Books: December Reads
What I read this month and loved (also the ones that I didn’t love and here’s why).
I took a little Substack break last month, but let’s be real—December was busy, so this is all I got to as far as reading goes. There were many times I was tempted to pick up another book, but I stopped myself and opted for quiet moments instead. I didn’t want to fill the space, if that makes sense.
But January is a new month and we recently took a trip to the library. And if you know me at all, then you know I couldn’t resist grabbing a few to bring home. I just can’t help myself.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry-
I swear, each one of her books I read just get better than the next. Everything about Emily Henry’s books are just *chefs kiss.* This one traveled between two timelines, dipping into the history of a famous family and all of the drama that surrounded them, then back into the present, where a journalist is documenting it all for a book, while simultaneously falling in love. It sounds like a lot and I could see where the plot could go haywire. But Emily has such a beautiful way of sticking to the point and wrapping it all up beautifully. I especially loved this one, because there was a hint of mystery and suspense. I honestly didn’t see the end coming and I thought it was such a cool way to round the story out. Again, I have nothing but good things to say about her books. Onto the next.
*not my photos Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors- My library only had this in the large print and I’d been seeing this one all over and reading its praise, so I grabbed it … large print be damned. Either way, it doesn’t matter. This book was so beautifully written. Having a couple of sisters of my own, it hit me in ways I wasn’t expecting. I loved how there wasn’t just one main character that dominated the story. Each sister had their share of the spotlight. They were so different, but having shared the same trauma, there were so many similarities woven beneath the surface. Coco really captures grief and the aftermath so well (and rarely is it a pretty thing).
Funny Story by Emily Henry- This one completes the dominance that Emily’s novels have taken over in my reading habits. For now. I seriously cannot get enough and this one made me lol a lot. I always fall in love with her characters, because they’re all so dang loveable, but they’re also really relatable. As a writer of such novels myself, I find myself constantly taking mental notes of how Emily’s stories flow. After reading so many of her novels back-to-back, I’ve got the gist of her recipe. I thought it over recently and decided that whether it works and it’s good or not, I’d rather not try to emulate what she’s got going on. I’ll just leave this one to the pro, in my humble opinion.
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