Books I read in December 2018

Between starting to listen to books and Christmas break, I read more books in December and I'm glad.

The Dry by Jane Harper ****

I may pick this one for bookclub.  It was good.  It's a murder mystery set in a small town in Australia and it kept me guessing and kept me intrigued.

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen ***

I mostly read this one because it was immediately available to listen to.  I did like it though.  I liked it more at first but it's a romance (a "proper romance" which means it's G rated) and it started to feel a little repetitive and swoon-y.  It was also a murder mystery and it was pretty compelling too.

High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews ***

This book is about four friends and then decades later, about some of their grand-daughters/grand-nieces and how the stories all intersect.  It dragged sometimes but I liked the characters and it entertained me.

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin *

This book was interesting at first.  Then, ugh.  I listened to about half of it for bookclub and then I was DONE.  I think it made it worse because I was listening and couldn't skim.  Here's the thing, Gretchen Rubin is annoying.  She is the queen of unsolicited advice (unsolicited advice = the worst) and then she brags about how she gave unsolicited advice to hapless friends and family members. She   is so self satisfied with her good habits that it reminded me of the kids who had perfect attendance in school.  I always sort of pitied them for their lack of imagination.  She is smug and condescending though so my pity turned quickly into gratitude that I could quit reading the book.

The White Stag by Kate Seredy ***

This is a Newbery winner and gift from Braeden.  It's about how Genghis Kahn became Genghis Kahn I read it in one sitting and at first was sort of shocked by how brutal it was, considering it was a book for children, but then I recognized the genre. It is a myth and those are brutal, even for children.  I liked it.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamilla ***

Another Newbery winner.  This is a book I thought I'd read but then realized I hadn't.  I liked it a lot.  It's about a brave little mouse, a princess, a sad servant girl and a rat who is sort of lovable but also loathsome.

The Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith ****

(four stars don't feel like enough)

I loved this book!  I had to read it in smallish doses because it gave me so much to think about and it wasn't a good thing to read when I couldn't sleep because it made my mind whirl.  I love thinking about my home.  I love tweaking it and taking care of it and trying to make it better.  So it was a good book.