Eleven Books I Read in December

Hello, friends. I’m honestly not sure how I’m managing to blog today, but I wanted to maintain some feeling of normalcy. On Saturday night, I got one of those phone calls that brings you to your knees. My best friend’s mom, who was like a second mom to me, had suddenly passed away. I was able to pick my best friend and her fiancé up from the airport on Sunday and spend the day and remember her beautiful, kind mother. Life is precious, y’all. Treasure every moment.

There’s no good way to transition from that, but I do want to share a little about the books I read in December and early January. Honestly, I had no idea I had read 11 books. I felt like I had trouble getting into several of the books I read, but I guess I read enough books in a day to balance it out. I want to try to continue my momentum from last year, but I don’t think I’ll have as much time, so my goal is to read 100 books this year. I’m also participating in Erin’s Book Challenge for the first time. I’ll share more about my books in my January post, but so far I have read two books for the challenge.

Since She Went Away by David Bell
(c/o NetGalley)
I loved David Bell's Somebody I Used to Know. It was one of my favorite reads in 2015. Unfortunately, Since She Went Away fell short for me. It started off promising, but it really dragged in the middle. I got to the point where I didn't really care what happened-I just wanted to get to the end of the book. Plus, the big reveal wasn't surprising at all. Also, part of the plot wasn't resolved, which just felt odd.

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
(c/o NetGalley)
I've mentioned before I think the best kind of thrillers are the kinds that you can't say much about without spoiling it. This thriller is GOOD. It's insanely twisted and just when you think you know what's going on the author says HAHA and throws another plot twist. It alternates from the girl before (Emma) who was killed in the house the current girl (Jane) is renting. There were a few uncomfortable moments, but the ending really sealed the deal for me. If you love thrillers, you have to get your hands on this one!

P.S.-This one was so good it made my list of the best books I read in 2016!

Faithful by Alice Hoffman
(c/o NetGalley)
This is a beautiful story of a young teenager's journey to healing and forgiveness after her best friend ends up in a coma while she was driving. It's a coming of age novel filled with hope. For me, this book was perfect timing and something I really needed to read.

One Christmas in Paris by Mandy Baggot
(c/o NetGalley)
I love reading feel good Christmas stories this time of year, and this one worked great for that. It was a little long and felt slow at times (and I was super annoyed that the main character's best friend Debs said "totes" all the time), but overall, it was a nice Christmas read.

Indelible by Adelia Saunders
(c/o NetGalley)
I almost didn't finish this book. The only thing that kept me going is I was slightly curious about the ending (and I do think it ended well). I don't think the book really fits the description. I thought it would be way more about Magdalena's gift, but that felt like a small part of the story. Honestly, I was mostly bored and had a hard time caring about the characters.

City on Edge by Stephanie Pintoff
(c/o NetGalley)
This book is part of a detective series featuring Eve Rossi, but it works as a standalone novel. Overall, this was a great detective novel. I do think there were too many points of view and I didn't love the big reveal, but I liked Eve Rossi, so I would definitely read the next one in the series.

In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch
(c/o NetGalley)
This book surprised me. It started off a little boring, but it turned into a beautiful story of friends who let one mistake turn into a grudge that ruined their friendship. Now, per the request of their friend who passed away, they return to the house where their friendship was strong 20 years earlier. It's a story of forgiveness and finding yourself that resonated with me.

The Trap by Melanie Raabe
(c/o NetGalley)
This book wasn't really a thriller. It started out really slow, and I wasn't sure if I would like it. Instead of a thriller, I saw this more of a story of dealing with grief. It turned into a really good read, but I think it lacked suspense.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 
(c/o Blogging for Books) 
Wow, Nicola Yoon is an amazing writer. Her book Everything, Everything was one of my favorite reads of 2015. I didn't like the characters in this one as much, but I still thought it was a fantastic read. You really get to know Natasha and Daniel through the course of their day together. I loved all the little facts thrown in and the writing style overall. This is a YA read that feels more mature. I know I will definitely be picking up anything else Nicola Yoon writes!

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 
(c/o NetGalley) 
This was a beautiful, unconventional love story. It's definitely controversial, but I think the author wrote it in a way that works. I really liked Wavy as a character. This story is so well written that I think even those who are disgusted by the age difference between the characters can appreciate the author's telling of the story.

A Twist in Time by Julie McElwain
(c/o NetGalley)
I really liked the first Kendra Donovan book, but I didn't like this one as much. Honestly, it was mostly because I was insanely bothered by how many times Kendra mentioned how women have no say in the Regency period. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was over 50 times. Anyways, I got more into the story towards the end and thought the ending was interesting, but overall, I preferred the first book.

Favorite reads in December: The Girl Before, Faithful, In Twenty Years, and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. 

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?