Books I Read in December 2020 (short reviews)

I know I haven't done one of these in months, but hey, it's 2020, I won't even try to make up an excuse. So let's just get started.
December started of well but obviously with the holidays I slacked off a little. As you can see I went on a Christina Lauren binge because I am currently obsessed with lighthearted, witty romance and they have exactly that in all their works. If you are interested in what I read then feel free to check out my goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/95108873-lena-fiala

The Song of Achilles- Madeline Miller (5/5)
Absolutely beautiful story. I loved the characters, the spin on the ancient stories and the overall atmosphere. It moved me to tears and amazed me with how important it seemed to Madeline Miller to stick to the details of the Iliad. Heartwarming relationships, lovely dynamic. Overall I recommend this to anyone who likes the Iliad and Greek mythology but also loves a good coming off age story. 

My Favorite Half-Night Stand- Christina Lauren (5/5)
This was a cute friends to lovers romance and I was all here for it. The relationship was well developed, the characters quirky and lovable and I only got happy vibes from it. There were a few conflicts, which I always appreciate for realism, but overall it was a lovely good mood book. Recommend when you need something to take your mind off things. 

Dating You/ Hating You- Christina Lauren (5/5)
Great romance! Great banter! Great characters! There isn't a lot I need to say about this. I rooted for the characters, I loved the friends to enemies to lovers dynamic which was a bit different to your typical enemies to lovers trope and I enjoyed the humor. As with all of Christina Lauren's stories it was steamy and witty. Again, highly recommend. 

Beautiful Bastard- Christina Lauren (3/5)
This was sadly the first of Christina Lauren's books that didn't blow my mind. I think it might be because it is one of their first works and doesn't have that style yet that I love about Christina Lauren. It was an okay romance, but I have to admit (and I know that might sound weird to people who know me) it was a little too much steam for my taste. If I want to read erotica then I'll pick up an erotic novel. But if I want to read a romance novel than I do actually prefer it if there is a little bit of development before the sex starts. Of course that is my personal taste, but that is what we base book reviews on, right?

A Girl's Guide to Personal Hygiene- Tallulah Pomeroy (3/5)
A very strange and yet not bad read. It is a collection of illustrations and short stories of women about female hygiene and experiences. If you are not grossed out by bodily stuff then I guess I would say go check it out, but it is not for the faint of heart. Still, it was quite funny at times, some of the things might even reassure you that you are not alone in doing them, but some seem to be there for the shock of grossing you out only. 

Beautiful Stranger- Christina Lauren (4/5)
This part of the Beautiful Bastard series was a little bit more to my taste. There was a little more development, a little more depth to the relationship and an absolutely brilliant Brit called Max. I loved the banter between Sara and Max, because that is what I love Christina Lauren for. 

Robinson Crusoe- Daniel Defoe (4/5)
One of the better classics I read this year. I quite enjoyed the style and story line, but of course there were a couple of problematic bits. If you don't focus on them too much than you can get a nice adventure and an interesting story out of it. The best part definitely was the character development and the experiences you get to have with someone on a deserted island.

Beautiful Bitch- Christina Lauren (3/5)
This novella was once again not as good as the other books by Christina Lauren. I don't want to say they were disappointing because I still liked what they added to the story, but they felt a little unnecessary at times. The information could've been added to previous parts of the series and it would've been fine. Still a nice and definitely a quick read.

Beautiful Bombshell- Christina Lauren (3/5)
Same as with beautiful Bitch but a little more unnecessary. I don't want to sound mean because I obviously still read through this in a matter of hours. I like the series, I just don't know if I needed another novella. Still, I'm looking forward to even more of the series and hope that the further we get the more we get the Christina Lauren style that I love today.

Yes Please- Amy Poehler (4/5)
Very funny even for someone who only knows Amy from SNL and wasn't a fan of hers until now. This biography(?) was all over the place, that is true, but it was all over the place in a heart warming, real and funny way which I really enjoyed. Stories were woven into other stories and to me that made sense. I got a lot of insight into her as a person inside and outside the show business and I was positively surprised by this book. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to laugh out lout but also read about some of the real struggles a woman in comedy has to go through.

That completes the year 2020! I have read a total of 122 books which is one good thing that has come out of staying inside all day basically everyday. I did a post on the best and the worst reads of 2020 but if you want to check out ALL the books I read this year then you can go over to my goodreads and let me be your friend :)
Take care and stay healthy,
Lena.

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