Like the Comet

As I write this intro, we are officially in that week between Christmas and New Year’s where you’re not really sure what day it is, let alone the date. We’re all basically mowing down on holiday treats, counting down the days until we have to go back to work. (booooo lol)

What I do know is that December absolutely FLEW by, as did 2024. Am I right?

This year felt like it was a growing year for me. I turned 30 in February, went through a rough breakup shortly after, spent most of this summer focusing on myself and being outside with my people, took a 950 mile road trip through California in the fall, started making moves in my career, and finally decided to get bangs for the winter lol.

Throughout all of that, I had books to keep me company, and December was no exception. I read some absolute BANGERS this month and just hope that momentum carries into 2025. Specifically in the fantasy category, but we’ll get into that later.

For now, let’s get into everything I read at the end of 2024.

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

HEIR by Sabaa Tahir (Heir Duology #1)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: An orphan. An outcast. A prince. And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees. Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite. Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she's willing to give up. QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

My Thoughts: BLEEDING SKIES! I do not know what rock I crawled under to not realize this book is a spin-off from Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes series!! Needless to say, I was fucking STOKED to be back in this world with the next generation of characters. The start was a little bit of a slow burn, but once I got my footing with who each character was, I was absolutely ENTRANCED. We follow Aiz, a super pious orphan from a country that is cut off from most of the world and under control of a tyrant. She sets off on a pilgrimage to find her people’s deity that will free them from poverty, starvation, and a controlling government. There’s Sirsha who was banished from her people and now uses her magic to make a living as a tracker for people. Her latest job is to hunt down a killer who has been murdering children across the Martial Empire. Last, we follow Quil who is the crown prince of the Empire, A.K.A MY GIRL HELENE’S NEPHEW (*cue fangirl screaming omgggg*). He doesn’t really want to take the throne but when a ruthless new enemy threatens the Empire, Quil has to flee to find the one thing that can save his people and reflect on whether he can be the future ruler they need. Listen, Linda. SO MUCH HAPPENS in this book and I was absolutely SQUEALING any time a character from the OG series makes an appearance (i.e. Helene, Elias, Laia, Tas, and more.) I loved how each character’s journey started to intersect one another and once that plot twist hits… oooo-wee. You’re not even ready for it. I just BARELY figured out what the twist was right before it was revealed. Not to mention the ABSOLUTELY RUDE cliffhanger this book leaves you on at the end. I need the next book in this duology like yesterday lol. If it’s unclear, I was obviously in love with this book and highly recommend reading it if you’ve read An Ember in the Ashes. If you haven’t read that series, I recommend reading that FIRST then reading Heir.

FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right?

My Thoughts: I know some people are over Emily Henry because her writing tends to feel like it’s all following the same formula. Which it is. However, what I appreciate about her as an author is that she makes every character and their story feel so incredibly unique. So even if all of her books share a similar rom-com DNA, I don’t think they feel the same at all. This gem was one of my favorites. Daphne and Miles are such fun, messy characters and the fact that they have to move in together after their exes break up with them to date each other is literally a chef’s kiss premise. You’ve already got a forced proximity trope mixed with friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, AND fake dating? Say less. I was obsessed with this audiobook. It was so much fun. The banter was top notch, and don’t get me started on all the comedic relief that the side characters provided. I loved the dynamics between Daphne and Miller as they completed each adventure they planned that summer before Daphne’s deadline. Their relationship felt so genuine and grew so organically, you couldn’t help but root for them. If you’re looking for a rom-com that won’t disappoint, you should definitely give this one a try! BONUS: this story takes place in a fictional town in Michigan and all of the Mitten State references are incredible lol.

FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE by Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan #4)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride. Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back. But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side. If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

My Thoughts: Okay as I mentioned in recent reviews of books in this series, the shit Finlay and Vero keep accidentally getting involved with has become progressively unhinged and this book is no exception lol. Basically, they’re in Atlantic City trying to settle some debts for Vero while also looking for her childhood crush, Javi, who was “allegedly” kidnapped by the Russian mob. Per usual, throw any and every wrench into their plans for making a “girls’ weekend away” cover harder to maintain. Including adding Finlay’s ex-husband into the mix, two dead guys, police stakeout on their hotel floor, Finlay’s new police boyfriend, her kids, and more. It’s a weekend full of chaos and sticky situations these women just BARELY eke their way out of. Although some of their shenanigans felt pretty unrealistic (i.e. keeping two dead guys on ice in a hotel room until they were ready to move them??) I still appreciated that there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and that everything happening is a continuation of the previous books in this series. It was also fun getting to see the storylines of side characters progress a little further as well since they’ve been on this journey with us since the beginning. I wouldn’t say the formula of this book was very different from the previous books; however, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to continue this series once the next book comes out.

ONE LAST GIFT by Emily Stone

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Sometimes the best gifts in life are the ones you don't expect. Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and relied on each other--as well as a community of friends--to get through it. Especially Tom's best friend, Sam, who always made sure Tom and Cassie were surrounded with love. But now, twenty years later, Cassie has lost Tom as well. And in a way, she's also lost Sam; over the years they've drifted apart, and now the man she always had a crush on is someone she doesn't even recognize anymore. She's never felt more alone. Then she finds an envelope with her name on it, written in Tom's terrible handwriting, and she knows immediately what it is. It's the first clue in the Christmas scavenger hunt Tom made for her every year; he'd promised her for months that this year's would be the grandest one yet. At first, she's too scared to open it--what if she can't figure out the clues without his help? Or what if she does figure them all out, and her last connection to Tom is gone? Tom's clues set Cassie on a heart-wrenching and beautiful journey that will change her life--if she lets them. And as she travels from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside, she reconnects with old friends, rekindles a lost love, and most importantly, rediscovers herself. But once she's solved the final clue, will she be brave enough to accept the gift her brother has given her--and the love it's led her to?

My Thoughts: Listen, I have never been so in touch with the angsty side of the romance reader that I am until I started reading Emily Stone. She truly has a gift of taking your heart, ripping it into teeny tiny pieces, and then ever so slowly, sewing it back together. It’s like getting punched in the gut and saying “thank you” afterwards. I had a consistent lump in my throat this entire audiobook. The main characters, Cassie and Sam, are just STEEPED in grief after they lose her brother and his best friend, Tom. Both handle the blow of his death in different ways, but neither wants to lean on the other after a riff in their early twenties left them somewhat estranged. Growing up, Tom always made Cassie’s Christmas gift into a scavenger hunt and this year was going to be the hunt of all hunts. And, it just so happens, Tom was able to put it together prior to his death. I loved watching Cassie dig her way out of grief and truly step outside of her comfort zone as she completed each task in Tom’s last scavenger hunt. It allowed her to learn not only more about Tom, but also about herself and how complacent she had become in life. Inevitably, Tom’s death and dealing with his grief led Sam down a path he didn’t expect: running out on his wedding, quitting his high-paying job to do something he was more passionate about even though it made next to nothing, and realizing his feelings for Cassie. I think the format truly allowed me to make deeper connections with Cassie and Sam as individuals, which was so important since there’s so much animosity between their characters for a majority of the book. I wasn’t inclined to pick one person’s side because I could see how they each were hurting and why they couldn’t give into the feelings that had been brewing between them for years. Needless to say, Emily Stone did me dirty again and had me crying on multiple occasions lol. Then she kindly turned it around and handed me metaphorical tissues for an ending I could be happy about. If you’ve read/enjoyed her book Always, In December then I highly recommend giving this one a try.

THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas. Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt: She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery. He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy. She hates his guts. He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.) But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself. That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone. She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust? As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: This book was so entertaining. It’s very fast paced and makes you hit the ground running right from the start. Also, as a side note, I highly recommend the audiobook because it switches POVs between Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt, as well as mixing in recordings from their interview with the police. The plot was “And Then There Were None” adjacent in that someone goes missing, someone is unexpectedly poisoned, and there’s clearly a killer amongst those stuck at the snowed-in mansion of famed author Eleanor Ashley. As mystery/thriller writers themselves, Maggie and Ethan feel like it’s up to them to figure out where elderly Eleanor Ashley disappeared to during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. I liked that there was an unreliable narrator element to this story because it really kept me guessing as to whose perspective I could trust and made it hard to keep facts straight. There’s also a very sweet, light romance subplot in this book that did an amazing job of getting you more invested in the characters, but didn’t overshadow the bigger picture mystery. Honestly, this book is Christmas-themed, but I think it’s a fun book to pick up at any time of the year - and I recommend you do! :)

MY DECEMBER DARLING by Lauren Asher

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Catalina: Playing the part of my sister’s maid of honor is easy even if she’s marrying my ex. But playing nice with the best man? An impossible task given our history. Sure, Luke Darling may be suspiciously kind, incredibly handsome, and stubborn to a fault, but regardless of how hard he tries to make me see otherwise, I’m not interested. It’s on me to remind him that he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend. And the one I’m secretly starting to wish I met first. Luke: My job as the best man is a simple one, except for one minor issue. I’ve spent so much time avoiding my best friend’s ex that I didn’t consider what could happen if I started craving Catalina Martinez’s company instead. She is only in Lake Wisteria for the winter wedding, but her January departure date won’t stop me from pursuing her. Getting her to date me would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle, but I’m determined to make her mine. ‘Tis the season to fall in love…even if I’m the only one taking the risk.

My Thoughts: This was cute. Simply that. It didn’t give me the usual swoony, romance tingles that I’ve experienced with other Lauren Asher books, but it was still a cute story. To be fair, I think this was supposed to be an abbreviated story for the holiday season because it’s less than 300 pages. So we didn’t get to go as deep as usual with the characters. We got a high level view of their backgrounds, traumas, feelings, etc. but I wasn’t able to develop a strong connection with them. Don’t get me wrong. Luke is a doctor with the body of an underwear model who also happens to be the friendliest person you will ever cross paths with. So OBVI, it was easy to have a crush on him while he slowly built trust with Catalina until he could convince her to move home. The basic facets behind Catalina’s character is that she’s a traveling NICU nurse home for the holidays because her sister gets married the night before NYE. Her sister’s husband is technically her ex (which, debatable in my opinion. They never slept together and apparently went on like four dates, but whatever), so Catalina is feeling a little awkward around the happy couple. She’s also super lonely and feels like her mom judges her. That’s basically it lol. That’s Catalina’s character. I liked her enough but didn’t fall in love with her by any means. As I said, this story was cute, but I doubt I’d ever go back to it. If you’re looking for a quick holiday read that keeps it pretty light and has just a dash of spice (like cinnamon, not pepper), this could be for you!

REALM BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: A strange darkness is growing in the Ward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea. Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an ancient lineage—with the power to save the world from destruction. Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundations of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he'll break the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him. Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.

My Thoughts: Okay to be fair, this is your quintessential first book in a YA fantasy series. There’s a TON of world building, character introductions including their backgrounds, magic systems to establish, politics to untangle, etc. So I don’t feel like we had the time to truly develop quality relationships with the characters because all of that other subject matter needed to be squeezed into this book to set us up for the rest of the series. Plus, each chapter switched to a different character’s POV, so you really had to pay attention to keep up with who you’re now hearing the internal dialogue for. The plot is quite the adventure and I think it would’ve been helpful to have a map, but alas, I listened to it on audiobook and couldn’t refer to anything. I was engaged with this book enough to want to read the next book in the series. However, I think what was missing in this one were stronger relationships between this hodge podge of characters - especially romantic ones. Like there was a crush brewing between Coryane and the squire, but I just need more from it. Similarly, the assassin and the elder kept sniping at each other with snarky remarks, which to me would be the PERFECT opportunity for an enemies-to-lovers moment, but we’ll see if that actually comes to fruition. Not that every book I read needs romantic relationships, but even platonic connections weren’t all that strong by the time I finished this book. So yeah. I liked it enough to keep going, but if the next book is kind of mid, I probably won’t continue this series.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate. I'm Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I'd killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it's a little more complicated than that. Have I killed someone? Yes. I have. Who was it? Let's get started. EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE. My brother. My stepsister. My wife. My father. My mother. My sister-in-law. My uncle. My stepfather. My aunt. Me.

My Thoughts: If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, I think this book could be up your alley. I went the audiobook route and to my delight, the narrator has an Australian accent, so that was a huge bonus lol. This book is from the perspective of a guy named Ernie. His family is a little more than dysfunctional after his brother committed murder a few years ago and Ernie is the one who testified in court to put him in prison. Fast forward to when the brother is getting out, and the family is celebrating with a little reunion at a remote ski resort up in the mountains. After a man is found dead near the resort, and in a very mysterious manner, everyone is on high alert as to who the killer could be. Ernie walks us through everyone’s relationships, their secrets, backgrounds, and more as we piece together who the killer might be. There are HELLA twists in this story that I did not expect. The most unique part of this book, though, was the format. It was told as though Ernie is writing a letter or in his journal. So he tells you right off the bat which chapters have a murder in them and what to expect, but it doesn’t make seeing the plot twists any easier. The only reason I docked it a star is because the big reveal at the end where Ernie explains how he figured everything out felt like it was a little abrupt for how in-depth the connections are. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and highly recommend it if you’re looking for a cozy murder mystery perfect for the winter season.

THIS COULD BE US by Kennedy Ryan (Skyland #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion. But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise. But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself? After all she's lost . . . and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?

My Thoughts: I just read the first book in this series, Before I Let Go, in October and loved it. When I saw This Could Be Us was a nominee for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards, I knew I wanted to read it before the year was out. Kennedy Ryan really does have a way of writing characters at their rawest level of vulnerability and making it so beautiful. Soledad is going THROUGH it. She’s in an incredibly toxic marriage where her asshole husband gaslights her constantly and then it turns out he’s going to prison for embezzlement at work. As a stay-at-home mom, she has to quickly pivot to figure out how to keep a roof over her three daughters’ heads and maintain their lifestyle without their main breadmaker in the picture anymore. The man who put Soledad’s husband in prison? Judah Cross. He’s the walking definition of SWOON and is nothing but green flags. Although there’s instant chemistry between him and Soledad, he respects that she’s taking the time to date herself and nourish her self love journey before she’s ready to commit to a new relationship. This whole story was so much more than your typical romance and I cannot recommend it enough. Side note: you don’t HAVE to read Before I Let Go first before reading this book. However, I recommend reading them in order because you have better insight into all characters involved.

THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

My Thoughts: Okay this is hands down one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read this year. It follows eight different people as the world navigates a new normal where anyone 22 or older receives a mysterious box one night on their doorstep. Inside the box is a string whose length indicates the lifetime of that person. Cue absolute chaos as the world is divided into long stringers and short stringers. People can decide if they want to open their box or if they’d rather leave knowing how long they’ll live to fate. There were SO many commonalities between this book and our society in reality. It was a very “them vs. us” narrative. Especially when it comes to who deserves health care, how people treat each other, what is seen as acceptable to talk about in school, etc. Not to mention, although this book was published in 2022, the similarities between the presidential election in this book and the election season we just had was absolutely CHILLING. There’s one scene that literally made me stop to check if she had based some of the events in this book off of what happened this year or if it was published prior. Anyway, needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend picking up this book as soon as you can. It is one of those stories that is going to stick with me for years to come.

THIS WOVEN KINGDOM by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight. The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

My Thoughts: The last series I read by Tahereh Mafi was her Shattered series, and when I tell you I was absolutely OBSESSED, I am not exaggerating. I think I finished the entire series, plus the novellas in between each novel, in the matter of a month or something like that. Her writing has a way of sucking you in unexpectedly and this book is no exception. Although it has a little bit of a slow burn, I appreciated that the pacing provided enough time for me to develop individual relationships with Alizeh and Kamran before their paths truly crossed. Alizeh is a djinn woman who has finally scored a job as a servant in a noble house. The key to survival and to maintaining her incredibly low paying job is to keep her head down and off everyone’s radars. She manages to do this successfully until the crown prince, Kamran, returns to the capitol after spending a year away and witnesses her disarm a street rat who’s holding her at knife point. Kamran immediately reports what he suspects to the king which sparks a manhunt for this supposed djinn spy infiltrating the human kingdom. I loved that the format of this book switched between Alizeh’s and Kamran’s POVs, so that you can not only see what each character is up to, but also get their internal dialogue as the story progresses. The end of this book leaves you on QUITE the cliffhanger, so needless to say I will be continuing onto the next book in this series because I need MORE.

HOW MY NEIGHBOR STOLE CHRISTMAS by Meghan Quinn

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Every Kringle in Kringletown celebrated Christmas a lot. But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately, did not. As his fellow citizens decorate their quaint town, brimming with carols and glad tidings, Cole wants nothing more than to hibernate the winter away. But his dreary plans are thwarted when his Christmas nemesis, Storee Taylor, moves in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Immediately, the new neighbor turns his life into a real nightmare before Christmas, especially when she decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest in honor of Cindy. And better yet, Storee is determined to win. Over Cole's dead body, she will. With help from his friend Max, Cole decides to enter the competition as well, to beat Storee at her own game by pretending that this hometown grump's heart has grown three sizes this season and he's fallen for the girl next door. And unfortunately for Storee, she has to follow his lead to have a chance at the Christmas Kringle title. But the competition isn't the only thing that heats up. Cole and Storee's fake relationship becomes very real, and before they know it, they're attempting to hide it from Aunt Cindy. Things get complicated, the competition gets tough, and all it takes is one single night for someone to steal it all…

My Thoughts: It’s been a minute since I read a Meghan Quinn novel, but I do appreciate that her writing is easily distinguishable and consistent across all of her books. This was a quirky, holiday romance set in a small town that basically celebrates Christmas year-round. It was giving Frankenmuth meets Christmas, MI (in the UP, IYKYK) but with a little Hallmark charm. Basically, Storee’s great Aunt Cindy convinces her to enter the town’s Christmas Kringle contest in her stead since Aunt Cindy just broke a hip. Cole, Aunt Cindy’s nextdoor neighbor and the town’s Grinch, basically says “the audacity,” and ends up entering the contest just to spite Storee. This is a pretty long holiday romance (I think about 450 pages), and it took me a minute to get into because although I love a grumpy/sunshine trope, I didn’t love Storee’s or Cole’s characters right away. So I wasn’t rooting for either of them to win the Christmas Kringle. As the holiday shenanigans commenced and the story deepened, it was easier to get invested in the multiple plotlines happening here. There’s plenty of banter, cheesy Christmas-related jokes, and some quality spice to balance out all of the sweet. If ya know what I mean. ;) Of recent holiday books I’ve read, this one was definitely enjoyable, but didn’t knock my stockings off lol.

BLADE BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard (Realm Breaker #2)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: The fate of the world rests on a blade's edge. Fighting beside her band of unlikely companions, Corayne is learning to embrace her ancient lineage and wield her father's powerful sword. But while she successfully closed one of the Spindles, her journey is far from over. Queen Erida's army marches across Allward with her consort, Taristan, right beside them, opening more portals into nightmarish worlds, razing kingdoms to the ground. Corayne has no choice but to assemble an army of her own if she's to save the realm as she knows it. But perilous lands await her and the companions, and they face assassins, otherworldly beasts, and tempestuous seas all as they rally a divided Ward to fight behind them. But Taristan has unleashed an evil far more wicked than his corpse armies. Something deadly waits in the shadows; something that might consume the world before there's any hope for victory.

My Thoughts: Okay, I will say. I was lukewarm on the first book of this series (see Realm Breaker above), but wanted to give the second book a chance to see if the author dug a little deeper now that she’s established the world building, character stories, and magic system. This was definitely a little bit of a slow burn to start. I was honestly torn between pausing this audiobook and trying it again later or powering through. Since the characters and plot were fresh in my brain though, I decided to stick with it and I’m pleased to say it was better than I expected! We’re still following this hodge podge group of unlikely companions as they try finding all of the open spindles that are allowing dark magic into their realm. Although I still wish we got a TOUCH deeper with the character relationships, they were definitely taken to the next level. Even the elder and assassin who usually cannot stand each other had some emotionally vulnerable moments that strengthened their bond. I gotta say, the evil queen Erida CLEARLY was not hugged enough as a child lol. However, I was oddly rooting for her and Taristan as much as I was rooting for the group of protagonists because this couple is so unhinged but also work really well as a team. This book was still an enjoyable adventure and it left us on quite the cliffhanger, but I probably won’t continue with the series if I’m being honest. So take that as you will.

FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist. The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job. Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time. Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge…

My Thoughts: Hands down this is one of my favorite books that I read in 2024. It gives the vibes of a spy movie like Kingsman or Salt, and took so many turns, I couldn’t tell which way was up. Considering I went into this book without reading the synopsis, I thought it was going to be your typical mystery thriller and assumed she was some type of stalker. However, I was quickly put to shame and instead sucked into one of the most fast-paced stories I’ve experienced in a while. I could not stop listening to it. I loved that the format switched between present day, on Evie Porter’s current job, and the last few jobs she’s had spanning back eight years. It provided insight not only into her personal past, but also her line of work and how she landed such a dangerous job. As I said before, this book had SO MANY TWISTS and had my heart beating double time as Evie worked her way out of some sticky situations. There is a light romance storyline in this book that I thoroughly appreciated because the love interest is just as morally gray as Evie, and we love when two mildly questionable characters find each other. I feel like my review doesn’t give this book the justice it deserves, but holy hell. If you’re looking for an ADDICTING mystery thriller, you MUST pick this one up.

THE MISTLETOE BET by Maren Moore

Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Summary: Everyone says “there’s no place like home”… well not for me. When I’m forced to spend the holidays at home with my family in Strawberry Hollow, I have no idea how I’m even going to survive the week, let alone make it through my least favorite holiday… Christmas. That is until I run into my childhood crush, and my brother’s best friend, Parker Grant. Now, he’s the sexy, off-limits doctor in our small town, and nothing like the man I left behind six years ago. While I hate the holidays, there is nothing that he loves more. Well, other than a good bet. Which is exactly what happens when we end up together under the mistletoe. A bet that changes everything. He asks for the next seven days to change my mind about Christmas. But seven days alone with Parker is more than either of us bargained for. Now, there’s much more at stake than a silly mistletoe bet.

My Thoughts: Ugh okay. As I was reading this book, I literally told myself “you gotta stop reading Christmas-themed novellas” because I’ve been mildly disappointed with them in the past. This book is no exception. Although most of the writing was fine, there were some parts of it that felt tone deaf or just took me out of the story. It almost felt like a man was behind some of the writing, if that makes sense lol. Especially from a female perspective. For example, this girl says she shaved her entire body before a date one night and then shaved her entire body AGAIN the next night. First off, if the guy can’t handle your body hair, he ain’t it. Secondly, THE RAZOR BURN?? There’s no way you can do an “everything” shower two days in a row and not irritate your skin. Holy hell. I also didn’t love the main guy in this. There wasn’t anything super unique about him to make me swoon or buy into this romance. He’s a hot doctor and that’s basically it. I don’t know. If this book was any longer, I probably would’ve DNF’ed it, but since it was only about 120 pages, I powered through. However, I do not recommend it lol.

THE CHRISTMAS ORPHAN’S CLUB by Becca Freeman

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved. But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need. . . .

My Thoughts: I’ve been listening to the “Bad on Paper” podcast since 2018, and last year one of the hosts (Becca Freeman) published her own Christmas-themed novel, but I was waiting for this holiday season to roll around before diving into it. I knew from her talking about it on the podcast that this isn’t necessarily a rom-com, but has those same vibes. This book is definitely more about found family and friendships even though there are some light romance subplots mixed into it. Basically, Hannah and Finn started a Christmas tradition in college where they spend the holiday together every year. After eventually adding two friends, Priya and Theo to the mix, this group of hodge podge friends become a family of sorts. However, Finn just announced he’s moving to L.A., so this could be the last year they celebrate Christmas together. Which throws Hannah, specifically, into a tizzy about making this year the best Christmas they’ve ever had. The book oscillates between past Christmases and the present December. What I quickly picked up on is that clearly Hannah sees her friends as the family she never really had since her parents died when she was so young. However, it also felt extremely codependent. It was almost like she expected her friends to be all or nothing without having to make any compromises herself. I also didn’t love Finn. He was giving a little bit of “manic pixie dream boy” and was way too in his head about things. Priya and Theo were fine as side characters, but I don’t think they added a ton to the dynamics of the group. I don’t know. It was a solid debut novel and if you’re looking for a holiday-themed book that centers more on friendship than romance, this is a great option for that. However, I don’t think I’ll ever pick this one up again.

MANACLED by SenYinLu

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.

My Thoughts: Y’all. Okay. This is ~technically~ a Harry Potter fanfiction but it’s 925 pages lol and so many people have read it that it has more than 100K ratings on Goodreads. A 4.6 rating, if you must know. This is definitely a darker book and intended for 18+ readers. There are scenes that depict sexual assault, rape, self-harm, torture, character death, and more. So please be vigilant about the content and trigger warnings before diving in. This story takes place after the second Wizarding War from Hermoine Granger’s perspective, but it’s as if Voldemort and the Death Eaters won instead of Harry Potter and Dumbledore’s Army. When I say I could not put this book down, I am not exaggerating. I kept thwarting minor responsibilities just so I could keep reading. Manacled is a beautifully written reimagined story that explores the complex relationship that Hermoine and Draco Malfoy develop during the war and in its aftermath. To put it plainly, this was incredibly immersive and, I think, nailed who these characters would be in their mid-20s after experiencing such deep, haunting trauma. It was an emotional rollercoaster as the book transitioned from present day in the Malfoy Manor to flashbacks from two years ago during the war where we learn how Hermoine and Draco became connected. Despite such a haunting journey, I was glad the ending provided an a-typical happy ending. Honestly, this book will be living rent free in my brain for years to come.

That’s it for December!

The third book in the Fourth Wing series comes out in January, so I’m planning to reread the second book again (Iron Flame) before my copy of Onyx Storm comes on the 21st. HOPEFULLY, my luck with good fantasy books bleeds into next month, but in terms of Iron Flame specifically, I was a little disappointed. So cheers to manifesting a kick ass Onyx Storm (and 2025)!

2024 Final Book Count: 153

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YOUR TURN! What book are you looking forward to most in 2025?