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purplepenning's reviews
1649 reviews
A Kilt for Christmas by Tricia O'Malley
lighthearted
fast-paced
A light-hearted "magic is real" holiday rom-com set in Scotland. We have a grumpy, competitive pub quiz champ and aspiring writer (from a neighboring Scottish town) paired with a visiting professor of literature and folklore (from California). The kilt is of very little significance so I'm not sure why it made the title.
Actually, everything felt underdeveloped to me — about as fleshed out as the confusing (but admittedly delightful) Highland cow ghost that enjoys pulling pranks on people (shrug). I'm not sure if the rest of series is the same sort of thing — several tropes and stock characters marched out into a lightly developed storyline — or if it's just because this is a special Christmas story from the middle of the series. Either way, I don't think this works particularly well as a standalone. It needs another 100 pages of context and development (or 50 fewer pages and plot points to be a holiday novella).
Actually, everything felt underdeveloped to me — about as fleshed out as the confusing (but admittedly delightful) Highland cow ghost that enjoys pulling pranks on people (shrug). I'm not sure if the rest of series is the same sort of thing — several tropes and stock characters marched out into a lightly developed storyline — or if it's just because this is a special Christmas story from the middle of the series. Either way, I don't think this works particularly well as a standalone. It needs another 100 pages of context and development (or 50 fewer pages and plot points to be a holiday novella).
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
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Content Warnings
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch
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Content Warnings
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident and Alcohol
The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk
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Content Warnings
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Violence, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty and Vomit
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0