December Reading Wrap Up

As I was sick in December and through the start of January, I am a little behind with my reading update and reviews. Okay, okay. I'm A LOT behind. But I've been reading some fabulous books that I am no less excited to share.

All the ⭐️🌟✨💫🌠

The Snowstorm by Beryl Netherclift*

I have been wanting to read this book for ages and it did not disappoint. As it is set in January, I am seriously considering reading this one again soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys children's adventure stories, time slip novels, old houses, and snowstorms! This just might make my top ten list of 2023.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Shining like a bright light wherever she goes, Anne is touching and whimsical. She is also cursed with getting herself into scrapes! This is a lovely, heart wrenching book that I would not recommend reading on the train unless you're extremely comfortable with crying in public. This is one children's book that stands up to rereading as an adult.

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther*

Made up of slice of life episodes that were originally published in The Times, this one is simply a delight! It starts in October and ends on 25 September 1939. My only regret is that I didn't savour this one more. The articles are like potato chips and I finished the entire bag in a couple of sittings. No matter! I will most certainly be rereading this one in the future.

5 ⭐️

Christmas at Fairacre by Miss Read

This is an omnibus containing novels from Miss Read's Fairacre series, The Christmas Mouse and No Holly for Miss Quinn, as well as the short story, "Christmas at Fairacre School". If you like sweet and cosy stories where nothing bad happens, then Miss Read has got you covered. These are stories for when you are feeling a bit fragile and need nurturing. I try to reread this book every December.

Cherry Ames, Student Nurse by Helen Wells

Cherry Ames has dreamed of becoming a nurse. She is certain it is her calling, but does she have what it takes to withstand the training? Will she get her cap at the end of probation or will she be asked to leave? I'm not going to lie to you. This one made me cry. I suspect I'm growing soft in my old age! 

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

This book is funny and delightful. Full of the delicious flights of fancy that readers of the first book in the series, Anne of Green Gables, will recognize and love. For me, this book has less raw emotion compared to Anne of Green Gables, but it makes for a more comfortable reading experience. I had not read this one since I was a child, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it stands up to my memory of it.

Christmas with Rosamunde Pilcher by Rosamunde Pilcher, Andreas von Einsiedler (Photographer), Siv Bublitz (Editor)

This is a lovely book containing photographs of the writer, Rosamunde Pilcher, and her family at her home in Scotland at Christmas. She shares her favourite Christmas memories, family traditions, and recipes. It also contains one of my favourite short stories by her, "Miss Cameron at Christmas". I have borrowed this book from my library every December for the last three years. I really ought to find myself a copy, because the month wouldn't be the same without a reread of this lovely book.

Peter's Room by Antonia Forest

This is the fifth book in Antonia Forest's Marlow series. In part, these books are boarding school stories, but unlike many books from that genre, we also get to see the children at home. In this one, it is the start of the Christmas holidays and the entirety of the book takes place before the children go back to school. 

Peter Marlow clears out a disused outbuilding and claims it as his own, but the building looks pretty appealing to a few of the other children too. Soon, the twins, Nicola and Lawrie, along with Ginty, and their neighbour, Patrick Merrick, are all spending time there. Ginty, who has been studying the Brontës at school, is fascinated by Gondal, the make-believe land the Brontës created. When she suggests they create a Gondal of their own, some of the children are more game than others to play along. But before long their make-believe world begins to blur the lines of reality. 

Although, it is set over the Christmas holidays, this is not a Christmas book. Which is fine with me, as it does not claim to be. I have to admit, when I realized that full chapters were taken up with the story the children are telling themselves, I was a little worried it would get boring. Let me tell you, I was not bored in the least! This book has such an odd (not to mention, a bit unlikely) premise, but Antonia Forest makes it work. I should have know she would! Highly recommend!

4.5 ⭐️

Mistletoe Malice by Kathleen Farrell

A dysfunctional family congregated over Christmas at the matriarchal home. Starting the day before Christmas, and set over four days, tensions rise as the festivities reach their climax.

I rarely read book summaries before diving into a book, so I did not read the summary through to the end before starting this book. Thankfully, that meant I didn't going into this one with the expectation that a Christmas tree would explode only to be disappointed, like a lot of readers were. 

It also didn't remind me of Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles, which is referenced on the cover. And the comparison of Kathleen Farrell's writing to Elizabeth Taylor's, as it is on the back cover, creates unrealistic expectations, in my opinion.

However, I really enjoyed this book and I would love to read more of Kathleen Farrell's books. I would love it if Faber were to republish all of her books, because vintage copies are impossible to find online.

The only reason this wasn't a five star read for me is because there was a little too much exposition for my liking. I would have preferred some things to be left unsaid so I could come to my own conclusions. After a while I got used to the style, but I still would have liked to have gone through and given it a good edit. 

This is also not a cosy or particularly festive book. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read it in November, and then again in December and the writing style bothered me less with the second reading.

Country Chronicle by Gladys Taber*

This was my first Gladys Taber and it certainly will not be my last. This book journeys through the seasons at Gladys Taber's seventeenth century Connecticut farmhouse, Stillmeadow. The perfect balance of descriptions of the surrounding landscape, of the animals -- both domestic and wild -- and of her home. When I reached the end I had this incredible urge to immediately start over from the beginning. No doubt, I will be reading this one again soon.

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because there were a few instances where information was imparted as though it hadn't already been mentioned earlier. Of course, I'm fine when a topic is referred to a second time, but I would prefer that it was not treated as though it were new information. It gives one the unsettling feeling of déjà vu. 

Castle Deadly, Castle Deep by Veronica Bond

This is book two in Veronica Bond's series, A Dinner and A Murder Mystery. Set in the autumn, this is the perfect cosy mystery. There is a castle, a murder, the theatre world, kittens, lots of descriptions of delicious food and the autumnal landscape, not to mention, a lot of sweet characters. I would describe Veronica Bond's books as being a lovely mix of Nancy Drew and Miss Read. Julia Buckley is the writer behind the pseudonym Veronica Bond and I love the books she writes under her own name too, especially her Writer's Apprentice Mystery series. 

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

This book starts on Midwinter's Eve and I cannot think of a more haunting read for this time of year. It is the day before Will Staunton's birthday and his greatest wish is for it to snow. This will be a birthday that he will never forget.

The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because I found myself questioning the magic system around Will's quest. However, I would not take that as a reflection of the book, rather, on the fact that I rarely read fantasy books and sometimes struggle with suspending my disbelief.

I have to thank Liz (@pony.books) for letting me know that this book can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed this one so much that I plan to go back and start the series from the beginning.

4 ⭐️

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene, Mildred Wirt (Ghostwriter)

I will be reviewing this one soon, so I won't say too much about it here. It has got an old mansion in it, which the owners believe is haunted. I mean, what more could you want in a mystery book for children?

Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell

This is the ninth book in Angela Thirkell's Barsetshire series. Because I read a fair number of books that are out of print and thus harder to find, I have got into the habit of reading books as I acquire them, which means I frequently read series out of order. Thanks to Virago reprinting them, these books are in print, so there was no reason why I should have read book nine in this series when I had only previously read the first one, High Rising. 

There are so many character names to keep straight with this one that I was more than halfway through before I started enjoying myself. Needless to say, I plan to go back to the beginning and read this series in order. Despite my confusion with the characters, this book still managed to scrape by with a 4-star rating.

Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham by M.C. Beaton

The Agatha Raisin series is perfect for when you are ill or have very little bandwidth for reading. I have read the series through once in order and now I'm rereading the odd one as the urge strikes me. Agatha Raisin spends a lot of time getting her hair done in this one as an excuse to dig up the dirt on a hairdresser that seemed a little too good to be true, that is, right up until he died. Isn't it funny how death can change people?

I Visit the Soviets: The Provincial Lady in Russia by E.M. Delafield

About a year ago, Liz recommended this book to me and after rereading The Diary of a Provincial Lady back in November, I finally got myself a copy. I now understand why people say this book is not like E.M. Delafield's other Provincial Lady books.

In this book, she visits Russia after the Revolution while it is under Communism. It feels like even Delafield, with all of her sparking wit, has to work to find the humour in her experiences. There are funny moments, but it is not nearly as light as the first book in this series.

I also found the structure of the book to be a bit odd. The sections were not laid out in chronological order and I really think it would have worked better, and been less confusing, if they had been. 

As a note to anyone thinking of buying the same edition as mine: My copy is missing page 122. That is to say, the page is there but it is blank. It is the first page in a section called, "Margaret Was Right", so it is definitely not supposed to be blank! I'm waiting to hear back from the publisher and hoping they can replace my copy or send me the missing page. 

3 ⭐️

Winter Carnival by Francine Pascal*

When I was young, I read all of the Sweet Valley High books I could get my hands on. I loved reading about twin girls who could not be more different from each other.

It was very odd reading this one as an adult. I remember, I used to find Elizabeth a bit dull, while her sister Jessica was a lot more fun. But what struck me this time was how selfish Jessica is and how Elizabeth (and the rest of her family) simply allow Jessica to walk all over them. More worrying is that the lesson Elizabeth learns at the end is that she should forgive Jessica and be thankful she has a sister. Not a bad lesson to teach kids, but within the context of the story it seemed very misplaced.

There is also a dream sequence that goes on for more than a chapter. I remember reading that part as a kid and thinking that was just the sort of thing we were told not to do in creative writing. I am even more embarrassed than ever to admit how much I loved these books! 

Overall, I would say I had a very productive, and more importantly, enjoyable reading month. I usually read eight to ten books over the course of a month, but as I was sick and we did not have a lot on over the holidays, I had hours of free time to read. Bliss!

All of the books marked with an * were given to me by the lovely Gina (@babsbelovedbooks). Thank you so much, my friend! Like me, Gina rang in the New Year by starting a book blog! You can find her beautiful blog here. I am so excited for her!

Fingers crossed, I hope to have my first post for 56 Weeks with Nancy Drew up tomorrow.

How did your reading go in December? Did you read an old favourite or, perhaps, find a new one? Please, let me know in the comments. I would love to hear about what you have been reading!