December in Review

December in Review

Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen — 4 stars
Pride and Prejudice meets The Great British Bake Off in A Taste for Love! This modern, romcom reimagining is a fun take on Jane Austen’s classic novel. It’s full of family expectations, drama, first love, and a messy baking competition that are sure to entertain you. I loved the focus on the complicated mother/daughter relationship as well as Liza and James’ cute romance. This fun retelling will leave you hungry and craving pastries—there’s so many delicious food descriptions!

Fast Pitch by Nic Stone — 5 stars
I’ve always loved sports books and I know I would’ve especially loved Fast Pitch when I was in middle school. It’s a fast-paced book full of mystery, legacy, and, of course, softball. The team dynamic and supportive coaches were awesome, and I loved how Shenice was figuring out how to be a leader for her team (while also confronting racism in her family’s past and her present). This was an excellent follow up to Clean Getaway!

You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus — 4 stars
You’ll Be the Death of Me is a solid murder mystery! I listened to the audiobook  and especially loved the different POVs. It’s a fun mystery as it revolves around three childhood friends reconnecting—and all of the drama and secrets that entails—and running into a murder scene when they ditch school together. I was very curious on how the mystery would unfold and enjoyed the fast pace that kept the story to a single day.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne — 4 stars
I reread The Hating Game before the movie released, and I’m so glad I did! I first read the novel back in 2017, so this refresher was needed as I had forgotten quite a bit of the story (especially the smaller details). It made the movie even more enjoyable as I recognized how closely it followed the book!

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich — 5 stars
I was so excited for If This Gets Out to release and it did not disappoint—I loved it so much! I was such a fan of all four members of Saturday and how their personalities differed from their public personas. This book dives into the dark side of the music industry, especially how restricting and toxic it can be. But I loved that the boys were able to find their voice. And the romance! Ruben and Zach’s voices were so perfect and I loved how their relationship developed throughout the story. I was rooting for them the entire time!

You’ll want to read this book if you love:
☑️ Boy bands
☑️ Friends to lovers
☑️ Celebrity romances
☑️ Found family
☑️ Dual POVs

Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez — 5 stars
“I’m not dressed to find a body. I’m wearing cutoffs and a thin white tank top. The mosquitoes are going to suck me dry, and my new Vans are going to get trashed. I’m dressed for summer, not crawling around in the woods, searching for one of my best friends with a bunch of overcaffeinated volunteers. I hope we don’t find her. I want Violet to be alive.”

The opening to Lies Like Wildfire immediately hooked me—and then the intense, fast-paced story gave me a nonstop adrenaline rush! I *needed* to know what was going to happen next (and I didn’t want to hit  pause on the audiobook). Hannah lives in a small town, and when her and her friends accidentally start an out of control fire, things get deadly. As someone who has had to evacuate due to a wildfire, this story was extra intense as all of the emotions from my experience came flooding back. This book is packed with lies, toxic friendships, and flawed characters. It’s an addicting read, perfect for fans of Kara Thomas. I look forward to reading more thrillers from Jennifer Lynn Alvarez!

Like a Love Song by Gabriela Martins — 4 stars
Fake dating + celebrity romance? Sign me up! Like a Love Song is such a fun romcom, and I had a blast reading it! I loved Nati and William and their sweet romance. It’s a cute story, and I especially loved the spotlight on identity and how Nati learned to embrace her Brazilian heritage.

The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan — 3.5 stars
The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily was one of my final reads of 2021! I read Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares the year before, so I’m glad I continued with the sequel this past Christmas. After a tough year, Lily is not in the holiday spirit at all, so it’s up to Dash to help get her in the mood. This story really focused on Dash and Lily’s relationship and all that is needed to make it work. And then of course I had to rewatch the Netflix show after diving back into Dash & Lily’s world!

Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan — 3.5 stars
Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily is the final book of the Dash & Lily series! This third book takes us to London, where Lily visits Dash after his first semester at Oxford. I enjoyed seeing their Christmas adventures in London and how they continue to work on their relationship while also figuring out their plans for the future.

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff — 4 stars
I ended up rereading Aurora Burning before diving into the conclusion. I listened to the audiobook this time and loved the full cast of narrators! Like the first time around—I enjoyed this sequel a lot, but not as much as I loved the first book. This is mostly because of Eshvaren part, which made the middle of the book drag on, and the abrupt ending (I’m glad I had the next book to immediately dive into this time).

Are any of these books in your tbr? What was your favorite read in December?

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