December 14, 2023

Holy Cow! It’s December 14th. How is Christmas only 11 days away?! If you’re still struggling with your shopping list, be sure to check out our 8th and 9th days for some unique gift suggestions that you won’t find on most gift list roundups. If you’d like to start the tradition known as Jólabókaflód as Dawn suggested on day Two, I have 10 book suggestions for you today. So, let’s get to it! On the tenth day of Christmas, we give you 10 Books to Read, Nine “Smart” Home Technology Options, Eight Pieces in Which to Invest, Seven Interior Design Blogs to Read, Six Festive Cocktails, Five Holiday Wishes, Four Tips for a Successful Renovation, Three Blogs Not to Miss, Two New Traditions, and One Room to Refresh. 12 Book Challenge Last December, I decided to join the 12 Books by 12 Friends Challenge. It was a challenge going around on Facebook and the idea was to gather twelve book recommendations and commit to reading those books throughout 2023. The challenge encouraged participants to not only read more in 2023, but also to branch out into genres they may not typically choose. While the challenge was to read 12 books, I had so many recommendations that I couldn’t pick just 12. I ended up with 24. Now, I’m certain many of you are like some of my friends and read at least 24 books a year, but, much to the chagrin of my English-lit teaching mother, I typically max out at six books during a good year, so 24 was a stretch. However, I do read at least two books with my youngest per day, and my oldest and I have read everything from the Harry Potter series to To Kill a Mockingbird to a series set during WWII. We’re currently trying to work our way through Lord of the Rings. Help! The odds of finishing that series are not good. I feel like we’ve been reading the second book for 10 years and we’re not even halfway through. (My son turns 12 tomorrow.) So, I read much more than I count. I need to keep that in mind. It’s probably safe to say some of you read more than you give yourself credit for as well. The List – 24 Books Even with 24 books selected for the year, I added to the list! The original list consisted of: Finished: Fifty Words for Rain The Kitchen House The Maid The Family Game (Audiobook) Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life The Rose Code Some Danger Involved: Barker & Llewelyn Series, Book 1 The Lost Apothecary Started: The Golden Couple (Audiobook) A Gentleman in Moscow Quiet Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Still on the List: Honor The People We Keep The Great Alone Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World A Court of Thorns and Roses The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell True Biz One Two Three Mad Honey A Walk in the Woods Code Name Helene Mexican Gothic Not on the List, but Finished: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing Anna Karenina (Audiobook) To Kingdom Come: Barker & Llewelyn Series, Book 2 The Limehouse Text: Barker & Llewelyn Series, Book 3 I won’t meet my goal of 24 by year’s end, but I have read, or listened to, more than 12. (Oh, and do you know how long Anna Karenina is? 35 hours and 35 minutes!!!) 10 Book Suggestions Enough of the background that led to this point. On this tenth day of Christmas, I give you the 10 books I suggest adding to your to-read list (some come with a stronger recommendation than others!): The Rose Code WWII historical fiction is my genre of choice. The Nightingale has been my favorite book since I read it while on bedrest in 2015. So, it’s no wonder The Rose Code by Kate Quinn was the second book I read this year and my favorite. Reading it felt like watching a movie and I loved that the characters were based on real people, Bletchley Park was an actual place, and much of the details described how the brilliant minds brought to work at BP helped Britain and their Allies eventually win the war. I couldn’t put this one down. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry has stuck with me more than anything else I read this year. I read it in the Spring. It was heartbreaking and I found myself wanting to find him and give him a big hug. I also had a feeling he would pass by year’s end. I don’t follow celebrities and the only celebrity death that had ever touched me was Robin Williams. Until now. Maybe it’s my age and how Friends was such a big part of our culture, but it’s truly felt like we lost a friend. Some Danger Involved Next on the list is Some Danger Involved: Barker & Llewelyn Series, Book 1 by Will Thomas. This was my mom’s recommendation. It’s set in London in the 1800s and delves into the vigilante detective work of a private enquiry agent and his assistant. A book with witty characters holds my attention and the period detail of Victorian London paints vivid scenes. Some twists and turns kept the book moving and interesting. After I finished it, I read the next two in the series. To Kingdom Come and The Limehouse Text Barker & Llewelyn Series Books 2 and 3 – I love the characters and the plot twists. I’m officially hooked on this series. There are at least 14, I think. I plan to make my way through them all. The Maid The main character in The Maid by Nita Prose is an endearing twenty-five-year-old named Molly who has Aspergers Syndrome. She’s an intriguing protagonist in an atypical whodunit. My mama bear instincts kicked in wanting to help and protect her. Her grandmother, who had raised her and helped interpret the world around