December 2024 reading is a wrap! Did you have a memorable reading month?

December 2024 Reading Wrap Up

Out of 15 books completed, I had one 5-star read, nine 4-star reads, four 3-3.5-star reads, and one 2.5-3-star read. Lots of ARCS (advance reader copies) this month.

My most engaging and memorable nonfiction read was The Boys of Riverside by Thomas Fuller. I didn’t have a standout fiction read in December.

Don’t miss my Most Memorable Reads of 2024 post here.

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***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Titles are Amazon affiliate links or my linked reviews.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)

The Boys of Riverside by Thomas Fuller

5 Stars. Nonfiction (journalistic/narrative); educational, poignant, “against the odds,” competition, and brotherhood. Swooping in the last week of December as a 5 Star read earning a spot on my Most Memorable Reads of 2024. My review of Boys of Riverside here.

A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction; mystery, suspense, friendship. My review of Map to Paradise coming soon.

The Dark Maestro by Brandan Slocumb (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction; mystery, suspense, thriller, classical music, superheroes. My review of Dark Maestro coming soon.

Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Nonfiction (reflective essays); transparent and heartfelt. My review of Ordinary Time coming soon.

The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction; Romance (some open-door scenes). I loved Neighbor Favor more. My review of Love Lyric coming soon.

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

4 Stars. Historical Fiction (Victorian Romance); novella, romance. Not yet reviewed.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (post WWII); intrigue, mystery, romance, suspense, PTSD. My review of Last Twilight coming soon.

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction; intrigue, romance. My review of Code Word Romance coming soon.

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken Hearted by Rebecca Raisin (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction; complicated family drama, mother/daughter, teenage angst; side of romance (closed door). I always love Raisin’s Paris settings! My review of Paris Bookshop coming soon.

The Busybody Book Club by Feya Sampson (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction,; book about books/bookclubs, mystery, multigenerational. My review of Busybody Book Club coming soon.

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen (ARC)

3.5 Stars. (ARC) Biographical Historical Fiction; women in business, entrepreneurship, family life. I expected to like her more. Review of Call Her Barbie coming soon.

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan

3 Stars. (Contemporary Fiction; short story, mystery, romance (closed door). Not yet reviewed.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

3 Stars. Nonfiction (memoir); interesting in parts, meh in other parts, others have loved it! (check reviews) Not reviewed.

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

3 Stars. Contemporary Fiction; detective, crime fiction, terrorist threats. I wish Penny would return to Three Pines and our beloved characters and more traditional mysteries. I skimmed a lot of this one. She’s losing me. Not reviewed.

Every Valley: The Desperate Live and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah by Charles King

2.5-3 Stars. Nonfiction (1700s). Wow, this is difficult to review. My husband enjoyed it more than I did and gave it 3-4 Stars. While the writing and research deserves 5 Stars, the title mislead me (which may have been my error) and led to a frustrating and unsatisfactory reading experience. The book has little mention of Handel. It’s a history of the times in which Handel is mentioned. It appears like the author used Handel’s name to sell a history book. Even though the work is well-researched and well-written, I couldn’t make sense of the content as it related to Handel. So many rabbit trails. History and music enthusiasts will love it more than I did. It was almost a DNF, but I skimmed through a great deal to read the Handel parts and to see if Handel would appear in the concluding chapters (he does). If you were reading it as a history book and not with expectations about Handel, I think it would be a better read. If you want a book about Handel, look elsewhere. I will also note, that I read this book via audio format, and the narration is excellent.

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QOTD:

Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite December read?

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December Blog Posts

Most Memorable Reads of 2024
Best of the Best 2015-2024
The Boys of Riverside Review
Christmas Thoughts 2024
Bookish Books Wrap Up
Heroes Review
That Summer in Berlin Review
Winter 2024/2025 TBR
Christmas Castle in Scotland Review
Books With Storms
Once Upon a December Review
The Liberty Scarf Review
The Seaside Homecoming Review
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right Review
Books as Gifts 2024
A Better Tomorrow for the East End Library Girls Review

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Happy Reading Book Friends!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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