The Books That I Read in December

At the start of December I went through all my shelves and fished out all the Christmas themed books for reading over the Christmas period, it's the only time I like reading them.  Then a few days after this photo had been taken I added to the pile with another couple of books.  

I knew there was no way I would be able to read through them all but it was nice to have them out on top of the small glazed bookcase ready to pick from and read as and when I had the time ... and of course they added to the Christmas decorations in a way that only books can.  🎄 📚🎄

Our LadBaby Journey by Mark and Roxanne Hoyle

This one was read as soon as December began.  It's a really simple read with it being written as though they are being interviewed or simply chatting to each other, which I suspect is how it was actually done as they are both dyslexic.  It was nice to hear their story in their own words and find out how they managed to raise all the money that they did for both the Trussell Trust and Band Aid.

A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

This was a re-read from last year and which I suspect will happen again next year.  A nice simple little books by one of my favourite poets.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

Another re-read and I'm glad I did, I had forgotten some of the story, perhaps I read it when I was tired last time.  It's a brilliant little book.

This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy

I absolutely loved this book. 

 It's a collection of short stories written really well by an author I used to read, but for some reason have not read for a while.  Usually I feel a bit short changed by a short story, but these pull you in and get you hooked from the first page and then are rounded off really well, each and every one of them.

The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton

This is a funny little book.  It's based on the Christmas song The Twelve Days of Christmas ... as you might have guessed from the title.  The gifts are all actually bought and delivered on each of the days and the ensuing chaos is described beautifully.

And So This is Christmas by Brian Bilston

Yet another re-read, and a good one at that.  I do love Brian's sense of humour and his poems are easy to read and clear and concise.

Grimm Tales for Young and Old by Philip Pullman

The dark side of fairy tales comes through in this re-working of the Grimm Brothers tales by the inimitable Philip Pullman.  With a potted history of each tale and how it has been rewritten over the years at the end of each story.  It's a good book to read on a not too dark night if you are well over the age of ten, although I suspect that I would have devoured it at eight!!

An Ideal Husband by Erica James

And finally, what has turned out to be my final book of December as I am only a third of the way through and here we are at the last day of the old year.  It's already turning out to be a really good read, written from a whole families perspectives of the sudden breakdown of a marriage on Boxing Day.

Now it's time to check my tickets for tonight's New Year celebrations and chill out for the rest of the day.  It's been a hectic year one way and the other and personally I am glad to see the back of it.  But with each passing year we learn and grow, and hopefully I have done some of that this year.

Thank you to everyone of you who have followed along on this blog over the course of 2024 and I will be welcoming you back next year hopefully.

Sue xx