December Book Recap

Can you believe that reading wasn't my jam growing up?! Clif Notes were my best friends in high school - I'd read 'enough' to get by, but other than that I didn't enjoy the act of reading so never did it... like ever. Maybe I wasn't reading things that held my interest or maybe it was because it was "required" so I didn't like it, but, whatever the reason, I'm glad I challenged myself to add the goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (which became 88 books in 2017, 77 books in 2018, 67 books in 2019, 66 books in 2020, 67 books in 2021, 41 books in 2022, 98 books in 2023 and 224 books in 2024). The majority of my "reading" has been listening to audiobooks since I haven't had as much time to sit and read physical books once I started working again full time out of the house. Even still, holding a physical book is my JAM and I hope can add more physical reading vs listening. Just like in years past, writing a monthly recap of the books I finish is a great way for me to both record what I'm reading and to stay accountable. Here are the books I completed in the month of December:

• The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore - This book had been in the 'popular' section of my Hoopla app recently and it caught my eye. It looked like a cute small town type book and the author's name was close to one of the main characters of Gilmore Girls so I figured I'd give it a try. Instead of the grouchy diner owner and the bubbly inn employee of Gilmore Girls, this was flip-flopped and we had a grouchy farmer, Logan, and the new-to-town cafe owner, Jeanie. It was a sweet little story, but definitely filled with some spice (sort of like what I assume pumpkin spice is). A cozy little rom-com filled to the brim with fall vibes that reminded me of a festive Hallmark movie. The cast of characters surrounding Jeanie and Logan were fun too, which is great because I'm hoping they're going to be involved in the full Dream Harbor series. I would give it an 8 out of 10.  

• The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore - This is the second book in the Dream Harbor series and it's about a local bookstore employee and a friendly fisherman. It seems as though these books can all be standalone stories, but I think I'll enjoy reading them one after another. In this installment, we've got opposites attracting. Hazel is coming up on her 30th birthday and feeling a little stuck so she asks Noah, the town charmer, to come on an adventure with her. Secret messages are being left around the bookstore, so the pair follow the clues and end up finding love along the way. I would say this one felt a little spicier than the first (honestly, it's not my jam, but to be expected in the romance genre), so I didn't enjoy it as much, but still made me smile. And I should have figured out who was behind the clues earlier! I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore - You know I am all in for a Christmas story, so I was excited for the third book in the Dream Harbor series. This one actually introduces a few new characters to the mix. This is another grumpy x sunshiney book starring Kira, the new-to-town owner of the local Christmas tree farm and Bennet, Jeanie's out-of-town brother visiting for the holidays. It definitely reads as a Hallmark Christmas movie (and I was here for all of it). Kira seemingly hates Christmas (which is obviously funny owning a Christmas tree farm, although she did buy it sight unseen) and Bennet has a need to fix everything. The pair get snowed in together during a winter weather storm and the sparks fly. I would say this one is a little spicier as well, apparently to keep readers warm in the cold season, but not too over the top. I would give it a 7 out of 10. 

• The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore - This is the final book in the series that my Hoopla app has available (although it appears as there is a fifth book already out and a sixth on its way in early 2026). I was really hoping it would be about Annie and Mack, but it features another newcomer to town. Archer, an amazing chef, is informed that he has a five year old daughter and that her mother passed away so he needs to come to Dream Harbor to care for the child. Iris is the type of gal who flits from job to job, man to man, and is stuck between a rock and a hard place when she needs to find a new place to live but is struggling with money. As luck would have it, Archer is in need of a nanny for Olive, the sticky but sweet five year old, and the position comes with a built in place to stay. Seeing as this is in the romance genre, you know the forced proximity of Archer and Iris living together opens doors and breaks down walls. I won't spoil it, but I did enjoy the happily ever after a bit more (it felt a little more 'real life' to me). I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Front Runner by Brendan O'Meara - The hubby, pup and I drove to and from the San Francisco area for Thanksgiving so I suggested the hubby find us an audiobook to listen to for the trip - he picked this one. I've read a bit about Steve Prefontaine, but this was definitely more of a deep dive into his life. The research was in depth (there were over 150 interviews done) and it made you feel like you were there. I loved hearing about the training that went into Pre's success. I was also interested to hear about the amature governing body at the time (and how their rules and decisions made it hard for runners post college to succeed). It's wild to think about that it has been fifty years since Pre passed, yet his legacy remains. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - Let's be real... as soon as this author releases a book I get in line for it (it doesn't hurt that one of my favorite audiobook readers normally does her books). I had been in line for this one on my Libby app for a few months, so I was stoked for it to become available. This one has two parallel stories going on at once - a memoir that two authors are competing to win the right to write and the love story of the two authors falling for each other. I thought it was an original plot idea and really enjoyed it (as I figured I would). The switching back and forth between the interwoven storylines kept me engaged and slow burn romance kept me rooting for the pair. This would be a great vacation read. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson - This popped up in the YA section of my Libby app and it looked cutesy so I grabbed it. The little blurb I saw said it was for fans of Gilmore Girls and Jenny Han, which are both right up my alley, so count me in. As I suspected, it was sweet. Ellis is a hardworking, driven soon-to-be senior who has her life flipped upside down when her parents inform her they are taking a break and she will be moving from NYC to a small town in Connecticut with her mom. She has always been on the go, chasing down goals, so ending up in this slower environment is going to take some getting used to. She thought she would have a slight leg up, seeing as she used to summer in Bramble Falls when she was younger, but her previous friend, Cooper, seems to have moved on and forgotten all about her. As time progresses the two reunite and fall hard for one another while being thrown together during all of the fall festivities. If you are looking for a quick, easy YA romcom fall flick, this is probably for you - it's cozy and festive. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - This book has been turned into a movie and said movie is releasing in the coming days, so my Hoopla app has had it on just about every list possible. I figured if it was good enough to make into a film, it had to be a decent enough book so I snagged it (and didn't realize it was part of a series until I downloaded it). No spoilers from me, so I won't go into depth about this thriller, but know that the first part is written from the perspective of the housemaid, the second part is written from the perspective of the wife and then the third part goes back and forth between the two. It was fast paced, kept me on the edge of my seat and was full of twists and turns. I don't know that I'll go to the theater to see the movie, but would probably watch it once it's streaming. I think I'll listen to the follow-up books in the series. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson - I saw this book pop up on my Hoopla app under the new section and I was stoked. I always enjoy reading everything this author puts out, so I was thrilled to see she had a new title. The synopsis said it was 'ripped from the headlines', but I actually didn't know anything about it. It follows a group of four freshman females whose lives get flipped upside down when one of the roommates' brothers moves in and essentially starts a cult with them at the middle. Jordyn, like most college freshman, is out on her own for the first time and is trying to find somewhere she belongs. She seemingly moved out from underneath the pressure of her overprotective parents into another controlling situation with Devonte at the helm. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say I didn't see the ending coming. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden - I figured now was as good of a time as any to continue on with the Housemaid series on my Hoopla app (since I was still waiting for more of my holds on my Libby app to become available). Similar to the first book, this one was split into parts - the first being told from the perspective of Millie (the housemaid), the second being told from the wife's perspective (Wendy) and then the third and fourth flip flopping back and forth between narrators. You won't get any spoilers from me, especially with the movie for the first book set to hit the theaters in the coming days, but suffice it to say this one had to have a different twist from the first book or it would've been too obvious. The entire time I was listening to Millie's part of the story I was trying to figure out what was going on with the wife, but I didn't even come close to guessing the secret. I also especially enjoyed the little surprise at the end. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Housemaid's Wedding by Freida McFadden - I saw this one said it was Book 2.5 on my Hoopla app and was originally going to skip it (since I only have a limited number of downloads on my Hoopla app a month and a book that is less than two hours long seems like a waste), but I'm glad I didn't. It said you could either read it between books two and three or after book three. I decided to listen to it between books two and three. It was a short little snippet - only covering a few hours of a single day (the wedding day between Millie and Enzo). With the brevity of the book you knew it wasn't going to reveal anything too large or earth shattering, but it did give a little insight on what the two characters life would be like between the two books (apparently the gap would be about 11 years). I don't know that it is absolutely necessary to the series, but I'm still glad I listened to it (I'm sure fans of the series were stoked to get a little bit more backstory). I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden - Downloaded the final book in this series with my final Hoopla app download for the month of December. I already knew that there would be a big jump in time between books two and three (the little synopsis that I read for book two and a half made that clear), so I wasn't too thrown when this book turned out to be about eleven years later. Similar to the first two books, this one was broken into different parts, but the perspectives weren't those that I was expecting. Instead of Millie and the 'woman of the house' it was actually Millie and her daughter. You see, instead of Millie being the housemaid of this story, she was actually the one with a maid for once. This book was a bit different because it was more about Millie and Enzo (and their family) instead of another family that Millie was 'helping'. I'll be honest and say I don't think I liked this story as much as the previous two, but I did chuckle when Ada, the eleven year old daughter, mentioned that the third novel in a series was never as good as the first two. Even though it wasn't my favorite, it still kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang - After all of the thrillers I had been listening to, I thought it was time for a cutesy YA book. This one popped up on my Libby app and I was intrigued. If you are familiar with To All The Boys I've Loved Before, picture that but in the negative. Instead of love letters that never get sent, Sadie writes sassy email replies that sit in her draft box. Well, that is until all of the emails from the past ten years that had just been sitting there fly out to classmates, faculty, etc. The majority of them go to her school co-captain, Julius, her enemy for the past ten years. As a way for the principal to try and get a hold of the situation, he forces the pair of them together for multiple tasks in hopes that they will start to see eye to eye. As I'm sure you can guess, the hate eventually turns to like and the two fall for one another. I thought it was cute and all, but seeing as I LOVE the Jenny Han series, this sort of felt like a knockoff. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Together at Midnight by Jennifer Castle - Might as well keep the cutesy YA books a-comin'. I saw this on my Libby app and assumed it was talking about New Years Eve and since we are coming up on that holiday I snagged it. As I suspected, it was about NYE, but also so much more. Two teens witness a tragic accident and did nothing to help in the situation. While talking about it, someone overhears and challenges them to do random acts of kindness before the new years. The pair try to assuage their guilt by putting good into the world. During the course of the challenge the two fall for one another. I'm not sure why, but  didn't love it. Maybe it was too short so there wasn't as much character development, maybe there were too many characters in the mix (that didn't really matter), maybe it just wasn't my jam. I would give it a 6 out of 10. 

• Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith - I decided to stick with the Young Adult genre on my Libby app while I wait for more of my hold books to become available. This one was in the 'librarian picks' section and it caught my eye. It's a coming-of-age story of a trans boy trying to fly under the radar at a new school his senior year. He falls for the popular cisgender cheerleader and the plot unfolds. This one felt real and raw to me. Everything wasn't all kumbaya. The characters were relatable and the relationships felt genuine. It was both heartwarming and heart wrenching. The author didn't shy away from serious topics and does it in a graceful and impactful way. As always, I appreciate books told from the different character's perspectives and this was no different. Both of the main characters, Pony and George, felt fully developed and authentic. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang - Since I had listened to one of this author's previous books earlier in the month (I Hope This Doesn't Find You), I thought I'd snag another while waiting for some of my holds to become available on my Libby app. I didn't know anything about this one before I grabbed it, but I did see that the genre said 'fantasy' when I was downloading it. It turned out to be a friends-to-lovers type story with sci-fi twist. Alice is 'study machine' and is neck-and-neck with her foe, Henry. At a school for the children of the mostly wealthy and elite, Alice often feels like she could blend into the background. That is until she actually becomes invisible and decides to use the new found power to make money from the students around her. She comes up with an idea for Henry to build an app where her classmates can anonymously request her services (and he actually goes for it and they team up). No one knows who the Beijing Ghost is or how they tackle all of the tasks, but all along Alice is collecting secrets and saving money for her school fees. This normally wouldn't be my kind of book, but I found it entertaining and I stuck it out till the end. I would give it a 7 out of 10. 

• We Won't All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall - I thought I'd grab another thriller I could listen to while on my daily walks. This one was in the YA section and recently added to my Libby app so I thought I'd give it a listen. It was about eight 18-20 year olds who signed up to go on reality television show in hopes of surviving and winning $100,000. Mercy, the main character, signed up for the show because two years prior she was shot during a mall shooting and all of her sister's college fund went to her medical bills. In fact all of the contestants had gone through a traumatic experience, which is part of why they were selected. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the story that kept me on the edge of my seat - I didn't even guess the ending right away. It actually reminded me a little of Hunger Games at one point (that's high praise). I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose - We might as well keep this thriller train going. This one caught my eye while I was scrolling through my Libby app so I downloaded it. The story is about three estranged siblings who come together after the passing of their mother. While going through the house, they come across home movies that their mom took during their childhood. The three of them uncover a huge secret while watching one of the videos - their parents covered up the disappearance of a neighborhood child. It was told from four different perspectives - the three children and the mother (the audiobook had four different actors reading the parts). I had guessed where the story was going, but appreciated how the author wrapped up all of the loose ends. I could see this being turned into a movie or miniseries. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - When the hubby, pup and I were in the San Francisco area for Thanksgiving, one of my friends gave me the first two books of the Percy Jackson series to read (since the second season of the show was being released). I figured I would read them on our flights to and from Michigan for Christmas. I didn't know anything about the series before I started it (we don't have Disney+ so I haven't seen any of the commercials or anything). The series follows Percy Jackson (a six grader in this book), who discovers he is a demigod (son of Poseidon and his human mother). In this installment, Percy and his friends need to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt and return it to Mount Olympus before World War III breaks out. I found the book fun and entertaining. I don't know much about Greek mythology, so I was a little behind in some of the stories, but overall it wasn't too bad. I would give it a 9 out of 10. 

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - This is the second book of the series and occurs when Percy is in seventh grade (he spends the summers at Camp Half-Blood with fellow demigods). Towards the end of the previous book, some of the demigods had 'gone to the darkside' and started to follow Kronos. That evil started making its way into the demigods' sanctuary, so Percy and his friends had to travel to the Sea of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece and hopefully return their camp back to full health. It was a quick read and kept me engaged the whole time. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren - It had been raining while we were back in Michigan celebrating the holidays, so when we got home I went to inspect our little library and make sure none of the books were damaged. I noticed this book had been left so I grabbed it. I had read another of this author's books (well, technically it is two authors who write together under the one name) in the Meant To Be series (traditional Disney Princess books rewritten for the modern day) and really enjoyed it. I actually came down with a little virus when traveling back for Christmas, so when the hubby went over to spend the evening with friends I cuddled up and read this book. It was like a mash up of Groundhogs Day and a Hallmark movie. Mae ends up reliving a week of Christmas until she can find her way out. I thought it was cute but didn't love it. The time travel part didn't really seem to have a conclusion and it left me wanting more. Overall it was decent but I will be putting it back in the little library for someone else to borrow. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt - I had been on the waitlist for this book on my Libby app for a few months. It had caught my attention and apparently I wasn't alone. This is about Gen Z and how 'the great rewiring' is the cause for an uptick in mental illness (specifically depression and anxiety related illnesses). The author shares a lot of studies that help to prove his point that the release of smartphones and increased access to high speed Internet is a direct causation for the decline in mental health in the younger generation. I found his suggestions, a delay in giving access to social media apps and an increase in more free play, intriguing. He believes that parents have been overprotective in the real world and way too lax in the virtual world. All of his points seemed to make common sense, but until a collective group of parents/ teachers/ voters/ politicians make a stand together I don't see much change coming soon. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Death in the Jungle by Candace Fleming - I saw this on my Libby app and I was intrigued. Not only did I not know much about Jonestown, I was surprised that a book about it would be in the Young Adult section. I would say that the only thing I really knew about Jonestown was the 'Koolaid' bit. The thought was, young adults are a very impressionable group, so the writer wanted that age group to know what happened and what could happen (not to think 'that could never happen to me'). I'll be honest, at the beginning of the book I understood how people got engulfed with Jim Jones. He was preaching points that I agreed with (even if I don't think I would have been taken in by his false healings or stayed once he removed religion and made himself Father). I didn't realize that a large portion of his followers were Blacks, but could see how they may have been sucked in by his charisma and what he was 'selling'. I found the book well researched and felt as though it was written from a very neutral stance. I appreciate all of the survivors who shared their experiences (I can't imagine how traumatic it would have been, no matter how much time had passed). I would give it a 9 out of 10.

With that, December is done-zo. If you have suggestions, let me know! I'm always looking to add to my "must read" list! 

What's the best book you've read lately?