My December 2022 Reads

The holidays are my favorite time of year becuase I can finally slow down and dive into my books a bit more than I’m typically able to throughout the year. Thanks to some extra time in my schedule and plenty of mindless cleaning and holiday gift wrapping, I was able to read and listen to 9 books in December to finish out my 2022.

Check out everything I read below and get my thoughts on it all!

• Kindred - Octavia Butler

  I pulled this book aside a while ago because Octavia Butler is an author I’ve always wanted to read. I had no idea it was a hit show on Hulu that everyone was going nuts for. In fact I had a friend gush about the show just a week before my husband picked this book out as my next read for me.

  I haven’t yet watched the show so I can’t speak to that, but I can tell you I absolutely devoured this book over the course of 36 hours. I couldn’t put it down and it’s easily one of my favorite books of the year. The story was captivating, suspenseful and poetic all at once. The main character was complex and someone you wanted to root for. The way the story comes full circle is enjoyable and part of why the first few pages drew me in so quickly. I absolutely loved this book and consider it a must-read!

• A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas

  I got hooked on the Court of Thorns and Roses series in November and immediately began reading the second book in the series when it came available through the library. It’s easy to see why this book tends to be the favorite for readers of the series. The storyline is still suspenseful and steamy, but the main character really grows into her own person in this book, and books with strong character development tend to be some of my favorites.

  Again, this series isn’t the most profound I’ve ever read, but it is a truly enjoyable read.

• The House Across the Lake - Riley Sager

  Way back in October I requested numerous thrillers from the Libby app that didn’t come available until November and December, which made for some suspenseful reads this month. I found this book interesting and it kept my interest, though I tend to dislike the “drunk, unreliable narrator” trope that this story follows.

  Even so, I though this was a fast-paced book and I didn’t see the twist. Overall, I enjoyed it.

• A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy

  A little fellow bookstore shoutout to Main Street Books in Davidson for this read! They have a container of Advanced Readers Copies of books that you can select from with a purchase from the store and I decided a holiday romance would be fun in December.

  I still maintain that the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert is the best romance out there, but this book was enjoyable. I loved that it was sex-work positive, bi-positive and openly talked about Bipoler Disorder in a positive light rather than something shameful. It’s a cute read for those looking for a cookie cutter romance!

• The Stand - Stephen King

  Another leftover from my spooky kick in October, I finally finished The Stand by Stephen King this month.

  I loved the world building, the many characters King explored and the overall premise of the book. The ending fell very flat for me though and felt anticlimactic. It’s not my favorite horror book of his (IT maintains that spot) but I’m still glad I read it.

• A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas

  I ended out the trilogy for this series in December as well. I liked this story as well and loved seeing the main character truly come into her own. Her relationship with her lover and mate Rhysand is well done and the suspense of the big battle kept me enthralled. The second book remains my favorite in the series, but I liked the way Maas wrapped up the major storylines and left room to continue on the series in other avenues.

• A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

  This book was okay for me. The storyline was interesting but the dialogue wasn’t extremely well done, and of course it requires a bit of suspension of belief. Overall, though, I was interested in figuring out the mystery and enjoyed listening to it on audiobook. It’s a good palate cleanser book, in my opinion (aka a quick read that won’t blow you away but that fills the time before you tackle something heavier).

• Britt-Marie Was Here - Fredrik Backman

  This was my final physical book for the year and it was a sweet, heart breaking story to end 2022 with. I was introduced to Britt-Marie’s character originally in Backman’s My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry, and I loved the continuation in this book. Britt-Marie is a hard character to like, which I think adds to the story. You slowly learn her quirks and why her walls are up and by the end are rooting for her and everyone in the small town of Borg.

  It’s not my favorite Backman, but it’s still a masterpiece. Highly recommend!

Need other recommendations? Ask me for some ideas!