What I Read December 2024

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Hey friends. Ending the year strong. Also did you know if you have an amazon music family membership you get one free audible book a month. You have to listen in the Amazon music app. Also linking up for Share Your Shelf with Marilyn, Jennifer, Tanya, and Joanne

Total physical/kindle books: 3

Total audiobook: 5

Total books for 2024: 117

Goal: 150 books

Goal for 2025: 120 books

Title: The Mistletoe Game

Author: Ellis O'Day

Genre: Holiday Romance

How I Read It: Kindle ebook

My Rating: 3 out of 5

Amazon Description: It's Christmas Eve at La Petite Mort Club and the night is about to get interesting because it's almost time to play The Mistletoe Game.

Adrian is prowling the Club when he notices the saddest woman he'd ever seen. She looks like her world has ended. He's just the guy to cheer her up. He's rich, attractive and charming.

Unfortunately, Ellie finds him annoying, arrogant, and too alpha. She's done with alpha males who can't keep it in their pants and wouldn't know the meaning of the word faithful if they were reading it in the dictionary.

But when Ellie's cheating ex calls her cold, the only way to prove him wrong is to play The Mistletoe Game with Adrian.

How bad can it be? They're in public. It's a game. Probably, a few kisses under the mistletoe, except this is La Petite Mort Club and nothing is as innocent as just a kiss.

My Review: I hate a cliffhanger, especially one that isn't listed in the description. I loved the story line, the banter, the characters... but when you leave me hanging with what happens next I am disappointed.

Title: Santa Claus Surprise

Author: Tonya Kappes

Genre: cozy mystery

How I Read It: Spotify audiobook

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Amazon Description: A delightfully twisty holiday cozy mystery guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very last page!

In the heart of Holiday Junction, where festive cheer sparkles in every corner, journalist Violet Rhinehammer is preparing for the town’s most magical event of the year: the Mistletoe Masquerade Ball. But when a man is found brutally murdered behind the living manger scene in Holiday Park, the holiday magic is replaced with chilling unease.

With her investigative instincts in overdrive, Violet uncovers a tangled web of suspects that would make Santa’s naughty list look short. At the heart of the mystery lies the missing Winter Crest coin, a treasured artifact crucial to the holiday celebration. Racing against the clock, Violet must solve the murder, recover the coin, and save the Ball before Holiday Junction’s festive spirit is lost for good.

My Review: At first listen I thought I had read this book previously. I looked back at my previous read books and had read another book by Tonya Kappes that is very similiar in the holiday cozy mystery series. A cozy mystery that in a small town that has some fun holiday traditions. There were twists and turns that you didn't know who done it.

Title: How My Neighbor Stole Christmas

Author: Meghan Quinn

Genre: Christmas Romance

How I Read It: Amazon Music Audible

My Rating: 3 out of 5

Amazon Description: A new winter holiday, enemies-to-lovers romance, from the undeniably funny and always spicy, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Meghan Quinn.

Living in a year around Christmas town has it's drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave--I mean house--keeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits.

And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

Well guess what? Over my cold-hearted body.

There was no way I was going to let her win, not after the history we'd shared.

So despite my promise to myself of never participating in the sickening Christmas season, I entered the competition as well. That's right, I planned on beating Storee at her own game by pretending this grump’s heart grew three sizes this season.

And it was working until feelings between us started heating up.
We pretended to date.
We kissed.
And well, sparks flew from there.

Which led to one explosive night involving Christmas lights, the competition, and a ladder. Don't let me convince you who stole Christmas, I think you need to find out for yourself . . .

My Review: I had mixed feelings on this book. I wanted to love it. I loved the banter of the main characters and all the holiday fun activities. At times the story was boring. I enjoyed "the narrator" between chapters. The spice and I will never look at a candy cane again.

Title: Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

Author: Luna Pierce

Genre: dark romance

How I Read It: kindle ebook

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Amazon Description: On the run, I never expected Archer Sin—reclusive, arrogant, and tattooed—to be the doorstep I landed on.

Even though he hates me too, Archer agreed to keep me safe from the man who left me broken and bruised.

It should be easy to stay out of each other’s way when we’re complete opposites.

He wants nothing to do with me and I want nothing to do with him, other than the haven he’s providing.

Archer is always glued to his computers anyway, brown hair falling over his eyes as his inked fingers dance across the keyboards.

But as I try to start over in this new city, my reluctant protector is stalking me, ruining every date I go on.

I should hate how Archer watches me, eyes tracking me, but I don’t.

One drunken forbidden kiss alters everything.

You can’t outrun the past forever.

Our fate was sealed before we ever began.

My Review: Luna has done it again with a story that I couldn't read quick enough but also didn't want it to end. The characters story, emotions, and banter pulls you in. The twists, and spice, omg the spice.

Title: Booked for the Holidays

Author: Liz Maverick

Genre: Romance

How I Read It: Audible audiobook

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon Description: Brighten the holidays with this funny, heartfelt rom-com about the stories—and the love—that we never forget.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.

When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape ... and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?

My Review: A cute short holiday read/listen. Clean romance that will leave you wanting more.

Title: Over the Influence

Author: Joanna JoJo Levesque

Genre: Memoir

How I Read It: Libby Audiobook

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon Description: A breathtakingly candid memoir by Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, the chart-topping, multi-platinum recording artist behind hits like “Leave (Get Out),” “Too Little, Too Late”, and the Grammy Award-winning "Say So"

Signed to a major recording deal at just 12 years old, JoJo catapulted to the top of the pop-and-R&B-infused charts in the mid 2000's. The relatability of her youth and the appeal of her cool-girl mystique earned her millions of fans around the world. JoJo was an undeniable superstar and pop culture fixture, spanning roles in major studio films, omnipresence on Top 40 radio, frequenting magazine covers, and appearing on national TV. Then, out of the blue, everything came to a halt and JoJo seemingly stepped out of the spotlight, leaving many fans to wonder: What happened to JoJo?

In OVER THE INFLUENCE, JoJo holds nothing back as she brings her against-the-odds story of adversity and triumph to center stage. From being raised by parents who were both battling addiction and depression, to emerging victorious in a never-ending lawsuit with her record label, to putting the fragmented pieces of herself together after a maddening period of rebellion and self-betrayal, she takes the reader through the turbulent years that led her to where she is now: releasing new music under her own imprint, performing in shows and festivals around the world, headlining a Broadway show, and beyond. In this raw, behind-the-scenes look at her life, both personal and professional, JoJo’s unflinching vulnerability allows readers to connect with her on a whole new level through stories of success, heartbreak, redemption, and resilience.

More than a victory lap from an artist with over two decades in an ever-changing entertainment industry, OVER THE INFLUENCE is an unapologetic rallying cry to anyone who’s ever been terrified to fail and still said, “Count me in.”

My Review: I was a huge fan of Jojo growing up. So young with an amazing voice, I wanted to be just like her. I enjoyed the raw and realness of her sharing the reality of what she went through. I wish she would have named some people, but understand not throwing dirt.

Title: Keep Me

Author: Sara Cate

Genre: Adult Romance

How I Read It: Hoopla Audiobook

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Amazon Description: Their marriage of convenience is anything but…

All Killian Barclay wants is to be left the hell alone. He's had enough heartache to last a lifetime, and he has no more need for love—earning him the reputation of a broody Scot and eventually turning his famous ancestral home into a den of iniquity. It doesn't take long for tales of his raunchy house parties to reach the rest of his family, though, inspiring them to hatch a plan to shake Killian out of his routine.

New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux is tough as nails—as the daughter of famous yet neglectful parents, she's grown a hard shell and keeps everyone at arm's length. So when she sneaks into Barclay Manor during a trip to Scotland to get a glimpse of a famous heirloom, she doesn't anticipate facing off against the brutish, maddening highlander who lives there. And she certainly didn't expect to ever see the bastard again.

Yet just weeks later, she's approached by Killian's family with a proposal—move to Scotland and marry Killian to improve his playboy reputation, and after one year, she'll walk away with ten million dollars. Sylvie agrees, even knowing that their plan is more deceptive than he realizes. But as she grows closer to Killian and the end of their year together, she has to decide: Is the love of a good man with a dark soul worth keeping, or is she willing to break Killian's heart now that it's well and truly hers?

My Review: Opposites attract. The Scottish accent had me loving it even more. I loved everything in this book and couldn't put it down or read it fast enough.

Title: Jingle All the Way to Snowside

Author: Kathy Coatney

Genre: Christmas Romance

How I Read It: Kindle ebook

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon Description: Sweet Christmas romance. Check. Matchmaking Santa and Mrs. Claus. Check, check. Two lonely hearts. Check, check, check!

She’s a country girl living in the heart of the city. He’s an ex-SEAL teaching kindergarteners.

Sadie McCluskey loved the holidays until she lost her parents in a car accident at sixteen, then her ex-husband left her a week before Christmas. She’s content spending the holidays working her urban farm until Hank Dabrowski walks into her life. Now, all she wants is to get Hank under the mistletoe.

Hank needed a change after ten years as a SEAL. When he breaks his engagement, he leaves his hometown of Angel Falls, Vermont, and moves to Snowside to teach kindergarteners. Burned, but not broken, Hank still believes in true love, especially after Sadie gives his kids a tour of her farm. Watching her share her joy of farming with them ignites a spark deep inside him. But can he convince her he’s the Christmas gift she’s been longing for?

Jody and Nick Claws arrive on Sadie’s doorstep in matching red and green plaid flannel shirts, the spitting image of that other jolly yuletide couple. Can these holiday matchmakers work their Christmas magic to help two reluctant hearts find their happily ever after?

My Review: Predictable, Hallmark vibe Christmas read. The perfect love story to get you in the mood for Christmas.

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