Blogmas is BACK and Books I Read in November
Blogmas day 1
Happy December 1! I am so excited to share that Blogmas is BACK for the third year in a row. This year will look a bit different as I prepare to deliver my Baby Girl any day now (I’m still pregnant when I’m writing this).
In 2020 and 2021, I blogged every single day from December 1 - 25, but this year will be a modified version, which I’m calling The 12 Days of Blogmas! From now until December 12, I’ll be sharing a new blog post every single day complete with gift guides, Christmas bucket list ideas, organizational tips, and more. You won’t want to miss it!
Be sure to subscribe and come back for your daily cup of Christmas cheer, brought to you by your friendly neighborhood coffee addict (aka me). Each post will be published at 6AM so you can read it while sipping on your coffee at whatever time works best for you.
Today we’re kicking off Blogmas by recapping the books I read in November. Tomorrow will start the Christmas content, I promise!
Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, From Birth to Preschool — Emily Oster (4.5/5 stars)
My friend recommended this book and it took me a little bit to get through it. It’s definitely data-heavy, so it’s not “light reading” by any means. However, it’s packed with great information and food for thought.
The Last Mrs. Parrish — Liv Constantine (5/5 stars)
THIS BOOK. I couldn’t stop reading it and I have so many thoughts. I had heard great things and was hesitant to check it out in case it was overhyped, but it is definitely worth reading. There are a lot of trigger warnings so please take a look at those before reading, but it’s such a great thriller. Once you read it, let me know so we can discuss it!
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter — Margareta Magnusson (2/5 stars)
The title of this book caught my eye in Libby. It’s a quick read and a peculiar concept. Basically, it walks you through how to prepare/declutter your home and belongings for your death so your loved ones don’t have to sort through everything after you’re gone. I didn’t realize that’s what it was about going into it but it was a very interesting perspective. TL;DR: I wouldn’t recommend reading it.
The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel — Richard Paul Evans (2.5/5 stars)
This was a short read/listen, but a great story to get into the holiday spirit. It definitely gave off “cliche Hallmark Christmas movie” vibes, and I later found out that it actually has been made into a Hallmark Christmas movie! Alex, the main character, is looking for love and stumbles upon a mysterious woman’s blog while on dating apps. He falls in love with her writing and decides to go find her. It sounds like a creepy plot, but I promise it’s actually pretty cute. Cheesy = yes. Cute = absolutely.
The School for German Brides — Aimie K. Runyan (4/5 stars)
It took me a bit of time to get into this because the dialogue seemed forced/unnatural at times, which is why I gave it 4 stars and not a higher rating. However, I’m glad I stuck with it because I ended up really enjoying the characters and how the story ended. It swaps between two girls’ storylines: Hanna and Thilde. Although on paper, they live drastically different lives, they have more in common than they think. I definitely recommend this, especially if you enjoy WW2 historical fiction stories.