I did not end the year well, and my books are mad at me for it!

I really did have every intention of reading more books in December, but clearly had no follow through.  Perhaps this year will be better.  I'd love to read at least 5 books a month.  But we shall see.  I blame Netflix instant stream for my slacking off.  Because I must blame someone!  Away we go with the recaps-

The Bad Miss Bennet by Jean Burnett.  Of course, she can only be referring to Miss Lydia Bennet, the naughtiest of the Bennet sisters!  Lydia is recently widowed (not that losing Wickham is any great loss) and wanting new adventures in London and beyond.  And boy, does she find them!  Highwaymen, murders, salacious offers, adventures on the Continent, all abound when Lydia Bennet enters the scene!  The writing style wasn't even remotely Austin-esque.  But it didn't make the book any less enjoyable.  And what fun to see what happened to Lydia post forced wedding!

Hidden by PC Cast and Kristin Cast.  The 10th book in the House of Night series.  Vampires.  Goddesses.  Immortals.  Death.  Love.  Teenagers battling Evil.  The series is really good- kind of a different look at vampires (or vampyres as they spell it).  In this one, Zoey Redbird (the heroine) must save her beloved grandmother from Darkness and its Queen, former Vampyre Priestess Neferet.  Thank goodness for the elements and her friends.  Ok fine, this is total teen vampire lit.  But I'm sorry- I love it!

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck.  I actually had another book in my hands, but this one kind of called to me from my bookshelf.  I'm not sure why I even bought it (as I've said before, I'm picky on my Christian lit).  And I'm definitely not sure why I read it (as I'm dealing with a slightly bruised up heart right now).  But am I ever glad I bought it AND read it!  Charlotte owns a prominent bridal boutique in Birmingham.  Her gift- finding the perfect dress for each bride.  However, she can't seem to be bothered to find her own perfect wedding dress for her fast approaching wedding.  A wedding that, when the groom asks to postpone due to how quickly they fell in love, Charlotte promptly calls off.  He must be all in, or she doesn't want to marry him at all.  When she stumbles across an auction at a local estate, she ends up buying an old truck.  Inside that truck is the most beautiful and special wedding dress Charlotte has ever seen.  She determines that she must track down the owner.  Or owners.  Emily, who was brave enough to wear a dress designed by a black woman in 1912 and to choose love over financial security.  Mary Grace, who was too poor to buy a dress to marry her preacher husband in 1939.  Hillary, who married the love of her life in 1968 and then had the war take him away from her just 6 months later.  It has fit each woman perfectly, without alteration.   Is this dress actually meant for Charlotte?  As she realizes how much she misses both her fiance and her best friend, she comes to realize that God brings things to us in His time.  And that it is up to us to appreciate His timing and His plans, even when we don't understand them.  It ended up being a pretty perfect book with which to end the year!