10 Books To Read This December

The holiday season is in full swing, and there's no time like the present to snuggle up with a great book. If you're looking for your next page-turner, we've got you covered. This month's reading list — a mix of picks from Patch staffers and Amazon editors — has thrillers, romances, celebrity biographies and even a children's book. If you like to read, you'll love this list.

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#1 "Ali Cross" by James Patterson

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, Alex Cross, a former detective and FBI agent. It's a strange twist of fate when — while Ali's dad is on trial for a crime he didn't commit — his best friend Abraham is reported missing. Desperate to find his buddy, Ali searches for clues — even though his father warns him not to get involved. Will Alex's son's detective work help the authorities find Abraham, or will it create even more trouble for the Cross family?

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#2 "Such a Fun Age: A Novel" by Kiley Reid

Alix Chamberlain is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is accused of of kidnapping the child in her care while shopping at a high-end grocery store. The store's security guard caused a scene at the sight of Emira, a young black woman, carrying Alix's young white child. Emira is left furious and humiliated by the confrontation, and Alix is equally outraged and vows to make things right. Emira is wary of her well-intentioned employers's desire to help, though. And when a video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, the two women find their lives on a tumultuous crash course. This novel is a captivating story about race, privilege and the consequences of doing the "right" thing for the wrong reason.

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#3 "All That's Bright and Gone: A Novel" by Eliza Nellums

Aoife is a 6-year-old girl struggling to understand what happened to her older brother Theo and why her mother is in the hospital. Her uncle says to be patient, but Aoife is certain her mom won't come home until she learns what really happened to Theo. The problem is Theo was murdered, and no one wants to talk to about it. But who killed him? Aoife's search takes her to places Theo used to visit, and she learns some painful family secrets during her quest for the truth.

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#4 "Once More To The Rodeo: A Memoir" by Calvin Hennick

Calvin Hennick is feeling lost as a father. As a white man, he's unsure what he can teach his 5-year-old biracial son about how to live as a black man in America. He's confused by what it even means to be a man today when society's expectations seem to be constantly changing. In search of answers, Calvin takes his young son on a cross country road trip to the annual rodeo in his small Iowa hometown. Along the way, the father-son duo learns many important lessons about race, segregation and so much more. This timely, must-read memoir holds up a mirror to its author and modern America.

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#5 "Spy: A Novel" by Danielle Steel

Alexandra Wickham is an English beauty who seems destined for a privileged life. But in 1939, the world is at war, and Alex has the skills and grit to be a perfect secret agent. Within a year, this formerly prim-and-proper lady is shocking her family by wearing pants and bright red lipstick. But no one — not even Alex's family or the pilot she's fallen in love with — can know what she really does for a living. Her secret life takes her all around the world, but her adventures must always stay hidden from those she loves the most.

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#6 "A Minute to Midnight (An Atlee Pine Thriller)" by David Baldacci

FBI Agent Atlee Pine returns to her Georgia hometown 30 years after her twin sister's abduction. Soon after she begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered with a wedding veil covering her face. A second bizarre murder occurs shortly afterward. Atlee is determined to investigate what happened to her sister, but now she must also track down a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. As Atlee quickly discovers, digging deeper into the past could prove very dangerous.

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#7 "JAY-Z: Made in America" by Michael Eric Dyson

Michael Eric Dyson is a widely celebrated Georgetown University professor who has been teaching the work of JAY-Z, one of the nation's greatest poets, for a decade. In this book, Dyson explores why JAY-Z isn't always given the credit he deserves as an artist. Dyson explores the biggest themes of JAY-Z's career, including hustling, and recognizes how he's always weaved politics and hot, timely topics into his music. With a foreword by Pharrell, "JAY-Z: Made in America" is a true must-read for any music fan.

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#8 "One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe" by Bruce Steele

On a Thursday in 2019, a group of photographers and videographers around the globe set out to capture what it's like to work for Disney. This beautiful book features images taken that day, from Tokyo to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica and dozens of places throughout the United States. Some 80 cast members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, cubicles, TV studios, labs and more-diverse work spaces. They shared their stories, and the result is a poignant, inspiring look into working for the Mouse.

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#9 "Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition" by Buddy Levy

In 1881, Lt. A.W. Greely led his crew of 24 scientists and explorers on a venture to the Farthest North. They faced every possible challenge — wolves, subzero temperatures and months of total darkness. When they returned to camp to eagerly await the resupply ship scheduled to come at the end of the year, nothing happened. Provisions thinned; and after months of waiting, Greely made the tough choice to load his crew and what they had left into five small boats. They pushed off into treacherous waters where new dangers awaited. "Labyrinth of Ice" tells the true and incredible story of the lives and deaths of these voyagers and how their exploration changed the world.

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#10 "The Serious Goose" by Jimmy Kimmel

This hilarious picture book challenges young readers and their parents to bring the silly out of a very serious goose. Written, illustrated and lettered by Jimmy Kimmel, "The Serious Goose" will create gaggles of giggles for kids of all ages.

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Looking for more great reads? Check out Amazon's Best Books of 2019 (So Far)!