Following on from my favourite books of the year post – is my December reads. December is a funny old month – it seems to fly by, and famously January goes on for ever. I had an ok reading month – which definitely could have been a lot better as I had some lovely time off work over Christmas – but I seem to have been watching a lot of box sets instead. I also have a bit of a hangover from December to January in terms of reviews still needing to be written.
Oddly, my fickle mood has extended to blogging and I found myself reviewing out of order – so some books I read three weeks ago have still not been written about. Now I am wondering whether I should just break my own rule about reviewing everything – or do one big post of mini reviews – I’ll see how I feel in the coming days.
December began with me reading Watson’s Apology by Beryl Bainbridge (1984) – which was fantastic for two thirds of the book then went a little flat. That is always so disappointing, she is a great writer, however.
Next up was China Court by Rumer Godden (1961), which I read for Rumer Godden reading week. It was absolutely brilliant – I loved the way she was able to weave the story of several generations together so seamlessly. Oddly, I still haven’t reviewed this yet – and I really wanted to. I will try to pull something together in the next couple of days.
Read on my kindle was Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2020) which has been loved by so many readers and featured on the BBC book programme Between the Covers. A pitch perfect little novella – it’s another I still need to review.
Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer (1944) was a BLCC sent to me quite recently. It seemed perfect for December – and is entertaining in a number of ways. Overall though, it didn’t quite hit the spot for me, but does contain all the ingredients for a great festive mystery.
The Amazing Mr Blunden by Antonia Barber (1969) a modern children’s classic Virago sent to me for review. A ghost story with a time travelling twist, and a very satisfying ending, although not a Christmas story, it was somehow perfect for this time of year.
Another book that was absolutely perfect for this time of year, The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons (1970) – and it ended up featuring on my favourite books of the year list. Just a delight from start to finish. I must read more by Stella Gibbons soon.
Which Way? By Theodora Benson (1931) was the last book of the current BLWW list to read. A couple of their recent publications I have read before in other editions so may well reread – but I now have them all looking pretty together on the shelf. This was an experimental 1930s time slip novel – and I enjoyed it much more than I expected (I generally dislike time slip). An unusual little novel which I recommend.
A Song Flung up to Heaven by Maya Angelou (2002) the sixth of the Angelou autobiographies, I only have the final book and some poetry from this boxset collection to go now. It was a quick read, but it’s always entertaining and revealing to read about the life of this incredible woman.
The book I started next; I am still reading on the 1st of January so that can be my first book of 2022.
As January begins my tbr is looking like it wants to burrow into the flat next door. I have books I bought with Christmas book tokens arriving on Tuesday, and no idea where in the tbr they’ll go. I could sit here, and promise that by December I will have got on top of this chaos, but nobody, particularly me believes that. I would like to improve the situation, but I am hopeless at not acquiring books.
Christmas yielded some marvellous books – as well as book tokens.
My Birmingham bookcrossing secret Santa came up trumps with books by wonderful writers, all from my wish list. We opened our gifts over zoom a few days before Christmas.
Double Vision by Pat Barker
Good Bones by Margaret Atwood
The Tent by Margaret Atwood
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
The Public Image by Muriel Spark – a massive thank you to Sian.
Five Persephone books from family:
The Deepening Stream by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
One Woman’s Year by Stella Martin Currey
Random Commentary by Dorothy Whipple
Round About A Pound A Week by Maud Pember Reeves
A Woman’s Place 1910 – 1975 by Ruth Adam
Vivian by Christina Hesselholdt from Jacquiwine
Summerwater by Sarah Moss and Shuggie Bain from my friend Gill.
Kaggsy sent me a gorgeous little pairing – The Christmas Dinner a Washington Irving short story from Renard Press – such pretty little editions and Holly and Ivy a Christmas story from poet Sean O’Brien published by Candlestick Press.
So, no wonder the tbr cupboard is feeling the strain.
At the time of writing, I don’t have any major reading plans for 2022 – I will join in the challenges I usually do – and I am fairly certain that I will host Daphne du Maurier reading week again in May. Other than that, with fickle being my middle name these days, I will be reading very much according to mood.
Now I just need to catch up with my reviewing.
heavenali 
Those are some lovely Christmas presents. Hope you enjoy them all🙂
I’m looking forward to Daphne du Maurier week!
Thank you. Glad you’re keen to join in with Daphne du Maurier reading week.
I enjoyed it very much last year, and there are plenty of unread DDMs which I want to pick up including Branwell Bronte
Lovely presents Ali!
I also want to get on top of my TBR in 2022 – never going to happen… 😀
Ha, I keep seeing tweets with the hashtag #beatthebacklog and it makes me laugh. I might be past help.
Such lovely bookish presents! I read A Christmas Dinner after Karen reviewed it and found it good! Here’s hoping for a happy, healthy and bookish 2022 for you!
I was very lucky. Glad you enjoyed A Christmas Dinner. Happy reading to you too.
What a great Christmas book haul. I remember Round About a Pound a Week. Quite an eye-opener. As for the TBR, just remember what excellent insulation books provide!
I have been meaning to read Round About A Pound a week for a long time. I think I will find it fascinating.
You’ve trained your family well – those Persephones look wonderful! I’m in the same quandry as you – do I battle through and get the review backlog cleared one at a time or just go for a round up.
I’ve only really trained them to not buy me anything that isn’t on a list I provide them with.
A lovely selection of gifts, Ali – you did very well with books for Christmas! Of your December reads, the Stella Gibbons and Mr Blunden really appeal. And I also took the plunge and read Small Things Like these recently – such an affecting book, perfectly formed.
Yes, I did do well over Christmas. The Stella Gibbons was such a joy for me, I would hope that you might enjoy it too.
Well, you had a really good reading month, Ali, and I’m interested in your response to “Which Way?” because I’m keen to get onto that one. And what lovely arrivals you’ve had – I’m not surprising the TBR is taking over! Mine is pretty much the same and even though I’ve filled two boxes of books to be donated, it doesn’t seem to have helped much… Happy reading in 2022!!
I would love to hear what you think of Which Way? It’s a really inventive little novel. It always seems so hard to make a sizable dent in the piles doesn’t it? I got rid of loads before moving, which it really just as well.
Love that your family went all Persephone! Your TBR cupboard looks to me like the wardrobe in the Narina books, an entrance into a magical place, enjoy your January reading!
My family were provided with lists. My tbr cupboard is a kind of literary Narnia I suppose, I rather like that idea.
I just discovered Rumer Godden (through Brona’s reading week) and will add China Court to my list for next time. It looks like you had a good book month in December!
Glad you have discovered Rumer Godden, she wrote some excellent novels. I hope you enjoy China Court when you get to it.
Thanks for your year of reviewing. I rarely comment (*never* comment!) but look forward to your reviews each week. I’ve certainly discovered some good books through you, so thank you. Enjoy 2022 and your reading – as I also certainly plan to. All the best.
Well thank you for commenting this time. Glad to have been able to recommend some books to you.
Lovely presents and I’ll look forward to seeing what you get with your book tokens (I’ll be saving mine up to the summer, of course). Ah well, there are worse things to have bursting out of a cupboard, right? MONSTERS! etc.
Ha ha, well yes monsters would definitely be worse.
My books should be arriving tomorrow if the email from Royal mail is to be believed. So, I will send you a pic/post the new arrivals on Twitter when they are all here.
What a sumptuous post! You’ve got so many new book-friends to play with now. I especially like how, in the collage image, the central photos look like they are teetering. That’s just how it feels when one’s staring at the TBR sometimes, like it’s about to tumble any second.
Thank you 😊. My tbr is definitely teetering.