Angieville

I'm amazed that it's actually that time again. The last day of the year. I have my annual list of favorite books of the year. Twenty-three this year, guys. Three more than last year, a couple less than the year before. We seem to be holding steady right around 20 stellar reads a year, which thing maketh me exceedingly happy. (in the order in which I read them) True Pretenses by Rose Lerner Girl Before a Mirror by Liza Palmer Every Breath by Ellie Marney I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios Trade Me by Courtney Milan Falling from the Sky by Sarina Bowen Pairing Off by Elizabeth Harmon Every Word by Ellie Marney Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen Party Lines by Emma Barry Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh Captive by Brighton Walsh Focus on Me by Megan Erickson The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

Each year, my dear friend Beth and I get together a few days before Christmas to eat popcorn and pomegranates, drink cider and hot chocolate, talk in general and specific terms about the year that's past, and exchange gifts of the bookish variety. It's one of the loveliest nights of the year. But this year, Beth outdid herself in the gift department. Not only is she a talented writer, but she is something of a consummate artist. What this means is that she is the opposite of myself and can essentially turn her hand to any medium and produce something lovely.  Artistic ability is not the only way in which we differ. She comes from a family of eleven children, while I am an only. We've enjoyed many a conversation dissecting the ways in which our family life and upbringing contributed to shaping us into who we are and how we look at the world. This year, she prefaced my gift by saying that she has always felt that books came into my life like siblings. So that we could g

Remember how roundabout this time last year, Aaron gave me the best early Christmas present ever ? Well, the book closet is all decked out for the holidays this year and it's making my stressed out/overworked/longing-for-Christmas-magic heart lift each time I walk down the hallway. And now that it's a mere week until Christmas, I've been spending the most enjoyable and large part of the time that I wasn't stressing out/overworking/longing handing out book recommendations right and left to loved ones far and near. I absolutely adore it when the emails/texts/calls begin pouring in and I get to happily sift through everything I've read over the last year to find the perfect ones for the people on their lists. No joke, I have said the words, " Six of Crows " no less than 12 times in the last 24 hour period alone. A Desperate Fortune has been not far behind it. In other words, these are the droids books you're looking for. I'm certainly passing