I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! Ours was wonderful, full of sweet times with family, good food, and yes, I was gifted several books! Before I start thinking about reading those, though, I still have a few more of these review posts to cram in before the end of 2023…

Angela is a friend and fellow indie writer, and I’ve had the opportunity to produce several audiobooks for her and test read some of her work, so I was excited when she offered to give me this ebook after my first daughter was born. I was struggling at the time to find how writing would fit into my new life as a mother, and hoped this title would give me some insight.

I read it back then and it did indeed help spur some ideas on ways to work storytelling into my new, unpredictable schedule. So when I was struggling again after my third daughter was born, I decided to give it a re-read. And again, it helped spark a desire to make sure that I continue making writing part of my life and gave helpful tips on just how to do that. I highly recommend this one.

This was another one I found while wandering the local library, and of all the excellent books I picked up on that trip, this was my favorite. In fact, I loved it so much that this Christmas I both gifted it to a friend and requested my own copy on my Christmas list (my husband got it for me!).

It mostly consists of several book lists, recommendations in several different categories. These lists are bookended by ponderings on the nature of being a “book girl,” the value of reading and all the benefits it can bring. I was so impressed by the book that I decided to attempt to read every book she recommends, and I made it through quite a few in 2023. Another one I definitely recommend.

Book #12 in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series was again, better than many others in the series. The trope of someone waking up with amnesia and having to discover what happened and who and where they are and why has certainly been done many, many times, but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable when done well.

It also gave a nice twist to what had become a bit of a predictable routine in the series. It made the mystery more interesting than it would otherwise have been, and added a refreshingly new element to the relationship between the two main characters. Still not my favorite, but I liked it overall.

Daniel Schwabauer has long been one of my favorite authors, but even though I got this book for Christmas a few years back, I hadn’t gotten around to reading it. Once I finally did, it did not disappoint. It was intense and complicated, in a good way. The main character felt relatable and admirable. And the twist ending was the kind that made me want to immediately go back and re-read the story.

The only downside for me was that I struggled a little to understand what was happening and who all the characters were, but that often happens for me with more complex stories that are heavily reliant on action, since I can’t visualize things. And overall, it didn’t detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story. I’ll definitely revisit this one someday.

This was yet another random library find. I love reading grammar and usage books, and this was one of my favorites I’ve found so far. It was helpful, giving me several practical insights into punctuation and grammar that were useful in my writing. But it was also entertaining. I actually found myself laughing out loud more than once. This may be another one I’ll have to try to get my own copy of at some point.

There we go, five more! I have five more posts left, which means I’m going to have to really work to make it by New Year’s. Stay tuned to find out whether I can make it in time…