As the year 2023 comes to a close in a few hours, my goal of reading at least four books per month has been reached.

In fact, the total this year came to 58 books. And in case you’re wondering, I’m right on schedule with the book-by-installment reading of Bleak House.

Here’s the rundown:

Book 1: When the Snow Is Blue by Marguerite Dorian

Must begin with a sincere thank you to grandson Cameron, who read this children’s book along with me a few weekends before Christmas. It was one of my favorite wintertime books as a child, a gift from my parents when I was three years old.

Cam was patient with my reminiscing about a bear family accepting a young girl’s invitation to tea on a snowy day.

Book 2: The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

Next we read our new Folio Society edition of the classic The Night Before Christmas.

The illustrations are stylized and rather wild. They’re the kind where you catch something new each time you look.

The book has a surprise double-fold-out in the middle (I tackily called it a centerfold at first) to show the beautiful dark sky with Santa’s sleigh aloft. This heartwarming tale deserves a visit each year.

Book 3: The 24 Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L’Engle

This was tucked in among Mom‘s treasury of books authored by her friend Madeleine L’Engle.

It’s a sweet story of a new baby expected to arrive around Christmas, complicated by all the concerns that arise from the family’s three existing children.

Each chapter of this book takes the reader through a day of Advent, as the family chooses a decoration to put up, a treat to bake, a carol to rehearse, or another activity to help with the countdown to Christmas.

Book 4: The Saintmaker’s Christmas Eve by Paul Horgan

Another of Mom’s Christmas books, this charming fable is set in New Mexico at the start of the 19th century.

A cranky Franciscan missionary teaches two young brothers how to carve statues of saints from wood. He changes their lives and futures.

One boy grows up to be artistic, while the other is practical to a fault. These differences may claw them apart after one very challenging Christmas Eve.

Book 5: The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

My mom’s cousin Patty (we live 1,000 miles apart) emailed me a few weeks ago, saying she was getting to know me by reading these blog posts about each month’s books. I’m delighted to report she included a few recommendations from her own just-read stack.

After ordering all three, I started with this one:

Carefully researched for historical and religious background accuracy, the author adds this twist: what if Jesus was married? Although the Bible doesn’t mention a wife, nor does it state he was single. It’s an interesting concept, with a Jesus-worthy woman chosen as the narrator of this novel.

Speaking of longings … how I wish I could send Mom a copy so we could chat about this story over the course of many phone calls.

Book 6: Full Moon by P.G. Wodehouse

What else is there to say other than P.G. Wodehouse knew how to spin a farcical tale?

It’s been fun ending the 2023 reading year with these ridiculous people … and their pig!

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