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thebooknerdscorner's reviews
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A reimagining of "Beauty and the Beast" mashed together with the iconic tale of "Little Red Riding Hood" that come together in a dark romantasy tale.
In the kingdom of Valleydan, the people are ruled by the Wilderwood. In order to keep the woods at bay, a princess is sacrificed every hundred years to try to appease them. This year, it is Red's turn to be given to the Wolf that resides inside of the Wilderwood in the hope that he will return the world's gods that have been held captive for centuries. Red has known from the day of her birth that this would be her fate, so she decides that she won't fight her destiny. Upon entering the woods, Red realizes that the stories that her kingdom has raised her on are all lies. The Wolf isn't a monster, but a man who is doing everything in his power to control the woods and keep them from overtaking Valleydan. Now that her world has been turned on its side, Red must adjust what she believes and try to help the Wolf save her kingdom from the evils that hide in the woods.
Honestly, I see the potential in this book. It is a fairy tale mash-up with a decent premise and plenty of romantic elements. However, this book was so long, and it often had me completely zoning out. I may have even enjoyed this book if it would have been a hundred and fifty pages shorter.
I thought the story line that followed Red in the Wilderwood was solid enough, but Neve's entire side of the tale was so boring. This book also didn't seem that original; I've read several other "Beauty and the Beast" retellings that were pretty similar to it. I did like the characters that lived in the Wolf's keep though. Unfortunately, there was nothing in this book that made me want to keep reading it, but I did make it to the end without it being too painful to consume.
Overall, I was not a huge fan of "For the Wolf." In my opinion, this book was just way too long, and many sections of this book felt repetitive and pointless. I am slightly intrigued to see how this duology ends, so I'll probably finish the series one day. The latter half of this book was pretty decent, so I have hopes that the second installment could be much better than this book was. By no means will I be rushing to read the next one, but I'm sure I'll get to it sometime in the future.
In the kingdom of Valleydan, the people are ruled by the Wilderwood. In order to keep the woods at bay, a princess is sacrificed every hundred years to try to appease them. This year, it is Red's turn to be given to the Wolf that resides inside of the Wilderwood in the hope that he will return the world's gods that have been held captive for centuries. Red has known from the day of her birth that this would be her fate, so she decides that she won't fight her destiny. Upon entering the woods, Red realizes that the stories that her kingdom has raised her on are all lies. The Wolf isn't a monster, but a man who is doing everything in his power to control the woods and keep them from overtaking Valleydan. Now that her world has been turned on its side, Red must adjust what she believes and try to help the Wolf save her kingdom from the evils that hide in the woods.
Honestly, I see the potential in this book. It is a fairy tale mash-up with a decent premise and plenty of romantic elements. However, this book was so long, and it often had me completely zoning out. I may have even enjoyed this book if it would have been a hundred and fifty pages shorter.
I thought the story line that followed Red in the Wilderwood was solid enough, but Neve's entire side of the tale was so boring. This book also didn't seem that original; I've read several other "Beauty and the Beast" retellings that were pretty similar to it. I did like the characters that lived in the Wolf's keep though. Unfortunately, there was nothing in this book that made me want to keep reading it, but I did make it to the end without it being too painful to consume.
Overall, I was not a huge fan of "For the Wolf." In my opinion, this book was just way too long, and many sections of this book felt repetitive and pointless. I am slightly intrigued to see how this duology ends, so I'll probably finish the series one day. The latter half of this book was pretty decent, so I have hopes that the second installment could be much better than this book was. By no means will I be rushing to read the next one, but I'm sure I'll get to it sometime in the future.
A second chance romance featuring a treasure hunt that may just lead to the inheritance of a lifetime.
Gemma has always been able to rely on her mother for everything and would never have once considered that she was hiding secrets from her. That is, until a strange man comes to her house telling her that her grandfather died several weeks ago. This wouldn't be shocking, except that her mother told Gemma her grandfather died long before she was born. And what's more, Gemma's grandfather has left her a series of riddles that may lead to his inheritance, which could solve many of Gemma's financial struggles. Unfortunately, in order to pursue this treasure hunt, Gemma has to find a way to make it to Taiwan, the country in which her grandfather lived his entire life. With no other option, Gemma has to beg her ex-boyfriend Xander for help and the two set off on the adventure of their wildest dreams. Gemma is reluctant to work with him, but she quickly begins to remember all the reasons that she used to like Xander so much.
This is second chance romance like it is meant to be! I don't think I've read many YA second chance romances, and I thought that this was a really refreshing take. I mean, when you date as fourteen-year-olds, so much changes in the four short years that is high school. I thought it was fun to see Xander try to charm Gemma as she tried to keep her grudge alive (I must say, this didn't work out very well for her *laughs*).
Any story that acknowledges subjects such as connecting to one's ancestors, culture, and feeling like one is living on the border between two worlds are stories for me. I love diving into cultures that are different than mine, so traveling across the world to Taiwan was super fun and enlightening. Seeing Gemma struggle with speaking Mandarin and not being familiar with the food and the traditions due to her mother assimilating to American society was a tad disappointing to see, but it was nice seeing her reconnect with her culture and other young people that grew up in similar boats to her. Gemma connecting with her deceased grandfather was also really sweet, and I honestly didn't see how Xander's family tied into it all, which had me pleasantly surprise.
The mystery aspect of this book was probably the weakest link for me, but it was still fun to see Gemma and Xander solve puzzles and riddles in a matter of moments. Some people are truly built for these things, and it was great seeing them light up as they worked on cracking the code and learning more about the secrets that connect their two families.
My favorite part of this book is Xander. He is super smart, charismatic, and a bit impulsive, but I could tell from the get-go that he was a super sweet boy and that once we got to see the softer side of him, I would fall in love with him as a character. His sense of humor clicked with me, so I found his interactions with Gemma to be real amusing. I was practically begging Gemma to just give in already and stop holding on to the grudge she held for him. And I practically squealed when Gemma was forced to bring him into her treasure hunting. I was so ready for it, and I was not disappointed by the many scenes that they shared afterwards.
Overall, "Ex Marks the Spot" is a super cute second chance romance that features a treasure hunt that takes the reader all across Taiwan. I really enjoyed Gemma and Xander; they are super smart, witty, and their banter is top notch. The themes covered in this book include connecting with one's family, walking the border between two cultures, and prioritizing what's important in life. I'm glad that I was able to get my hands on this one; I really love how the second chance romance was approached, and I truly had a blast reading it. I will definitely be recommending this one!
Gemma has always been able to rely on her mother for everything and would never have once considered that she was hiding secrets from her. That is, until a strange man comes to her house telling her that her grandfather died several weeks ago. This wouldn't be shocking, except that her mother told Gemma her grandfather died long before she was born. And what's more, Gemma's grandfather has left her a series of riddles that may lead to his inheritance, which could solve many of Gemma's financial struggles. Unfortunately, in order to pursue this treasure hunt, Gemma has to find a way to make it to Taiwan, the country in which her grandfather lived his entire life. With no other option, Gemma has to beg her ex-boyfriend Xander for help and the two set off on the adventure of their wildest dreams. Gemma is reluctant to work with him, but she quickly begins to remember all the reasons that she used to like Xander so much.
This is second chance romance like it is meant to be! I don't think I've read many YA second chance romances, and I thought that this was a really refreshing take. I mean, when you date as fourteen-year-olds, so much changes in the four short years that is high school. I thought it was fun to see Xander try to charm Gemma as she tried to keep her grudge alive (I must say, this didn't work out very well for her *laughs*).
Any story that acknowledges subjects such as connecting to one's ancestors, culture, and feeling like one is living on the border between two worlds are stories for me. I love diving into cultures that are different than mine, so traveling across the world to Taiwan was super fun and enlightening. Seeing Gemma struggle with speaking Mandarin and not being familiar with the food and the traditions due to her mother assimilating to American society was a tad disappointing to see, but it was nice seeing her reconnect with her culture and other young people that grew up in similar boats to her. Gemma connecting with her deceased grandfather was also really sweet, and I honestly didn't see how Xander's family tied into it all, which had me pleasantly surprise.
The mystery aspect of this book was probably the weakest link for me, but it was still fun to see Gemma and Xander solve puzzles and riddles in a matter of moments. Some people are truly built for these things, and it was great seeing them light up as they worked on cracking the code and learning more about the secrets that connect their two families.
My favorite part of this book is Xander. He is super smart, charismatic, and a bit impulsive, but I could tell from the get-go that he was a super sweet boy and that once we got to see the softer side of him, I would fall in love with him as a character. His sense of humor clicked with me, so I found his interactions with Gemma to be real amusing. I was practically begging Gemma to just give in already and stop holding on to the grudge she held for him. And I practically squealed when Gemma was forced to bring him into her treasure hunting. I was so ready for it, and I was not disappointed by the many scenes that they shared afterwards.
Overall, "Ex Marks the Spot" is a super cute second chance romance that features a treasure hunt that takes the reader all across Taiwan. I really enjoyed Gemma and Xander; they are super smart, witty, and their banter is top notch. The themes covered in this book include connecting with one's family, walking the border between two cultures, and prioritizing what's important in life. I'm glad that I was able to get my hands on this one; I really love how the second chance romance was approached, and I truly had a blast reading it. I will definitely be recommending this one!
What would you do if your mom suddenly disappeared and everyone was convinced that she committed suicide?
Noelle didn't have much to worry about besides her upcoming dance recitals and trying to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. That is, until her mother suddenly vanishes and the authorities are convinced that she committed suicide. Unwilling to accept this as the truth, Noelle starts to dig into her mother's mysterious past and starts to uncover darker secrets than she ever could have imagined. As she investigates her mom's disappearance, other elements of her life also unravel, which causes Noelle to feel as though she is falling apart herself.
I have to start this review out by saying that this book contains a lot of triggering topics that often come out of nowhere. The shock factors of some of these events had me gasping, but I feel that some of these things could be really devastating to some if they aren't ready for it. If you don't want the list of trigger warnings, skip to the next paragraph. This book includes depictions of domestic violence, obsessive drinking, pedophilia, racism, discussions of suicide, and other kinds of abuse. Some parts of this book were really hard to palate, but it does a great job of discussing many of life's hard topics.
I think that it is super neat that Noelle and her best friend/crush, Ravi, are both ballet dancers. After playing a ballerina in a theatre performance, the subject of ballet dancing has quite intrigued me. Reading about Noelle and Ravi's duet they were prepping was one of my favorite parts of this novel, despite the fact that it had nothing to do with the main plot.
Ravi is a Hindu from India I believe, and I loved this books portrayal of his overbearing parents and how controlling they are of his life. They place heavy expectations on Ravi about where he will go to college, what type of a career he will pursue, and the types of girls he is allowed to date. This portrayal of Indian American parents was super authentic, and I found this to be a great subplot that added a ton of tension between Ravi and Noelle. Ravi was definitely my favorite character, and I enjoyed seeing him grow the courage to stand up to his parents after years of being the angel child.
The main plot about Noelle's missing mother and Savannah's abusive relationship really kept me flipping the pages. Many parts of this book were super predictable, but I was still so intrigued to see how all the different subplots were going to turn out that I read this book in one sitting. The ending wasn't the most satisfying, but I love how realistic it is. It isn't often that we get all the answers in real life, so I thought it was cool that this book left a ton unanswered.
I don't want to say too much about Whitney's side arc, but it broke my heart immensely. I did really enjoy seeing Noelle step up as a mother figure to her little sister during this tough time. I also adore how Whitney loves Ravi. It is so cute that Noelle's little sister enjoys spending time with her big sister's best friend.
I also want to comment on the double meaning of the title. "Missing Mom" most obviously refers to the fact that Noelle's mom vanished without a trace, but it also can be attributed to the fact that Noelle also misses her mom a ton. Her mother was her best friend, so it breaks her heart to think about anything happening to her. I dunno, I just think the title of this book is really neat.
Overall, "Missing Mom" was a fast-paced mystery/thriller that was filled to the brim with all kinds of exciting subplots that had me rapidly turning the pages. I love how it deep dived into many tough topics such as abusive relationships and racial prejudices. I didn't expect this book to be filled with such in depth topics, but I'm not complaining. Noelle and Ravi were enjoyable characters and I don't regret spending an afternoon learning about them and their passion as dancers. I'm sure that many people who like darker thrillers that are reflective of real life would have a great experience reading this one.
Noelle didn't have much to worry about besides her upcoming dance recitals and trying to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. That is, until her mother suddenly vanishes and the authorities are convinced that she committed suicide. Unwilling to accept this as the truth, Noelle starts to dig into her mother's mysterious past and starts to uncover darker secrets than she ever could have imagined. As she investigates her mom's disappearance, other elements of her life also unravel, which causes Noelle to feel as though she is falling apart herself.
I have to start this review out by saying that this book contains a lot of triggering topics that often come out of nowhere. The shock factors of some of these events had me gasping, but I feel that some of these things could be really devastating to some if they aren't ready for it. If you don't want the list of trigger warnings, skip to the next paragraph. This book includes depictions of domestic violence, obsessive drinking, pedophilia, racism, discussions of suicide, and other kinds of abuse. Some parts of this book were really hard to palate, but it does a great job of discussing many of life's hard topics.
I think that it is super neat that Noelle and her best friend/crush, Ravi, are both ballet dancers. After playing a ballerina in a theatre performance, the subject of ballet dancing has quite intrigued me. Reading about Noelle and Ravi's duet they were prepping was one of my favorite parts of this novel, despite the fact that it had nothing to do with the main plot.
Ravi is a Hindu from India I believe, and I loved this books portrayal of his overbearing parents and how controlling they are of his life. They place heavy expectations on Ravi about where he will go to college, what type of a career he will pursue, and the types of girls he is allowed to date. This portrayal of Indian American parents was super authentic, and I found this to be a great subplot that added a ton of tension between Ravi and Noelle. Ravi was definitely my favorite character, and I enjoyed seeing him grow the courage to stand up to his parents after years of being the angel child.
The main plot about Noelle's missing mother and Savannah's abusive relationship really kept me flipping the pages. Many parts of this book were super predictable, but I was still so intrigued to see how all the different subplots were going to turn out that I read this book in one sitting. The ending wasn't the most satisfying, but I love how realistic it is. It isn't often that we get all the answers in real life, so I thought it was cool that this book left a ton unanswered.
I don't want to say too much about Whitney's side arc, but it broke my heart immensely. I did really enjoy seeing Noelle step up as a mother figure to her little sister during this tough time. I also adore how Whitney loves Ravi. It is so cute that Noelle's little sister enjoys spending time with her big sister's best friend.
I also want to comment on the double meaning of the title. "Missing Mom" most obviously refers to the fact that Noelle's mom vanished without a trace, but it also can be attributed to the fact that Noelle also misses her mom a ton. Her mother was her best friend, so it breaks her heart to think about anything happening to her. I dunno, I just think the title of this book is really neat.
Overall, "Missing Mom" was a fast-paced mystery/thriller that was filled to the brim with all kinds of exciting subplots that had me rapidly turning the pages. I love how it deep dived into many tough topics such as abusive relationships and racial prejudices. I didn't expect this book to be filled with such in depth topics, but I'm not complaining. Noelle and Ravi were enjoyable characters and I don't regret spending an afternoon learning about them and their passion as dancers. I'm sure that many people who like darker thrillers that are reflective of real life would have a great experience reading this one.
A book that explores the complexities of the human condition in one year filled with heartbreak, sorrow, hopelessness, depression, acceptance, hope, and so many other complicated feelings.
Aisha finally feels like her life is in a decent place. That is, until she finds her boyfriend and her best friend having an affair on New Year's Eve. This sends Aisha packing up her things and taking off to a location that she draws out of a hat: Dallas, Texas. Her time away from everything and everyone causes Aisha to realize that many aspects of her life are falling apart including the relationship with her mother, the unresolved feelings she has towards her absentee father, and the void growing between her and her brother. Aisha must learn to confront her problems before she drowns under the weight of everything that she has been shouldering on her own.
I hope that nothing as bad ever happens to me as what happens to Aisha in this book; I truly don't know how I would get through it. I'm not saying her coping mechanisms were in any way good, but I don't know how anyone would healthily go through a breakup with your best friend and your boyfriend simultaneously. I'm glad that Aba was willing to showcase some of the horrible emotions one might feel in this kind of a situation to shine light on the types of horrible things people sometimes go through in life.
I can't say that I enjoyed reading this book, but it was penned so beautifully that I can't give it anything less than a four star. There are so many quotes in this book that I highlighted because they so profoundly capture complicated aspects of the human condition. This book showcases depression and loneliness so poignantly, which I think many can find relatable. I hope to never reach a point in my life where my depression is that bad, but I can still see how easy it would be to fall into these bouts of numbness.
One thing that I thought was really neat about this book is that it takes place in 52 weeks (which is one entire year). Each chapter highlights a different week, which leads to some chapters being quite lenghthy. However, I thought this was quite a powerful way to organize the book and was a really fun play on the title.
This book really had me thinking about how much can truly change in a year. Aisha goes from happily in a relationship, with a paying job, and a happy-ish life to depressed, alone, living in a different state, back to being happy-ish but single and healing from her injuries. People can go through so many things in such a short amount of time and this book did a great job of reminding me never to assume you know what others are going through and to never take anything for granted because things change so rapidly.
This book did often have me spiraling to some pretty dark places due to the nature of some of the content. Aisha drinks, does drugs, aggressively seeks out sexual companions, contemplates suicide, becomes so numb to life, and even considers turning to things such as murder. Aisha never expected some of the things to happen to her to happen, and this book often got me thinking about what if something like this would occur in my own life. I usually could pull myself out of the rabbit hole relatively quickly, but I just wanted to warn people that this book does dip into some pretty dark places at times.
Overall, "52 Weeks a Party of One" is a complex book that dives deep into some of humanities darkest emotions and the way that we spiral when our lives are overturned. This wasn't a very fun read, but it was a very profound one brimming with masterful quotes that really had me thinking about different aspects of life. It certainly gets dark at times so makes sure you are in the right mindset to read this one, but I think it does a great job of illuminating some of humanities less fine moments. I had quite the rollercoaster of a journey reading this one, but I think it was a worthwhile one.
Aisha finally feels like her life is in a decent place. That is, until she finds her boyfriend and her best friend having an affair on New Year's Eve. This sends Aisha packing up her things and taking off to a location that she draws out of a hat: Dallas, Texas. Her time away from everything and everyone causes Aisha to realize that many aspects of her life are falling apart including the relationship with her mother, the unresolved feelings she has towards her absentee father, and the void growing between her and her brother. Aisha must learn to confront her problems before she drowns under the weight of everything that she has been shouldering on her own.
I hope that nothing as bad ever happens to me as what happens to Aisha in this book; I truly don't know how I would get through it. I'm not saying her coping mechanisms were in any way good, but I don't know how anyone would healthily go through a breakup with your best friend and your boyfriend simultaneously. I'm glad that Aba was willing to showcase some of the horrible emotions one might feel in this kind of a situation to shine light on the types of horrible things people sometimes go through in life.
I can't say that I enjoyed reading this book, but it was penned so beautifully that I can't give it anything less than a four star. There are so many quotes in this book that I highlighted because they so profoundly capture complicated aspects of the human condition. This book showcases depression and loneliness so poignantly, which I think many can find relatable. I hope to never reach a point in my life where my depression is that bad, but I can still see how easy it would be to fall into these bouts of numbness.
One thing that I thought was really neat about this book is that it takes place in 52 weeks (which is one entire year). Each chapter highlights a different week, which leads to some chapters being quite lenghthy. However, I thought this was quite a powerful way to organize the book and was a really fun play on the title.
This book really had me thinking about how much can truly change in a year. Aisha goes from happily in a relationship, with a paying job, and a happy-ish life to depressed, alone, living in a different state, back to being happy-ish but single and healing from her injuries. People can go through so many things in such a short amount of time and this book did a great job of reminding me never to assume you know what others are going through and to never take anything for granted because things change so rapidly.
This book did often have me spiraling to some pretty dark places due to the nature of some of the content. Aisha drinks, does drugs, aggressively seeks out sexual companions, contemplates suicide, becomes so numb to life, and even considers turning to things such as murder. Aisha never expected some of the things to happen to her to happen, and this book often got me thinking about what if something like this would occur in my own life. I usually could pull myself out of the rabbit hole relatively quickly, but I just wanted to warn people that this book does dip into some pretty dark places at times.
Overall, "52 Weeks a Party of One" is a complex book that dives deep into some of humanities darkest emotions and the way that we spiral when our lives are overturned. This wasn't a very fun read, but it was a very profound one brimming with masterful quotes that really had me thinking about different aspects of life. It certainly gets dark at times so makes sure you are in the right mindset to read this one, but I think it does a great job of illuminating some of humanities less fine moments. I had quite the rollercoaster of a journey reading this one, but I think it was a worthwhile one.
In book three of the "Sleuths of Shadow Salon" series, Celestine is back in charge and she's tackling her darkest case yet.
Tavia Floras, the elusive Queen of the Savage Flowers, is in desperate need of some paranormal investigators. She is convinced that a rival coven is stealing her secret recipes and quite possibly even kidnapping some of her "disappearing" coven members. Celestine and Luna are willing to do whatever it takes to figure out just what's up with the coven members of the Savage Flowers and hopefully figure out where everyone has disappeared to before the worst comes to pass.
I still don't think I liked this one as much as book one, but I found "Cult of the Covens" to be a fun expansion to this world. It was great being back in Celestine's point of view as she tackled the strangest case she ever had to work on. The rival cult vibe was quite entertaining, though it did make the actual mystery elements a tad more predictable. I'm not really complaining though, because I still enjoyed reading this book immensely. Understanding the world from the get-go makes entering each one of these new mysteries such a breeze.
This addition to the series was a tad spicier than the other two, but this makes sense because Celestine and Oryn are now an established couple. There was also a plot point that required the characters to have sex to accomplish a certain goal, so it makes sense that this book brings a bit more steam to the table. It wasn't anything too graphic or longwinded, so it didn't grate on me too much (unlike some other spicy instances that I've read that lost the essence of the plot behind all the steam).
Speaking of Oryn, I'm still dying to know more about him and the fae realm. This book alludes to some really interesting events that could potentially happen in book four, which I would be excited to check out. I would be sad if Oryn disappears from the story all together, but Luna will be in charge of the next case anyway, so it might be a decent time to learn more about our mysterious fae lad. I need some serious dirt on this guy, so I'm gonna need to get it somehow.
Overall, "Cult of the Covens" did a good job keeping me entertained and makes me curious to see what will happen in the next volume of this series. It was great seeing more of Celestine and Oryn, and I really enjoyed the subject matter that this book delved into. I am definitely intrigued to see where this series goes and what happens on Tybee Island in the next book "Discord of the Dispossessed."
Tavia Floras, the elusive Queen of the Savage Flowers, is in desperate need of some paranormal investigators. She is convinced that a rival coven is stealing her secret recipes and quite possibly even kidnapping some of her "disappearing" coven members. Celestine and Luna are willing to do whatever it takes to figure out just what's up with the coven members of the Savage Flowers and hopefully figure out where everyone has disappeared to before the worst comes to pass.
I still don't think I liked this one as much as book one, but I found "Cult of the Covens" to be a fun expansion to this world. It was great being back in Celestine's point of view as she tackled the strangest case she ever had to work on. The rival cult vibe was quite entertaining, though it did make the actual mystery elements a tad more predictable. I'm not really complaining though, because I still enjoyed reading this book immensely. Understanding the world from the get-go makes entering each one of these new mysteries such a breeze.
This addition to the series was a tad spicier than the other two, but this makes sense because Celestine and Oryn are now an established couple. There was also a plot point that required the characters to have sex to accomplish a certain goal, so it makes sense that this book brings a bit more steam to the table. It wasn't anything too graphic or longwinded, so it didn't grate on me too much (unlike some other spicy instances that I've read that lost the essence of the plot behind all the steam).
Speaking of Oryn, I'm still dying to know more about him and the fae realm. This book alludes to some really interesting events that could potentially happen in book four, which I would be excited to check out. I would be sad if Oryn disappears from the story all together, but Luna will be in charge of the next case anyway, so it might be a decent time to learn more about our mysterious fae lad. I need some serious dirt on this guy, so I'm gonna need to get it somehow.
Overall, "Cult of the Covens" did a good job keeping me entertained and makes me curious to see what will happen in the next volume of this series. It was great seeing more of Celestine and Oryn, and I really enjoyed the subject matter that this book delved into. I am definitely intrigued to see where this series goes and what happens on Tybee Island in the next book "Discord of the Dispossessed."
A sweet holiday romance that takes place on a small island that is addicted to Christmas.
Cara is the youngest of the Peterson sisters but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have her own ambitions. After waiting for years, Cara is finally given the perfect opportunity to start the horse camp of her dreams. That is, until Ryan Brookstone appears back on Christmas Island after being gone for ten years and beats her to purchasing the stable that they both worked at as kids. Cara reluctantly agrees to help out around the stable while Ryan gets his footing. It's not easy working alongside her former crush, but she won't let him smother her hopes either. Despite the odds, Cara and Ryan must work together to achieve both their dreams (just in time for Christmas, of course).
Honestly, this book was pretty cute. It wasn't super in depth and I didn't adore any of the characters, but the Christmas vibe was there and I didn't find the plot to be annoying. Watching Cara and Ryan work side by side caring for their horses was really sweet. I also appreciated the fact that they were childhood friends because it made them falling for each other so much more realistic. This book is also clean, doesn't have a ridiculous third act conflict that was completely forced into the story for no reason, and had some pretty cute moments.
This may have been the fifth book in the series, but it worked wonderfully reading it as a stand alone. In the first couple of chapters I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters, but I knew that they were all the main characters from the first four books, so I cut the author some slack. I quickly got them down pat, and trying to remember who was who didn't take much away from the story too much.
Overall, "Under the Mistletoe" was a cute small town, friends to lovers, clean Christmas romance that did a good job immersing me in the holiday vibes while also having an engaging enough plot that never had me bored. I didn't particularly love anything about this book, but it was an enjoyable enough read right before Christmas.
Cara is the youngest of the Peterson sisters but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have her own ambitions. After waiting for years, Cara is finally given the perfect opportunity to start the horse camp of her dreams. That is, until Ryan Brookstone appears back on Christmas Island after being gone for ten years and beats her to purchasing the stable that they both worked at as kids. Cara reluctantly agrees to help out around the stable while Ryan gets his footing. It's not easy working alongside her former crush, but she won't let him smother her hopes either. Despite the odds, Cara and Ryan must work together to achieve both their dreams (just in time for Christmas, of course).
Honestly, this book was pretty cute. It wasn't super in depth and I didn't adore any of the characters, but the Christmas vibe was there and I didn't find the plot to be annoying. Watching Cara and Ryan work side by side caring for their horses was really sweet. I also appreciated the fact that they were childhood friends because it made them falling for each other so much more realistic. This book is also clean, doesn't have a ridiculous third act conflict that was completely forced into the story for no reason, and had some pretty cute moments.
This may have been the fifth book in the series, but it worked wonderfully reading it as a stand alone. In the first couple of chapters I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters, but I knew that they were all the main characters from the first four books, so I cut the author some slack. I quickly got them down pat, and trying to remember who was who didn't take much away from the story too much.
Overall, "Under the Mistletoe" was a cute small town, friends to lovers, clean Christmas romance that did a good job immersing me in the holiday vibes while also having an engaging enough plot that never had me bored. I didn't particularly love anything about this book, but it was an enjoyable enough read right before Christmas.
Young Justin learns to be less sexist when he goes to spends time at his grandfather's ranch and is shown a different perspective.
Honestly, I picked this book up at the library as a joke with my sister. But my number one rule with books I own is: I have to read them before I get rid of them. So I found myself reading this book written for young readers this evening.
Sadly, this book didn't have as many biscuits as I would have liked. It did have plenty of sexist attitudes, the n-word, and its fair share of cringe dialogue. I'm not saying that this book was horrible, but it was certainly not great either. And I'm still a bit sad about the lack of biscuits in the first half of the story.
I did find the last scene quite funny when Justin wants to make his family a surprise meal and his mom is petrified that he is going to burn down the kitchen. I don't know why, but I found this interaction to be quite comical. It would take a bunch of persuading for me to let Justin in my kitchen, too.
Overall, "Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World" was certainly not written for me, but I still had the right to read it. It certainly had some language that made me a bit uncomfortable (why are some young boys so turned off from anything deemed "too feminine"?). Anyway, I won't remember anything from this book in two days, but at least I will finally be able to unhaul it.
Honestly, I picked this book up at the library as a joke with my sister. But my number one rule with books I own is: I have to read them before I get rid of them. So I found myself reading this book written for young readers this evening.
Sadly, this book didn't have as many biscuits as I would have liked. It did have plenty of sexist attitudes, the n-word, and its fair share of cringe dialogue. I'm not saying that this book was horrible, but it was certainly not great either. And I'm still a bit sad about the lack of biscuits in the first half of the story.
I did find the last scene quite funny when Justin wants to make his family a surprise meal and his mom is petrified that he is going to burn down the kitchen. I don't know why, but I found this interaction to be quite comical. It would take a bunch of persuading for me to let Justin in my kitchen, too.
Overall, "Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World" was certainly not written for me, but I still had the right to read it. It certainly had some language that made me a bit uncomfortable (why are some young boys so turned off from anything deemed "too feminine"?). Anyway, I won't remember anything from this book in two days, but at least I will finally be able to unhaul it.
A small town, friends to lovers, clean holiday romance between a rancher and a fashion designer.
Holly Morgan has always loved returning to her hometown of Evergreen Creek for the holidays. However, this year is a little more bittersweet because her family's toy store has been struggling, and her parents are considering shutting it down. Holly and her twin brother Ethan have different plans, though. Holly decides to return home early and do everything in her power to throw an event that will restore some holiday spirit to the town of Evergreen Creek and inspire the younger generations to get more involved. While on her mission, Holly can't help but notice that her high school crush, Flynn Dawson, is still single. Can Morgan save her parent's business while also pursuing the man of her dreams all in time for Christmas?
Honestly, this book was way better than I thought it would be. Between the seductive cover and the supreme indie vibes of this book, I had serious doubts that this book would pan out to be anything worth reading. Luckily, this book contained no spice and honestly did a great job of presenting a Hallmark like vibe. The plot in this one was pretty cute with the Morgan twins trying to organize a townwide event to restore holiday spirit and draw attention to their family's shop.
This book was certainly very indie though. It was definitely not edited rigorously enough; there were so many spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and even some names that were lowercased or misspelled. This did take away from the reading experience just a little because there were several times that I had to pause to figure out what the typos were supposed to be.
The biggest gripe that I have about this one is the third act conflict. It was so petty and stupid. Yes, misunderstandings happen, but they were all so pathetic in this book. How could one think that the instances they saw were acts of romance? Anyway, I digress, but the ending was truly a bummer in my opinion. And the conclusion of this book felt very rushed and didn't touch on any of the festival events at all. A big disappointment, in my opinion.
Overall, "Saddle Up for Christmas" was a pretty cozy holiday read that really read like a Hallmark movie. It wasn't a horrible story, but it certainly had its fair share of problems. However, for a Christmas romance, I didn't find it that bad, which was quite a welcome relief. I can't say I'd recommend this one, but if you are a fan of small town holiday romances with no spice, this in an option to explore.
Holly Morgan has always loved returning to her hometown of Evergreen Creek for the holidays. However, this year is a little more bittersweet because her family's toy store has been struggling, and her parents are considering shutting it down. Holly and her twin brother Ethan have different plans, though. Holly decides to return home early and do everything in her power to throw an event that will restore some holiday spirit to the town of Evergreen Creek and inspire the younger generations to get more involved. While on her mission, Holly can't help but notice that her high school crush, Flynn Dawson, is still single. Can Morgan save her parent's business while also pursuing the man of her dreams all in time for Christmas?
Honestly, this book was way better than I thought it would be. Between the seductive cover and the supreme indie vibes of this book, I had serious doubts that this book would pan out to be anything worth reading. Luckily, this book contained no spice and honestly did a great job of presenting a Hallmark like vibe. The plot in this one was pretty cute with the Morgan twins trying to organize a townwide event to restore holiday spirit and draw attention to their family's shop.
This book was certainly very indie though. It was definitely not edited rigorously enough; there were so many spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and even some names that were lowercased or misspelled. This did take away from the reading experience just a little because there were several times that I had to pause to figure out what the typos were supposed to be.
The biggest gripe that I have about this one is the third act conflict. It was so petty and stupid. Yes, misunderstandings happen, but they were all so pathetic in this book. How could one think that the instances they saw were acts of romance? Anyway, I digress, but the ending was truly a bummer in my opinion. And the conclusion of this book felt very rushed and didn't touch on any of the festival events at all. A big disappointment, in my opinion.
Overall, "Saddle Up for Christmas" was a pretty cozy holiday read that really read like a Hallmark movie. It wasn't a horrible story, but it certainly had its fair share of problems. However, for a Christmas romance, I didn't find it that bad, which was quite a welcome relief. I can't say I'd recommend this one, but if you are a fan of small town holiday romances with no spice, this in an option to explore.
A fast-paced YA holiday romance featuring an influencer and a gal obsessed with Christmas.
Elle is a social media influencer who is in desperate need of new followers. In an attempt to gain them quickly, she plans a trip to the United Kingdom and swaps lives with a girl named Holly, who just happens to be the queen of Christmas. Can Holly help Elle get in the proper holiday spirit when there is an ocean between them and Elle only seems to care about the likes?
This was a super easy, fast holiday rom com that was decently cute and had elements that I really enjoyed. However, it was pretty shallow and the romance arcs kind of came out of nowhere and didn't add much to the story. The one wasn't too horrible, but the other one had hardly any buildup and it had me confused why the author felt they needed to push two separate romance plots when neither one had that much depth.
I think my favorite thing about this one was how holiday-ish it actually seemed. I've been trying to read books to put me in the Christmas spirit, and they've all completely failed until this one. Holly is obsessed with Christmas, and her infectious spirit did a great job of drawing me in to her charm and it made me a tad envious for those who love the holidays so naturally. The fact that Holly still had to discover the true meaning of Christmas in this book was a tad sad, but I'm glad that she eventually put together that Christmas isn't all about the stuff and the things that people do, but rather the people that you do these things with.
Elle had several deeper things that she had to work through. Her struggles with being a teen influencer was interesting to read about, and I'm glad that she came to the conclusion that her account should be for her rather than for her followers. This is a much healthier approach to social media, and I'm glad that this was addressed thoroughly. Her family also had some things to work through because they keep moving and her parents worry that their kids are having a hard time fitting in.
Elle's brother, Nick, was by far my favorite character. Holly first thinks that he is a bit of a Grinch, but I love the quiet way he celebrates the holidays with the people he cares about most. The fact that he is in a band is also cool. My favorite part about him though is how out of his way he is willing to go to do small acts of kindness for various people. He is such a sweet boy, and he honestly deserves better than Holly, but I didn't hate their romantic arc.
Also, is there a reason that authors feel they have to name characters in Christmas stories super cheesy names? In this story, the main two are named Holly and Elle (Noelle), which I found to be quite cringe. And when I met Nicholas (Nick), I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the naming scheme in this story.
Overall, "Blame It on the Mistletoe" was a lighthearted, holiday read that had great Christmasy vibes and banter but lacked in depth and personality. This book is definitely one of the better holiday books I've read, but I still didn't love it all that much. Hopefully, I'll read a banger of a holiday romance one of these years.
A grumpy/sunshine holiday romance that features a military vet and a young seamstress that wants nothing more than to give him a quilt for his service.
When Sophie Davis finds the journal of a former marine at her local church sale, she becomes enraptured by his story. Unfortunately, the grumpy marine in question, Cole Aaron, wants nothing to do with her. Upon trying to return the journal, Cole tells Sophie he never wants to see her again. But when the two are paired to work together for the town's holiday toy drive, Cole and Sophie are forced to spend much more time together than they would have ever wanted. Can Cole put aside his dark past and allow Sophie to shine some Christmas magic onto his life?
This book showcases the peak reasons why I don't usually like holiday romances. This book literally had no depth, the writing was sloppy, and the relentless pining was so boring. Seriously, this is the book equivalent to eating cardboard. I was not enthused by any aspect of this book, and by page one hundred I was rolling my eyes wishing that it would be over soon. These things may be okay in a not even two hour movie format, but having to read it all as a book? Yeah, no thanks. Hallmark books are definitely not my cup of tea.
I did appreciate that this book tried to dive into wounded warriors and their experiences with PTSD, but it all felt so surface level that I didn't get anything out of it. It was so sweet that Sophie wanted to do all that she could for Cole, but both of them were in denial the entire book, which was just plain annoying. The fact that they were both so reluctant to admit that they were crushing on each other just had me so mad, and I just couldn't force myself to care about anything that was happening.
Overall, "Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy" had a couple cute scenes and a decent premise, but everything about it had me wishing that the book would just end already. From the pointless pining, to the flat writing, to the face that nothing in this story had depth, this book truly couldn't end soon enough. I'm definitely not the target audience of this book, but I truly didn't expect to hate it as much as I did. It was just so boring to me; I literally didn't care about anything.
When Sophie Davis finds the journal of a former marine at her local church sale, she becomes enraptured by his story. Unfortunately, the grumpy marine in question, Cole Aaron, wants nothing to do with her. Upon trying to return the journal, Cole tells Sophie he never wants to see her again. But when the two are paired to work together for the town's holiday toy drive, Cole and Sophie are forced to spend much more time together than they would have ever wanted. Can Cole put aside his dark past and allow Sophie to shine some Christmas magic onto his life?
This book showcases the peak reasons why I don't usually like holiday romances. This book literally had no depth, the writing was sloppy, and the relentless pining was so boring. Seriously, this is the book equivalent to eating cardboard. I was not enthused by any aspect of this book, and by page one hundred I was rolling my eyes wishing that it would be over soon. These things may be okay in a not even two hour movie format, but having to read it all as a book? Yeah, no thanks. Hallmark books are definitely not my cup of tea.
I did appreciate that this book tried to dive into wounded warriors and their experiences with PTSD, but it all felt so surface level that I didn't get anything out of it. It was so sweet that Sophie wanted to do all that she could for Cole, but both of them were in denial the entire book, which was just plain annoying. The fact that they were both so reluctant to admit that they were crushing on each other just had me so mad, and I just couldn't force myself to care about anything that was happening.
Overall, "Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy" had a couple cute scenes and a decent premise, but everything about it had me wishing that the book would just end already. From the pointless pining, to the flat writing, to the face that nothing in this story had depth, this book truly couldn't end soon enough. I'm definitely not the target audience of this book, but I truly didn't expect to hate it as much as I did. It was just so boring to me; I literally didn't care about anything.