Monthly rundown vol. 25

movie stars, romance, English mysteries, Paris, and good vibes

Hello, hello! I’ve been seeing comments and memes all over the internet about how January has felt like an entire year compressed into one month, and honestly there’s been more than once when I’ve felt that way myself. One highlight of the month, though, was the unexpected snow day we got. It was nice to hunker down at home and get cozy with blankets, fuzzy socks, and endless cups of hot chocolate, tea, and–of course–good, strong coffee. You can take the girl out of the Midwest, but a cold weather always reminds me that you can’t take the Midwest out of the girl (in other words…I like a good Texas cold snap!).

The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown by Crystal Allen. This is a cute middle grade novel about friendship, being true to yourself, and learning to both say your sorry and forgive. I loved its delightfully spunky heroine.

Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park. I was a fan of Suzanne Park’s novel So We Meet Again, and while this rom-com was enjoyable, I didn’t like it quite as much. I enjoyed the setting and the challenges of the main character–a young woman trying to break into the cutthroat, male-dominated business of video game design. I’m not sure if my difficulty in connecting with the main character was due to the character herself, or the audiobook narrator. I kind of wish I had read it with my eyeballs.

The Paris Hours by Alex George was a pleasant surprise, historical fiction I’d never heard of until I received it as a Christmas gift by a sweet niece who knew that what her Aunt Amanda always wants is books as gifts! Set in 1920s Paris, the story follows several characters through the course of one day as they each deal with a crisis. The story also delves a little bit into backstories, and ultimately these seemingly disconnected lives come together in surprising and satisfying ways. The story was at times heartbreaking, and very engaging. It touched on themes of love, sacrifice, grief, and starting over.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. What a delightful romp of a book. I’m beginning to realize that whenever I need a story to either take me out of a reading slump, or put me in a good mood, Katherine Center is a good go-to author. The Bodyguard is about a female personal security agent guarding a famous movie star with a stalker. She’s a loner with trust issues who recently got dumped by her boyfriend. His mom is battling cancer, and his older brother hates him. The two pretend to date so as not to worry his mom, and of course, shenanigans ensue. I appreciate that while Center’s books are always light and fun, it’s not silly, and her characters and their challenges feel real.

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie. I almost always enjoy a good visit with an Agatha Christie book, and this trip to the English countryside with Hercule Poirtot was no exception.

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson is the fifth book in his massive Stormlight Archive high fantasy series. There were mostly highs, and a few lows. It answered a lot of questions while doing a great job of setting up the next planned phase of the series. One thing I enjoy about the Stormlight Archive series is the journeys that the characters go on. Wind and Truth in particular delves into a couple of characters that moved straight to the top of my favorites list. Plus, there is always at least one (if not more) fist-pump moment in each book. (if you’ve never read Brandon Sanderson but are interested in classic high fantasy with adventure, and epic world building, Stormlight Archive is excellent, although you might start with Mistborn to see if you like Sanderson’s writing style. It’s a little shorter, and a lot of fun).

Album:

In Bloom by Jon Foreman

I don’t always mention music in the newsletter, but after seeing musician Drew Holcomb name this as his favorite album of 2024, I had to give it a listen and I am obsessed! It’s got a mellow vibe, with beautiful, singable melodies, catchy hooks, and lyrics with a lot of thoughtfulness and depth.

That’s it for now! Thanks for reading and sharing. And hit the comment button to let me know what you’re listening to lately. My playlist could use a refresh.

Until next time!