I can’t believe December has come and gone and it’s time for my December 2024 reading wrap-up. I decided to take a break from following a structured TBR and focus on vibes and working my way through my endless stack of library holds. Not only was I able to read my way through the endless holds that became available at the library I also exceeded my reading goal for the month and read fifteen books. Needless to say, I had a fabulous reading month.
December 2024 Reading Wrap-Up
December Reading Stats
Let’s break down my reading for the month. I read a variety of genres including pushing myself outside my comfort zone and reading from two genres that I’ve never read from before Dark Romance and Politics. This exploration worked in my favor as I enjoyed both books from these genres.
Additionally, December was the month that I read exclusively from new to me authors and it was so fun exploring so many different authors and writing styles, and finding some new favorites in the process. My favorite book of December was Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum. It was such a spectacular and inspiring read.
While I had an overall positive reading month and found eight five-star reads there were a few duds in the mix and I had to DNF three books.
As far as where I found my books the public library was the winner as I read over ten library books. And read three books from my physical TBR and two e-books on my Kindle.
Below is a complete breakdown of genres read this month and all my reading stats for December.
Overview of Books I Read in December
The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World by Noam Chomsky, Nathan J Robinson
Genre: Non-Fiction, Politics
Page Count: 400 (Hardcover)
Release Date: October 10, 2024
Acquisition: Library
Rating: 5🌟
Synopsis:
The land of the free. The home of the brave. But what has America achieved in the aim of “spreading democracy” — except wreak havoc in country after country and establish a reckless foreign policy that served the interest of few and endangered all too many? Without, ironically, making Americans any safer. In this timely book, Noam Chomsky, one of the most widely known intellectuals of all time, and his fellow political commentator Nathan J. Robinson vividly trace America’s pursuit of global domination, offering an incisive critique of the self-serving myths they continue to push.
Offering penetrating accounts of Washington’s relationship with the Global South, its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they argue, they are now driving us closer to wars with Russia and China that imperil humanity’s future. At once thorough and devastating, urgent and provocative, The Myth of American Idealism offers a highly readable entry to the conclusions Noam Chomsky has come to after a lifetime of thought and activism.
Mini-Review:
I stumbled across this book in my library and I’m so happy I took the chance to pick it up. This book was such an eye-opening read which allowed me to understand more of the political machinations of the U.S. government as it pertains to foreign policy. I’ve always understood that the primary driver behind our country’s pursuit of democracy had little to do with actually helping others and more to do with how they could benefit the U.S. Particularly when it comes to natural resources, business, and trade. So, I wasn’t entirely shocked by what this book discusses and reveals but still found myself disappointed and disturbed by America’s questionable history.
Overall, I found this book explained and elaborated its viewpoints and critiques of U.S. Foreign Policy in a very informed, structured, and intelligent way. While there were moments I felt overwhelmed by the depth and density of this material considering this is my first time reading a book covering U.S. politics and had to take frequent breaks to digest and process this information. It was still highly impactful and educational.
I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Content Warning: Death of a Parent, Homophobia, Panic Attacks
Diversity: LGBTQIA+, Black Representation, Interracial Romance, BIPOC Author
Page Count: 288 (Paperback)
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Acquisition: Library
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Synopsis:
Bee Tyler needs a break. In the bustling San Francisco tech community, no one ever seems to stand still—especially her perfect sister and business partner, Beth. So when her best friend suggests a getaway on the wildly popular house-swap app, Vacate, Bee decides a countryside retreat might be exactly what she needs.
Clover Mills has had a year. Between losing her mother and making the complicated decision to leave her fiancé, sticking around the idyllic Christmas obsessed town of Salem, Ohio, just doesn’t feel right. So when she hears about Vacate, she jumps at the chance to spend the holidays in the unfamiliar city of San Francisco.
Soon enough, Bee is living in Clover’s cozy Salem cottage, and Clover is living in Bee’s sleek San Francisco apartment. As Clover can’t seem to stop running into Bee’s frustratingly gorgeous sister, Beth, and Bee finds herself spending more and more time with Clover’s ultra charming ex-fiancé, Knox, the two women realize that this Christmas they may find just what they were looking for and more…
Mini-Review:
I was excited to dive into a holiday romance and feel all the cozy holiday vibes that this book delivered. I enjoyed this queer twist on the famous movie The Holiday and adored the growth and progression of the characters in this story. I loved the holiday vibes it gave off which helped put me in the Christmas spirit.
The romances experienced by Bee and Clover were so achingly adorable. However, I appreciated Clover’s romance with Beth a bit more than Bee and Knox. Regardless, everything came together in the end to provide the most satisfying conclusion.
In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead
Genre: Mystery-Thriller
Content Warning: Addiction, Drug Use, Drugging, Eating Disorders, Internalised Homophobia, Murder, Physical Violence, Sexual Assault (off page), Suicide (mentioned)
Page Count: 368 (E-Book)
Release Date: August 3, 2021
Acquisition: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Synopsis:
Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has been invited back to her university for a reunion and she is obsessed with dazzling everyone with her beauty and success. This time when they see her, it has to be perfect because she is perfect. Not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather Shelby’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year.
But there’s more at stake than the delicious envy of her peers—not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. In fact, someone has orchestrated the whole weekend to trap the real killer. As the weekend unfolds and they get closer to the truth, the group finds there is more than murder hidden amongst them on campus.
Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession, and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is an addictive, propulsive millennial thriller you won’t be able to put down.
Mini-Review:
During late fall I was on a quest to read as many popular Dark Academia books as I could to determine if this was a new genre worthy for me to explore. And while I’m positive that I’m a fan of the genre I wasn’t as much of a fan of this book. I blame timing as to why I didn’t have the positive experience I was hoping for.
I had just finished If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio and was on a high from how much I adored that book. So, reading this book felt like a step-down.
While on the surface there isn’t anything wrong with this book per se. It followed the typical formula common for most Dark Academia books I just didn’t connect with it the way I was hoping. I didn’t get the same vibes that I got from If We Were Villains. It lacked the pretentious attitude and vibe that I’ve come to associate with this genre.
Furthermore, I really couldn’t connect or sympathize with the female main character (FMC). And while I don’t believe you necessarily have to like the characters in a story you do have to relate to them or empathize with them and for whatever reason I couldn’t with her. Mind you there were some troubling circumstances she experienced that I found deplorable it wasn’t enough to pull me to her side.
Despite my misgivings with the FMC, the story itself was solid and there were plenty of twists and turns in this fast-paced tale. I didn’t guess the killer but it all made sense in the end. The conclusion wasn’t necessarily satisfying but it felt right for the story following the events that transpired.
April Storm by Leila Meacham
Genre: Mystery-Thriller
Page Count: 256 (Hardcover)
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Synopsis:
Katherine Walker enjoys an enviable life. Her husband is an accomplished doctor, her children are bright and successful, and she devotes herself to charity work that uplifts her Suburban Colorado community. Settling into a new year, her life couldn’t be better. . .
Until April.
For Katherine, April has always rained trouble—but this time may be even stormier than the fraught past she’s trying to overcome. Already distraught over the child she miscarried in this same cursed month many years ago, the emotionally fragile woman isn’t ready to consider the overwhelming evidence that someone may be trying to take her husband—and her life.
Featuring the complex characters and powerful storytelling that are the beloved hallmarks of Leila Meacham’s novels beginning with her breakout debut Roses, April Storm is a page-turning triumph that caps a remarkable literary career.
Mini-Review:
This was a new release that had piqued my interest and I was excited to give it a go. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be like I thought it was going to be. One of the major conflicts in this book centered on miscommunication and misinterpretation of events. Which contributed to a cascade of actions on the part of the FMC Katherine Walker. Additionally, I took issue with the romantic subplot of this story as well and felt it didn’t need to be introduced at all. Also, some elements of this story felt too convenient and unrealistic.
Aside from these shortcomings I found the intrigue to be interesting and enjoyed this story was fast-paced making it quick and easy to read. The reveal of the culprit I didn’t see coming but in all fairness we weren’t given clues to aid the reader in guessing who they could be. However, the ending was predictable but ok.
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins
Genre: Mystery-Thriller
Page Count: 320 (Hardcover)
Content Warnings: Body Shaming, Fatphobia, Cancer, Dementia, Grief, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, Suicidal Thoughts
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Synopsis:
Welcome to Eris: An island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.
Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.
Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.
But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.
And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge . . .
A masterful novel that is as page-turning as it is unsettling, The Blue Hour recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith, and cements Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.
Mini-Review:
The beautiful name of this book alongside the stunning cover and captivating synopsis drew me in. And while I didn’t necessarily dislike this story I did take issue with some elements. What worked for me was the simple yet stunning writing style. Hawkins was excellent at creating an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. While this story was more of a slow burn I appreciated how well she developed the characters providing a rich backstory into the current conflict between the Art Museum and Grace the one who’s in charge of the late artist Vanessa’s estate.
The part that I take the slightest bit of issue with is the fatphobic comments referencing Grace’s body and her looks. I didn’t see how this was relevant to the plot or the story in the slightest other than to paint Grace as a questionable and undesirable character. Which could’ve been done without mentioning her appearance or weight. I found this tactless and unnecessary.
As for the conclusion, I’ve decided it’s a masterpiece. I love how it all ended and wrapped up it fit the general mood and vibe of the story and of Eris Island itself a place of secrecy and intrigue.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Genre: Mystery-Thriller
Page Count: 559 (Paperback)
Content Warnings: Abuse (emotional and sexual), Alcohol Abuse, Animal Cruelty, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Drug Abuse, Fatphobia (comments), Grief, Gun Violence, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny,Murder, PTSD, Racism, Slut Shaming, Suicide Attempts, Trauma, Violence
Release Date: September 16, 1992
Acquisition: Home Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last—inexorably—into evil.
Mini-Review:
This is the quintessential book that birthed the Dark Academia genre. To say that I was excited to dive into the Modern Classic is an understatement. And it did not disappoint. From the start it pulled me into this dark, mysterious sweeping tale. It’s a slow burn which I don’t mind since the prose was immaculate and Tartt had a way of structuring and building this story in such a way you found yourself helplessly immersed.
The cast of characters were morally grey, problematic, pretentious and classist. Despite this I found myself in many instances empathizing and understanding these people. They felt real and multi-dimensional which made this story feel even more credible and realistic for me.
There are a wealth of themes covered in this book as its highly thought-provoking inspiring one to ponder and reflect on the actions and topics presented in this book.
For me, this sets the bar pretty high for any other Dark Academia book that I read in the future.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Genre: Literary Fiction
Page Count: 384 (Hardcover)
Content Warnings: Attempted Suicide, Depression, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicidal Ideation
Release Date: July 30, 2024
Acquisition: Home Library
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Synopsis:
It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.
In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
Mini-Review:
I became interested in this book after reading numerous reviews on social media praising it and knowing that I had to see it for myself. I must admit this is a startlingly poignant yet hopeful story featuring relatable characters in an awkward situation. Told in a darkly humorous yet insightful manner carefully exposing the reader to the darker themes of this novel while simultaneously maintaining a light-hearted mood.
I empathized and saw pieces of myself in Pheobe’s story and wholeheartedly enjoyed her character arc as I was rooting for her. What could have been a tragedy turned into something so beautiful. The degree to which each of these characters was positively impacted by Pheobe’s honest and open personality and how this helped her better see and understand herself was a lovely thing to witness.
The Candy Cane Killer by Emmy Ellis
Genre: Thriller
Page Count: 214 (Kindle Edition)
Content Warnings: Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Death, Graphic Murder, Mental Illness, Self-Harm, Violence
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Acquisition: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 2.5 ⭐️
Synopsis:
Tis the season . . .
It’s Christmas time and Sister Leeanne is walking the snow-lined streets of Shadwell when she spots a homeless man sitting on the kerb.
How are you tonight, my child? Do you need sustenance?
The vagrant is a young man named Karl Hartley. He stares up at Sister Leeanne with hopeful, empty eyes, and agrees to accompany her back to the nunnery. After all, what does he have left to lose?
His life.
Karl wakes to find himself naked and tied to a metal pole, a candy cane with a blade embedded in it placed in front of him.
Then a speaker springs to life and barks orders:
You will use the candy cane.
You will slice your wrist.
You will bleed out.
You will die.
The next day, Detective Inspector Bethany Smith gets a call. There’s a body propped up against a tombstone in a local cemetery.
The victim is Karl Hartley . . .
Mini-Review:
I wanted to try a holiday-themed Thriller and thought this would be ideal. However, I was ill-prepared for how dark and disturbing this story was. We follow a killer that’s targeting homeless men and is torturing and murdering them leaving their bodies and belongings to be discovered by police.
This story is told in two alternating viewpoints the killer and DI Bethany Smith. From the killer’s viewpoint, we see the sheer violence and madness that propels them to commit this heinous crime and catch a glimpse of their troubled mind as they display signs of mental illness due to childhood trauma and abuse.
From DI Bethany’s viewpoint, we watch as the police scramble to find out who’s committing these crimes, why, and how to stop them.
I felt so bad for the killer and what they went through and understood how it led to their break from reality and triggered them to begin their murder spree. It was absolutely gut-wrenching to learn of their story as it unfolded. However, my empathy for the killer was pretty much the only thing going on in this novel.
The investigative skills for the police force were lackluster because the author gave me nothing. Just the basics if that. No detail was truly provided regarding their investigation into the crimes. We only saw them discover the body, ask a few questions, and then go home and hope they found the killer before they struck again.
Then the case is wrapped up in a rather convenient way with little to no effort by the investigative team. Everything just seems to fall into place leading them to their killer. It felt off to me and wasn’t my cup of tea.
Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger
Genre: Dark Romance
Page Count: 384 (Paperback)
Content Warnings: Death, Domestic Violence, Explicit Language, Graphic Sex (Power Play Dynamics), Miscarriage, Mental Illness
Release Date: August 16, 2022
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single
I’ll wait forever if I have to.
It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.
Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?
You .
I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.
We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late.
Dante was at my doorstep.
And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.
Mini-Review:
Once again your girl fell for the hype and read this book. There was a moment when it was everywhere. I saw it in my online book groups, people talked about it in my book club chats, and many people on social media raved about it. So, the bookish peer pressure got to me. I was a little hesitant because I haven’t explored the Dark Romance genre so I was unsure of what to expect.
But when I tell you I was not expecting to enjoy this book the way that I did. Me being the spooky little emo girl ate this up with a spoon and left no crumbs.
I was completely blindsided by the twist and was desperately trying to see how all the pieces of the story fit together. But, it was nothing like I expected. The romance was dark and intense and featured some of my favorite tropes including Insta-love, an alpha-hole MMC, with a side of paranormal.
While I know the ending for this one has stirred a bit of a debate where you either love it or hate it. I’m in the camp that loved it and found it the perfect bittersweet conclusion to this story.
Don’t Let The Forest In by C.G. Drews
Genre: Young Adult Horror
Page Count: 336 (Hardcorver)
Content Warnings: Blood, Body Horror, Bullying, Death, Disordered Eating, Grief, Homophobia, Self-Harm, and Violence
Diversity: LGBTQIA+
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.
Kill for him.
High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.
But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories.
Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator…
Mini-Review:
This was one of my highly anticipated new releases of 2024 and it didn’t disappoint. This story immediately enthralled me with its heavy, dark, and foreboding atmosphere. The writing style reads like a grim fairy tale, and while bleak and melancholic it is stunningly beautiful and emotive.
I wholeheartedly empathized with Andrew and his struggle with anxiety and depression as well as his confusion concerning his identity and sexuality. Much of this was exacerbated by his intense feelings for his best friend Thomas and the ongoing conflict about Thomas’s drawings coming to life and attacking them.
The horror elements of this story were well executed and the romantic tension between Andrew and Thomas was filled with so much angst and longing it was palpable. I felt all the emotions reading this macabre tale and despite the ending breaking my heart in a million pieces I enjoyed this book.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism
Page Count: 289 (Hardcorver)
Content Warnings: Animal Death, Child Abuse, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Self-Harm, Starvation, Violence
Release Date: February 14, 2023
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
A sumptuous, gothic-infused story about a marriage that is unraveled by dark secrets, a friendship cursed to end in tragedy, and the danger of believing in fairy tales—the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.
Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believed they would live happily ever after—and in exchange for her love, Indigo extracted a promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.
But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams, the bridegroom will soon find himself unable to resist. For within the crumbling manor’s extravagant rooms and musty halls, there lurks the shadow of another girl: Azure, Indigo’s dearest childhood friend who suddenly disappeared. As the house slowly reveals his wife’s secrets, the bridegroom will be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage . . . or their lives.
Combining the lush, haunting atmosphere of Mexican Gothic with the dreamy enchantment of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a spellbinding and darkly romantic page-turner about love and lies, secrets and betrayal, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.
Mini-Review:
This is another book that I picked up randomly at my library and I’m so glad I did because this stunning gothic tale was superb. The writing style was so eloquent and was a pure pleasure to read. The story itself was quite intriguing I felt as helplessly drawn to uncover the truth of Indigo’s past as the Bridegroom we meet in this tale.
As this story unfolds we witness the magic and power afforded to those rich in youth. And how the ghosts of our past haunt us always. It’s such a beautifully enchanting story that had me enraptured and feeling such intense and melancholic emotions. I can’t wait to add this book to my collection and read it again.
The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 321 (Hardcorver)
Content Warnings: Body Shaming, Guns, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual Harassment, Violence
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Synopsis:
1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.
So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.
Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.
But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.
Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.
Mini-Review:
Another impulse read I grabbed from my library and I had an okay time with this one. There wasn’t anything that was wrong with the story it was primarily character-driven exploring the realities of 1950s Hollywood for Mexican actress Vera and washed-out actress Nancy both vying for the lead in the Bible epic The Seventh Veil of Salome.
Additionally, we see the discrimination and objectification Vera experienced as well as Nancy’s petty jealousy, hostility and bigoted attitude towards Vera getting the lead over her. Despite this story being interesting it didn’t really appeal to me emotionally. I found it a struggle to connect and fully immerse myself in the story despite it being solid. Garcia’s writing style was amazing and her story progression was magnificent.
One of my favorites was the inclusion of Salome’s viewpoint giving a voice and story to this vital woman in history. While this wasn’t a banger for me I’m looking forward to reading more books from this author.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Page Count: 501 (Paperback)
Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Death, Demons, Grief, Misogyny, Physical Abuse, Racism, Rape(not explicit), Sexual Violence (mentioned), Violence
Diversity: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC Characters, Interracial Relationship, BIPOC Author
Release Date: September 15, 2020
Acquisition: Home Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles ).
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
This paperback edition of Legendborn contains a teaser to the thrilling sequel, Bloodmarked , as well as an exclusive short story from Selwyn Kane’s perspective!
Mini-Review:
I don’t know what took me so long to read this book but I’m so glad that I finally did. Bree is an amazing character and will forever hold a place in my heart. Everything about this story was so well crafted and constructed I’m still blown away by it all. The magic system was genius, the world-building epic and the plot development a thing of beauty. And the characters are so multi-layered and well-developed.
No piece of this story wasn’t carefully thought out and considered. Deonn is such a highly talented author and this series she’s creating with a strong Black female lead is exactly what teenage me would have loved to see. I’m eager to read the second installment and can’t wait for the release of Oathbound later this year.
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
Genre: Literary Fiction
Page Count: 307 (Hardcover)
Diversity: Korean Characters, Korean Author
Release Date: February 20, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
Yeongju is burned out. With her high-flying career, demanding marriage, and bustling life in Seoul, she knows she should feel successful—but all she feels is drained. Haunted by an abandoned dream, she takes a leap of faith and leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a quiet residential neighborhood outside the city and opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.
The transition isn’t easy. For months, all Yeongju can do is cry. But as the long hours in the shop stretch on, she begins to reflect on what makes a good bookseller and a meaningful store. She throws herself into reading voraciously, hosting author events, and crafting her own philosophy on bookselling. Gradually, Yeongju finds her footing in her new surroundings.
Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that bind them, Yeongju begins to write a new chapter in her life. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop evolves into a warm, welcoming haven for lost souls—a place to rest, heal, and remember that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start over.
Mini-Review:
To think that I almost passed up on the opportunity to read this cozy, charming hug of a book! I’m so glad that I grabbed it because this book has impacted me in ways that no other book has. This slice-of-life story spoke to me making me think hard and reflect on my life, my career, my passions, and aspirations. It led me to shift my mindset and make goals for this new year to allow me to grow professionally and personally.
Yeongju connected me with a part of myself I thought long dead and awakened all my old passions and ambitions. This book will forever hold a special place in my heart because of how transformative it was for me.
Furthermore, the writing was truly captivating. Being able to learn of the backstories and thoughts of the characters as they navigated the potholes and pitfalls of their life while they tried to determine what would truly make them happy and spark joy. I adored the characters and how this one bookshop became a beacon for the community connecting everyone. Truly a masterpiece!
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 325 (Hardcover)
Content Warnings: Blood, Death of a Child, War Themes, Violence
Diversity: Chinese Author, Chinese Characters
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Rating: 5 🌟
Synopsis:
Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.
Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.
Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.
Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.
Mini-Review:
We finished off the month with this tender and somber tale of sacrifice as we learn of Xishi who was chosen for her otherworldly beauty to become the concubine of King Fuchai, leader of the Wu dynasty, to seduce him making him prey for the Yue dynasty to overthrow.
Xishi was such an interesting character who used her wit, cunning, and feminine wiles to overthrow the Wu dynasty. Yet underneath her talents, there was a woman who desired peace and love with the one man she couldn’t have.
On the surface, this may seem like any other Historical Fantasy Romance but it’s more than that. It confronts the idealistic ideals we have concerning power, and what the cost of peace is. There were many parts of this tale that broke my heart and the ending nearly crushed me. But it was such a glorious book and I’m glad to have read it.
Did Not Finish (DNFs)
I find that I generally enjoy much of what I read and would consider myself to be an easy-to-please reader. Unfortunately, there are times when even for me a book becomes so intolerable that I have to discontinue reading it. Here are the three books I DNFed this month.
A Court of Sugar and Spice by Rebecca F. Kennedy
Genre: Dark Romantasy
Page Count: 373 (Kindle Edition)
Content Warnings: Blood, Family Death, Gore, Graphic Explicit Sex, Sexual Threat, Light CNC, Primal Play
Release Date: January 1, 2022
Acquisition: Kindle Unlimited
Synopsis:
With their inheritance restricted until their marriage, sisters Clara and Louisa, both in their twenties, must live with their godfather Drosselmeyer. One night, an accident brings to life one of the strange wooden dolls in Drosselmeyer’s mansion. The Nutcracker doll is a cursed Fae prince, and he pleads for the sisters’ help. During the ensuing journey into the Fae realm, Clara encounters the handsome Sugarplum Faerie, and he promises her the chance to enact all the forbidden. fantasies she has dreamed of. Meanwhile Louisa and the Nutcracker Prince battle and bicker over everything, despite the growing attraction between them. And to make matters worse, the entire Seelie kingdom is under threat of conquest by the Rat King, ruler of the Dread Court.
Why I DNFed:
This is not a book for the weak-hearted. This story was filled with graphic explicit sex and instances where there was consensual non-consent which may be triggering for some. So definitely check your trigger warning if you choose to dive into this. That being said my reasons for discontinuing this book had nothing to do with the smut and everything to do with my dislike of Louisa. I couldn’t continue to read from her POV because it was maddening.
The combination of her obsession with trying to have sex with the Fae Prince and his continual slut-shaming and refusal to hook up with her because of his curse and trying to win back his kingdom fell flat for me. It was clear Louisa was oblivious to his plight and was only thinking of herself. Furthermore, her patronizing attitude towards her sister Clara was also irritating.
I’m sure this was a silly goofy time but I just couldn’t stand her.
Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik
Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography
Page Count: 352 (Hardcover)
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Acquisition: Public Library
Synopsis:
Could you write what you write if you weren’t so tiny, Joan?” —Eve Babitz, in a letter to Joan Didion, 1972 Eve Babitz died on December 17, 2021. Found in a closet in the back of an apartment full of wrack, ruin, and filth was a stack of boxes packed by her mother decades before. These boxes were pristine, the seals of duct tape unbroken. journals, photos, scrapbooks, manuscripts, letters. inside a lost world. This world turned for a certain number of years in the late sixties and early seventies, and was centered on a two-story house rented by Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne, in a down-at-heel section of Hollywood. 7406 Franklin Avenue, a combination salon-hotbed-living end where writers and artists mixed with movie stars, rock n’ rollers, drug trash. 7406 Franklin Avenue was the making of one great American Joan Didion, cool and reserved behind her oversized sunglasses and storied marriage, a union as tortured as it was enduring. 7406 Franklin Avenue was the breaking and then the remaking—and thus the true making—of another great American Eve Babitz, goddaughter of Igor Stravinsky, nude of Marcel Duchamp, consort of Jim Morrison (among many, many others), who burned so hot she finally almost burned herself alive. The two formed a complicated a friendship that went bad, amity turning to enmity; a friendship that was as rare as true love, as rare as true hate. Didion, in spite of her confessional style, her widespread fame, is so little known or understood. She’s remained opaque, elusive. Until now. With deftness and skill, journalist Lili Anolik uses Babitz—Babitz’s brilliance of observation, Babitz’s incisive intelligence, and, most of all, Babitz’s diary-like letters—as the key to unlocking the mighty and mysterious Didion.
Why I DNFed:
The reason I was interested in this book was because the synopsis made it seem like it would dive into the friendship between Joan Didion and Eve Babitz by exploring the letters that were written to Joan by Eve. I was excited for an exploration of the dark side of female friendships and how competitiveness and professional ambition can drive friends apart.
However, I got a book where the writer was continually fangirling over her love for Eve Babitz and how great she was while griping about her dislikes and issues with Joan Didion. I received all this backstory regarding Eve’s involvement in the art scene in 60’s LA and her many romantic entanglements with well-known men including Jim Morrison.
Basically, it was nothing I was promised. I only saw her mention a few of Eve’s letters to Joan and not much of their friendship was explored. Mostly it was innuendo and speculation on the author’s part. After a while I gave up realizing it just wasn’t the story I thought it was going to be.
My December Darling by Lauren Asher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 252 (Kindle Edition)
Release Date: November 21, 2024
Acquisition: Kindle Unlimited
Synopsis:
A small-town Christmas novella by the New York Times bestselling author of LAKEFRONT BILLIONAIRES series that will make you want to pack your bags and spend the holiday in Lake Wisteria.
Catalina
Playing the part of my sister’s maid of honor is easy even if she’s marrying my ex.
But playing nice with the best man? An impossible task given our history.
Sure, Luke Darling may be suspiciously kind, incredibly handsome, and stubborn to a fault, but regardless of how hard he tries to make me see otherwise, I’m not interested.
It’s on me to remind him that he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend.
And the one I’m secretly starting to wish I met first.
Luke
My job as the best man is a simple one, except for one minor issue.
I’ve spent so much time avoiding my best friend’s ex that I didn’t consider what could happen if I started craving Catalina Martinez’s company instead.
She is only in Lake Wisteria for the winter wedding, but her January departure date won’t stop me from pursuing her.
Getting her to date me would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle, but I’m determined to make her mine.
‘Tis the season to fall in love…even if I’m the only one taking the risk.
Why I DNFed:
This was my last attempt at trying to find another cute little holiday romance and it quickly backfired because I wasn’t vibing with the story. For starters, I wholeheartedly disagree with this being considered an enemies to lovers romance because Catalina’s reason for “hating” Luke and being his “enemy” was so weak. Second, I found her awkward and unaccomodating behavior towards her family to grate my nerves. She created friction whenever there didn’t need to be any.
Lastly, it was clear that Luke was far more interested in Catalina than she was in him. And, I don’t like stories where one person falls harder than the other and seemingly has to jump through hoops to win them over and get them to give them a chance. It just wasn’t for me.
Whew that was a lot but those are all the books I read and some that I couldn’t bear to read. I had a terrific reading month and I’m looking forward to January and starting a new year of reading. Happy new year my friends and happy reading!
