Scan barcode
A review by ambernh1984
12 Days of Book-Club-Mas by Annmarie Boyle, Nisha J. Tuli, K.R. Wieland, K.R. Wieland
4.0
I want to start off by saying this is my first year with the Once Upon a Book Club advent box. Most of the time I like the gifts associated with the boxes, but some feel like a waste, so I was a little worried with this expensive box.
Day 1: If the Jootis Fit: loved this short story not only because it was cute, but also because it gave references to many things I didn't know, so I felt as though it gave a bit of culture to look up as well. Gift: The Dutchess by Wendy Holden
Day 2: The Quarter Life Crisis of Eleanor Mitchell: I loved the relationship between Eleanor and her "auntie" and wish I had something similar. The other part of the story with the boy was a bit Hallmark Movie for me. Gift: a jute welcome mat that says "come back with books" which I just love!
Day 3: A Place to Belong: a coming home story of sorts where we are hit in the feels about feeling left out and forgotten. I feel this story would hit home with many people, and I enjoyed it. Gift: a ceramic little jar that says "to be read" with little sticky notes. While I love the jar, there's no way it's large enough for all my TBR list, it's more like a mini piggy bank, but it is adorable!
Day 4: Between the Lines: hidden author meets hidden author. Both of our characters are doing things other except of them until they stumble upon each other. While it is a Hallmark type movie story, I thought the way they interacted with the story was adorable. Gift: One by One by Ruth Ware, a book I actually wanted!!
Day 5: Lost in the Threads: we start reading where this duo is breaking into a museum for an old table runner. This has to be my favorite story so far! Mateo realizes while he's taking the runner that it's got his family's insignia on it, so he and his partner keep it. We are left on a cliff hanger and I'm 100% sure this would be a fantastic book, I even reached out to the author to ask what happened next! Gift: a dark green table runner full of bookish quotes.
Day 6: Just Add Magic: a cute witchy coming of age story, where the one daughter is the only one with no powers in her family, gets them when she needs them most to help a witchy family friend. I loved the idea that the family's spells are all woven into delicious baked goods! Gift: book cookie cutters.
Day 7: The Lessons Carried Forward: this one had something to do with this person's family dying and then finding out who they truly are, which I think is a werewolf? I'm not sure because I honestly couldn't finish this one. While I appreciate the pronouns being true to the character it honestly threw me off, since there was a husband, he/him and a child, but the main character was referred to as they/them. Along with the weird let's add tattoos to your tattoo to figure out who you are thing, I couldn't finish. Gift: She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha
Day 8: A Recipe for Love: set in the times of WW2, a young woman awaits her love coming back from the war. When her neighbor realizes she enjoys baking, despite the rations, she invites her for a book club/baking club. (oOkay but where can I sign up?!) She is gifted an amazing cookbook with bookish recipes to help her pass the time while she awaits her love. Gift: a beautiful cook book ready to be filled with all your own recipes, and a set of measuring spoons.
Day 9: Through Thick and Thin: a new girl to town makes a rich best friend, while her father works for the best friend's father. He is accused of stealing some diamond necklaces and the new girl is ostracized because of it. She gets a volunteer job at the library and finds notes helping her to figure out who did it. We find out it's NOT her father but aren't told who it is, which bothered me. Gift: a small trinket/makeup bag that looks like an old school library check out card, and a set of "gold" necklaces. Love the bag, don't like the necklaces, most of us are grown adults and don't wear cheap fake jewelry.
Day 10: Bottling Sunshine: a family who collects sea-glass has fallen on hard times, it focuses on the children in the family and how they are coping with loss and hard times. They trade old shoes to try and get new ones for the younger sister, but are given a book and sandals instead. The eldest child reads the book about "bottling sunshine" and they decide to do that. We are never told what the sunshine is and are left questioning a bit: Gift: Heard it in a Love song by Tracey Garvis Graves
Day 11: Sweet Expectations: Kayleigh is trying to keep her grandmother's candy store alive with new recipes, grandma however doesn't approve and sends her to Ireland to get back in touch with her roots. Upon getting there she meets her cousin's friend, falling for him and Ireland while reacquainting herself with her love of baking. Super adorable story that would work great as a longer modern romance. Gift: yoga mat with females reading, in a carrying bag.
Day 12: An Old Red Cloak: This almost reminded me a bit of Little Red Riding hood. Roan works in her family's bakery, and tries to help a hungry boy her age, until her grandmother sees him and puts a curse on him. 10 years later they're a couple, living together with his curse (werewolf) on the outskirts of two towns. That's honestly about it...there was no real end to me. Just that the towns folk wanted to hunt him. Gift: a turquoise and grey travel hammock that says "go away I'm reading."
Day 1: If the Jootis Fit: loved this short story not only because it was cute, but also because it gave references to many things I didn't know, so I felt as though it gave a bit of culture to look up as well. Gift: The Dutchess by Wendy Holden
Day 2: The Quarter Life Crisis of Eleanor Mitchell: I loved the relationship between Eleanor and her "auntie" and wish I had something similar. The other part of the story with the boy was a bit Hallmark Movie for me. Gift: a jute welcome mat that says "come back with books" which I just love!
Day 3: A Place to Belong: a coming home story of sorts where we are hit in the feels about feeling left out and forgotten. I feel this story would hit home with many people, and I enjoyed it. Gift: a ceramic little jar that says "to be read" with little sticky notes. While I love the jar, there's no way it's large enough for all my TBR list, it's more like a mini piggy bank, but it is adorable!
Day 4: Between the Lines: hidden author meets hidden author. Both of our characters are doing things other except of them until they stumble upon each other. While it is a Hallmark type movie story, I thought the way they interacted with the story was adorable. Gift: One by One by Ruth Ware, a book I actually wanted!!
Day 5: Lost in the Threads: we start reading where this duo is breaking into a museum for an old table runner. This has to be my favorite story so far! Mateo realizes while he's taking the runner that it's got his family's insignia on it, so he and his partner keep it. We are left on a cliff hanger and I'm 100% sure this would be a fantastic book, I even reached out to the author to ask what happened next! Gift: a dark green table runner full of bookish quotes.
Day 6: Just Add Magic: a cute witchy coming of age story, where the one daughter is the only one with no powers in her family, gets them when she needs them most to help a witchy family friend. I loved the idea that the family's spells are all woven into delicious baked goods! Gift: book cookie cutters.
Day 7: The Lessons Carried Forward: this one had something to do with this person's family dying and then finding out who they truly are, which I think is a werewolf? I'm not sure because I honestly couldn't finish this one. While I appreciate the pronouns being true to the character it honestly threw me off, since there was a husband, he/him and a child, but the main character was referred to as they/them. Along with the weird let's add tattoos to your tattoo to figure out who you are thing, I couldn't finish. Gift: She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha
Day 8: A Recipe for Love: set in the times of WW2, a young woman awaits her love coming back from the war. When her neighbor realizes she enjoys baking, despite the rations, she invites her for a book club/baking club. (oOkay but where can I sign up?!) She is gifted an amazing cookbook with bookish recipes to help her pass the time while she awaits her love. Gift: a beautiful cook book ready to be filled with all your own recipes, and a set of measuring spoons.
Day 9: Through Thick and Thin: a new girl to town makes a rich best friend, while her father works for the best friend's father. He is accused of stealing some diamond necklaces and the new girl is ostracized because of it. She gets a volunteer job at the library and finds notes helping her to figure out who did it. We find out it's NOT her father but aren't told who it is, which bothered me. Gift: a small trinket/makeup bag that looks like an old school library check out card, and a set of "gold" necklaces. Love the bag, don't like the necklaces, most of us are grown adults and don't wear cheap fake jewelry.
Day 10: Bottling Sunshine: a family who collects sea-glass has fallen on hard times, it focuses on the children in the family and how they are coping with loss and hard times. They trade old shoes to try and get new ones for the younger sister, but are given a book and sandals instead. The eldest child reads the book about "bottling sunshine" and they decide to do that. We are never told what the sunshine is and are left questioning a bit: Gift: Heard it in a Love song by Tracey Garvis Graves
Day 11: Sweet Expectations: Kayleigh is trying to keep her grandmother's candy store alive with new recipes, grandma however doesn't approve and sends her to Ireland to get back in touch with her roots. Upon getting there she meets her cousin's friend, falling for him and Ireland while reacquainting herself with her love of baking. Super adorable story that would work great as a longer modern romance. Gift: yoga mat with females reading, in a carrying bag.
Day 12: An Old Red Cloak: This almost reminded me a bit of Little Red Riding hood. Roan works in her family's bakery, and tries to help a hungry boy her age, until her grandmother sees him and puts a curse on him. 10 years later they're a couple, living together with his curse (werewolf) on the outskirts of two towns. That's honestly about it...there was no real end to me. Just that the towns folk wanted to hunt him. Gift: a turquoise and grey travel hammock that says "go away I'm reading."