Happy Tuesday! It’s almost 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 next Thursday for other great bookish posts.
Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin ☀️☀️
I was looking for a seasonal read in October and this came up. I got it from the library and powered through. There were witchy ladies (sisters and cousins), a merman, and a town full of supernatural energy. I really wanted to like it, but it was not for me. I’m not big on fantasy and I probably should have put it down, but I am a finisher. So I finished it.
No One Was Supposed to Die at this Wedding by Catherine Mack ☀️☀️☀️☀️
I don’t love scary books and I don’t even really love suspenseful books, but I like these books. Eleanor and Connor are back and they are heading to Catalina Island for a wedding. Eleanor’s sister is there too. Unfortunately like the title implies someone is going to die. Eleanor has to figure out who is going to die next and who the murderer is, all in the middle of a terrible hurricane. I thought it was a fun book and I will definitely read the third book in the series if there is one. **Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**
Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs (kids audio)
Luke and I loved this one! The book starts with a blackout in Indonesia when Ben and the gang are there for a little r-and-r after their last mission. They soon discover that the blackout is actually a birthday candle. That is a global blackout created to get something from governments, usually money. Wild hijinks ensue as Ben, Erica, and friends try to solve the birthday candle blackout and restore power to the world.
One Crazy Summer: The Graphic Novel by Rita Williams-Garcia (kids graphic)
This graphic retelling of Rita Williams-Garcia award winning book was an excellent adaptation. I thought the illustrator did a great job in this new version.
A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau ☀️☀️
I was looking for a seasonal read for Thanksgiving and this came up. Again, I powered through and probably could’ve put it down. I enjoyed the story of Lily, a woman who was trying new things, and meets Nick for a one night stand. They are both surprised when they go back to their small towns for Thanksgiving and Lily is set up on a blind date with Nick’s brother. Nick and Lily end up having more than a one night stand. I was hopeful to find a holiday series, but this isn’t the one for me. The romance is rather spicy, just so you know.
Sandwich by Catherine Newman (audio) ☀️☀️☀️☀️
I heard a lot about this book and my expectations were pretty high. I thought it was ok, pretty good. Rocky’s kids are a little older than mine and so are her parents. She is on vacation with her children and her parents join them. As we go through the week, Rocky shares memories from their annual vacation to the same cottage and relates them to their current vacation. I struggled a little with the book because Rocky is going through perimenopause or menopause and I am hoping that my experience will be a little gentler. She’s been through a lot, but she also has a lot of big feelings and I felt bad for her husband. I thought it was ok, but I do not need to read Wreck.
The Weekend Crashers by Jamie Brenner ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
I was so excited to see Jamie Brenner again and I loved this book! I loved it so much I picked my knitting up again. Maggie is a single mom with a beautiful daughter, Piper, and their relationship is changing. Piper is a model and not sure she wants to continue. Maggie is worried she’s losing her connection with Piper and books a knitting retreat for them to reconnect. There has been a mixup in the inn and they’ve double booked a bachelor party and the knitting retreat. The interactions between to two parties are funny and lead everyone to learn more than they bargained for over the weekend. I loved it and will always read everything Jamie Brenner writes!
One Night, Two Holidays by Ali Brady ☀️☀️☀️☀️
I subscribed to Ali Brady’s newsletter last year to get their holiday novella chapter by chapter, but never made the time to read it. I am so glad I waited because I was even more excited to read it after meeting Alison! Jack is a resident at a Chicago hospital hoping to fly home to Colorado on Christmas Eve. Nessa lives in his building and is home alone for Hanukkah. They are both snowed in and Jack knocks on Nessa’s door when the power goes out. He doesn’t know her but sees that she has a fireplace and is hoping to stay warm. Nessa has been watching Jack come in and out of the building for a few months and is thrilled to meet him and spend some time with him. They spend the first night of Hanukkah and Christmas together and in true rom-com fashion fall in love. It was fun story to kick off my holiday reading season!
Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
**2025 Sunshine & Books Christmas Book**
I was so excited to read this because it takes place in Baltimore. I haven’t read anything else by Matthew Norman, but I sure will! Grace and Henry are both widows and approaching their first Christmas without their spouses. Their mothers are in book club together and scheme to set them up. While neither one is ready for a romantic relationship, they do develop a friendship full of understanding and compassion. Grace has two small children and Henry endears himself to them. Grace and Henry start watching holiday movies together, on the phone and in person. While they watch the movies, they are working through their grief and start to wonder what might happen in their future. I loved all the Baltimore references – 34th Street Christmas decorations, the streets, the neighborhoods, the museums, all of it. As I was reading the acknowledgements (always read the acknowledgements!!), I realized that this story was influenced by someone I knew growing up. She lost her husband in a tragic accident and had two young children, much like Grace. Though there is some tough stuff, Matthew Norman created likeable characters with some holiday spirit and I loved it.
Currently Reading: A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber
**2025 Sunshine & Books Christmas Book**
Currently Reading: Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
**2025 Sunshine & Books Christmas Book**
You can always checkout what I’ve been reading on my Books 2025 page. I finally updated it! I have all of my yearly reading pages linked here if you want to see what I’ve been reading for the last 7 years.
When I sat down to write this I didn’t think I had a big reading month, but it was. I read nine books and learned a bit about myself as a reader. I need to be better about putting down a book I don’t love. There are too many books I want to read out there to waste time reading something I’m not loving. I plan on reading nothing but holiday stories for the rest of the year, because there are so many I am excited to read! Did you read any of the books I read this month? What are you excited to read this month? Have a great day full of sunshine and books!
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