December Books + TOP 5 books of 2019

Happy last day of 2019! Even with the hustle and bustle of December, I was able to read 6 books this month! That being said, my first book, I started reading right around Thanksgiving and had the nine hour car ride home from KC combined with some extra time after Christmas to read as well.

I technically have a Good Reads account, but never really keep up with it. Instead, I have a note on my phone (I know, really high tech) with books I want to read (the list is getting too long) and then books I’ve read (2018 and 2019). When I looked at my list of the 40 books I read this year, my top 5 jumped right out at me! So, I thought I’d share those as well.

But first….the books I read in December.

I’m so glad I chose to read holiday books during this time. With the craziness of Christmas, I love the twinkle of the lights on the tree, peppermint mocha creamer, and the days getting darker earlier (I know, I’m weird). So, reading holiday themed books during this month, just helped the coziness creep in even more to offset the craziness of this time of the year.

One Day in December

This book was a sweet little read. It had been on my list for awhile, and I decided to start the month with it. The main character Laurie sees a man out the bus window and feels an instant connection. She then is on a mission to find him while not knowing his name, where he lives, etc. She ends up being reunited with Jack but not the way she would have preferred. The story follows the friendship and relationships of Laurie, her best friend Sarah, and Jack for over ten years…and I love how the month of December is a timeline reference throughout.

The Winter Street Series

• Winter Street
• Winter Stroll
• Winter Storms
• Winter Solstice

I get so many awesome book ideas from Mix and Match Mama and she had mentioned this series at some point. I had decided to at least read the first two. Then, another favorite (food) blogger, Bev Cooks, shared on her Instagram Stories that she was going to read all four of the books before Christmas. After reading the first book, I was hooked….and just kept chugging along while adding the next book to my Kindle. These books are fairly short, so they were easy to read somewhat quickly. Plus, I just fell in love with the Quinn family.

Like any big family, there are ups and downs, chaos, and celebrations. The Nantucket setting at Christmastime for each book, ties them together. Since I read each book back to back, the plot lines are all so intertwined. Overall, Kelley Quinn and his wife Mitzi run an inn on Nantucket. Each December, there’s a Winter Stroll through town. Kelley was married to Margaret for many years before Mitzi. Margaret is a CBS anchor and with Kelley, they have three adult children. With Mitzi, Kelley has a son named Bart who is a prisoner of war. Again, there are ups and downs, strained relationships, blended families, imprisonment and more. I seriously teared up at the conclusion of this series. I was sad to say goodbye to the Quinn family.

Christmas in Paris

This was a cute read with such a picturesque setting. Who wouldn’t want to visit Paris at Christmas time?

Isabel has canceled her wedding but decides to go on her honeymoon in Paris. While there, she meets Alec who also had wedding plans dissolve. Alec shows her around Paris, and they meet a fortune teller who tells Isabel she will meet and marry a French aristocrat. Isabel has been so unlucky in love that she’s adamant in pursuing whatever it takes to see those “dreams” come true.

This is a charming and light hearted read which was a perfect way to wrap up my December reading.

Top 5 books of 2019

Books #5 and #4 I read in January. I started the year off right! Actually, I ended 2018 reading on a high note. The Dinner List was the last book I read in 2018, and I loved it. (So, there’s a bonus reading recommendation if you’d like one.)

#5

All Your Perfects was a tough read. I remember picking this book right off the shelf of the library, reading the back, and thinking it would be a good book. BUT once I started to read it, such a main emphasis was on infertility and how it can impact a marriage. Since I’ve dealt with infertility , it piqued my interest and that part of the plot drew me in. Quinn and Graham had a great marriage and all the dreams in the world as any freshly married couple has in the beginning. As time goes on, the strain of infertility and the wondering of what the future holds gets to them. The book is structured in past and present which is a clear delineation in their happy and sad times. As a couple, they struggle to communicate. Quinn feels the grief and shame of not being able to start a family (I can relate). It’s not that Graham isn’t always there for her. It’s just that as a woman, she bears the burden on her own and they feel and process the devastation in their own ways. Honestly, the ending wasn’t what I expected, but I could appreciate why Hoover ended their journey the way she did.

If you are in the thick of infertility, it may be too soon to read this book, but Quinn and Graham and their relationship were certainly relatable.

This book hooked me from the beginning, had me in tears throughout, and definitely provides a perspective on a topic that very few people talk about.

#4

Swear on this Life was the first book I read in 2019. My goodness it was so good. Emiline is a writing instructor. She reads a book about two best friends, Emerson and Jackson, who are childhood sweethearts living in rural Ohio. Emerson has a very tough childhood and life and as Emiline reads the book, she realizes it bears a resemblance to her own upbringing. She then realizes the author, “J. Colby” must be Jase her childhood sweetheart. So, of course, she must find him and confront him for telling her story.

This book was so good, and I read it so quickly! I definitely recommend it.

Books #3-5, I’ve actually written about in my monthly book reviews, so I will share those posts as well.

#3

Ask Again , Yes was so amazing. The lives of two families over decades and how time can heal wounds made this book such an interesting read.

#2

Bread and Wine was an inspiring mix of food, recipes, stories, friendship, and nourishment (both for body and for mind).

#1

I put off reading Where the Crawdads Sing because I felt like everyone was reading it. I finally borrowed it from a friend to read on vacation; I read it in two days…and didn’t want it to end. For me, it had a To Kill a Mockingbird feel to it which is one of my favorite books of all time. Kya, “Marsh Girl,” is a fighter and a survivor and an outcast in her society. I loved the setting of North Carolina and Owens certainly paints a picture of that part of the country. The symbolism, the imagery, the characters, the plot, and the lessons learned made this book one that I will never forget…and I’m sure I will read it again.

One more bonus book—Verity by Colleen Hoover was a page turner!! I read it on vacation as well and a review of it is in the link above.

I can’t believe I’ve only been blogging a few months and that this is the last post of 2019. Thanks for following along on my journey. I hope you find a book or two that you’ll love. What was your favorite book that you read in 2019?

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Jen

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