December Wrap Up

Another year of reading is over. I'm so excited about 2019, and all the possibilities it brings. Here are the books I read this last month of 2018. There are several Christmas titles, as I was really in the holiday spirit. I found myself reaching for cozier books to balance out some of the heavier reading I've been doing lately.

Christmas Bells

I enjoyed this short easy read as a start to the Christmas reading season. I was familiar with the story surrounding Longfellow's poem, but I really appreciated all the detail added by the author. The contemporary story was nice and wrapped up neatly at the end.

The Clockmaker's Daughter

I started out reading the physical copy of this book. I enjoyed it at first but then got bogged down about halfway through. There were a lot of confusing plot lines, and I struggled to keep them all straight. I switched to the Audible version about 2/3 of the way through and had a much better reading experience. It's narrated by Joanne Froggatt of Downton Abbey fame. I highly recommend listening to the audio. I wish I had started out that way. Maybe I'll go back and listen from the beginning.

It's Not Supposed to be This Way

Lysa TerKeurst is one of my favorite Christian Living authors. This book is raw and emotional. She is so transparent and honest. I have struggled with some extended family issues over the past couple of years, and this book was so encouraging. Highly recommended.

Dear Mrs. Bird

This book was a delightful surprise. It's set in London during The Blitz. It's short and reads quickly, but it has some deep themes. It deals with women's friendships, love, grief, and trauma but it maintains a light, easy tone. I loved it. Recommended if you enjoy WW2 fiction.

The Bride of Ivy Green
I'm really not much of a series reader, but I love Julie Klassen's writing style. I have loved every minute I have spent in Ivy Hill. The characters and setting are charming. This series is the ultimate comfort reading for me. This entry wrapped everything up nicely. I would love to spend more time with these characters. I'm really sad to see them go. I would recommend this series to lovers of quiet, cozy novels and Regency era fiction. Make sure you start with the first book, The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill.

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

The Bookshop on the Corner
I found this romancy, chick lit book fun and delightful. It was the Modern Mrs. Darcy December book club pick, and it was the perfect cozy holiday read that wasn't about the holidays. Recommended if you are looking for something light and easy.

A Red Bird Christmas
I was a little disappointed in this one. This was my first Fannie Flagg, and I was hoping for more. It was fine, but a little overly sweet. I didn't find the writing all that great, either. I'll probably try another one of her's in the future to see if her writing style is just a bad fit for me. Let me know if you have any recommendations in the comments.

We Hope for Better Things
I had never heard of this author before, and that I'm always a little nervous to review a book by an author I'm not familiar with. The premise of this novel sounded fascinating, though. I'm really glad I gave it a try. The story is told through three points of view by three different generations of women. This book gave me a lot to think about regarding race relations and interracial marriage. I thought it was really well done. Each of the story lines is distinct and easy to follow. They each tackle tough topics. I would recommend this book to readers who prefer edgy fiction. There are some hard themes, and the characters don't always make the right decisions. If you prefer very clean fiction, you might want to read this one with caution.

I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley for review.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. I'm excited about posting here in 2019. I'll be posting my favorites from 2018 soon as well as books I'm excited to read in the coming year. If you would like to see more of what I'm reading come follow me on Instagram. My handle is @daysathomereading. I have a couple of bookish adventures coming up that I'll be sharing over there. Happy New Year!

August Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what I read in the month of August. 

This month was a bit of a struggle for me. I picked up and put down several books that I thought I would like. I think I'm done with "beach reads" this year. I'm looking forward to reading more thoughtful books this fall. I think my august reading reflects that as I read a couple of more literary novels and really enjoyed them. Here are the books I read this month and my thoughts on them.

Clock Dance

I read Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant several years ago, and I have been wanting to read another book by Anne Tyler ever since. Clock Dance has made me a fan. I love these characters with all their imperfections. Even though it's a character driven novel, it isn't boring. I got really invested in the story and didn't want it to end. Highly recommended if you like quiet reads.

Flora

This book broke my heart. It's another slower paced novel, but there is a palpable tension that builds through out the story. It's set in the deep south during the last summer of World War 2. If you enjoy coming of age, southern fiction, and you don't mind the ugly cry, you should check this one out.

Funny in Farsi

I'm not a big fan of memoir, but I do enjoy the genre if it's light-hearted. This book was sweet and funny. It never took itself too seriously. I want to pick up the follow up, Laughing Without an Accent. If your looking to read more diversely, or want to know more about the immigrant experience you should give this author a try.

Shelter of the Most High

I have really enjoyed all the books I've read by Connilyn Cossette. Her new series about the cities of refuge in the Old Testament are excellent. Shelter of the Most High is the second book in this series, and I loved it. The characters are strong and likeable. There's lots of action and twists in the plot. I also really enjoyed catching up with characters from the previous book. You definitely want to start with the first book, A Light on the Hill. Highly recommended if you enjoy Biblical fiction or historical romance. 

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.

How was your reading month? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments.

April Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share this month's wrap up. I read five books this month and I've read twenty-nine books so far this year. Here are the books I read this month and what I thought about them.

The Lacemaker

This book was a little more angsty than I care for. If you like historical romance that is heavier on the romance side, you should give it a try. It's gotten a lot of really great buzz. I think it didn't help that I read a similar book a couple of months ago. It was hard not to compare the two.

Home Fire

I read this with the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club. It made for some great discussion, but I didn't really like. It had an odd writing style and the story was told from five character's POVs. I never really felt like I got to know any of them very well. 

The Lost Castle

This was a really well done split time novel. It was paced well and kept me interested the whole time. I really enjoy Kristy Cambron's writing style. highly recommended.

Let Me Lie

This book was so twisty! I didn't see any of it coming. If your looking for a fun thriller to read this summer you should pick this one up. So much fun!

White Picket Fences

This is one of Susan Meissner's older books, and I really enjoyed it. I prefer her newer historicals, but this was a good domestic drama.

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments.

March Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share this month's wrap up.

I read nine books in the month of March, and quite frankly, I'm a little burned out. I'm happy to say I was able to fulfill a couple of challenge categories, and moved several books off of my shelves. I doubt I'll read as many books in April, but I'm not too worried about it. There aren't a lot of new releases coming out this spring that I'm dying to get my hands on, so I'll take the opportunity to read some back list books that have been sitting on my Kindle for a while. Here are the books I read in March.


Stay With Me

This was the Modern Mrs. Darcy March book club pick. I loved this one. It had so many twists and turns. It reminded me of Big Little Lies but in an African setting. I expected it to be really heavy and sad, and it was. But it was also fast paced and clever.


Their Eyes Were Watching God

I read this to fill the banned book category in  the Modern Mrs. Darcy reading challenge. I really struggled through most of this book. I loved the old Florida setting, but the writing style was challenging to read. I loved the ending though. If you are looking for a modern classic to read this would be a good one.


The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street

This was a delightful follow up to 84 Charring Cross Road, which I read several years ago. I read it in an hour and use it to fill the book you can read in a day category in my reading challenge.


The Distant Hours

This book was long. And the print was small. Thankfully, the story was great. I'll definitely read more Kate Morton books, but I'll get them on Kindle.


The Cruelest Month

I had really mixed feelings about this third installment in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. I liked it better than the second one, but I'm still not feeling it. I've heard the fourth book really gets the series going, so I'm going to read that one and see if I care to continue.


If I Live

This is the final book in the If I Run series. I've really enjoyed all three of these book, and I thought this last one was really satisfying. Make sure you start with book one, or you'll be lost.


God is Able

This was my Christian Living read for the month. While I didn't learn anything new, I found this book to be very encouraging and faith affirming. Definitely recommended.


I Was Anastasia

This will probably make my favorite's list for the year. I'm still thinking about this story. I do want to give a warning if you are a sensitive reader. There are several grisly scenes. The story telling was a little hard to adjust too. There are two story lines one of which is told in reverse. It's fascinating how it comes together in the end, but it can be a little confusing. The story is amazing though. The building tension made me so nervous. I can't stop thinking about it.
I received a copy for review from Netgalley.


The Weaver's Daughter

This book was a delightful way to wrap up the month. I love Sarah E. Ladd's writing style. There was some great romantic tension in this story, and also a little mystery. It was a perfect comfort read for me. If you enjoy regency era stories you should give this one a try. It's very good.

I received a copy of this book for review.

January Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and The Book Date to share what I read this month.

I read a total of seven books this month. Two were audio books which is not normal for me. I don't know why, but I don't really think about listening to audio books. I need to try more of them especially with the whisper sync Kindle option. I participated in the Bout of Books read-a-thon this month, and that really got my reading off to a great start. Here are the books I read in January and what I thought about them.

Until We Find Home

This was a very sweet WW2 home front novel that dealt really well with the displacement of European Jewish children at the time. The main character Claire had a lot of growing up to do, and could be a rather difficult character to like. Fortunately, her character matures throughout the story. I enjoyed all the literary references that were sprinkled throughout the book. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy small town, British settings and refugee stories. I received this book for free for the purpose of review. When We Were Worthy I couldn't put this down. It's fast paced but with surprising depth. Loved it! Judah's Wife I'm loving this series by Angela Hunt. The characters are so vivid, and I love learning about parts of history that I am unfamiliar with. Highly recommended! I reviewed the first book in the series here. The Promises of God This was a really good introduction to the Biblical covenants. Highly recommended if your looking for some accessible theology. As Bright As Heaven I think I could read Susan Meissner's grocery list and be thoroughly entertained. This story about one family's struggle to survive the Spanish flu broke my heart. I had to the book down at about the halfway point. I didn't love the ending. I felt like it wrapped up too neatly, but after all the heart break, a happy ending was nice. First Impressions This was an enjoyable literary mystery. I listened to it on Audible which I think enhanced the reading experience. Give it a try if you're up for a little who-done-it fun. The Memory of Us I have really mixed feelings about this one. I didn't realize going in that this is a straight up romance. There wasn't much history to it except for the World War 2 setting. It felt like it could be set at any time in history really. it picked up halfway through, and I listened to the audio book. I think that helped me enjoy it more. Recommended if you like romance. What did you read this month? Let me know in the comments.

December Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what I read in December.

Here are the books I read in the month of December. I usually slow down during the holiday season, but I managed to get quite a few books the last few weeks of the year. There are some good ones here too.

Peace Like a River

This was the December pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club. I originally read this in 2011, so I had forgotten pretty much everything about the plot. The writing is gorgeous, and there is so much imagery and symbolism that it gave the book club lots to talk about all month. I highly recommend it if you are looking for literary fiction that is still accessible and has an interesting plot. It's a great winter read too. Lots of snow.

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage

I adore this series. I did a full review here.

The Snow Child

Another winter read. This one is set in Alaska and it can be a little bleak at times, but I loved it. I was thoroughly enchanted by this grown up fairy tale. The end was sad, but not totally unexpected. The story and characters have really stuck with me. I have Eowyn Ivy's other book on my Kindle, and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

Christmas at Carnton

This was a sweet novella set during the American Civil War. It's a longer than most novellas, so it had good character development and the plot had plenty of time to get fully fleshed out. 

Last Christmas in Paris

I loved this book! It reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's told in letters and it is set during WW1. It isn't specifically a Christmas book, so if you see it somewhere, snatch it up and read it right away.

You are Highly Favored

This was my advent devotional this year. I really enjoyed it and plan to read it again next year.

A Fatal Grace

This was my most disappointing read of the month. I enjoy Still Life and plan to continue the series, but this installment was weird. So many of the details of the murder were really unlikely and weird. And I hated the ending. And there were a lot of F bombs. I felt like I had to wade through a lot of junk just to get to a very unsatisfying conclusion.

Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments.

And...check out more book reviews at Modern Mrs. Darcy.

November Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what I read in November.

Here are my November reads and reviews.

The Sound of Rain

I did a full review of this one here.

The Good and Beautiful Life

I read this with my ladies group at church. It lead to some great discussions about habits good and bad. The chapters are fairly short with a challenge at the end. It's a great book for personal introspection and growth. I would suggest starting with the first book, The Good and Beautiful God.

Gilead

This was a lovely book, and it gave me a lot to think about. It wasn't an easy read even though it's quite short. It deals with theology and end of life thoughts. It's one to pick up if your in the mood for some thing slow and thought provoking.

Reading People

This was a condensed but thorough look at all of the popular personality schools of thought. I'm a big fan of Anne Bogel, and I love her writing style. Give this a try if you enjoy those personality tests that are so popular on Facebook.

One True Loves

This was my "bubble gum" book for the month. It had an interesting plot, and the writing kept me interested the whole time, but I struggled with how much this woman led these two men along. One poor guy had been stranded on a deserted island for years, but she was the one struggling with the situation. Very angsty. I don't know if I would really recommend it.

Emily of New Moon

This was the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club pick for November. It's by the author of Anne of Green Gables. I really enjoyed, but the language felt more dated to me than the Anne books. I may pick up the second book in the series at some point.

The Christmas Letters

I enjoyed this novella. It got a little heavy at the end, but for the most part it was a sweet Christmas read. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

What did you read this month? Let me know in the comments.

September Wrap Up

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what I read this month.

Crossing to Safety

This was the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club pick for September. It's very literary and character driven. That's code for not a lot happened and kind of slow. Parts of it were beautiful, so it's worth the read. 

With You Always

This was a really nice historical romance. I enjoyed the setting and the story. It's the first book in a new series. I'll probably pick up the next book when it comes out. It was a good comfort read.

Where We Belong

I did a full review of this book here.

Perennials

I did a full review of this book here.

Still Life

I have been slowly collecting these mysteries on my Kindle as they have gone on sale. I finally got around to reading the first book in the series. I loved it. I'm definitely a fan now. Thankfully, I have the next seven on hand.

The House on Foster Hill

I did a full review of this book here.

The Women in the Castle

I've been meaning to read this book pretty much all year. I think I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I was wrong. I loved it. It was heavy and a little dark, but I'm still thinking about it. Highly recommended.

Young Jane Young

This was a fun light read. I found it to be on the fluffy side although, I think it took itself a little seriously. One thing I didn't care for was how the child in the story was written. She was very smart and precocious in one chapter, and whiny and immature in the next. She annoyed me a little. Overall, I enjoyed the first half of the story than the second half.

What books did you read this month? Have you read any on my list? Let me know in the comments.