Michele's Monday Picks #56

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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The Nightmare Before Kissmas

By Sara Raasch

Expected Publication: October 8, 2024

From Goodreads:

Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky romcom where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make- out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

This sounds so fun! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood (2023)

Mallory is done playing chess, until she agrees to play in one last tournament and ends up being the current world champion.  Now she finds herself being pulled back into the world she believes ruined her family and also falling in love a bit with her competitor.  I've been wanting to read the beloved Ali Hazelwood for awhile, and unfortunately I don't think this was the best book for me to start with.  Although the main characters are out of high school, they are young enough for me to deem this YA, which I really don't read too much anymore.  That itself is not necessarily a problem, but when I start disliking the characters because of their over-the-top drama and nonsensical actions, it is.  YA characters for me can be simultaneously immature and too mature, if that makes sense?  Mallory is one of those people who makes her entire personality taking care of her family (whether they ask her to or not).  I think she goes overboard with it.  And Nolan, I just didn't get him.  I guess he thinks his feelings are obvious, but he just came off as weird, even a little creepy and stalkerish.  I didn't get the chemistry between the two.  I don't play chess, but I did enjoy the chess talk - it's really amazing how much skill and knowledge goes into a game.  The side characters added some needed levity to this story.  I do want to read more from this author, so for now I'll give this one 3 stars. 

 

Being Henry: The Fonz... and Beyond by Henry Winkler (2023)

 

In Being Henry, actor/producer/director/writer Henry Winkler talks about his at times difficult childhood, his rise to fame playing a very recognizable character, and his years spent trying to distinguish himself in Hollywood.  I think most of us probably have heard of Henry Winkler, or at least his most famous role, the Fonz on the hit show Happy Days.  I'm not sure why this memoir never crossed my radar, but I'm glad I found it while perusing Libby one day to find an audiobook for my afternoon walks!  As always, I love when a memoir is read by the author - Winkler's voice and cadence are so recognizable and distinct, and it really helps bring his own story to life.  Winkler is honest, humble, charming, vulnerable, and funny.  He doesn't shy away from the difficult parts of his life, talking openly about his dyslexia and his troubled relationship with his parents.  He also happily talks about such things as his almost 5-decade long marriage and his children (his wife even narrates some of it!).  I think at times the self-deprecation went a little too far, and the stream of consciousness narrative, while it makes you feel as if you are having a genuine conversation with Winkler, at times was a little jarring as it bounced from topic to topic.  But overall, I think this memoir proves that Winkler is one of those rare Hollywood gems, talented enough to hang with the best but also genuinely excited and happy to be there.  4 stars

 

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Little Free Library Sightings: Hudson Valley Edition

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!"  I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them!  There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited!  Here are a few I visited during our weekend getaway to the Hudson Valley!

#132265 - During our trip, we stayed in Fishkill, which had two Little Free Libraries very close to the downtown area, so after dinner one night, we walked to them!  This LFL was created by Girl Scout Troop 10398 and they say, "I made this library for the children of my community to find new books and to share books they love with others."  Love this!  I left a book.

#66105 - This LFL, called Cicero's Little Library, is located at a house just off the main street of Fishkill.  The owner says, "We would like to thank all our friends and family for helping to raise money for this library on social media. We would also like to thank the Village of Fishkill for approving this project. Jeri Wagner and Mike Boyajian "All that you need in life is a garden and a library." - Cicero.  As you can see, it was completely stuffed with books!  I left a book and took a Ruth Ware book.

#132984 - The Ricker Library is located in Sleepy Hollow.  There are actually quite a few LFLs in Sleepy Hollow, but I wasn't feeling great so we only managed to stop at this one.  I love the story behind this one - "My husband gifted me this Little Free Library for my birthday. I'm a Middle School Librarian and I love children's books."  How sweet!  What a perfect gift for a bookworm/librarian.  I left a book for them.

 

#164036 - I have to share two photos of this LFL because, come on, look at that view!  This LFL is located in Cold Spring, NY, right along the Hudson River waterfront.  There's a bandstand, pier, memorial, and walkway nearby, so I'm sure it gets lots of traffic!  According to the LFL website, "This Little Free Library is the Hudson River "outpost" of the Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library. It was a collaboration with the Village of Cold Spring and the Mid-Hudson Adirondack Club for the purpose of learning about and sharing an appreciation of the natural world around us."  I left a book.

#15381 - On our way to the FDR Presidential Library and Home site, we passed this LFL in Hyde Park.  It's actually in the parking lot of a strip mall.  I had run out of books to leave, so unfortunately I couldn't leave one, but this LFL was packed with books, so it's clearly well-used!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Fall TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our fall TBR.  I did pretty terribly on the TBR I planned for the summer, but I'm really excited about this one!  It also helps that I have half of them sitting on my unread shelf!

Have you read any of these?  Where should I start?

Michele's Monday Picks #55

 Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Variation

By Rebecca Yarros

Expected Publication: October 8, 2024

From Goodreads:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing comes a new contemporary romance about the summer a celebrated dancer returns home and unearths years of family secrets with the Coast Guard rescue swimmer she never forgot.

I have been a fan of Rebecca since long before Fourth Wing and her contemporary romances are really special - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Indie Bookstore Spotlight: Split Rock Books

Last month we took a long weekend getaway to the Hudson Valley.  One day we stopped for lunch in the small town of Cold Spring.  Right across from the pizza parlor was an indie bookstore, so of course I had to stop in!  Split Rock Books was founded in 2018 by a married couple (who have since welcomed two little booksellers!).  According to their website, "Split Rock carries a curated selection of new books with a focus on literary fiction and non-fiction, small presses, local interest and children's books. We're also able to order most books by request.  We host a variety of children's and family programming, book clubs, readings, signings and discussions."

A man on a bench out front noticed I was taking pictures of the store and jokingly asked if I always do that with bookstores - I said yes!  It kicked off a pleasant conversation about indie bookstores in New York, and he gave me some good recommendations for others to visit!

I love all the bright colors on the storefront and in the windows - it's so cheerful and welcoming!  Inside, the space isn't large but has everything you need for a wonderful bookstore.  Tall shelves, tables of new releases, cool lighting - it was all great!

This is just one small part of the children's section.  There were so many books I wanted to get for Henry, but I stuck to just one, a book about how apples grow.  We've already read it a couple times!

If you ever find yourself near Cold Spring in the Hudson Valley of New York, definitely take some time to visit Split Rock Books!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: If I Were You

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

If I Were You

Cesca Major

Expected publication date: September 24, 2024

From the author of Maybe Next Time comes a funny and emotional read about a couple struggling in their relationship who accidentally swap bodies on their way to a family wedding weekend.

Amy and Flynn have been dating for two years. And they love each other. Don’t they?

Only Amy can’t read Flynn’s mind and Flynn can’t read Amy’s. Little do they know this weekend is make or break.

Amy’s nervous older sister is getting married at the world’s swankiest wedding venue in rural Devon and is relying on her younger sister to be the perfect Chief Bridesmaid. Frustrations on the way to the wedding escalate until both Amy and Flynn are shouting at each other in a country lane during a thunderstorm. Why can’t they see things from the other’s point of view? When lightning strikes, Flynn and Amy are thrown to the ground, and when they stand back up they realize—they’ve switched bodies.

Forced to attend the glamorous wedding weekend as each other is surely an impossible task. With spa mornings, exes, flash mob rehearsals, speeches and more, getting through this swap will test their relationship to breaking point. And when they each discover big secrets in the other’s past—it seems that switching bodies could be the least of their problems. Even if they do manage to swap back—can their relationship survive? - from Goodreads