We’ve made it to the end of another month and another year! My reading this month heavily featured holiday reads, which is a bit of a departure for me from most Decembers, when I might read one or two. I think I was just really attempting to fully sink into the Christmas magic, as a magic-maker for two littles currently residing in my home. Although they weren’t all excellent books, I think they generally did what I hoped they would, and a couple of them were really fantastic. My favorite book of the month (and right up there for the year) was a hold-over from last month and featured incredibly poetic language and many thought-provoking moments. Here’s what I read:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed 2013): This book is about so much more than plants and I loved my time spent in these pages. Kimmerer has so much to share about storytelling, climate, academia, motherhood, community, and, yes, plants. Full review still to come.
You, Again, by Kate Goldbeck (The Dial Press 2023): I loved this moderninzed reimagining of one of my fave rom-coms, When Harry Met Sally, and although it took me a while to warm to the main characters, they fully captured my heart by the end. Great New Year’s read! Read my full review here.
The Christmas Orphans Club, by Becca Freeman (Penguin 2023): My favorite Christmas book I read this month was a story of best-friendships and chosen family, some of my favorite tropes. I loved the structure, which flips between two POVs and multiples, non-consecutive timelines. Read my full review here.
Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan (Faber 2021): This Christmastime novella was not at all what I was expecting, but featured excellent storytelling and character development. Keegan shows how darkness can be brought into the light in such a short space. Read my full review here.
A Woman in the Polar Night, by Christiane Ritter, translated by Jane Degras (Dutton 1954; 1938): I wrapped up this one (and my #19Nonfiction reading challenge – translated nonfiction) yesterday. A perfect wintry read, this memoir first published in 1938 tells the wild tale of a woman who goes to join her husband for a year in the arctic where he is a hunter/trapper. Nuts, I tell you. Full review to come.
The Insiders, by Mark Oshiro; narrated by Avi Roque (HarperCollins 2021): A fun, middle grade novel that uses a magical room to tell a story of identity, self esteem, family, and friendship for three (and many more) middle schoolers. The narration by Roque is excellent.
Have I Told You This Already? Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember, by Lauren Graham (Ballantine 2022): I needed an easy-breezy audio to get me through the hecticness of traveling with two little kids, and this short memoir-in-essays was up to the job. Graham’s narration is extremely likeable and a couple of her essays are incredibly poignant (most notably for me: “Mochi”). Probably won’t remember much of this in a year, but I enjoyed my time with it a lot.
Once Upon a December, by Amy E. Reichert; narrated by Sharon Freeman (Berkeley 2022): This Christmas romance had impeccable vibes and not much else. It was fine for wrapping/baking/packing purposes. Read my full review here.
A Christmas Legacy, by Anne Perry (Ballantine Books 2021): This cozy mystery (I guess it’s a mystery?) was an enjoyable way to spend a few evenings in front of the Christmas tree, and my experience was boosted due to the fact that it was a gift from a loved one. Read my full review here.
Familia, by Lauren E. Rico (Kensington 2023): This new release just had way to much happening to ever really settle into the story Rico wanted to tell. I wished for a more focused purpose and took issue with a couple plot choices. Read my full review here.
I am ready for a brand new reading year and all the great stories it will hold! Do you have any books you are particularly looking forward to? I’m hoping to make a bigger dent in my TBR bookcase this year (don’t we say that every year?), but there are also some new books from beloved authors coming out in 2024, so we shall see. Happy 2024 Reading, book friends!
She Can't Stop Reading 