50/50 Friday is a meme hosted by Carrie @The Butterfly Reads and I and focuses on the opposite sides of books (best/worst, differing opinions, etc). Every week will have a new topic and several advance topics will be listed in the tab labeled 50/50 Friday!
Today's Topic: Favorite/Least Favorite Christmas-Themed Book (or book that takes place during Christmas (or other holiday))
Favorite:
Shockingly, I was scrolling through my 'read' shelf in Goodreads and I have a total of like 5 books that I've read that are even set during a cold season (several just take place in cold climates like the Arctic), let alone during any type of holiday. So this book is one of my favorites set in winter and I won't be including a least favorite.
Miso Cozy Mysteries #2
Blurb:
"December has set in and just when the rural town of Chikata is recovering from one murder, Mei and her new boyfriend, Yasahiro, find their friend, Etsuko, dead in her apartment. Etsuko was sweet and talented, and now everyone suspects her longtime boyfriend killed her. Mei doesn’t believe it, though, and she vows to help solve the crime.
But Mei has more to think about than murder. With the barn gone and their vegetable stores destroyed, she and her mother are down to their last canned goods and no money for heat. Mei’s mom is fortunate to find work, but Mei must fend for herself, get a job, and keep their financial situation a secret from Yasahiro. In pursuit of paying work, she stumbles onto a new witness to the crime, and before long, the dead woman's secret life unravels before everyone’s eyes. Half-starving and out of her element, Mei is on thin ice, and it’s going to take a whole lot of ingenuity and quick thinking to solve the crime before the killer gets to her as well."
But Mei has more to think about than murder. With the barn gone and their vegetable stores destroyed, she and her mother are down to their last canned goods and no money for heat. Mei’s mom is fortunate to find work, but Mei must fend for herself, get a job, and keep their financial situation a secret from Yasahiro. In pursuit of paying work, she stumbles onto a new witness to the crime, and before long, the dead woman's secret life unravels before everyone’s eyes. Half-starving and out of her element, Mei is on thin ice, and it’s going to take a whole lot of ingenuity and quick thinking to solve the crime before the killer gets to her as well."
This is such a lovely cozy mystery. The first one takes place earlier in the year and this one takes place during December. It's not really tied to Christmas but I wanted to list it anyway, and, like I said above, I haven't really read any books that are directly connected to Christmas (or any winter holiday) in any way. This is a great book to read during the winter months though (isn't that the beauty of cozy mysteries?). It also takes place in Japan which is a country I know a little about but not too much so it's really interesting to be a little more immersed without the book feeling like a history lesson.
Have you read any books in this series? What are your feelings on cozy mysteries? Have you read more Christmas/holiday themed books than I have (default answer is absolutely because I have no idea how I haven't read any)? Make a post and link up down below!
Next Week's Topic: Favorite/Least Favorite Christmas/Winter-Related Trope
I love reading books during winter that are set during winter. Like, I don't do that with other seasons, but for some reason, it makes winter books even better lol. And yes, I do believe I've read more Christmas-themed books than you lol, though not that many! Prob only like ten :-)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! That's why it's so weird why I don't have more winter-themed books on my read shelf! So weird... Thanks for stopping by, Kristen!
DeleteI never read Christmas stories. Not on purpose but it just doesn’t happen. I’d have a hard time finding something to fit this prompt.
ReplyDeleteThe same happens with me! I'm not sure how it happens, but it does. Maybe because they'd mostly be contemporaries and the popular thing is for contemporaries to take place in the summer... Thanks for stopping by, Jenny!
DeleteI've never heard of this book before, but I do enjoy mysteries! My repertoire is pretty limited (just some Agatha Christie and a handful of YA mysteries), but your post is a great reminder to me to seek some more out over this holiday break. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
ReplyDeleteclaire @ clairefy
It was a great reminder for me as well because apparently I don't read holiday themed books...? I hope you have a lovely holiday as well and thanks for stopping by, Claire!
DeleteThere is not enough books set in cold places. At least that I've seen. We need more!
ReplyDeleteThat's for sure! I can't believe I haven't read that many but there are a few on my TBR now so I'll have to tackle them soon! Thanks for stopping by, Carrie!
ReplyDelete