Our snow is gone (for now) and has been replaced with nonstop rain.  The days are shorter and darker…and I, for one, am totally fine with that.  This is the time of year I go into my hibernation mode, pulling out the warm blankets and curling up on the couch with big mugs of tea (or hot chocolate, especially my favorite, which blends powdered cocoa with ginger and turmeric.  So yummy!).

I’ve also been catching up on my 2022 reading lists as well as binging some television shows and movies I’ve been meaning to get to but kept pushing aside.  This week promises to be relatively quiet, with next week getting a bit busier with last-minute holiday baking and preparations (thankfully with only the three of us, there’s not a lot to prep).  After the flurry of Christmas and New Year’s, it will be back to hibernation mode for me, until I start complaining about the dark and dreary days in late January, haha!

The Week in Books

The Guardian’s Christmas Confession by P.L. Klein — 4 out of 5 stars

One of my December selections.  On D-Day, a medic named Gabriel is mortally wounded, dying alone on Omaha Beach.  In the afterlife, he becomes a Guardian, helping the dying to transition to their afterlives, ensuring they don’t die alone.  After seventy-five years, an encounter with a dying priest will completely change everything.     If you like heart-warming holiday stories like It’s a Wonderful Life, then be sure to check this novella out.  Some of the subject matter is a bit depressing, but overall I liked it and would recommend it for a more serious holiday read (and the ending even made my little dark heart open up a little bit).

Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

Juni and her two sisters are all set to open their new shop, Sip and Spin Records, when a local is found murdered in their storage room.  Their uncle is the prime suspect.  But in a small town like Cedar River, where everybody knows everybody, how long can the real killer stay hidden?    What a fun start to a new series!  I really enjoyed this one, from the cast of characters to the mystery itself.  Hits all the “cozy checkpoints” without being overly obvious.  I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane — 3 out of 5 stars

Former journalist Rachel has become a shut-in, almost a shell of her former self.  But with a seemingly perfect husband, she begins to overcome her fears, only to discover secrets that have her questioning her own sanity.  Not one of my favorite stories from Lehane, but had some decent thriller elements.  I do agree with other reviewers that this seemed like two or three different story ideas that the author mashed together to make one novel.  If you’re new to Lehane’s work, I suggest starting with Mystic River or Shutter Island.

---

Stay safe and Happy Reading!