Stats

Total books read: 12 (!)

2024 releases: 11

Holiday romances: 6

 

Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood (5 stars) – This month I found myself reading all 5 of the novellas in the Under the Mistletoe collection from Kindle Unlimited, which was a fun surprise of Christmas-themed contemporary romances from 5 authors I’ve previously read and enjoyed. Ali Hazelwood’s was my clear favorite; she made me care so much about these characters in such a short amount of time and become completely invested in their love story. She just does such a great job of creating characters that are completely obsessed with one another in a way it’s impossible for me not to root for. I think I’d enjoy this one as a full-length novel as well, but it was great as a novella.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (4.75 stars) – It took me much longer than I anticipated to pick up the sequel to one of my favorite reads from last year, but it was extremely satisfying and just as well-written as its predecessor. I love Emily as a main character so much, and two new side characters joined for this book’s adventure, which definitely set it apart from book 1. I can’t wait for the next book in early 2025.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (4.5 stars) – This is a nonfiction book I think everyone needs to read. Heart-wrenching, infuriating, informative, and emotional. I have so much respect for Bryan Stevenson and the work that he does, and I’m so grateful that he shared these stories with us.

Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur (4 stars) – My second-favorite of the Under the Mistletoe novella series, I felt like this was a bit of a departure from Alexandria Bellefleur, but I loved the dynamic between the main characters. Definitely recommend.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (4 stars) – An extremely creative and absorbing epistolary novel set in a world almost completely covered by water, and featuring two people looking into the mysterious deaths of their siblings, who had formed a romantic and intellectual bond before their disappearances in an explosion. I was fascinated by this one, and surprisingly found the audiobook to be excellent, with a full cast narration. I’ll be interested to pick up the sequel even though I assumed it was a standalone when I bought it.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (4 stars) – A very cute and different fantasy take on a Christmas romance, featuring the princes of Christmas and Halloween falling in love in a world where holidays have their own royal courts, subjects, and even tabloids that are hidden from the mundane world.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston (3.75 stars) – A romance reader finds herself mysteriously stranded in the small town from her favorite series in this contemporary fantasy romance. I enjoyed the meta takes on romance, as well as the main character’s journey and the backstory of the romance series she and her friends fell in love with. I think it’s a difficult task to get real life readers invested in a town based on a book series that doesn’t actually exist, but Poston did manage it.

Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese (3.5 stars) – After loving Liese’s first book in this series, Two Wrongs Make a Right, I had high expectations for its follow-up. Unfortunately, some things just didn’t work for me quite as well, including the mean treatment of the heroine by the hero and the fact that he’s an older brother figure who knew her as a young child.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey (3.5 stars) – This was a sweet and spicy entry in the Under the Mistletoe series that seems to really not be vibing with most readers, but I enjoyed it.

Daydream by Hannah Grace (3 stars) – This was my first time reading anything from this BookTok sensation author, and I wasn’t blown away; the book felt far too long and I had trouble keeping all of the side characters straight. Part of that might be my fault, since I didn’t read the first two books in the series, but I also wasn’t as invested in the romance as I’d expect from a book where that’s the central theme.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria (3 stars) – This was a cute contemporary romance featuring neighbors with secret crushes on one another, which finally comes to a head at the building Christmas party. I think I was just looking for a bit more depth from the characters.

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade (3 stars) – I wouldn’t say that I actively disliked any of the Under the Mistletoe novellas, but this was probably my least favorite. It involves the main characters getting snowed in in their work vehicle, which is honestly more of a dangerous issue where I live than a romantic opportunity, and the romance just didn’t work that well for me.