December Reading Wrap Up || Holiday Books, Classics, & A New Favorite

[@insearchofwonder]

I don't do a lot of audio books but I loved the Little House audio. The narrator was amazing and the fiddler, if I remember correctly, was actually playing on Pa's fiddle. ❤

[@jensreadinglife]

I did not know the fiddler was playing Pa's *actual* fiddle! That adds a whole other layer to the performance!

[@deborahracette9755]

I have always wanted to read Middlemarch but was intimidated. But thanks to you for providing the serialization schedule, this is absolutely doable and I think it's fine if it takes a year. This will be the easiest way for me to tackle this book!

[@jensreadinglife]

The schedule really did help it feel less daunting. And if you like audiobooks, I highly recommend the version read by Juliet Stevenson. She really brought the characters to life for me!

[@KrisFasseBooksandButterflies]

My kids read the little house books and we had it when I was growing up. They are special to us. And the show was a staple in my childhood!

[@jensreadinglife]

The books really are a treasure! And I’m looking forward to rewatching the tv series…it’s been so long!

[@KrisFasseBooksandButterflies]

@jensreadinglife for me too. It's been since my kids were small and they are all grown now. Love love love

[@carlaking3459]

The Murder at Christmas short stories book really sounds good. I need to look for that one❤. Thanks for sharing and all your hard work and video ideas on your channel.

[@jensreadinglife]

Thank you so much for watching! I’m glad you are enjoying my content - I have lots of fun things planned for this year! 😊

[@allisonryder4781]

Hear, hear!

[@kavrees5622]

Enjoy your comprehensive reviews. I've added some titles to my TBR

[@jensreadinglife]

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed this. 😊

[@SharonReads]

I'm so glad you loved Peace Like A River! I read/re-read all of his books last year. He's an amazing writer!

[@jensreadinglife]

It was wonderful! Do you have a recommendation of which of his books to try next? I definitely want to read more. 😊

[@paperpagespossibilities]

I read a lot of Laura Ingails Wilder growing up, your discussion of The Long Winter really makes me want to go back and read her work.

[@jensreadinglife]

I have been enjoying it so much. And I could see rereading it in the future. The audiobooks are particularly wonderful.

[@KrisFasseBooksandButterflies]

I think you talking about reading Middlemarch over the year inspired me. I started it this past December and have it marked so I read it by publication date. Looking forward! And your Mary Oliver Devotions I started this January! I started collected KZbin videos of her reading poetry and talking into a playlist. I will keep my eyes open for more Mary Oliver as I truly enjoy her poetry.

[@jensreadinglife]

Enjoy Middlemarch! It’s such a good read. And Mary Oliver is so wonderful. That’s a great idea to make a playlist of her reading her poetry…I may have to do that too! 😊

[@helencheckley7536]

I got little house on the prairie box set of books. So I can’t wait to read them. You got some lovely books . Enjoy your reading ❤❤

[@jensreadinglife]

Enjoy the Little House books! They are so wonderful. ❤️

[@katnissfire5605]

Hi Jen! Year 2023 I enjoyed the D E Stevenson trilogy very much.

[@jensreadinglife]

It’s a good one! I love her writing. 😊

[@kathleengagne6534]

Peace Like A river is one of my top 3 books ever! I'm so glad you read it...I think I'm destined to a re-read:)

[@jensreadinglife]

It was just wonderful! I could see myself rereading it in the future!

[@MMjones6459]

Congratulations on one year as a booktuber 🎉🎉

[@jensreadinglife]

Thank you! It’s so hard to believe it’s already been almost a year! 😁

[@MMjones6459]

​@@jensreadinglife You're doing wonderful ❤

[@helenramsay2085]

Hi Jen, my favourite read in December was In This House of Brede. I also really enjoyed Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett 😊 📚 🎁

[@jensreadinglife]

In This House of Brede is wonderful! I have The Windsor Knot by Bennett on my TBR shelf. 😊

[@helenramsay2085]

@jensreadinglife I want to read the others in the series now!

[@JacquelineCaron]

great reading month, Jen!! found a few more to add to my growing collection - I ordered 'The Christmas Memory' and 'The Story of Holly and Ivy'. I need to move 'Middlemarch' up on my radar. You've intrigued me with 'Peace Like a River' and will be on the lookout for that one. I hit a bit of a reading slump in December - but my favorite read was 'The Black Velvet Coat' by Jill G Hall -- great read! 🎁

[@jensreadinglife]

I’m glad you found some books to add to your TBR! Reading slumps are the worst. I’ll have to check out the book you enjoyed…I haven’t heard of it or that author. 😊

[@michelled.3849]

I got a great haul of books that I cannot wait to read! I am very influenced by your recommendations!

[@jensreadinglife]

A good haul of books is such a joy! I hope you find some gems from my recommendations! 😊

[@allisonryder4781]

Me too this year!❤

[@glendaslanina9939]

Starting Emma M Lion today 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 🎁

[@jensreadinglife]

Yay! I hope you love it! 😊

[@joysedgwick812]

🎁🎁🎁 🎄 ⛄️ x

[@teriseeley6286]

I enjoyed your wrap-up review and made notes of some books to add to my TBR. I want to read Middlemarch at some point and I may look into trying the serialized approach. I'm still in the mood for a Christmas story and Christmas at the Grange sounds interesting. Thanks and Happy New Year!

[@jensreadinglife]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Happy reading!

[@bobbyshields4810]

I enjoy your enthusiasm!

[@jensreadinglife]

Thank you! I truly love books and reading! 🥰

[@Lora.Crawford]

Wow you had an awesome reading month! I read Poirot's Christmas and loved it! I didn't get to Green Knowe so will save for next Christmas. I absolutely loved the Provincial Lady as did my mom. We haven't read the last one I don't think. It's been my tradition every Christmas while wrapping presents to watch A Child's Christmas in Wales on Amazon Prime Video. I've never read it though but the grandpa so beautifully tells his story that it might be quoted from the book. I have such happy memories reading Little House books growing up & then reading to my daughter & son, especially the Christmas scenes! Glad you've been enjoying them! The TV show was so wonderful and it taught good morals. Thanks for another fun video! 📚 ❤️

[@jensreadinglife]

Ok next year I am going to watch A Child’s Christmas in Wales. That sounds wonderful. The Little House books have been such a joy to read and I’m looking forward to rewatching the series. I don’t think I’ve watched any since I was in college!

[@verodunstan7864]

I read D E Stevenson trilogy and enjoyed it a lot. I have Middlemarch in my TBR.

[@gerrid9092]

I read the first in 2020 and just finished the last two one after the other this past month. I love how DES creates this wonderful world and invites you into it.

[@jensreadinglife]

I love DE Stevenson so much! Her writing is a joy. I hope you enjoy Middlemarch when you get to it. It’s wonderful!

[@jensreadinglife]

She really does! Have you read the Miss Buncle books? Those are my favorite. And I’m planning to read the Mrs. Tim books this year. I read the first one last year but want to finish the series and I have them all on my shelf.

[@verodunstan7864]

@jensreadinglife I read two of Miss Buncle's books. I am waiting for Two Abbots ladies to arrive. I will add Mrs Tim to my TBR, thanks for the suggestions. I love D E Stevenson

[@jensreadinglife]

@ she’s a wonderful writer! I want to read all of her books. 😊

[@starlasell5698]

I enjoyed Middlemarch last year and Peace Like a River added to my list immediately. ❤📚

[@jensreadinglife]

It was so good! The perfect book to end my 2024 reading!

[@starlasell5698]

@jensreadinglife Yay!! 📚🥰🎉

[@christinaoldham6614]

I'm doing a "read your shelves" year, but I do have all three of that D E Stevenson trilogy unread on my Kindle, so I think that'll happen in 2025! Thanks for reminding me of them.

[@jensreadinglife]

You’re welcome! They are wonderful. Enjoy. 😊

[@christinaoldham6614]

@@jensreadinglife Oh, and I also discovered I have Middlemarch on my Kindle. That'll fit in well with both "reading my shelves" and focusing more on classics, another 2025 goal. Yay. The hard part will be not buying books, but I am allowing myself Wishlists both on Blackwell's and Amazon, so I can splurge either for Christmas for myself or in 2026.

[@jensreadinglife]

@ that sounds like a great plan! I’m not prohibiting myself from buying books but I have some parameters around when I can buy them and that I have to read them right away. 😊

[@kimberly.b123]

🎁 I mostly read wintery short stories last month including a mini compilation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Christmas excerpts. I love the Little House on the Prairie tv show. I watched the whole series in order during the pandemic

[@jensreadinglife]

Short stories just seem perfect for December! I need to find the Christmas compilation of LIW stories. And I’m really looking forward to revisiting the tv show!

[@eileennielsen5165]

Every Christmastime I read A Child's Christmas In Wales. I have many of Mary Oliver's bks. She reminds me somewhat, of Robert Frost. In one of her bks. she mentions how much she likes his poetry. Ha is my FAVORITE Poet. Then Longfellow. I have alot of these bks. Thanks Jenn! 😊

[@jensreadinglife]

I love Robert Frost too! My mom has a book of his poetry and I read through it as a kid and teen a lot. I need to get a copy for myself. 😊

[@bookishbridgers]

I don't know about the 60's but my dad grew up in the 40's and 50's with asthma and was very dibilitated by it. Ended up in the ER with it multiple times. Basically grew out of it thank goodness. Oddly enough, popcorn seemed to trigger it alot. Random, uesless nfo, but your video made me think of it. I may pick up that book though!

[@jensreadinglife]

That is so interesting to know! I was looking up inhalers and it looks like the first iteration was invented in the late 1800’s. But sounds like it wasn’t until the late 1950’s that more of what we recognize as an inhaler today was created. They must not have been readily available though. I need to look into it a bit more. I hope you enjoy Peace Like A River if you read it. I thought it was wonderful.

[@jensreadinglife]

That is so interesting to know! I was looking up inhalers and it looks like the first iteration was invented in the late 1800’s. But sounds like it wasn’t until the late 1950’s that more of what we recognize as an inhaler today was created. They must not have been readily available though. I need to look into it a bit more. I hope you enjoy Peace Like A River if you read it. I thought it was wonderful.

[@ADuchessInside]

I'm so glad the holiday books I recommended to you were hits! 🙂

[@jensreadinglife]

You really do have the best recommendations! I’m looking forward to reading more of your recs this year! 😊

[@alireadsbooks3597]

I’m so glad you enjoyed Leif’s book! A little background info you might find interesting… Leif’s son has asthma and Leif started journaling about it in an effort to understand what his son was going through. His wife read the journal and told Leif he needed to turn it into a book. Btw, his brother, Lin, is also a published author. The two brothers published a number of books together in their early days under the pen name L. L. Enger.

[@jensreadinglife]

Thanks for all the background info, Ali! I’m going to have to look up the brothers’s books. You can tell your cousin I thought his book was absolutely fabulous! 😊

[@alireadsbooks3597]

Those early books were mystery pocket novels about a retired baseball player. I remember them being a tad too dark for my taste! 😅 I am really enjoying your content, Jen! So many of my favorites have made an appearance. I’m excited to dig into your recommendations! 🥰

[@jensreadinglife]

@ oh dark isn’t really my thing! 🫣 I am so happy you are enjoying my channel! It’s so lovely to have you here. 😊

[@joyceredman2136]

I am glad that you read a Christmas Memory by Truman Capote; it is such a different kind of story from anything else he wrote. I highly recommend The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden. My favorite FICTION book of the year. My favorite NONFICTION book was The Real Beatrice Potter by Nadia Cohen.

[@jensreadinglife]

I think I have both of those on my TBR but if not I will add them! Thanks for the recommendations, Joyce! 😊

[@Preoccupied_Platypus]

Thanks, Jen! I received the Everyman’s Library edition of Middlemarch for Christmas, so it’s officially in my TBR list. I’ve also added Peace Like a River to it. (Side note, the way you’ve described Peace Like a River reminds me some of William Kent Krueger’s writing… which I may be way off there…) My favorite December read was Last Christmas in Paris, one I know you greatly enjoyed, too. ❤️ 🎁 📖

[@jensreadinglife]

Enjoy Middlemarch! It’s wonderful. I have read Krueger but from what I know, I think Enger is similar in style. I’m so glad you enjoyed Last Christmas in Paris…it’s so good! 😊

[@michelled.3849]

I read Legends and Lattes and started Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes. When I get done with the latter book, I’m diving right into The Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1. Can’t wait!

[@jensreadinglife]

A few people have recommended Legends & Lattes to me…I’ll have to pick it up at some point. And yay for Emma!!!! 😁💕

[@allisonryder4781]

@@jensreadinglifethe second in the leg d series… the prequel was awful. You won’t like that one so don’t bother with it. I did like legends though.

[@jensreadinglife]

@ thanks! Thats good to know. 😊

[@michelelearner297]

Thanks! I plan to read Middlemarch, along with My Life in Middlemarch. This nonfiction book is by a young woman who lives somewhere in the area where Middlemarch was set and, at the beginning, is preparing for college, even though she's not from a family that assumed she would go. I think it was true at the time -- I don't know if it's still true -- that a smaller percentage of the population goes to college in the U.K. than in the U.S.

[@jensreadinglife]

I’ve heard good things about My Life in Middlemarch! It’s on my TBR. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of reading it alongside Middlemarch.

[@vanessaedwards-so1fi]

🎁🎁

[@mandyc1280]

I've read Middlemarch but would like to try reading it in serial form.

[@jensreadinglife]

It was a great way to read it. I anticipated each new section when it was time to start it. 😊

[@gabrielaspaull6238]

🎁❤

[@teresaglasco6082]

Great reading month! I have been wanting to read Mary Oliver. Would you suggest Devotions as a good starting place? Thank you for posting the serialization schedule for MiddleMarch.

[@jensreadinglife]

I think Devotions is a wonderful place to start. She is a very readable poet. And you are welcome for the Middlemarch schedule. 😊

[@jensreadinglife]

I think Devotions is a wonderful place to start. She is a very readable poet. And you are welcome for the Middlemarch schedule. 😊

[@cassandra3399]

Christmas presents 🎁

[@MJ-in-Canada]

Comparing “Middlemarch” to a soap opera is a great way to incentivize readers to pick up the book and not be intimidated by its size.😀

[@jensreadinglife]

lol…I probably could have come up with a better analogy. I guess the 1980’s soap opera watcher in me took over in that moment! 😂

[@MJ-in-Canada]

@@jensreadinglife I think it's an excellent analogy.😀

[@judykovach6912]

Hi. Hv y read any other Enger books?

[@jensreadinglife]

I haven’t! This is my first one.

[@WaterBearReads]

🎁

[@paulamoreshead1694]

I really enjoyed reading the Little House books to my children many years ago, but I think I hold an unpopular dislike for the tv series. The books are so far superior in my opinion, but I know I’m in the minority. The Long Winter left an unforgettable impression on me.

[@jensreadinglife]

The books are wonderful and it’s almost as if the tv show is a separate thing from them. I enjoy it because it has so much childhood nostalgia for me but the books are definitely in a class all their own. 😊

[@katekono]

🎁

[@sallybiank5663]

🎁

[@ACanuckinAlabama]

🎁

[@KristaLing-yb8ls]

🎁

[@lizanelson4777]

🎁

[@dejagreen2246]

🎁

[@Bookfanmb]

🎁

[@Tracy-d1s]

🎁

[@gracetaylor7351]

🎁

[@mandyc1280]

🎁

[@scriber47396]

🎁

[@scriber47396]

I’m so glad I found your channel!

[@jensreadinglife]

Thank you! I’m so glad you are here! 😊