Reading Recap: December 2024

Closing out my 2024 reading year

Jan 08, 2025

Reader, I thought I would get all of this reading done over the winter break… and I did not. But I read some great books in December and I finished my last read of the year at the airport on my way back to NYC. Let’s dive into the 5 books I read last month!

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake*

Why yes, I was on holiday romance kick! I’ve really enjoyed the other two Ashley Herring Blake books that I’ve read and I was looking forward to her take on a holiday romance. I loved that this was a queer romance, I enjoyed the cozy wintry setting of a small town in Colorado, and there were some good spicy scenes in here.

However, I struggled with the main romance story. This is a second chance romance, which can be very difficult to pull off. I just wasn’t convinced that these two characters should be together. Being left at the altar is pretty heavy and I kept wondering, “How do you come back from that?” It felt like an insurmountable problem and for me it wasn’t really resolved. Although I generally enjoyed reading this romance, I wish I could have been rooting more for Lola and Bright.

Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

I’ve read all of Jenny Bayliss’s books now and I love that I know exactly what to expect when I pick up one of her books. Cozy winter vibes, a small town setting in the UK, and quirky characters. This book was no exception and I enjoyed it.

I alternated between the physical copy and audiobook for this read and I will say the audio really brought the characters to life! The narrator did a great job and hearing the various British accents made the characters feel so much more real. Descriptions that I read on the page made much more sense when I listened to portions of the book.

I loved the community aspect of this novel and I’m a sucker for that kind of thing, especially at this time of year. It’s a great reminder that community is important and that finding your community can change your life. The romance in this book was only so-so for me, but the other elements outweighed that. If you’re looking for a slower-paced seasonal read that feels like being warm and cozy under a blanket, then this might be the book for you.

Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop

I remember hearing about this book on TikTok when it first came out. When I saw that my friend, Iyana, reading it, I was influenced to pick it up and see what hype was about. This book definitely moves quickly. Natasha Bishop said we only have one week and we do not have time to waste!

Our main character, Janelle, is always pouring into others and taking care of others. But no one is really looking out for her until Rome comes along. He said whatever you want or need, I’ll get for you, and I loved that for Janelle. I was a little skeptical of how quickly he caught feelings, but as I think about it some more, I suppose we’re meant to think that he’s been secretly pining after her (or at least attracted to her) for the past two years.

Now that I’ve read it, I can see why the girlies were raving about this one! It was a fast-paced, fun, and sexy book that would make a perfect beach read.

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

I picked this up because of the cover- it sounded like it would be a cozy little winter read. I loved the illustrations throughout the book and I felt like they added a lot to the story. Petition for more adult books with illustrations please!

I can’t say I really connected to the story itself because it felt like it was over before it really began. However, this was an easy book to read in one sitting and I’m not mad to have this beautiful book on my shelf.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

This was such a fun Christmas read! I very much agree with the comparison to Knives Out with an eclectic cast of characters and a remote English manor setting. I loved the banter between Maggie and Ethan. I’m here for a mystery blended with some romance! I’m also a sucker for books that feature authors and/or the publishing world, so I enjoyed that aspect of this book. Overall, this book was an entertaining romp and a nice change of pace from my holiday romance reads.

*Gifted by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I’d love to know, would you all like to see some sort of rating in these posts? I try to shy away from star ratings (except on Goodreads), but I could do something like, “loved it,” “really liked it,” “liked it,” etc? Let me know what you think!