December Reading Wrap-Up

 Hello, everyone! Happy New Year! I'm ready to leave 2020 behind and here's to a better year with 2021. I got a lot of reading done in the year 2020, but my year wrap-ups will be coming soon. Until then, here is all the books that I read in the last month of the year! I also did my first reading vlog on my YouTube channel where I talked about three books featured in Paperbacks from Hell. Please check it out (especially if you like long book videos/vlogs).

THE BOOKS:

 

Let's Go Play at the Adams' by Mendal W. Johnson- 4.5 stars This is the type of book that will stick with the reader for years. Most people hate the ending with a fiery passion, but I found the ending to be perfect. Check out my thoughts in my Paperback from Hell Reading Vlog.

 The Devil All the Time by Donal Ray Pollock- 5 stars WOW WOW WOW! I love this book so much and the movie is now one of my favorite films of all time. This is my type of story. Dark, connecting narratives, serial killers, introspective of God and prayer, tragedy, murder, and complex characters. It's a fantastic time.

The Auctioneer by Joan Samson- 4.25 stars I enjoyed the beginning of this greatly. There is a strong buildup, but the story feels like it goes on for far too long based off of the plot. I do highly recommend this one and it's great to read a novel that should've faded into obscurity, but is continuing to prove that its grit and message will always appeal to the American heart.

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampire by Grady Hendrix- 5 stars This was so much fun. I loved the concept. It was spooky and the commentary hit on a lot of different points. I also always enjoy Hendrix's tongue-in-cheek approach to horror.

After the Rain by Nnedi Okorafor and David Brame- 3.5 stars I love the concept and the story, but I wasn't a fan of the art. I had trouble with connecting to it visually. Netgalley ARC provided by Abrams Comics 

Black ≠ Inferior by Tolu' A. Akinyemi- 5 stars I thought this was a fantastic poetry collection about the Black experience and what it means to be Black. Netgalley ARC provided by author

Candy Hearts by Tommy Siegel- 5 stars I loved this so much. It's freaking candy hearts and I just love and adore these comic strips. It made me happy and I found myself giggling out loud multiple times. Netgalley ARC provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing

The Party by Christopher Pike- 1 star (reread) YIKES. This one did not live up to my memories and it was pretty horrible. Steeped in racial stereotypes as well as horrible misogynistic points of view towards and about females. This was a hot mess express and somehow I kept on the train and went to the second book. LOL It's not good, but it went by fast.

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff- 2 stars There is nothing to say about this book than extreme disappoint. I really enjoyed the beginning and I love the commentary, but this was not a hit. It reminded me of Lovecraft a little too much because while I often like his concepts I find his work to be tedious and quite uninspiring overall. Probably cause all his cosmic horror mumbo jumbo is just his ranting and ravings about Black people and other minority groups. Guy was on par with Hitler.

The Dance by Christopher Pike- 1.5 stars (reread) This one was better than the first one, but that isn't really saying a whole lot if we are being honest. It had promise and was more suspenseful, but the high school drama was SUFFOCATING. I teach high schoolers, so it was too much for me and I kept rolling my eyes.

The Girl Who Wasn't There by Penny Joelson- 3 stars This was a decent YA mystery, but it is not that good in comparison to ones like I Killed Zoe Spanos. I think the topic is really important and something young readers should be exposed to, so that's a huge plus for me. Netgalley ARC provided by Sourcebooks Fire

The Stars of History: Marilyn Monroe by Bernard Swysen and Paty Christian- 3 stars This was a decent graphic biopic, but I felt that too much of it was condensed into quick rapid fire scenes in a few panels while some parts of her history were too long. Also the continuous sexualization of her in this novel that the author chose to depict her felt kind of disrespectful. The text and even Marilyn loathed being used as just a sex icon, but this graphic novel does nothing but want to flash her naked body across a page and it's tasteless. Netgalley ARC provided by Europe Comics

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury- 4 stars (reread) This is third, fourth, and fifth reread because I taught this book to three classes. It's not my favorite, but the more I read it- the more I pick up. The problem is that this book relies on so many allusions that my kids don't understand even 1/4 of it. 

The Graduation by Christopher Pike- 2 stars (reread) This is the final book in the trilogy and I remember loving it as a kid, but it was so inconsistent to read as an adult. It's a huge letdown and so BLAH. This trilogy doesn't live up, but look at that banging Gothic and over the time romance Gothic cover.

Until the End by Christopher Pike- 1.5 stars (reread) for the entire Final Friends trilogy Do I recommend it? Nope. It doesn't hold up well at all. Pass this one up.

I Must Belong Somewhere by Dawn Lanuza- 3 stars This poetry collection is pretty decent. It's got some good poems, but it doesn't stick out and it's not memorable at all. Netgalley ARC provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing

Kingdom Come: Finding Holy in the Here and Now by Melissa Zaldivar- 3 stars I struggled with this one. I struggled to connect and to care to Zaldivar's writing. She would hit strong Biblical messages and then go on tangents about her own life for chapters afterwards and then sprinkle some more Bible and Scripture in. It was boring and it did next to nothing for me spiritually. Netgalley ARC provided by FaithWords

Burned by Ellen Hopkins- 5 stars (reread) This was one of my favorite books growing up and I was scared I wouldn't love it as much. I think I love it more as an adult. I understand the story from a different perspective and it leaves me breathless every time. THAT ENDING IS BRUTAL.

Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore- 2 stars DNF I didn't jive with this one. I DNFed it at chapter six and skipped to the end and I'm so glad that I did. It would've been such a waste of time if I had forced myself to continue reading this. Netgalley ARC provided by Delacorte Press

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins- 4.5 stars I am super happy that I finally got around to reading the sequel to Burned because it left so many questions from the ending with answers. This book is excellently done, but it doesn't hit as hard as its predecessor. However, it's a strong book and sequel. I'm glad I read it after wanting to since before it came out.

Garden of Truth by Ruth Chou Simons- 4 stars I bought this book for my birthday and picked it up the next day. It was exactly what I need spiritually and brought me a lot of comfort. Ruth Chou Simons has some of the best artwork and she is a stunning creator.

Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations That the Church Forgot by Mo Isom- 5 stars This was such a good book and I'm glad this was the book I ended my 2020 with. The topic was timely and I always appreciate Mo's teachings on the Gospel. I disagree with some of her viewpoints and the way one particular chapter was written, but this is a strong novel in the Christian nonfiction genre.

Overall Thoughts: I had a good reading month in December. There were some duds, but there were a lot of really good ones and some favorites of the year that I'm glad I randomly picked up. Here are my 5-star reads:

6. Candy Hearts

5. Black ≠ Inferior

4. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampire

3. Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot

2. Burned

1. The Devil All the Time

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 Challenge Tracker:

*2020 52 Owned Books TBR:

5/5 A Lineage of Grace books
Binti: Home
The Most Important Women of the Bible
Hidden Bodies 

Elevation
Bonhoeffer Abridged
Four Past Midnight 

Parable of the Talents 

Tuck Everlasting

Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations That the Church Forgot

10/52 (I did horrible with this challenge, I will conquer it in 2021!)

*Books That I Owned Before 2020 That I Read:

Binti: The Night Masquerade

The Beauty of the Cross

Twenty-Two

Uglies

Carrie

This is Not a Test

Becoming a Next-Level Prophet 

The Illustrated Man

*The Insanity of Sacrifice

Fahrenheit 451

Smoke

Total Combined with 52 Books: 20/52

*Audiobook TBR: 

We Are All Good People Here
Uglies 

Tuck Everlasting 

My Dark Vanessa

4/20

*5-star Predictions Tracking Progress:

Stop Calling Me Beautiful: 5 stars (reread)

The Wives: 1.5 stars
The Return: 4.5 stars
The Only Good Indians: 5 stars

Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot: 5 stars

5/20

*Series I Want to Read:
Binti: Home
Beneath the Sugar Sky

Binti: The Night Masquerade 

Authority
Hidden Bodies 
DEV1AT3 
In An Absent Dream

Parable of the Talents 

Juice Like Wounds 

Please Remain Calm 

Acceptance 

The Wide Window 

The Miserable Mill 

The Austere Academy

 Killer's Kiss

You May Now Kill the Bride

The Wrong Girl

The Lost Girl

Can You Keep a Secret?

The New Girl

The Surprise Party

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Overnight

Missing

The Elite

The One

The Ersatz Elevator

The Dance

The Graduation

Smoke
32/10

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CR in 2021:

    

                

BOOKS ON HOLD THAT I NEED TO FINISH:

             

ARCs Top Priority:

       

Audiobooks:

   

   

    

   

Ebook:

    

Books I Own:
I have a large list that I'm interested and I'm pretty much in a mood reading this month, so I don't want to put pressure on myself to pick a selection that I have to pick up.

What did you read in December? Did you end 2020 on a high note? Let me know what your favorites were down below in the comments!