Books of December 2022
December was a big month for me - the culmination of a lot of major goals, some big decisions about the future, my birthday, the holidays, and of course, New Years, and everything that means for me, my business, + my clients.
Normally, that wouldn’t deter me from reading anything and everything, but this month, I had a hard time getting through just about everything I picked up to read. I think I started and gave up on as many books as I started and finished. Whether that’s because of the revelations I had towards the end of last month, the mediocre books I turned to, the time of year (when I normally resort to re-reading), or something else entirely, I have no idea. But it certainly has nothing to do with the books that I did start and finish, for most of them weren’t my new favorites either.
Although I gave up on plenty, I still got through 13 books in December:
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't - 3 Stars. This is the only book that I read for school that I counted as part of my “reading” for the year - partly because it was the only one that wasn’t actually a textbook and partly because I read it much more from my perspective as a business owner than as a student. There are a lot of interesting principles throughout, although what struck me most significantly was how many “great” companies fly completely under the radar or have slipped from that designation in the years since this book was written. That does nothing to undermine the principles on which the theory is based, but does speak to the transience and endurance (or lack thereof) of such a moniker.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham - 3 Stars. Since early in the month I went to a Christmas play based on the Jane Austen world (not something she wrote, utilizing her characters), it only felt fitting that I turn to this book on my reading list with a similar approach. I haven’t read all of Jane Austen’s works, just her better-known novels, so I don’t doubt that additional nuance could have been gained if I started with a wider breadth of understanding. I enjoyed the story and did not expect the ending, but I found the journey to get there to be more than a bit tedious and definitely longer than was necessary. The two characters who emerge at the center of the story, while certainly distinct and well-written, did not particularly resonate with me. And although the ending of the book seemed to imply the potential for more to be written in this universe, I do not think that I will be reading them.
The Godmother: Murder, Vengeance, and the Bloody Struggle of Mafia Women - 3 Stars. I came across this book a few months ago and it instantly flew to the top of my to-read list. Although overall slightly less interesting than I’d hoped, and with a predominant focus on a few women within the titular category, I still learned a lot and enjoyed the read. I most appreciated the coverage of the perspective of the group on women in general, and wives in particular, and the role that they have played in the continuance of the organization, something which only seems to continue to grow. Since most of the mafia-related books I have read have centered so heavily on men, the title and the topic did a great job highlighting the other perspective.
All I Want for Christmas - 3 Stars. I wanted a fun, sweet, Christmas read, and after starting a few that fell flat, this one held my attention long enough for me to see it through to the end. I was doubtful at first, however, since country music is definitely not my jam, so a story set in that world did not feel particularly compelling. However, while it was well-written and engaging, it also had only semi-realistic characters, a few (pretty predictable) twists, a back-and-forth that went back-and-forth just a bit too long, and a saccharine sweetness befitting both the season and the genre.
Running Blind - 4 Stars. Returning to early in the Jack Reacher series, I finally found one that stood out more than most of the others that I have read for quite some time. Although there were several elements of the story early on that felt significantly out of character, for the most part, the character acts in his characteristic fashion. The way that he gets roped into the story isn’t entirely unusual, but it was different enough to catch my attention as he works alongside law enforcement (for the most part) to catch the bad guy. I had my suspicions as to who that was, and I turned out to be right, although several elements of the conclusion were still a surprise (and not all in a positive way). A lot of these stories are pretty localized, but this one kept the characters on the road, and my attention hooked, until the very end.
The Last Invitation - 3 Stars. I was skeptical about this one going in, as it is pretty evident from the first page a lot of what is to come. Since much of the trajectory becomes clear early on, I appreciated the few elements of surprise that emerged from unexpected places. Neither of the main women in the story are particularly salient role models, and I rarely enjoy shifting perspectives, but both were distinct and well-written, and they could be separately understood, even once you learn that they know and hate each other. The big twist at the end was totally predictable, but the fact that I got that far says at least something about the story, I guess.
Stay Awake - 3 Stars. Since the main character has no idea what is going on for most of this book, it is unsurprising that the reader doesn’t either. Flipping between time periods often drives me crazy, but in a book where the protagonist only remembers part of their history, it is necessary. The book tries harder than most to create some red herrings, but ultimately, the ending is not that unpredictable. Also, the transience of some of the characters, both in the present and in flashbacks of the past, means that they lack any real depth. In addition to the flipping between time periods, the book also flips to the perspective of the detectives working to solve the case, which I found less frustrating than in other books. They weren’t the most engaging characters, but they moved the story along and, of course, helped to save the day.
Girl, Forgotten - 3 Stars. I started this book thinking that I had enjoyed other thrillers by this author, but I quickly realized that the only other book I’d read by Karin Slaughter was one that I didn’t really like, and that actually spurred long rants to the only other person I’d known who read it. I persevered, however, and did like this one a bit better, although I did still consider putting it down at several points throughout. It wasn’t until the end that I realized it was actually the sequel to the other book I’d read and that these were the same characters (it was definitely written like you were starting in the middle of the story, but I still never connected it back to the other book). I did read that one quite a while ago, and had I realized they were part of the same series, I probably wouldn't have read this one. This book had an interesting and unexpected story, with plenty of dark elements, while still managing to have a satisfactory and (mostly) happy ending. So, it meets most of what I am looking for in a thriller, even if it still stays definitively in the 3-star category.
The Sanatorium - 3 Stars. This book has been on my list for a long time, and I’m not quite sure what drew me to finally pick it up, but I did. It reminded me quite a bit of One by One (and not just because of the setting), and I had similar feelings about this book. While it was good, it didn’t really stand out, and even though it did have some unexpected elements, they didn’t contribute significantly to my enjoyment of the story.
When a Killer Calls: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town - 3 Stars. It has been a few months since I read a John Douglas book, but delving deeply into a case, from his perspective, was a nice change of pace. I was pretty familiar with the facts and circumstances of this case since it has been covered pretty heavily in some of his other books, and I didn’t feel like the additional detail provided in this book added that much to my understanding. However, it was well presented and thorough, and despite the heartbreaking circumstances, it was nice to see the criminal justice system operating well and with great success.
Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less - 3 Stars. I will admit that I probably wouldn’t have read (or at least, finished) this book if it was any longer than it was, but fortunately, the authors of the book stuck to the principles that they were trying to convey by keeping the subject matter as brief as possible. Although I don’t consider myself to be overly loquacious, the book did have some good reminders, particularly for being a business owner, much like Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't, which I also read this month. Since I focused so heavily on other topics in school the rest of the year, it was nice to end the year with some attention to my other enterprises.
Daisy Darker - 4 Stars. Although elements of this book reminded me of most of the other thrillers I have read this year, this one did have some unique aspects, and it was incredibly well-written. I found myself re-reading particular lines or passages several times when they struck me to allow them to fully sink in. Additionally, the depiction of family dynamics, while far from happy, was particularly resonant. While some of the surprises were totally expected, one in particular totally shocked me and made me want to read the whole book over again - something that I rarely feel, but that, in this case, was truly justified. I didn’t love the other Alice Feeney book I read this year, but I did finish it, and this one far surpassed it in my estimation. It was nice to be surprised by an author and reminded not to judge a writer based merely on one work (although, as at least one other book this month indicated, sometimes that is warranted).
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun - Reread. At the end of the year, I always read this book as I reflect on the year coming to an end and in anticipation of the one that is about to begin. Every year I take away something different, and this year as I approach a year that I plan to dedicate to fun (that’s a preview of my word for next year), I read the book with that in mind. It was discussed much more heavily than I remembered and caused me to begin to consider what emotions I associate with fun, as well as the relationship between fun and happiness. Also, the ideas of resolutions, as put forward in the book, struck me anew and only reinforced my love for them. I’m excited to see who I have become and what I will have accomplished when I return to the book at the end of next year, but in the meantime, this book gave me the jolt of excitement I needed to start the new year off right.
Particularly as I was finishing up my graduate program this month, I had a difficult time getting into any other books, so for a while, I thought I might dedicate the month to just reading thrillers - things always feel nicer and more official when you give it a particular designation. But upon reflection, I realized that I had already finished some nonfiction earlier in the month, and by the end of the month, I had come back around to such books.
This month was a good summary of the rest of the year - fiction, nonfiction, okay books, good books, 3-star books, 4-star books, and a rare re-read. I’m excited to continue to perpetuate a similar trajectory in the new year, but hopefully with truly great books making a more frequent appearance.
Until next time,