December was definitely one of my slower reading months. I intended to read a lot while I was taking time off, but honestly, I found that I just really needed time to decompress and ended up watching a lot of Netflix/Hulu/HBO. I still read a few books, though, and I’m not upset about it at all. Now I can start the new year refreshed.

So, here’s what I read over the past month.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
This was such a cute, fun book about two people who get to know each other through text message (and become each other’s “emergency contact,” hence the name of the book). It’s not super deep, but I really enjoyed it. I probably related to the main character as someone who feels wittier over text messages versus in the moment in real life!

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
I absolutely LOVED this book. It takes place over a few different decades, and different points-of-view, but the central storyline focuses on two young adults in Iran. It was sad at points, but so beautiful. It had been sitting in my Nook app for a while, actually, and I’m so so glad that I decided to give it a try.

More Miracle than Bird by Alice Miller
This one was not my favorite. It wasn’t bad, by any means, but when I picked it out I didn’t realize that it was loosely based on the real life wife of W.B. Yeats. There was a minor plot point about a soldier who feels he’d be worthless if his legs had to be amputated, and reading something like that always just takes me out of the story.

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
This was a really fun read! It’s by the same author who wrote One of Us is Lying, but I actually enjoyed The Cousins a lot more. The story is about a trio of cousins who have been invited to stay/work at the resort owned by their grandmother, who they’ve never met. While they’re there, they get to know each other and try to learn about the mysteries surrounding their family. It’s suspenseful, but not stressful or psychological – I liked it!