Monthly Wrap-Up | December 2020

Hello everyone!

2020 is now in our pasts and we can move on and hope that 2021 brings us better luck!

During the month of December, I read 10 books and 2 collection of short stories. I got a lot of reading done, but nothing really sticks out after amazing (other than The Burning God by R.F. Kuang). I’ve become obsessed with Outlander now that I’ve read the first book and am currently watching the first season. My plan is to read the books before watching the next season.

I hope you had safe New Year celebrations. I treated myself to too much pizza and passed out promptly after midnight.

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So, here are some stats!

Number of pages read: 5300
Number of print books: 7
Number of e-books: 5
Favourite quote of the month: 

“This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say.” – Rhythm of War

“Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master… and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.” – Outlander

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Without further ado…. here is my favourite books of the month from differing genres.

The Last Widow is the 9^th installment in the Will Trent Series, so if you haven’t read the previous novels proceed at your own risk!

Even if you’re only acquainted with Slaughter’s work, you know that she is the benchmark to beat within the genre. Her character development, plotting, and dialogue propel her to the top leaving almost all other authors in the dust.

The Last Widow presents readers with a kidnapping, an explosion, and a relevant enemy that hits too close to home. 

4.5 Stars

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I decided to read Outlander because I started watching the television show on a whim. I watched the first five episodes then stopped because I needed to read the novels. Outlander is a beautifully written romance that is historically accurate and will have you swooning for Jamie.

Outlander is an incredible historical romance that paints a beautiful picture of the Highlands of Scotland with fully developed characters and main characters with chemistry so hot it threatens to burn the pages. 

4 Stars

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Scrooged features three holiday themed short stories: Sexy Scrooge, The Merry Mistake, and Kissmas in New York. All three stories are fantastic, but Sexy Scrooge is my favourite.

I’m not sure what everyone sees in The Bronze Horseman to justify it being rated so favourably on Goodreads (4.30 stars) because I found it to be a very slow and mundane romance that had the potential to be great. 

The Hunter is a fun and sexy enemies-to-lovers novel that I actually enjoyed. I’m usually not a of fan of this romance trope, however Shen created just enough tension between Hunter and Sailor to make their relationship addicting to read.

 Layla was a disappointment to say the least. It’s difficult to review this novel without spoiling it, so all I’ll say is that felt nothing for or between the main characters and was bored for most of the novel.

The Project was a disappointment after how much I loved Sadie. I was expecting The Project to be a darker toned mystery, but, instead it’s a slow moving novel that never really amounts to anything.

The Wrong Family is a twisted thrill ride that examines mental health, motherhood, and marriage. What makes The Wrong Family such a compelling read is Fisher’s deep dive into marriage and the strains that are placed on it by the couple themselves and outside forces.

All I Want for Christmas is You anthology was a disappointment. Almost all the stories featured were either super cheesy and corny or just flat out unbelievable.

The Minalima Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is beautiful. It’s well worth the money as the illustrations capture the magic of this novel. I hope they continue illustrating the series.

The Not-Outcast features an annoying main character, a bland love interest, and over the top drama. If you’re looking for a sports romance with mental health representation, I recommend Littles Lies by H. Hunting.

The Burning God is a thrilling and devastating conclusion to The Poppy War Trilogy. If you haven’t started this trilogy yet, what are you waiting for? Though, be warned this isn’t a lighthearted fantasy series and it’s best to binge read.

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Have you read any of these? What did you think? What did you read in the month of December?