December Wrap Up

I started the month with (38) unread books. Brought (0) books.  Got my owlcrate book (1) Book of the month (1) Got (3) book for review Won a book in a giveaway(1) Got books for gifts (2)  which brought my total to (46). Read (3) owned books. DNF’d (1) So I am ending the month at books (42) unread books and hoping to get back on track with the whole read 5 physical books before I buy anymore.  I read a total of 34 books this month

4/3 Kindle books that I own.
3/5 Physical books that I either own or got from the library no buying this month. And DNF’d an owned book
0/2 audio books from my audio monthly subscription.

The Last Drop by Erynn Mangum (kindle)

The Countdown to a cozy Christmas Cookbook by Holly Carpenter

 Murder Can mess up your masterpiece by Rose Pressey

Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths

A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

Amish Christmas Twins by Patricia Davids

Sworn to Protect by Shirlee McCoy (owned)

Courage Under Fire by Sharon Dunn (owned)

His Secret Daughter by Lisa Cox Carter (owned)

 Texas Christmas Twins by Deb Kastner

The Secret Christmas Child by Lee Tobin McClain

Have a Deadly New Year by Lynn Cahoon

 Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

Her Cowboy till Christmas by Jill Kemerer

Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra

Christmas at the Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

The Crown: The Official Companion Volume 2 by Robert Lacey

The Rancher’s Holiday Hope by Brenda Minton

 Christmas Angels by Nancy Niagle

Western Christmas Wishes by Brenda Minton

Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel (kindle)

Holiday Homecoming Secrets by Lynette Eason

Stranded for the Holiday’s by Lisa Cox Carter

True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott

Clara’s Soldier: A Retelling of the Nutcracker by Brittany Fichter (Kindle)

Wrapped up in Christmas by Janice Lynn (Kindle)

Rise of the Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz

Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown-long

Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower

Emily Climbs by L.M Montgomery (Kindle)

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

The Painted Castle1 by Kristy Cambron

DNF’D

Their Christmas Prayer by Myra Johnson

Favorite Non Fiction 2019

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise

She Prayers: A 31 Day Journey to Confident Conversion with God by Debbie Lindell

A Redesigned Life: Uncovering God’s Purpose When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned by Tracy Davis Steel

Back Roads to Belonging: Unexcepted Paths to finding your place and your People by Kristen Strong

The Horse of my Dreams by Callie Smith Grant

The Five: The Lives of Jack The Ripper’s by Hallie Rubenhold

Favorite Books of 2019

Favorite Reads 

A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz

It was a given that Laura’s newest book was going to be on this list. I loved both the Scotland setting and even the Virginia.  I also loved the characters and the quotes at the beginning of the chapters

Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard

  This book was by a new to me author this year. I also loved that the main Character was a Forensic Genealogist.

All Made Up by Kara Isaac

  This one is my favorite of Kara’s books. I found the Main character Katriona McLeod was easy to relate,  mainly because it was the first time in fiction that I’ve read a character that has the same condition as me.

With this Pledge by Tamera Alexander

 It’s been a while since one of Tamera’s books I have been on one of these list. But I loved this one. I loved that the main characters including the hero and heroine were based on real people.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

  This one is now my favocite L.M. Montgomery I love it more than Anne of Green Gables and I’m still on the fence about the Emily series.

The Number of Love by Roseanna M White

 I’ve loved all the books by Roseanna that I’ve read and this one was no exception. I also loved the WWI setting as I love that time period but haven’t found many books set during that time period. And that was an emotional scene that the  main character through because I went through something similar and Roseanna wrote that scene beautifully and with grace. And she got the characters emotions after it perfectly.

Romanov by Nadine Brandes

This is the book that 10 year old me wanted after watching Anastasia as a child. I wanted more of the story. Even after middle school and learning the true story of the Romanov I wanted a happy ending even if it had to be fictional.

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

 My first book by this author but it won’t be my last. I loved reading a story set in a National park in its infancy. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey

 My first book by Dani. Loved that it focused on the Coast Guide investigative Service or CGIS. I don’t think I’ve ever read that it a book before. I love the North Carolina setting and the fact that it mentions Camp Lejeune.

Living Lies by Natalie Walters

 Her Debut novel and the first book that I read by her. I loved the hero a Marine turned small-town sheriff’s deputy. 

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

 Loved the Brady Brunch feel of this as well as the Gatlinburg Tennessee setting as Gatlinburg was the site of many childhood family vacations.    

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

This book gave me Beauty and the Beast feels. This one is the only Main stream book on the list.

Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate

  This one gave me Christian chick lit feels as well as Romantic comedy. I look forward to Jessica’s next book.

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey

 One of two favorite cozies of the year. Features a Marine turned small-town sheriff. I’m sensing a pattern

The Secret Christmas Child by Lee Tobin McClain

 A wounded Veteran gets a second chance with his high school sweetheart.

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton

 My favorite of Lori’s books. This one remined me a bit of Laura Frant’s Courting Little Morrow

Christy by Catherine Marshall

So glad I finally read my mom’s favorite book.

Honorable mentions

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters

The Rancher’s Holiday Hope by Brenda Minton

You Belong with me by Tari Faris

The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambron

My Dearest Dietrich by Amanda Barrett

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Wrapped up in Christmas by Janice Lynn

Reading this week

Finished

Wrapped up in Christmas by Jancie Lynn

Stranded for the Holidays by Lisa Carter

Rise of the Isle of the Lost by Meliaa De la Cruz

Clara’s Solider: A Retelling of the Nutcracker by Brittany Fichter

True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott

Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown-Long

Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

Reading

The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron

Non-fiction reading

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Getting ready to read

Book reading for bookclub at work

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Did not Finish

Their Christmas Prayer by Myra Johnson

Reviews Posted this week

Merry Christmas

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Book's I DNF'd this year

     Which is something that I normally don’t do, but there were a few books this year that for one reason or another I just couldn’t finish. (They say not every book is for every reader). And these are my opinions and what I took away from the books.

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
The Premise for this one sounded good and I do love romcoms but for some reason this one just didn’t click with me. It’s possible that I tried to read it at the wrong time so this one I may try to read again.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman 
The premise of this one also sounded good but the main character drove me nuts.

Cherokee Summer by Susan Antony
In this one, one of the Main Characters is a member of the Cherokee tribe. However, I could find any information anywhere on rather or not the not the author is of Native decent.  And since the novel is told from both the point of view of both John and Ace it’s not own voices and I’m getting to the point in my life if I’m going to read a book with a Native main character I want the author to be Native. And to me it just had way too much teenage drama. I know it’s a YA but even for a YA novel it was too much.

American Royals by Katherine McGee
 The Title alone should have told me that I wouldn’t like it. But I wanted to give it a chance.  I made it half way through but I stopped reading.  The premise even sounded absurd to me, I’m sorry there is no way that George Washington would have become king of the United States, he’d just defeated a monarchy and he was also the president who refused a third term when they offered it to him.  And beside the house of Washington wouldn’t have lasted as Washington didn’t have any children. The grand children they raised were the children of Martha ‘s children from her first marriage.   Not to mention the book makes no mention that I could find that Maratha’s great-granddaughter  Mary Randolph Custis Lee only surviving child of Maratha’s grandson George Washington Parke Custis the son of Martha’s son from her first marriage and she out lived all her children  married Robert E Lee. Which in theory would mean that the house of Washington in the book would have technically become the house of Lee and would have sided with the south. So even the alternative history in this novel doesn’t really make sense.

Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love by Mary Calvi
  I thought this would be a neat read. Through I don’t remember a Mary Philipse from any of my history classes. But what I wasn’t ready for was a book that basically implied that George only joined the patriot cause do a to failed relationship with Mary as well as implying that he cheated on his wife with said person.

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson (Mulan retelling)

I wanted to live this one because I’ve liked her fairy tale retellings in the past. But this retelling just like the previous one The Orphan’s Wish (Aladdin retelling) I just found too much wrong with changing the original tales.  That while fairy tales can be interrupted different ways and retold different ways there are some in which the retellings still need to stick to culture and place in which they were originally set, The Orphan’s Wish at least Aladdin (the main character was from the Middle East and was brought to Europe during the crusades. However, in The Warrior Maiden Mulan is half European and half Asian but it’s almost like her Asian heritage is pushed to the back. 

Reading this week

Finished

The Crown: The Official Companion, Vol 2 Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the years that Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert lacey

Christmas at the Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

The Rancher’s Holiday Hope by Brenda Minton

Holiday Homecoming Secrets by Lynette Eason

Christmas Angels by Nancy Naigle

Western Christmas Wishes by Brenda Minton

Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel

Reading

Wrapped up in Christmas by Jancie Lynn

Stranded for the Holidays by Lisa Carter

Non-fiction reading

Classic

Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

Audio on the Way to Work

Getting ready to read

Their Christmas Prayer by Myra Johnson

Clara’s Solider: A Retelling of the Nutcracker by Brittany Fichter

True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott

The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron

Book reading for bookclub at work

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Tide and Punishment review

Title:  Tide and Punishment

Author: Bree Baker

Series: Seaside Café Mystery book 3

Chapters: 24

Pages: 370

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Tide and Punishment by Bree Baker is the 3^rd book in the Seaside Café mysteries and its Christmas time in Charm and Everly Swan finds herself in the middle of another murder and this time someone she cares about is the prime suspect.

I enjoyed this one just ass much as the first two and Christmas at beach was a neat setting I don’t think I’ve read a book with Christmas in a beach town.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of A Killer Carol

Title:  A Killer Carol

Author:  Laura Bradford

Series: An Amish Mystery book 7

Chapters: 24

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher:  Berkley

     A Killer Carol by Laura Bradford is the 7^th book in the An Amish Mystery series.  It’s Christmas time in Heavenly Pennsylvania and Claire finds herself in the middle of yet another murder investigation. That’s she’s determined to help solve before Christmas.

     While A Killer Carol is a standalone mystery like the rest of the books in the series, it’s best to read the books in order otherwise you will spoil yourself for a few things that happen through the course of the books including a relationship or two.

     I have to say that this is my favorite book in the series to date mainly because something happened in this one that I’ve been waiting on since book three.  And I look forward to the next book in the series.  This book is perfect for fans of Amish stories and cozy mysteries and Christmas Stories.

Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder review

Title:  Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder

Author: Meg Macy

Series: Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery book 3

Chapters:

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher:  Kensington Publishing

     Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder is a Christmas cozy featuring a teddy bear called “Beary Potter” and a murdered Santa Bear.  This is the 3^rd book in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery by Meg Macy.  

     I mean who doesn’t love a cozy about teddy bears.  As the third book in a series it’s hard to talk about many of the characters and other aspects of the book without giving spoilers for   the first two books in the series.  But it is a quick read like most cozies. If you haven’t read the first too books in the series, Bearly Departed, and Bear Witness to Murder I recommend checking them out.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Silent Night, Deadly Night

Title:  Silent Night, Deadly Night

Author: Vicki Delany

Series: A Year Round Christmas Mystery 4

  

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkley

           

     In Silent Night, Deadly Night by Vicki Delany the 4^th book in the A Year Round Christmas Mystery a murder that hits to close to home for Merry and her family also threatens her dad’s role as the town Santa.  Rudolph New York is a town in which it’s Christmas year round.  As someone who loves Christmas I enjoy this series, and of course Mattie the Saint Bernard puppy who is adorable.

     Like most cozy mystery series, I recommend reading this series in order, in order to not spoil yourself for previous books in the series