A Very Blustery December: Books, Tornados, and Colds
By Latisha Sexton
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared on here. I have been keeping track of my books on Goodreads and some on Instagram. But, completing a blog post has felt too exhausting…because although December was full of some really great reading, it was also a month that saw devastating tornados hitting our area.
I’m so thankful to God that our family is okay and only sustained minor home damage. The tornados didn’t hit the town I live in, but my sister’s town was completely decimated. It was a terrifying night. And it was even more terrifying the next day when we realized just how close it came to my sister’s house (about 0.2 miles from their home).
It is definitely a good reminder for us of how precious and fragile life is. And how every single day we have is an amazing, wonderful gift from God. So this year, hold your loved ones a little tighter and maybe put down the book, the phone, or turn off the TV to spend some quality one-on-one time with your loved ones.
The last two weeks of December our little family has been battling an intense cold (no, it’s not covid). The colds turned into double ear infections for the boys and an upper respitorary infection for our girl. Hubby and I have been down too, though I’m the one who has been the least sick of all of us. Because, mama ain’t got time for that! I’m praying for a much calmer, healthier January. Although, as I type this my 4-year-old is awake coughing like crazy. Oh and did I mention we had a tornado this morning In our downtown area (thankfully no fatalities or injuries).
Okay, let’s move on to my December reads!
*Note: This post does contain some affiliate links .
Love's Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik
My first December read was Love’s Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik. She was a new-to-me author and I wasn’t sure what to expect from the book. But, boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise!
Dani Sango discovers that her estranged father has passed away and left her his home, including his artwork and Native American drawings. She wants nothing to do with them since he spent years in prison for art forgery. But, then she discovers her father had already contacted an art director, Brad Osgood, regarding the pictures.
Meanwhile, Brad is battling his own family issues and is ready to blow off the daughter of a convicted art forger. But, when the two are thrown together by outside circumstances, they are drawn to the mysterious Native American drawings.
In the 1870s, Broken Bow is forced to leave his family and all he has known as a prisoner of war. After traveling hundreds of miles, he and the other Natives are brought to a fort. Broken Bow is bitter and angry at the white man. But, when he befriends missionaries, Luke and Sally Jo, will he begin to see things in a new light?
Ms. Uhlarik has done an incredible job of blending the modern day with the past. Her research for this book was incredible and I loved getting into the minds of the various characters. This split-time was done to perfection. Each character showed not only amazing character development, but also well-rounded stories that intertwined with each other throughout the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend and look forward to re-reading it again and again.
I received this book off of Netgally for an honest review and I’m so glad I did. You can pre-order Love’s Fortress here.
The Holiday Ex-Files by Jennifer Peel
December was a month full of romcoms for me and the first one was The Holiday Ex-Files by Jennifer Peel.
Now, I will say that in my opinion, this doesn’t fall into a “clean” read (although several reviewers on Goodread labeled it as clean). There is some language throughout and some PG insinuations during the inner dialogue.
I loved the banter between the characters and Noah’s patience with helping Cami find herself again after a very ugly divorce was so sweet.
Is the book cheesy in some places? Yes. But, it’s full of all the Hallmark Christmas vibes and laugh-out-loud jokes that make you forget any of the cheesy parts.
Never Leave Me by Jody Hedlund
Never Leave Me is the 2nd book in The Water of Time Series. I think this book definitely needs to be read after the 1st book in order for you to get the full details and motives behind the characters’ actions.
This book challenges the reader to not take life for granted, but to live life to the fullest. There were so many quotable sections in this book! I absolutely loved Harrison. He was actually one of my favorite characters from the first book, so I was really excited to read more about him.
I love time traveling books and this series has a unique twist on other time-travel books/shows that I’ve seen. The author does a fantastic job researching, not only in scientific theories of time travel but also in describing the medieval time periods (which were my favorite parts of the book).
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the fact that the two main characters spent a weekend together in the same hotel suite. Even though nothing happened (besides kissing), it’s disappointing to see Christian books make light of characters putting themselves in compromising situations.
Also, the faith aspect wasn’t as strong in this series as it usually is in Hedlund’s books. Usually her books have a strong focus on faith (at least the ones that I have read) and I didn’t see it as much in either this book or the first.
However, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to others.
Also, can we take a minute to appreciate how gorgeous this cover is??
**I received a free copy of this book to leave an honest review.
The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson & The Piper's Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson
The Warrior Maiden is book number nine in the Hagenheim series of fairytale retellings by Melanie Dickerson. They are YA, quick and easy reads with a dash of romance and suspense. I have really enjoyed all of Melanie’s fairytale retellings. My favorite character in this book was Wolfgang. I loved the dynamic between him and Mulan.
I do wish that if she were going to use the name “Mulan” and the Asian characteristics to describe her, that it would have had a more Asian background. I know it was because it was focused on medieval Germany, but still.
Other than that, it was a sweet, fun story. It isn’t my favorite book of the series, but still a quick read.
Next we have The Piper’s Pursuit, the tenth book in the Hagenheim series and my favorite so far (I still haven’t read the eleventh book.)
Although I loved seeing Steffan making amends with his family and changing, Katerina was my favorite character.
Even though I knew the story of the Pied Piper, Dickerson did a wonderful job of fleshing it out more and making it a full story.
Silver Bells and Secrets by Laura Rollins
Silver Bells and Secrets by Laura Rollins is the perfect regency Christmas romance.This sweet novella drew me in from the start! The main characters were so relatable for me and I loved watching them interact and get to know each other.
I’ve always been a huge fan of You’ve Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner, and this book had all of the vibes!
I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!
*I received a free copy to leave my honest review.
Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund
Hearts Made Whole is the second book in the Beacons of Hope series by Jody Hedlund and we get to reunite with Ryan Chambers from the first book. He’s a Civil War veteran with major PTSD issues and a drinking problem. So those may be some trigger warnings for anyone who is sensitive to those topics. I found this book compelling and captivating as the two main characters struggle with putting their trust in God and also opening up to one another.
Also, without spoiling it…I really liked the ending because it was done in a realistic way and not what most books would do just to have a nice, tidy happily ever after.
A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh & The Twelve Holidates by Emma. St. Claire
Secret crush on your brother’s best friend? Check.
Forced proximiety? Check.
Hallmark Christmas vibes by the bucket load? Check.
Clean romcom read (no language, nothing more than light kissing)? Check. Check.
This author is new-to-me, I believe that she writes Christian fiction so I wanted to note that there are no faith elements in this book. Also, this is yet another book that has the man and woman staying in the same room with each other, but the passion and intimacy is A LOT more toned down than Never Leave Me that I mentioned earlier.
If you’re looking for some light-hearted, clean fun, then A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh is for you!
This was a sweet novella of friends to lovers. It was funny and adorable.
I listened to the audiobook of The Twelve Holidates by Emma St. Claire, but think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it. The woman narrator was very robotic. There was very little emotion in her voice. The man narrator did a great job though! But, the two didn’t mix well because of the difference in their emotions (or lack of).
However, it was a short, fun read for Christmas!
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen
My Fine Fellow is a gender-swap retelling of My Fair Lady. I have always had a love of old movies and My Fair Lady is one that I loved! So, when I read the description of this book, I knew that I had to read it.
I feel like there was so much potential for this to be a five-star, but some things just fell flat.
1.) The “food” talk drug on and on. I understand making the book feel authentic, but I think even a tad less detail would have made it less cumbersome to read (not to mention less boring). I would have never read this book in middle school or high school (apparantely it’s supposed to be for MS-HS kids?) because it took almost half of the book to really get into it (because it was pages of them just cooking!)
2.) There was so much focus on the food, that I felt the characters lacked real depth and development. I would have loved to see more banter and conversation between Penelope and Elijah. And even Elijah and Helena didn’t have very much dialogue back and forth.
3.) The POV kept changing. One sentence would be Helena’s POV and then the next sentence would be Penelope’s. Now, I love getting into other characters’ heads, but I wish the author would have stuck with one POV for each section.
Overall, it was an okay book, but not one that I would re-read. And, unless you just love to read about food, then I wouldn’t really recommend it (which is a shame, because again…it had so much potential!)
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes & Dating Mr. Darcy by Kate O'Keeffe
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a YA with a Knives Out vibe to it. The first book, The Inheritance Games hooked be in and this one did the same thing. The ending left me a little annoyed and confused…and dying for the third book to come out!
(Note: This is not Christian YA series)
The Bachelor meets Pride and Prejudice…and many laugh-out-loud moments ensue in Kate O’Keeffe’s Dating Mr. Darcy.
Even though I’m not a fan of dating reality shows (or any reality shows for that matter), the concept of this book intrigued me enough to want to read. And I’m so glad I did!
This book has major The Selection by Kiera Cass vibes. So if you enjoyed those books, you’ll love this!
Yes, there are a few minor things that you could nitpick at with this book…like having your typical narcissistic Mean Girls characters (in fact, it mentions Mean Girls several times) or the historical inaccuracies (mostly to do with stays and corsets), but I honestly didn’t care about those because I was laughing too much.
Overall, quick, hilarious, and sweet romcom.
The Winter Companion by MiMi Matthews
The Winter Companion by MiMi Matthews is the fourth and last installment of the Parish Orphans series. Excuse me a moment while I go and cry. I absolutely love the Parish Orphans and all their unique characteristics and struggles.
I just knew before reading this book that it would be my favorite in the series. I adore Neville! He’s so sweet and though they mean well, his friends tend to underestimate him. But, they also drop everything to help him when he gets the courage to push for what he wants–which is why I love all of them!
Clara was a dear and I enjoyed watching her and Neville get to know each other. It was also nice catching up with the other couples! I am only sad that this series is over, but I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of them in Ms. Matthews’ newest book, The Siren Sussex.
*Just to remind you if you haven’t read my other reviews, MiMi Matthews does not write Christian Fiction. There is some language in her books and intimacy (nothing crude or open-doors).
The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler and Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
The Tourist Attraction came so close to earning a 4-star from me. But, there were a few things I wish the author would have clarified that brought it down to three stars.
We know that Zoey-who is from Illinois-has saved every penny for years to go to Alaska and now she’s finally living her dream. But…why? Why does she want to go to Alaska? What about it drew her? Does she have a family? The only mention of family is about working a mile from her grandmother’s house. There is just very little we know about her backstory. I wish there were more about what makes her tick.
I did love the dynamics between her and Graham. And Graham was hilarious. Seriously, did anyone else picture Jess and Nick from New Girl? I’m pretty sure they were the inspiration for Graham and Zoey.
There were some repetitive phrases and inner turmoil that kind of got old. But, other than that it was a pretty funny and mostly clean romcom.
Mistletoe & Mr. Right is the second book in the Moose Springs series. I feel like the character development was done better in this book than The Tourist Attraction. There was one part of the book that I will probably always remember…the only clue I’m going to give you is three words….Bed and breakfast…and taxidermy. You’ll have to read it to find out what I mean. But, it’s definitely worth it if you’re looking for a good laugh.
Now, I’ll leave you with another reason to read the book, one of my favorite quotes from the book:
“It wasn’t funny. Accidentally shooting someone with a tranquilizer dart intended for a large animal was a great way to hospitalize someone. Which was never funny.”
Or if that doesn’t get you interested, then maybe this one:
“If one were to catch a Santa Moose, there was only one way to do it—set a Christmas trap.”
Okay! On to the next book!
A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman
Here we come to a review that I really hated to give, but couldn’t honestly say it any other way. *Sigh*
I really don’t like giving a negative review, because I know the author has worked so hard on their books…but this book just didn’t do it for me.
A Light in the Window is the 4th book I’ve read from Julie Lessman and frankly, they are all pretty much the same.
Almost every book is about a woman of faith who falls for the bad boy (even the books I haven’t read have similar descriptions). And I don’t mean like a little bad…these men are active womanizers; sleeping and drinking around ALL the time with no remorse.
In this book specifically, the female MC is wanting the “right” man who is full of faith. She doesn’t want to compromise her faith for passion….and yet, that’s exactly what happens and she’s blinded to it for almost the entire book. The male MC wants to capture her heart, but she refuses him due to his reputation. So, he asks the priest for advice and is basically told that he should “seek God to get the girl”. This man is not a Christian. He goes to church and volunteers (because he’s forced to by the priest), but has been living his life in sin with multiple women and drinking. And he’s being told to seek after God to land the girl he loves. Of course, God CAN use someone-even a love interest-to bring about His will and draw someone to repentance, but I feel that the constant theme of these books…where the “good girl” tries to change the “bad boy” is not a great influence on younger readers. Not to mention the very over-sexualization in the books. The book describes scenes of “fondling and suckling” necks, ears, and more. It’s just not what I expect from a Christian fiction book.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this author is just not for me.
Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof
Y’all know that Roseanna White is like my number one for historical authors, right? Well, I believe she may soon have a buddy with Joanne Bischof because every book I’ve read of hers so far has just been WOOZERS!
I’m not sure how to put into words everything I loved about Sons of Blackbird Mountain. Author Joanne Bischof does not shy away from dealing with hard issues, such as addiction, and how they not only affect the one who is addicted but everyone around them as well.
It’s a story of love, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption.
I absolutely loved Aven and Thor! I’m not sure that I have ever read a book where a deaf person was the main character and I found that to be really intriguing. The writing was done in such a way to draw you into someone’s struggles that others might never consider.
If I say more, then I know I will end up spoiling it. But, I highly recommend adding this to your TBR list!
Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund
I really, really wanted to like this book. I thought the first book in the series was amazing and the second one was really good as well. But unfortunately Captured by Love just fell flat. I kept waiting for the main characters to stop being foolish…but it never came.
Most of the side characters were either completely vile (Angelique’s step-father) or seemed to be thrown in as a filler for the rest of the story (the colonel’s daughter-I still don’t understand what purpose she served in the entire plot).
**A few spoiler alerts ahead**
Angelique and Pierre were both selfish and childish in their actions. Pierre loved being in the wilderness and hated farming. He didn’t want to stay on the island and help his BLIND mother. He knew he would NEVER be happy if he couldn’t be out in the wilderness.
Angelique was mostly unselfish, but she went back and forth the ENTIRE book over whether she should marry the man she was promised to (Pierre’s brother) even though she didn’t love him.
At first you can understand given the time period and her situation with her step-father. But even when other options are presented to her, she doesn’t know what to do. It wouldn’t be a terrible premise, but the fact that she changes her mind half a dozen times is what makes you roll your eyes.
Oh, did I mention that Angelique LOVES the island and would NEVER be happy anywhere else? Do these two even love each other? Or is it just lust at this point?
Overall, the story lacked depth. The main characters were so wishy-washy in everything that you really didn’t care what happened. The side characters left no lasting impression.
I still love most of Jody Hedlund’s books that I’ve read (the Orphan Train Series is my favorite so far!) But, she’s a hit-or-miss author for me.
To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M. White and Falling for Your Best Friend's Twin by Emma St. Clair
To Treasure an Heiress may possibly be my new favorite book by Roseanna White. Everything about it was marvelous. I loved the scenery of the islands (which I’d gotten a peek of in The Nature of a Lady), the close-knit relationships of the Islanders (although I would have loved to see more of Mabena), and of course the banter between Sheridan and Beth.
Sheridan may be pushing Barclay down to second place as my favorite hero or they may be sharing that title together.
I absolutely loved Sheridan’s inner dialogue. The book could have been written entirely in his POV and I would have been fine with it.
This book has everything; deep faith (sins, forgiveness, redemption), hilarious banter, adventure, pirates, princes, buried treasure, nefarious villains, and a sweet love story. And of course, Mammwyn.
It is definitely one that I will pick up again and again!
Falling for Your Best Friend’s Twin by Emma St. Clair was such a fun read that I couldn’t put it down! A few times I had to keep myself from laughing-out-loud (I have nosey kids who would pester me wanting to know what was so funny).
The story was sweet and the characters were so hilarious. It’s told from a first person POV, but with both leading characters which I really enjoyed.
This is not a Christian fiction, but I appreciate that it was a clean read. There was kissing and a few “inner” thoughts, but nothing else (which seems to be hard to find in a good romcom).
And although it was a romcom, it had some really good lessons, like this one from the male character:
“Women are a treasure. A gift. What do you do with treasure?”
“Hoard it?” I’d asked, being a snarky fifteen-year-old.
Mom had smacked me on the arm, but she was smiling. “No, Smaug. You protect it. You guard it. You always remember its value.”
Overall, I give it 5 stars because it made me laugh, was clean, and I could definitely see reading it again!
That's All My December Reads Folks
And that my friends is the wrap up of my December reads. Woah. If you’ve made it this far then I thank you and applaud you for finishing this long-winded review. I promise that I will get back to my weekly blogs starting next week!
Even though the first day of the New Year has been a little crazy with tornados, floods, and a resurgence of the cold bug, one thing I do know, is that there will be LOADS of good reading in this New Year!
What’s at the top of your TBR list this year?
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Never Leave Me was amazing. Loved it!