Getting a break from school in December was exactly what I needed. I read a little above my average number of books in December and they were incredible books, too!
There was just one audiobook and the rest were hardbacks, including one classic that has been on my TBR for a long time.
Here are the books I read in December…
Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane
Pretty Little Wife was a very twisty domestic suspense novel that kept me talking about it nonstop. From the very beginning the reader of this book knows that Lila Ridgefield, the wife of a small town beloved high school teacher who is the also narrator, has killed her husband. She is extremely confused from the beginning because his body has disappeared from the stop where she left it.
The police are desperate to find the connection between Lila’s missing husband and a student who vanished months ago.
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was a completely fascinating mishmash of genres including history, science, memoir and biography. It is the story of Henrietta Lacks, her family, and her immortal cells and their contribution to science and research. Henrietta was a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cells, which were taken without her permission, became one of the most important tools in science.
These immortal cells are still alive today, even though Henrietta has been dead for more than sixty years. These cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine, uncovering secrets of cancer, viruses and the atomic bomb’s effects, and helped lead to important advances in in-vetro fertilization, cloning and gene mapping. They have also been sold by the millions.
All the while, Henrietta’s family did not learn of the immortality of her cells until more then twenty years after her death. They also never saw the profits of these cells and live in poverty.
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In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
In a Holidaze is a fun romantic comedy novel by writing team Christina Lauren. It is just a really enjoyable, light read.
I wrote a more in-depth review of this book here.
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A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol is a classic that has been long on my TBR list. I read A Dickens and His Carol last year during the Christmas season and immediately made it a goal to read A Christmas Carol this year.
This classic story felt so familiar and warm. I think it will be one that I revisit again and again.
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The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
The Wife Upstairs is a modern twist on the classic story of Jane Eyre. The protagonist of this novel is another Jane. This Jane just happens to be a dog walker in a wealthy gated community filled with gossip, shiny SUVs and bored housewives.
She falls for the recently widowed Eddie Rothchester, whose wife Bea drowned in a boating accident with her best friend. Over time, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea.
This novel left me guessing and kept me on my toes with all of its twists and turns.
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The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
The Hunting Party is an atmospheric, page-turning novel of psychological suspense. In this whodunit story, a group of old college friends are snowed in at an exclusive hunting lodge when murder and mayhem ensue.
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Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet was given to me by my husband on Christmas Eve. We have a tradition of giving one another books of Christmas Eve and closing out the night reading together. I devoured this book and it is probably my favorite read of the entire year.
Hamnet is the fictionalized story of William Shakespere’s son who died of the plague. It is also the story of Shakespere’s wife and her grief over the loss of their son.
This was a mesmerizing story of love and loss that fully captured my heart.
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I can safely recommend that you add each of these books to your own TBR list.
What did you read in December?