Books I Got This Week, Christmas Edition

It looks like this will be my last book haul of 2025, which is exciting. 2025 was the peak of a lot of my goals, for many reasons, for reasons I can’t tell y’all until next year—after, the year felt relatively stagnant, which I didn’t love.

My family doesn’t gift me books for Christmas. In fact, they have a difficult time shopping for me overall. I was pleasantly surprised by their selections for me this year, which I thought were lovely: a gorgeous journal I’m saving for fall 2027, vintage inkwells, a St. Christopher pendant (patron saint of travel), a record that my mom tried and failed to keep hidden. Writer-adjacent, in the way I always am, but stunning and lovely.

One of the gifts I’m actually most proud of giving was a Little Free Library to my mom. We’d talked about putting one up at some point, and she loved the idea. Plus, she always loves 1) an activity and 2) getting rid of stuff around the house. I’ll help her construct it, probably with her stunning shell-mosaic artwork adorning one side, and we’ll get to offload books in it forever!

Books-wise, my brother and I did go to Barnes & Noble on Christmas Eve just for fun. It was packed, but I walked out with two picks I was excited about. I’d also had one more mail-order come in, plus some library holds. I’ve been a literary glutton lately for sure.

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BOUGHT

1. What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Gothic YA fantasy retelling has been up my alley lately. Having just finished Marissa Meyer, I could go for something dark ‘n stormy soon, and I trust the publishing imprint’s taste.

1. I Heard There Was a Secret Chord by David Levitin

I really, really like Daniel Levitin, both for the density of his research and his clarity in explaining it. Each time I finish one of his books, I emerge with such tangible insights, and I’ve been eyeing this for a while—finally in paperback!

1. Heated Rivalry (series) by Rachel Reid

I ordered these, and then bought the eBooks via Kobo because I was impatient. The library holds are long, and a song from the show has been stuck in my head for four days straight. The double-format was worth it. I’m not crazy about the books themselves alone so I have a thorough review on deck dissecting how the story unfolds on television versus in the text. But I’m having a grand ol’ time reading. I'll be posting my review for these this week!

1. Heart the Lover by Lily King

Everyone obsesses over Lily King, and me tackling one of her books (although I own Writers & Lovers) is long overdue. I really adore the recommendations of Clare Mulroy, USA Today’s book reporter, and she said this is a winner but that it will make me weep. So I need to be in the right mood for this one to hurt my own feelings, but I’m excited to get around to it; my twin sister is reading it now.

1. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

As noted, December apparently catches me in a fantasy mood. I started this one as a library book, but decided that it’s chunky enough that I’d rather read it as a hardcover or paperback in my literal hands. Even if it takes me a while to work through!

LIBRARY

1. The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness by Elyn Saks

I’ve been so proud of myself for sticking to my revision reading list while working slowly through my book edits. The writing portion is slow-going, but I’m confident that I’m exploring complicated topics and perspectives with the most research possible: in this case, the slow descent via memoir into schizophrenia, and what that grip actually feels like. I’ve done more extensive research through more concentrated, established channels (papers, interviews, studies, etc.—the right way) but I also like fleshing out each element with more personalized and emotional sources per the eventual translation to fiction.

Within my book, handling the depiction of mental illness is the most difficult aspect, and the one that terrifies me most—so it’s the most important for me to get right, as I want it more than anything else to be nuanced, empathetic, and destigmatizing.

FOR REVIEW

1. Making Art and Making a Living by Mason Currey

I’ve recommended Currey’s Daily Rituals to many when describing the modern-day problems of trying to make a living as a creative in a country and setting that’s strategically devaluing and dismantling the humanities, so seeing he was writing a book about the literal funding portions? Ouch.

I’m about a third of the way through and have so much to say about it, and so many fun facts to wield when discussing “how I do it” and what the landscape of my struggles looks like. Not a day goes by in which I don’t agonize over the challenge of making my work more sustainable and trying to someday live off what I do instead of slowly killing myself to pay myself “in the time” to actually get it done. Out March 31.

1. The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer

Speaking of hockey romances, I’ve adored the Vancouver Storm series and was incredibly excited to see review copies of the final book available to request on NetGalley. This beaut kept me company on an insomniac night and was a wonderful way to spend the evening. Out February 3.

More soon!