January Reads

I did a bit of reading this month! And an eclectic group of novels it is. (I know, I should have thrown in at least one non-fiction. Maybe next month. I have a few on my shelf I want to get to!)

Let’s dive in!

A Million Little Choices by Tamera Alexander

This is Tammy’s first real foray into contemporary fiction, although it has a historical story, too. But a good writer is a good writer, no matter the time period. This is a book about marriage and all the little choices we make that contribute to its health or decline. Raw and real and extremely hopeful. Great read. 

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Every time I think her books can’t get better, they do! Loved this WWII story set in Denmark. Great characters living history I wasn’t aware of. And those are the best kind of historical novels! 

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

I listened to this one and didn’t get to finish it until after Christmas, but let me just say—what an absolutely delightful book! I will definitely revisit Freddie and Grace in books 2 and 3 very soon! 

Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Another cute mystery/romance. I like Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder a little bit better, but this one was still good. 

Wild Heart’s Haven by Lacy Williams

For a long time, I didn’t count books I edited as books I’d read, mainly because they weren’t necessarily on their way to publication. But I love editing for Lacy because her stories compel me to keep reading. And they are usually up for pre-order by the time I read them! This is #4 in her Wagon Train Matches series, and they are all wonderful. 

Where Grace Appears by Heidi Chiavaroli

This was such an interesting “inspired by” series. Taking a framework of Little Women, this contemporary family series set in Maine was a great story will characters who last through several books. It doesn’t follow Little Women exactly, but it takes their family as a model and deals with more contemporary life issues. I will likely read more of this series. 

He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

This was another audiobook. (And yet another contemporary read this month. Hm.) It was a wonderful story of two sisters finding one another and dealing with their past. I really enjoyed it. 

The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris

This was one of the most intriguing WWII novels I’ve ever read! And yet I almost abandoned it! Why? Because just as the story got going in WWII, several chapters of backstory followed. I wanted to return to the “actual” story. I got frustrated. But then suddenly I turned the page and was back in WWII—and it was a race to the finish! I completely get the storytelling decisions she made. I wouldn’t have wanted any interruption as the rest of the story unfolded. And everything in the backstory was significant in upping the tension in the actual story. Wow. 

I will say the ending was bittersweet, but it fit the story completely. 

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden

This is our neighborhood book club selection for February’s meeting—and I already had it on my Kindle waiting to be read. (I bought it on sale. It’s been on my list for a good while.) This book has a magical realism element to it, which I enjoy when it’s done well. And this was done well. And even though I guessed the ending before it happened, that didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the story. In fact, it compelled me to turn the pages more quickly! A delightful book with a bit of a fairytale feel. 

(On another note, I just realized that 6 of my 10 books this month were contemporary fiction. Usually, I’m much heavier on historical!)

The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz

A lovely slow-growing romance, per Laura’s usual. And I learned so much of the history of the Acadians, which is tragic. Having visited Prince Edward Island last year, it was even more poignant. As usual, these characters grab your heart and don’t let go. 

I’m already excited about several of the books I intend to read in February!