Friday, January 4, 2019

December Book Recap & Reviews

Today I am sharing what books I read in December. If you haven't read my Favorite Books of 2018 blog post yet, make sure to give it a read, because there are a lot of recommendations packed into that post.

Let's get started shall we?

Seven Days Of Us by: Francesca Hornak
I had heard people talking about how great this contemporary book was for Christmas, but was kind of skeptical going in. Although I love cheesy Christmas movies, I can't stand cheesy Christmas books. They bore me to pieces and I thought this book was going to be that same way.



Luckily, this book was a huge surprise and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would! This book isn't too overly festive so I think you could read it after Christmas and still enjoy it. It is good length and I love books that let the readers in on secrets before the characters know them, and this book had plenty of secrets. 

This story is about a family that has to stay in a house for quarantine over Christmas after their daughter's return from treating a virus in Liberia. They all have different struggles within themselves and haven't been forced to bond in a long time. There is a lot of drama and secrets and I highly recommend!

Rate: 4 Stars!



Hellhound on His Trail by: Hampton Sides
My dad has been telling me for years how much I would love this book, and I am so happy I finally picked this one up. The front cover pretty much summarizes the book, but the author did such a great job making a minute by minute retelling of a tragic event readable and entertaining. I once again learned so much about the Civil Right Movement through this book and was on the edge of my seat. This is a longer book so beware it might take a little extra time to get through, but it is worth it.

Rate: 4 Stars!



Whistling Past The Graveyard by: Susan Crandall
I read The Myth of Perpetual Summer several months ago and loved Crandall's writing. I have had Whistling Past The Graveyard on my 'To Read' shelf for so long and finally decided to pick it up. This book was not at ALL like I was expecting. Even though this book had family drama and gripping writing just like her other book, the cover description led me to believe this book wouldn't be as intense as it actually was. Boy was I invested in this storyline and I finished it in less than two days.

This book, set in 1963 Mississippi, is a coming of age story about nine year-old Starla and her escape from home. When Starla runs away from her grandmothers home and hitchhikes with a black woman riding with a white baby, her life is never the same.

This book had me on the edge of my seat but wasn't gory like a lot of other suspense and thriller novels. I LOVED this one and think that Susan Crandall captures the language of the old deep south perfectly in her writing. If you were a fan of Before We Were Yours or Where the Crawdads Sing, you might love this book too! This was one of my favorites of the year.

Rate: 5 Stars!!!



The Christmas Sisters by: Sarah Morgan
I was pleasantly shocked by the amount of drama there was in this book, but I was still ready for it to be done by the last 100 pages. I thought that this book was going to be predictable, and although I didn't see many things coming, I found myself skimming the last several chapters. It felt rather fake and some of the dialog was just so cheesy. Overall, it was a cute read for Winter time, but wasn't amazing.

This story is about three sisters who have made an effort to create vastly different lives for themselves after a traumatic event and are beginning to question everything they value. They all come together with their parents around Christmas and even more drama unfolds.

Rate: 3 Stars


What books did you love in December? I love some good recommendations. Happy reading friends!

xoxo

4 comments :

  1. So many great books! I've made it a personal goal to read 100 books in 2019.

    www.livelaughlinda.com

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    1. WOW, 100 books? That would be really impressive. That's like two a week. Way to go girl!

      xoxo

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  2. Great roundup you have here dear. I'd take note of the Whistling Past The Graveyard. Thanks for sharing!

    Jessica | notjessfashion.com

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    1. Yes, do read that one! It is SO good. Thanks for reading Jessica!

      xoxo

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