December 2023 Reading Recap

Okay, I went a little crazy with reading this month. Between audiobooks and a few days of vacation, I read way more books than I thought I would.

I got to read my first book by bell hooks. I read All About Love: New Visions. It was a really good book. There was a lot to think about. I listened to the audiobook but I’m glad that I own a print copy because I need to read it again with my eyes to process more of it.

I read Back In The Day by Katrina Jackson. Really enjoyed the story of a father telling a son about how he fell in love with his mother. Very sweet story. Also fairly spicy, which is to be expected from a book by Katrina Jackson.

I got into Christmas at the Gingerbread Inn by Michelle Stimpson. This is my third book I’ve read by this author and, like the others, I really enjoyed it. It was an Audible Original. It was sort of a second chance romance. It was a sweet read.

I read two books by Christina C Jones. Curiosity and Caution were paranormal romance tales. Dealing with Vampires this time. I know there is going to be a third book and I can’t wait to read it. The series has me captivated.

I read Hedge by Jane Delury. I had the pleasure of taking two of Jane’s classes while in graduate school. She was a great professor and I was excited to check out her book. It wasn’t what I was used to reading but I really enjoyed the story. The writing was great. I got attached to the characters.

I’ve had a copy of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev for quite a while. It is a thick book and I didn’t think I would get into it with my attention span. So I grabbed a copy of the audiobook. In three listening sessions (shifts at my second job) I was able to enjoy this book. It was a wonderful Austen retelling. I love the angle she took with it.

So, I became obsessed with Brenda Jackson’s Westmoreland Family and proceeded to read every single one of the books in the main series. I was on a mission. Here is a list of the books in the series. This is a link to find the books on Amazon.
Delaney’s Desert Sheikh
A Little Dare
Thorn’s Challenge
Corey’s Mountain
Stone Cold Surrender
Riding the Storm
Jared’s Counterfeit Fiancee
The Chase Is On
The Durango Affair
Ian’s Ultimate Gamble
Seduction, Westmoreland Style
Spencer’s Forbidden Passion
Taming Clint Westmoreland
Cole’s Red-Hot Pursuit
Quade’s Babies
Tall, Dark… Westmoreland!
Westmoreland’s Way
Seduced by a Stranger
Hot Westmoreland Nights
What a Westmoreland Wants
A Wife for a Westmoreland
The Proposal
Feeling the Heat
Texas Wild
One Winter’s Night
Zane
Canyon
Stern
The Real Thing
The Secret Affair
Breaking Bailey’s Rules
Bane

I also started the spinoff series for the Westmorelands. The Outlaws are cousins. I read The Marriage He Demands and The Wife He Needs. Really enjoyed both books. Can’t wait to read the other books in the series I haven’t gotten to yet. I think I have three more to go. There is also the Westmoreland Legacy series. I’ve read two of those books and have four to get into. I can’t wait.

I surpassed my reading goal for the year. I read 98 books. My goal had been to read 52 books. If you’ve been following this series of blog posts, you know that there were a few months this year when I didn’t read anything at all. I still find it hard to be deep in writing a book and also read books at the same time. I think getting back into audiobooks will change that for me. Gonna set a higher goal for next year and dive right in. I have a full Kindle and Audible Library ready to assist me in meeting whatever goal I set. I also have a few audiobooks on hold at the library. I’m all set. Stay tuned to see what I get into.