December 2019 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

Goodbye December & hello January!

I somehow managed to read 11 books in December to finish off my 2019 reading year strong. I was also able to do a little blogging towards the end of the month after complete silence for the first two weeks. All in all it was a good month 🙂

Let’s see which books I read & what I blogged in December…

» Emily of New Moon (Emily #1), Emily Climbs (Emily #2), &

Emily’s Quest (Emily #3) by L.M. Montgomery

After reading Anne of Green Gables for the first time back in 2017, I knew I wanted to read more of L.M. Montgomery’s work. If you enjoyed AoGG, you will also adore this series. Unlike the Anne series, each of the Emily books was a 5 star read.

» Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

*3.75 Stars*

Because of the format, this book read like a screenplay in my mind. It would definitely translate well to screen. If you are hesitant to try sci-fi, I think this book is a great introductory book to dip your toes into the sci-fi genre. I also think this would be a great book for reluctant teen readers. There were things I really enjoyed about this book (unique format, humorous dialogue, fast paced plot, etc) and a few things I did not care for. Overall a enjoyable read. I probably would have given it 3 stars if it wasn’t for the plot twist that caught me off guard.

» The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I LOVED the concept for this story. Morgenstern has a way of building such unique and enchanting worlds that I lose myself in. While I think Morgenstern’s writing is absolutely stunning, the pacing of this book was slightly off.

» Educated by Tara Westover

This memoir was absolutely heartbreaking & horrifying. Educated makes for a perfect book club selection.

» The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black

*3.75 Stars*

I enjoyed The Queen of Nothing much better than the second installment. This would have been a solid 4 – 4.5 star read, but the climax of the story felt very rushed.

» I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching #4) by Terry Pratchett

I think Tiffany Aching is one of my favorite fictional characters ever. After I finish this series, I am looking forward to reading more in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

» The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

This was a lovely historical fiction set in 1930s Kentucky. I would have liked more of the story to center around the library & packhorse librarians and less on the various romances, but still a very enjoyable story.

» All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

This was a beautiful coming-of-age story about a girl that is struggling with her identity and feels the need to hide her true self. I loved the growth of the main character, Allie, from start to finish. I also think this book does a beautiful job of laying out what Islam is, and what it isn’t.

» Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren

*4.5 Stars*

No one is more shocked than I am that I actually really enjoyed this book. YA contemporary/romance is NOT a genre I reach for often… or ever. I’ve been trying to read more YA since I am now a Teen Librarian, and this one came in at our branch, so I decided to pick it up. This was a sweet romance story revolving around a female athlete. I loved that the author tackled some tough issues of female athletes: double standards, sexism, sexual harassment, etc.