonde vibes, some heart wrenching moments, and some steamy scenes too— a winning combo, really!

royal holiday by Jasmine Guillory

rating: ★★★☆☆

review: I really enjoyed the first and second books Guillory wrote, but after reaaaaally disliking the third (The Wedding Party), I was hesitant to get this one. But, she redeemed herself with this one! It’s cute and charming and set in England (bonus points) and made for an enjoyable and easy read by the Christmas tree one evening.

christmas shopaholic by sophie kinsella

rating: ★☆☆☆☆

review: This one was not for me at ALL. I was so annoyed by it— so cliche and obnoxious and 100% revolves around how much overspending and shopping she did... like I get that the book is called “shopaholic” but that was ALL it was about. I skimmed the rest to see if it got better and it’s kind of a stretch to even really say I read this one... but yeah, not a fan. I haven’t read any of the other books Kinsella has written so maybe others are better? But I’ll pass, thanks!

thanks to: Random House for the free book

know my name by chanel miller

rating: ★★★★★

review: I don’t know how to find the words for how much this book meant to me. @chanelmillerknowmyname wrapped words (absolutely stunning and captivating and compelling words) around her trauma and her story and her fight, and in reading it, I found new words and new healing for my own trauma and story and fight. ⁣Our stories are not the same, her assault by a stranger was different than my rape and years of abuse at the hands of my bipolar boyfriend, but I found solace and strength and so much resonance in these pages⁣. I had to take this one slow and cry often and process things her words stirred up for me, but I’m grateful for that. It helped me heal a little more. ⁣I’m so proud of her bravery, her boldness, her grit and gumption and grace. I’m so encouraged to keep telling my own story and keep fighting for a new and better future so less people can relate to stories like ours. ⁣The tides are turning and this book is making a mighty wave and I’m so grateful we aren’t staying silent any longer. ⁣

regretting you by colleen hoover

rating: ★★★★☆

review: I was so thrilled to get the newest CoHo book— I loooooved it. She just tells the best stories about love and life and loss that aren’t fluffy or cliche and suck you in so much you don’t put the book down until it’s over. (Oops.) So good. Not regretting you for a second, CoHo.

thanks to: BookSparks for the free book

the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse by Charlie Mackesy

rating: ★★★★★

review: The checkout aisle at @barnesandnoble got me and I AM SO GLAD. This book is like The Velveteen Rabbit meets Narnia meets a counseling session, and I had tears in my eyes the whole time. I want to wallpaper my room with these pages— profoundly simple and beautiful and poignant and pure. Loved every word, loved the art, loved it all.

josh and hazel’s guide to not dating by Christina Lauren

rating: ★★★☆☆

review: This was such a fun read — quirky and real and funny and light and great. Love a good rom com kind of book, especially in this busy season.

bury your dead by Louise Penny

rating: ★★★★☆

review: People told me these Three Pines books would get EVEN BETTER around book 5, and here I am finishing book 6 wishing I could read SO MUCH FASTER because SO SO SO GOOD. The layers! The mystery! The intrigue! The parallel storylines! The building suspense! I cannot get enough. READ THESE BOOKS. (In order!!!)

love from a to z by S. K. ali

rating: ★★★★☆

review: This was a really fun and original YA romance — love a good cross-cultural, diverse, unique storyline, complete with parallel journal entries and lots of emphasis on fighting islamophobia and awareness of living with MS, too. It’s not just fluff, but had some great themes and strong storylines and all the best elements of a teenage love story. Well done!!

american royals by katharine mcgee

rating: ★★★★☆

review: Heard about this one last week. Requested it from the library yesterday. Picked it up today. Finished it tonight. It’s SO FUN. Serious Selection series and Red, White, and Royal Blue vibes — aka I was INTO IT and didn’t put it down once. Cannot wait for book #2!

Preparing for Christmas: Daily Meditations for Advent by Richard Rohr

rating: ★★★★☆

review: I’m a fan of Rohr, and enjoyed going through these short daily meditations this Advent. They weren’t incredibly dense or extensive, but they gave me new things to meditate on each day, and I found them beautiful and thought provoking.

The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off!: Thoughts on Life, Love, and Rebellion by gloria steinem

rating: ★★★★★

review: I loooooooved this one (do my post it flags give it away?) and found it SO convicting and encouraging and motivating. I was yelling PREACH IT and snapping my fingers and copying down quotes like craaaaazy. It’s such a great collection of quotes and thoughts for all of us in this current world, and I’m going to come back to it for a kick in the pants when I need it. GOOD STUFF.

thanks to: Random House for the free book!

10 blind dates by ashley elston

rating: ★★★☆☆

review: This one was fun! A big family and a lot of blind dates and a totally predictable but still cute plot— This would make the best Netflix movie!

would like to meet by rachel winters

rating: ★★★☆☆

review: Grabbed this one randomly at the library and it was a fun finish for 2019. If you’re a fan of rom coms and meet cute moments and all the best love stories, you’ll love this one! So many references to movies I loved, and suuuuch a great ending that had me squealing.