December Book Reviews

I deliberately picked out a lot of Christmas reads for December (in fact, I'd been saving them up over the summer), so there's a seasonal theme to many of these books. There also seemed to be a fair few Christmas freebies on the Kindle, particularly short stories, so I read somewhat outside of my usual genres this month. Of course, I also managed to fit in a couple of fantasy and sci-fi books, and one (wintery) murder.

The Makers of Light by Lynna Merrill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the second book in the "Masters That Be" series, and an excellent continuation. Like many fantasy series, this is more like reading sections of one long book than individual novels. Compared to the first book, this volume has slightly less focus on Linden and Rianor, and more on Dominick and Merley, but in terms of ideas there is a continued examination of science and religion, control and independence. And there's plenty going on, of course, which makes it a very quick and fun read.


Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This story was much shorter than most in this series, so there wasn't much complexity in the mystery, but it was an enjoyable - if simple - Christmas read. It's also absolutely packed with recipes (savoury as well as the usual cookies), but I don't know if I'll use any of them.


Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


One day, I accidentally gave myself something like migraine by running a command that caused huge amounts of data to scroll (very fast) on my computer terminal. It was a long file, and I was smart enough to look away after a few seconds, but for a couple of hours after I couldn't actually stand up straight. "Sounds like snow crash," said a sympathetic friend, and then he had to explain this book, and of course I had to read it. There's actually a lot more action (and swordfights) than you might expect from a book about a computer virus, and it's entertaining, but the style annoyed me a bit and the ending was a bit inconclusive, so overall I'm ambivalent. I enjoyed it, but probably not enough to reread.


Fear not by Anne Holt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a fairly tense mystery with a snowy Norwegian backdrop that's just perfect for this time of year. The themes, however, are grim and not at all merry - a good read, but by no means a light one. In the beginning the style felt a bit jumpy as the story moved between many viewpoint characters, but gradually the plot-lines started to converge and make sense as a coherent and satisfying whole.


Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I thought it would be fun to read some Christmassy books during December, and this one was in the Kindle sale, so I picked it up without any real idea of what to expect. It's a very sweet book, with an entertaining cast of characters snowed in at a country house, and I really enjoyed it (although the style bugged me a bit - too many exclamation marks! Everywhere!). And then, just as I was finishing it, I learnt that this is going to be one of my mum's PhD texts - I can't wait to hear what she has to say about it.


The Quaint Christmas by Darren Craske

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Although perfectly readable, this short story was really disappointing. Quaint is described as a witty and cunning man, and he sets out to con his way to some birds for Christmas dinner - but no detail is given as to how his plan is meant to unfold, and then the ending was rather sudden and unsatisfactory.


All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is a gentle Christmas romance, but it didn't really grab me; everything fell into place rather too easily. But then, it's also quite short, so I suppose that's understandable. A pleasant enough way to spend an evening, but not a favourite.


Six Geese a-Laying by Sophie Kinsella

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is a microscopic short story, that I grabbed as a seasonal freebie on Kindle. It takes place in an ante-natal class, filled with largely unlikeable characters who really need a bit of Christmas cheer.


A Winter's Tale by Trisha Ashley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I bought this because I enjoyed Trisha Ashley's Twelve Days of Christmas, and I think I'm spotting some common themes: country houses, enigmatic sculptors, and fiercely independent, slightly snappish heroines. In this book, Sophy inherits a large house with money problems, and sets about making it profitable, with help and hindrance from a variety of relatives and local characters. Great fun.


A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a very sweet, gentle story about an Amish girl who returns to her family after a period away, which she spent 'rebelling' by becoming a registered nurse. Although it's set around Christmas (as per the title), there wasn't a heavy emphasis on the time of year, but there was a great sense of Amish life as Annie tries to settle back into the ways of her community.

Draykon by Charlotte E. English

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a sweet fantasy novel with a pleasing mix of fantasy and adventure. For the most part, the book follows two characters: a young and anxious jeweller, Llandry, and a cynical High Summoner, Eva. When Llandry finds an unusual new gem - and Eva buys a piece of the resulting jewellery - they are both sucked into the mystery of where the stone has come from and why someone is prepared to kill for it. I love a good mystery, and I love a well-developed fantasy setting, and this book has both in spades. Definitely one of my favourite books of the year.


The Baby Trap by Sibel Hodge

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I suspect this is the perfect novel for someone who's struggling with infertility. Unfortunately, as I've never tried to get pregnant, I'm not immersed in that world and consequently spent a lot of this book feeling slightly sick at the descriptions of bodily functions and medical procedures. The story was sweet, and there were laugh-out-loud hilarious moments, but I just couldn't get past the "ick!" for long enough to love it.