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We made it! It’s finally time to chat about what I read in December! Thanks for sticking around for another year of reading. I read so much more than I ever thought I would: I ended the year at a nice, even 68 books. I’m so proud of myself for hitting a goal that felt so far out of my reach for so long! Just a few years ago, I was struggling to even read 25 books a year so this is a big accomplishment for me.
I’ve always loved to read, but it was a challenge to truly carve out time in my life/schedule for reading. Using Goodreads to keep track of what I read (and I will also be using Story Graph in 2021!) has been highly motivating.
Being a part of Bad Bitch Book Club has also had a huge hand in increasing the # of books I read in 2020. This community is amazing and if you’re trying to up your reading game this year I highly suggest joining! There is no commitment but there are always fun events going on, challenges, and Zoom calls to talk about books! In spring of 2020 they also introduced sub-groups which are super fun! If you’re a fan of thrillers, there’s a thriller reading challenge happening in the spring, and a bunch of other genres! Highly recommend this community.
Lastly, bookstagram is huge in keeping me motivated each year. I love seeing what my friends are reading! I am glad that my account isn’t strictly books though because the comparison game can be daunting! Even though I read 68 books this year, I still felt inadequate at times because 68 is a pretty low number compared to a lot of people I follow.
2021 READING GOAL.
Since 2020 brought some unprecedented times (to say the least), I am keeping my 2021 reading goal to 52 books! I’d love to be able to hit that goal again to prove that 2020 wasn’t just a fluke, haha. Let me know what your 2021 reading goal is in the comments!
Now let’s chat about what I read in December:
64. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
4/5 stars.
Honestly don’t know what to think in terms of rating this one! I definitely liked it more than book 1 but less than book 2. Initial thoughts were somewhere in the 3-3.5 range but it should be higher since I rated ACOTAR 4 stars. But ANYWHO.
This book could’ve been much, much shorter. There wasn’t a whole lot going on until the 50% mark and it bothered me. I liked that we got to see some more interaction between the courts and I loved seeing Feyre take matters into her own hands at times! Honestly, I just wished there were more perspectives and we could’ve gotten more backstory on some things Maas introduced in this book.
Obviously, very entertaining and I’m fully sucked into this universe so I will FOR SURE be reading the rest of the series and book 4 out in Feb
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it here (Bookshop) (Amazon)
65. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
3/5 stars.
Cute but nothing special. Didn’t really connect with the characters. A good little Christmas read to escape for a little while!
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it here (Bookshop) (Amazon)
66. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
3/5 stars.
I think at the time I read this I was feeling burnt out on the ACOTAR series. It’s not often that I find myself reading fantasy, especially not in such quick succession! Definitely felt myself getting bored of this one. Thankful it was just a short story with some more info on some characters and relationships. Excited to have a little break from the series before the newest book drops in February!
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it here (Amazon)
67. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
5/5 stars.
Absolutely adored this story! Was so cute and wholesome and felt like a warm hug to end this shitty year. Highly recommend!
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it here (Bookshop) (Amazon)
68. A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
5/5 stars.
I listened to this on audio and it was so great. First of all, I love Colin so I knew going into this that he could pretty much do no wrong. The stories he included were so funny and engaging and I never found myself being like “wtf is this story… NEXT” like I do with some actor/comedic memoirs. I genuinely teared up at the end thinking about Colin leaving SNL at some point. He’s been around through so many iconic memories/points in the show it’s crazy. The stories he told were perfect. There was a great mix of SNL and personal life stuff thrown in. Totally recommend! Great book to end the year on a funny/positive note.
Find it on Goodreads | Buy it here (Bookshop) (Amazon)
BOTM PICK(S).
I always get a ton of questions about which book I picked for my BOTM box so I decided to add it into my monthly reading round-ups! I’ve been trying to choose books written by minorities, especially BIPOC authors. For January I picked The Dating Plan and The Office of Historical Corrections.
BOOKS I BOUGHT IN DECEMBER.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown; Get a Life, Chloe Brown; The Falling in Love Montage; Raybearer; Caste; The Marriage Game; Disability Visibility (already read but wanted a physical copy); The Midnight Library
One of my goals for 2021 is to stop buying so many books and to finally read most of my backlist lol. Trying to become a library gal more next year!
CURRENTLY READING.
I’m still trying to read ~whatever I want~ which feels good after months of trying to keep up with book club deadlines! I’m trying to do more of that in 2021. I am still debating my first read of 2021, but I’m currently reading Crazy Stupid Bromance (the Bromance Book Club series book 3) so that’s probably what it will end up being!
Thanks again for following along with everything I’ve read in December and the rest of this year! I will be back soon to recap my entire 2020 reading list and share my favorites! Drop a book you loved this year in the comments. Happy New Year!
