Month in Review: December 2019

This is so delayed, but I almost forgot that I hadn't made my December month in review amidst all of the new year hubbub, so I figured I'd throw it in real quick if only for my own sake of having one for each month of the year (I like completeness, what can I say?). 

December was a busy month in the beginning while I wrapped up final papers and exams and whatnot, but by doing that I also finished my first semester of grad school and it felt so good to have a break. I have never basked nearly as much as in a break than I did those last few weeks of December. 

 In less positive news, I also found out that due to the new California AB 5 bill that was passed, my contract with the company I work for would be ended and I'm out of a job! The bill basically changes up independent contractor roles with companies and the company I work for decided to just cut contracts with everything they had working for them in California (and this has happened with a lot of other people at different companies, also, which just sucks). I'm not sure what sort of job I'm going to try to find now since my last one was so flexible for going to school full time, but I'm already looking and hopefully I can find something.

To end things on a positive note, it turned out to be a pretty good reading month, so I'm not going to complain about that. Highlights were Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau (out this month in January!), In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente, and All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller, though I pretty much enjoyed reading all of these (hooray for ending my year of reading on a high note!) If you haven't seen my yearly stats/wrap-up post, you can find that here. 

If you can still remember, how was your December reading month!?

# books read: 14
 

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan ★★★★
Source: Owner| Format: Hardcover

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware ★★★★
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

A Fortress of Grey Ice by J.V. Jones ★★★★★
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge ★★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback

All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, & Karen White ★★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Greenglass House by Kate Milford ★★★★
Source: Library Sale | Format: Hardcover

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ★★★★★
Source: Library Sale | Format: Paperback

All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller ★★★★
Source: Gift | Format: Hardcover

Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright ★★★
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau ★★★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Prosper's Demon by K.J. Parker ★★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente ★★★★★
Source: Gift | Format: Paperback

The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood ★★★★
Source: Library Sale | Format: Hardcover

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan ★★★★
Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth ★★★★
A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan ★★★★★
The God Game by Danny Tobey ★★★★
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig ★★★★★
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge ★★★★
Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright ★★★


(other than reviews)

Month in Review: November 2019
2020 Book-to-Film Adaptations
Anticipated January 2020 Releases
Most Disappointing Books of 2019

Top Five/Ten Tuesday:
Great Books to Read in the Winter
2019 Releases I Didn't Get To
(Tentative) Winter TBR
A Christmas Book Display

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
A Queen in Hiding, Run Me to Earth, & Scavenge the Stars
Lady Hotspur, The Circus, & Nameless Queen
Blood Countess, Woven in Moonlight, & The Mystwick School of Musicraft

The Friday Face-Off:
A Temple 

Have you read any of these? What books did you read this month? I hope you all had a great month-- comment below and let me know!

Anticipated Releases: December 2019!

We're finally at the last month of the year and I am, as always, truly shocked at how we're already here. I hope everyone who celebrates had a great Thanksgiving holiday--and I hope you're ready for December releases! December is usually the slower time of year for publishing when you can actually relax a little and maybe catch up on previous releases from the year (yeah, right), though there are still some great releases this month! I am most excited for The Light of All That Falls, the conclusion to James Islington's absolutely incredible Licanius trilogy (seriously, read this trilogy!). What books are you looking forward to reading in December (new or backlist!)?

The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy #3) by James Islington || December 10th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Crownbreaker (Spellsligner #6) by Sebastien de Castell || December 10th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Anyone by Charles Soule || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Blood of Empire (Gods of Blood and Power #3) by Brian McClellan || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeer || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

In the Dark by Loreth Anne White || December 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Treachery by S.J. Parris || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Reverie by Ryan La Sala || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Penmaker's Wife by Steve Robinson || December 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The German House by Annette Hess || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Kill Club by Wendy Heard || December 17th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters || December 10th -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Scared Little Rabbits by A.V. Geiger || December 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

What are your anticipated December releases?