I hardly get ANY reading done (usually) during Christmas holidays because my brain is total mush at the end of each day and I just want to scroll through social media for a few minutes and fall asleep. However, I did read a lot of books before Christmas so I have some to share today!! 🙂 A few of these made it on to my top books of 2018 post!!

Linking up with Steph and Jana today to share the books I’ve read lately! At least half of these are audiobooks, which is the only way I get things done anymore – by promising myself that I can listen to a book while I clean or run or whatever. Haha. See the end for the biggest recommendations 🙂

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this more than I expected to – the ending really tied it all together for me 🙂 I think this is my first David Baldacci book, and I don’t think this is his typical book so maybe not the best place to start but I wanted a not super sappy Christmas book and this fit that bill.

Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely collection of Avonlea Christmas short stories and it was delightful on audio 🙂 I hadn’t heard many of the stories which I assume are from some of my unread Montgomery books. Of course, the story of the dress with puffed sleeves is a favourite 🙂

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great last (easy to read!) contemplative book for the end of the year. I listened to it and then instantly got it out in print from the library so I could make some notes and be inspired 🙂

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. Why did I wait so long to listen to this one? It was so good!! A perfect read for the beginning of the year. So much of what Shonda talks about in this book (I loved the audiobook narrated by her!) is so logical and straightforward but the way she presents it is so entertaining and wonderful. Loved this and will likely think of it often.

From Doon With Death by Ruth Rendell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was one of the shortest mysteries I’ve read and felt on par in some ways with Agatha Christie though not as complex a story as hers. I did like it and read it in two sittings and will likely continue with the series at some point in the future.

Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn’t love this book as much as some of her others, but I still liked it more than some romances I’ve read this year. So 3.5/5 stars. I had a hard time relating to the characters in this book and I didn’t quite buy into their story but overall the fact that I love MZ and I finished this in a day during a very busy week tells me that this was still good if you like this genre 🙂

A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My favourite of the series so far! The mystery in this book was SO good, and I have come to absolutely adore the characters. I wrote Deanna Raybourn and told her how much I loved this and she wrote me back, which was fun too! 🙂 I cannot recommend this series enough – it is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I think it best falls under historical mystery and is so so well done. This one comes out this month but I was lucky to receive an ARC through FirstToRead (thank you!)

Melt for You by J.T. Geissinger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was SO, so good. I also enjoyed the first book in the series (totally unrelated to this one – they are standalones), Burn for You. I have yet to get to the third but I am hoping it will be good too. On KU and such a strong story about a woman really coming into her own. These characters were so loveable.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book sucked me right in and though I put it down for a little bit over the Christmas holidays (I started it on audio but that expired and I have a used paperback version so I didn’t worry about it too much), I still really, REALLY liked it. Wonderful characters, super interesting story, emotional but not over the top (at least for me) like some other WWII books. Based on a true story – so fascinating. Dual timelines/alternating characters but I didn’t find it hard to follow along at all because the alternating characters are travelling together, so it’s more like throwbacks to the past. Definitely recommend.

I have to make another dent in my Netgalley books this month and I am also dying to read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire so I will probably do that and just plow through the rest of the series. I also have a bunch of library holds coming in soon (can’t complain about that!!) I also have 3 books in progress that I need to get back from the library so I can clear them from my Goodreads currently reading shelf…lol. #bookwormproblems

TL;DR – I highly, highly recommend the Veronica Speedwell series – the first one is A Curious Beginning. Wonderful series that gets better and better in my opinion. I also recommend Year of Yes and The Alice Network. If you like romance, I cannot recommend Melt for You enough.

What have you been reading lately?! Anything good that I should add to my 2019 TBR?!?!