Everything I Read in December 2024
December started out slow for me in terms of reading. However, my reading really picked up thanks to a few great audiobooks I listened to while traveling for the holidays. Plus, after seeing The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab around on shelves for a while, it came up as a suggestion on Kindle Unlimited and quickly became one of my favorite books of the year.
Around the same time, I got an advanced copy of Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley (thank you!) and savored every (Kindle) page of it. Besides these, I also wrapped up the All Souls series from Deborah Harkness, which I wrote about last month, and greatly enjoyed.
I might have been too quick to publish my Best Books of 2024 post, because I had to go back and add a few of these!
P.S. Looking for more top reading recommendations?
Check out my favorite books from 2024 here!
Of the 9 books I read this month, here are my top 4 favorites:
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
- The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness
- A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Table of Contents:
P.S. to track my reading, I started using the StoryGraph website and app. This reading tracker is really cool and gives you all kinds of interesting stats about your reading style. Plus, the app gives great recommendations based on books you’ve previously read and loved. Check out everything I’m currently reading and add me on the app here!
December 2024 In Books
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
5/5 Stars
I had heard great things about this book for a while when it came up on my Kindle Unlimited suggestions. If you are a historical fiction book lover as well as a fantasy genre fan, this book is the perfect mix of both. With simple, expressive writing and a thoughtful storyline, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a masterpiece in contemplative contemporary fiction. The story follows Addie LaRue, who makes a pact with a mysterious god-like being to escape her provincial life in 18th century France, but is then cursed with being immediately forgotten by all who meet her.
It was a strange storyline to enter into, and it took a little bit for me to really follow what was going on, but I realized later that that confusion was likely intentional, as the audience’s journey mimic’s Addie’s discovery of just what she has given up in her quest for freedom. I stayed up way too late multiple nights reading this because I simply could not put it down!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab is available from Amazon here.
Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness (All Souls Book 4)
4/5 Stars
As far as I can tell, Deborah Harkness’ All Souls series was meant to be a trilogy (earlier printings say that it is a trilogy, the show references a trilogy). So this book and the fifth book (below) feel a little like bonus content to the earlier series. That is, they’re more stand-alone, less focused on Diana and Matthew as a couple and more on the other characters or storylines in the series.
This particular book, Time’s Convert, follows Marcus and Phoebe’s storyline and relationship, giving insight into how Matthew met his adopted son. This book reminded me the most of the Outlander series, largely because of Marcus’ ties to the American Revolution, which are discussed in detail. So if you like Outlander, you’re really going to like this installment of the series. I gave it a 4 because I prefer Matthew and Diana’s storylines, but it was still great.
Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness is available from Amazon here.
The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness (All Souls Book 5)
5/5 Stars
This book picks Diana Bishop’s story up again, as she comes into contact with a lost part of her family: the Proctor family. Here, Diana is faced with her family’s dark past — and dark magic — and has to learn how to handle her powers above and beyond anything she’s done in the first four books of the series. This book is an interesting departure from the earlier series installments, because it is truly about Diana. Matthew is present, and there is Congregation drama, but the majority is strictly about Diana and her magic. All in all, it was pretty interesting both structurally and in terms of the All Souls storylines.
The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness is available from Amazon here.
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
5/5 Stars
This myth retelling is currently free to read with Kindle Unlimited and I truly loved it! I’ve enjoyed a few Natalie Haynes books before and this is quickly becoming my favorite of hers. A Thousand Ships follows the women of the Trojan War – the Trojan women defeated in the war, the Amazon princess who challenged Achilles, Penelope as she waits on Ithaca, and more.
It tells so many stories without feeling disjointed, and the attention to historical and mythological detail plus the bits of humor (the sarcasm/dark humor of Penelope) is fantastic. Check it out!
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes is available from Amazon here.
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
5/5 Stars
A dual-narrative historical fiction novel, The Stolen Queen tells the story of Charlotte Cross, an anthropology student who becomes fascinated by the ancient Egyptian queen Hathorkare. The story shifts between Charlotte’s current life as an associate curator at the Met in NYC and her time in Egypt. Her story runs into that of Annie Jenkins, a young woman who suddenly finds herself assisting with the 1978 Met Gala. Together, the women are wrapped up in a heist of artifacts stolen from the museum. The story was engaging and really comes together about halfway through, though I was a little confused for a while to start. In all, it is an interesting take on Egyptian historical fiction.
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis is available for pre-sale from Amazon here.
Bookish Essentials for Readers
A Wild and Heavenly Place by Robin Oliveira
3/5 Stars
I was really excited about this book because I thought more of it took place in Scotland, but it is really about the birth and development of the American Pacific Northwest. A sort of star-crossed-lovers story, the boy who has nothing follows the girl whose family lost everything, traveling from Scotland to America. In all, the story is engaging and the depth of the characters is notable, even if a number of them are pretty frustrating and grating. I listened to the audiobook and did not care for the narration. I’d recommend checking it out as a regular book instead.
A Wild and Heavenly Place by Robin Oliveira is available from Amazon here.
Everything is Poison by Joy McCullogh
4/5 Stars
For fans of a good historical mystery, Everything is Poison is a must-read. Based on the enigmatic apothecary, Giulia Tofana, this novel follows her daughter as she embarks on her own healing practice. Learning at the hands of her mother — and in skeptical awe of the mysterious Aqua Tofana poison she concocted — Carmela Tofana is forced to grow up quickly when attention is turned to the shop’s more secretive activities.
Everything is Poison by Joy McCullogh is available for pre-oder from Amazon here.
Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
5/5 Stars
Following Alexandra Kiley’s Kilt Trip, this book tells the story of Jack Sutherland (brother of the male protagonist in Kilt Trip — I am really loving these little book universes!) and Brooke Sinclair, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies who went to the University of Edinburgh together. The book picks up seven years after their relationship bottomed out and Brook’s life path of promising author took a drastic turn for the worst. Paired up on an important project for someone they both care about (his aunt, her mentor), Brooke and Jack are forced to traverse the rugged Skye Trail for the sake of the memoir they’re both working on. Forced proximity ensues, along with delightful descriptions of Scotland, and a number of insightful lines about how life doesn’t exactly go as planned.
As much as I enjoyed Kilt Trip, Scot and Bothered is definitely my favorite of the two. And that’s saying something, because I truly enjoyed the former! Brooke’s struggles with her own writing and creativity (and the nuanced insights Kiley sprinkles in throughout) definitely hit home with me, making it a deeper reading experience. Really, it makes me even more excited to follow Kiley’s writing and see what she creates next!
Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is available from Amazon here.
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
4/5 Stars
For fans of The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is a winding mystery around the death of the protagonist’s twin brother. James Golden returns to her home town following her brother Johnny’s death, looking for answers about what truly happened to him. The small, secluded town of Six Rivers takes on its own role as character in the story, with plenty of small-town quirks and characters with questionable motives. The writing is atmospheric, as the summary describes, and the audiobook was really enjoyable to listen to.
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is available from Amazon here.
Shop the Books Featured In This Post
What have you been reading lately?
Share your favorites in the comments so I can add them to my TBR pile!
Still searching for your next favorite read?
Check out my November reading journal for more great titles for your TBR!
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*Some of the novels featured here were gifted to me as part of various book review programs that Cats & Coffee is a part of.
