December 2015 in Reflection - Best & Worst Reads

[MountainKat, Moderator]

It's a New Year and we are going to start something not so new! Each month we hope you will join in as we reflect on the best and worst of the previous month's books. I know I can get so focused on what is next that I forget about all the wonderful books I read for the previous month's challenges! Did you find some gems? DNF a few? Find your new book boyfriend or a heroine who personifies TSTL? Come on, we all want to know!

[MountainKat, Moderator]

I'll go first - by far, the best book I read in December was Dead By Midnight: An I-Team Christmas by Pamela Clare! It was amazing! I don't know know how she managed to include everyone in an important way, but she did. It was intense and still have some smexy times - just perfect! This was followed by Thea Harrison's books - Shadow's End, Dragos Goes to Washington and Pia Does Hollywood. I love this series and these were all great! I am waiting for the audio of Liam's book to come out before I read/listen to that one because the audios for this series are great!

I read a whole bunch of other books that were really good, but no real clunkers. The closest would probably be a reread, actually relisten, of Blame It on the Mistletoe by Eli Easton. The book is actually good, but I had issues with the narration and if I had read my review from last year I could have avoided listening again, but I didn't. Oh well, I still liked the story. =)

[Breann]

Hmm.... I read a couple really great ones recently, so it's hard to look past those.

Something Like Stories: Volume One was amazing. I love all things Jay Bell, but he really hit it out of the park with this anthology. Each story was different and we got some different POV's.

I also recently read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda which I ADORED. It was funny and adorable and heartwarming. I love a good YA and this one was perfect.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

I have Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I guess it needs to be bumped up the list.

[~KarenH~, Moderator]

MountainKat wrote: "I have Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I guess it needs to be bumped up the list."

It really was good, Kat, even for those of us who aren't big fans of YA in general. If nothing else, keep it in mind for the next time you need a YA book for a challenge! =P

Like Kat, my favorite book for the month, head and shoulders above the rest, was Dead By Midnight: An I-Team Christmas. Such intensity, and knuckle-biting suspense, and a wonderful peek into the lives of all of our favorites characters, too!

I didn't have any real clunkers for the month, but a few that were just kind of ok...quite possibly just not the right book at the right time: Romancing the Duke, Glutton for Pleasure and Grumble Monkey and the Department Store Elf. I'd be fine reading more by any of the authors, give them another chance, but not rushing out to do so!

[SweetSue]

I'm reading from the library right now, so not too many new books. Best book for December was After the Night by Linda Howard. She is so amazing! I have also been reading the I-Team series but haven't gotten to Dead by Midnight yet.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Any I-Team book would rate high in a month for me! And her historicals are pretty awesome too! I'm a fan, what can I say! =)

[Becky]

I read a couple of good ones last month. Probably my favorite was Maelstrom by Jordan L. Hawk- this is a fantastic series that just keeps getting better. I also enjoyed Winter Wonderland by Heidi Cullinan and Winter Ball by Amy Lane. The only thing I read that I didn't really care for was The Guardian Angel of South Beach. Some of that was probably expectations. I thought it was going to be a romance, and mostly it was a cheesy excuse for lots of sex with different people. The main character spends most of the book wishing he could find someone special, and the whole time there's an obvious love interest that he keeps tripping over but never seems smart enough to realize until the very end.

[Skandia]

I had a really good reading month in December. I don't think I have ever read so many 5 stars books in month.

Of course my very favorites were two books by Laini Taylor -
She really tells stories like no one else!
Maybe the biggest surprise was a Christmas holiday romance set in New Zealand Great characters, good humor, amazing setting. Loved everything about it!
Other 5 stars reads:

Only book I really didn't care about was by Abbi Glines. Her writing style drives me crazy with it's long repetitive babble and all the angst.

[Connie N.]

I'm still reveling in the In Death series by J.D. Robb, having discovered it on audio this year. I enjoyed Ceremony in Death and Vengeance in Death in December. Just finished Holiday in Death and will quickly listen to Midnight in Death while the holiday season is still fresh in my mind. These books just keep getting better. And I'm so glad there are many more in this series to enjoy.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

I love the In Death series in audio! Overtime I start one I just know I'm in for a good listen so I just sit back, relax and enjoy!

[Anita Reads]

I didn't read a lot in December, but the best of the 5 books I did manage to finish was probably Spider’s Revenge by Jennifer Estep. I'm really enjoying this series.

My least favorite read was (without it being bad, I may add - gave it 3.5 stars) was Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett I'll still continue the series, and there was a lot of good things in the book.