This post contains affiliate links that I could make commission off of. All opinions are my own. Learn more.
December was a big reading month for me. In fact, according to Goodreads, December 2020 marked the most books I’ve read in a single month since I’ve had an account in 2011!
I started out the month with my typical reads, and then went hard on holiday-themed books. It was so fun!
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
I’ve been wanting to read more anti-racism books lately, but they all feel so heavy in an already heavy year. I haven’t felt like I could really focus on them and give them the attention they need and deserve. But I didn’t have that problem with I’m Still Here.
It’s a combination anti-racism / memoir from Austin Channing Brown, a woman of color whose parents intentionally named her Austin so future employers would think she was a white man. The book was a great wake-up call for a lack of diversity in institutions who claim to be diverse. I can’t recommend it enough (and will likely purchase it for myself so I can re-read it regularly).
Rating: 5/5 stars
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Boyfriend Material is a classic fake-dating-to-something-more book. Luc needs a boyfriend to show off at an upcoming fundraising event for work, and Oliver needs a date for his parents’ anniversary party, so they agree to fake date for their mutual benefit. They don’t seem to have anything in common, but the more they spend time together…
For a book that’s often compared to Red, White, & Royal Blue, I really wanted to like this book more. I really enjoyed it, but I wanted more of the character development that made me love RWRB as much as I did.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Like the Willow Tree by Lois Lowry
I’m aiming to reread all of the Dear America books as part of my 101 in 1001 list, and when I saw that Like the Willow Tree was set in 1918, I jumped on it. And let me tell you, it starts off eerily familiar. It could have just as easily been describing early 2020.
That being said, I really expected more of the book to be about the 1918 flu. That part of the storyline ended about 20 pages in, which was disappointing. The rest was about the main character’s new life in a Shaker community. It was interesting, but not what I expected.
Rating: 3/5 stars
One Day in December by Josie Silver
One day in December, Laurie is taking the bus to her parents’ house, when she locks eyes with a man on the sidewalk and instantly falls in love with him. She had her roommate Sarah spend the next several months looking for him around London, with no luck. A year later, after she has given up hopes of finding him, Sarah introduces her new boyfriend… and it’s the man she saw from the bus.
This was my first read from my new Book of the Month subscription, which was exciting! On one hand, it wasn’t super realistic (seriously, who would fall in love with someone after just locking eyes with them?), but on the other hand, it was, because both characters make aggravating mistakes that make you hate them (albeit temporarily).
Rating: 4/5 stars
This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens
My next read was also a Book of the Month pick. Minnie Cooper has spent her whole life hearing her mom talk about the woman who stole Minnie’s name. She was going to be named Quinn, but the woman sharing a hospital room with her named her baby that before her. Then, on New Years Eve 2019, Minnie ends up meeting the famed Quinn Hamilton.
It’s a cute book, set in an alternate reality of 2020 without a pandemic. 😂 It was a nice light read, though at times gave me a bit of anxiety.
Rating: 4/5 stars
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
Another holiday love story! Kate is convinced to sign up for the local Twelve Dates of Christmas promotion going on in her small town outside of London. A bunch of people sign up, and you’re matched with twelve dates that are all arranged for you. But of course, Kate’s dates range from bad to worse, and she realizes in the process that she has feelings for someone outside of the program… who isn’t even available.
I really enjoyed this book! It got me in the holiday spirit, and even though I knew from almost the beginning where the book was headed, I was entertained the whole time.
Rating: 4/5 stars
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories
My True Love Gave to Me is a group of twelve holiday short stories written by popular young adult authors. I have on my 101 in 1001 list to read all of Jenny Han’s published works, and this book came up during my research! I quickly added it to my list before the holiday season ended, and I really enjoyed all twelve short stories.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Faking Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Shepherd
Olivia is a social media intern at a publicist firm in NYC, and she’s organizing the office-wide holiday celebrations. Things get a bit complicated at the Christmas tree lighting when she kisses her boss, Asher, to make his ex-girlfriend jealous.
I got a Kindle for Christmas, and it came with a 3-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited. When I signed up, it recommended this book to me, so I crammed it in quickly before the end of the year. It was super cute, and I enjoyed reading it without reading the synopsis so everything was a bit of a surprise!
Rating: 4/5 stars
Leave a Reply