Happy Tuesday! It’s the end of the month, so I am sharing the books I read this month and what I am currently reading. I am linking up with the Share Your Shelf ladies – Joanne, Marilyn, Tanya, and Jenn – so be sure to check them out on Thursday for other great bookish posts.
A Winter Wish by Emily Stone ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
**Sunshine and Books 2024 Christmas Book**
I don’t know why I always let Emily Stone fool me into thinking she’s written a Christmas book. Her books are always winter books that happen around Christmas but they aren’t Christmas books. This one was no different. I did enjoy it though. Lexie is living a life as a nomad. She doesn’t stay anywhere for too long, she finds jobs in fun locations like the Alps, Austrailia, etc., and she only keeps in touch with her mother and one good friend from growing up. She gets word that her father has died and needs to come home. Right before heading back to her life, she gets news that changes everything. Over the course of the books, Lexie gets to know Theo, has to figure out if she wants to come home and work at her father’s business, and decides what she really wants from life. It was a good story full of travels to Iceland (oh how I want to go), Ireland, Italy, and other fun places.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (audio) ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️+
I loved this book so much! I highly recommend listening to it. Ina is the narrator and she reads it like you are having a conversation. She laughs, sighs, and has the best expression as she reads. I found myself sitting in the car to listen for a little longer because it is that good. I learned a lot about Ina’s personal life, professional life, and what makes Ina Ina.
Holiday Hideaway: A Short Story by Mary Kay Andrews ☀️☀️☀️☀️
**Sunshine and Books 2024 Christmas Book**
The main character, Tilly, is quintessential MKA and it was a fun holiday read. Tilly is a down on her luck property manager who is squatting in a house she’s managing. The great nephew of the owner shows up and Tilly finds herself in a bit of trouble. I thought the ending was a little abrupt, but it was good.
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
**Sunshine and Books 2024 Christmas Book**
I didn’t realize that Julia McKay is a pen name for Marisa Stapely and she is part of the writing duo Maggie Knox. I have read and enjoyed quite a few holiday books by Julia/Marisa/Maggie. I thought this was a fun holiday read. Two best friends, Holly and Ivy, end up switching vacations after Holly’s fiance breaks up with her after their rehearsal dinner just before Christmas. Ivy heads to Hawaii and Holly heads to the Hudson Valley in an off the grid cabin. After a few twists and turns they both find a new love interest and make it back to celebrate New Year’s Eve together. It was a fun beach read for the holidays.
The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
This short story was perfectly Jenny Colgan! Mirren’s aunt has asked her to track down a book she remembers reading with her father as a little girl. Mirren heads out and visits as many antique bookstores as she can around the UK. She stays in cozy hotels and bed and breakfasts, visits bookstores with quirky characters, and meets a handsome gentleman, and finds a friend from her aunt’s past. This was a quick read that felt exactly right for our winter break!
The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
**Sunshine and Books 2024 Christmas Book**
Currently Reading: One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery
**Sunshine and Books 2024 Christmas Book**
Currently Listening: Spy School Goes North by Stuart Gibbs
You can always checkout what I’ve been reading on my Books 2024 page. I have all of my yearly reading pages linked here if you want to see what I’ve been reading for the last 5 years.
I have a few more Christmas books that I want to read, so I might stick with Christmas books through the beginning of January. We’ll see. I also have quite a few physical books on my shelves that I want to read in the new year. I absolutely love reading on my kindle because I can fall asleep reading and not lose my page and I can read in the middle of the night easily. I might try to read two books at once – one physical and one on my kindle. I have been waiting for winter weather to read The Women by Kristin Hannah. I requested it from the library and I have about 10 more weeks. What are you planning to read in January? Did you have a favorite book in December? I’d love to hear about them. Have a great day full of sunshine and books!
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The Holiday Honeymoon Switch sounds really cute and fun! You read lots of great books this month.
I immediately went to buy the one by Ina Garten with my Audible credit; thank you for all of the great books recs!
It is so good! I hope you love it!!
I just added all these books to my Christmas good reads shelf to remember for next year. For years, I had one kindle book and one physical book but the past few months, my kindle has just been the easiest.
I never listen to books but I may just to hear Ina’s voice- it is always so soothing- thanks for sharing!
I received the Ina book for Christmas, but may wait for the audio from the library! Thanks for linking up and for all the recommendations.
I really want to read Ina Garten’s book! My sister read it and she shared some surprising things about Ina and Jeffrey!
I love some of these titles. I just finished a book by Jenny Colgan and didn’t care for it at all, but The Christmas Book Hunt looks like it would be good.
I almost always have a physical book, kindle book, and audio book going. I know, I know…too much – it’s more about what is most convenient at the time. I *love* to listen to autobiographies and just used my audible credit for Ina Garten’s last night. I just finished Beautiful People and thought of you the entire time I was reading it 🙂 I’ve been on a Beatriz Williams kick lately so she’s on deck too. I am listening to The Women…honestly I have had to take breaks throughout it, it’s so heavy. But also very, very good. Hope you continue to have reading time in your life 🙂
So many great books! I love Beatriz Williams and want to get back to her books this winter, too!
How fun! I never even thought about reading “holiday/winter” themed books this time of year. I sort of just grab what looks and sounds good (and I usually tend towards bigger books because I read too fast!)