December was a great reading month for me – I finished a few last-minute reading challenges and found a new favorite series. I’m so excited to kick off a new year of reading, and this month’s favorites were a great head start!

A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock #2) by Sherry Thomas: Now a raving success, Charlotte hardly has the time to celebrate when trouble strikes close to home. Balancing work, love, and cookies, Charlotte is more than a speculative Mr. Holmes in this not-to-be-missed sequel. (5 Stars)

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance: A revealing account of growing up in a poor Appalachian town, Vance offers a broader look at the struggles of the working class while sharing his own pursuit of the American Dream. (5 Stars)

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) by Deanna Raybourn: If I were to recommend just one of my December favorites – this would be it!!! Except it’s really a recommendation for three books. Known for her lack of propriety and quick-witted tongue, Ms. Speedwell is a rare breed amongst her Victorian counterparts, but after a near kidnapping, she’ll find herself in the arms of a handsome stranger and joining the circus, all to elude her mysterious captors. A curious beginning indeed to a must-read series! (5 Stars)

The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson: If the Maze Runner and Hunger Games had a baby in the snow-covered Yukon, you’d probably get something along the lines of The Wolves of Winter. I sincerely hope this makes it to the big screen! (5 Stars)

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood: A classic example of metafiction, I chose The Blind Assassin to fulfill a reading challenge at the last minute, and I’m so glad I did! Clocking in at 600+ pages, it’s not an easy read, but the end is well worth the effort, for only after the story within the story concludes do we truly realize the narrator’s motives for a life spent sequestered by wasteful wishes and regret. (4 Stars)

The English Wife by Lauren Willig: Set amongst the glitz and glamour of the New York Gilded Age, an old-money heir brings home an unexpected souvenir from his trip abroad, stirring up gossip and intrigue alike. Still a connoisseur of romance, Willig’s latest novel is far darker than her Pink Carnation Series with a surprise ending you’ll never guess (I sure didn’t!). (4 Stars)

Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller: Pirates, hidden treasure, and an ancient legend – what’s not love!? I can’t wait for the sequel, Daughter of the Siren Queen, to come out this February! (4 Stars)

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas: For years, the legacy of the Finch House has pervaded the Kansas countryside as the abandoned house lies in wait of its next victim, until a chilling expose threatens to wake the long-forgotten beast. A celebration of the horror genre, Kill Creek brings the classic haunted house to life as four authors delve past the pages to unlock the mysteries left behind. (4 Stars)

What did you read in December?

This month I’m linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Quick Lit. For more short reviews, click here!