City of God: Faith in the Streets, Sara Miles
My friend Kari loves Sara Miles, but this is the first book of hers I’ve read – a meditation on finding God in San Francisco, as Miles offers ashes to people on the streets on Ash Wednesday. She captures some tender, moving human moments, though some of the other themes (the gentrification of the Mission neighborhood, for example) felt repetitive. Messy, hopeful and sometimes lovely. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 4).
The House of Hades, Rick Riordan
Seven demigods are racing toward the Doors of Death – five of them on a flying ship, the other two from inside Tartarus. If they don’t seal the Doors, the earth goddess Gaea will wreak havoc on the world, but can they complete the quest and survive? A fun installment in Riordan’s fast-paced Heroes of Olympus series, jam-packed with entertaining mythological references. Lots of slapstick and adolescent humor, but some moments of self-awareness too: the demigods are growing up.
Winter Solstice, Rosamunde Pilcher
My friend Julie gave me this book years ago, and I read it every December. It’s a gentle story of love, loss and new beginnings, of Christmas in a tiny Scottish village and unlikely friendships. The familiar scenes make me smile and the ending makes me teary. Rereading it is one of my favorite Advent rituals.
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, Ann Patchett
I love Patchett’s novel Bel Canto and adored this collection of essays on marriages (failed and successful ones), the writing life, the genesis of the bookstore Patchett co-owns (Parnassus Books), and her friendship with an elderly nun. Witty, wise and beautifully written. Now I’m debating which of Patchett’s other novels to read next.
To the Letter: A Celebration of the Lost Art of Letter Writing, Simon Garfield
I loved Garfield’s On the Map, and he tackles the subject of letter writing with his signature gusto. He traces the evolution of letters’ role in society, the development of the postal service, and provides excerpts – some touching, some scandalous – from great letter writers. Woven throughout are a series of World War II love letters, which are romantic, frustrating and endearingly human. A fabulous book on a wonderful subject.
Shepherds Abiding, Jan Karon
It’s almost Christmas in Mitford and Father Tim Kavanagh has a secret – he’s restoring a lovely old Nativity scene as a surprise for his wife, Cynthia. Several of his fellow townspeople have Christmas secrets, too. Sweet and heartwarming and funny, like all the Mitford novels.
The Nine Tailors, Dorothy L. Sayers
A stalled car brings Lord Peter Wimsey to a remote East Anglian village with a beautiful set of church bells, and a set of dark secrets. Murder and floods follow, but of course our intrepid detective solves the mystery. Moody and fascinating, with an unusual solution to the case.
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What are you reading, as the year winds down?
cakes, tea and dreams 
I read City of God and liked it well enough but I couldn’t get into it nearly as much as one of her others Take This Bread. Take This Bread took my breath away. Sara Miles is on my fairly short “must meet” list.
This is a great list of books. I’ve always wanted to try Dorothy L. Sayers but never got around to it. I’m working my way through Allegiant but I don’t think I’ll have it finished before New Year!
A dear friend introduced me to Winter Solstice a few years ago and it’s one of my favorite December re-reads 🙂 I missed it this year…but I did just finish House of Hades last night. Devoured might be a better word-I couldn’t put it down! Now to wait until next fall for the final installment…
I would recommend State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.
[…] Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. I’d never read this one before December, but, like one of my favorite book bloggers, I plan to reread it every December from now […]
I am woefully behind on my favorite blogs, but here I am, chiming in as I got onto an Ann Patchett kick this year myself and read just about everything she’s written (thought not Happy Marriage yet). I second State of Wonder as well (thought I didn’t like the ending).
I adored Bel Canto and Truth and Beauty, but I think you should start with Run. It’s a great novel to read in the winter, and it definitely made me want to visit Boston afterwards, so I’m betting you might recognize some of the settings.
Eeks… *though, not thought, on both of those above.