Holiday Quick Reviews

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler (2024) 

Sienna is still getting over her bitter divorce when her friend humorously places a newspaper ad for a husband for her - to which Guy responds, needing financial stability for his daughter's kidney disease care.  Impulsively, Sienna marries the stranger, intending to keep things "in name only," but soon finds the three becoming a real family.  Honestly, I'm not sure why I chose this book - I wanted a holiday read, but marriage of convenience is not my favorite trope and sometimes the single dad trope can feel cloying to me.  This story was SO heavy - Sienna's constant thoughts about her recent divorce were tough and Emma's kidney disease was so hard on her and thus on everyone around her (obviously, not her fault, she's 4, but just a lot for a Chistmas-y story).  Sienna's decision to marry Guy after literally talking to him for a few minutes just seems baffling - sure, he seems nice, but you know nothing about him!  He could be a terrible man!  But of course, he's not, because this is a holiday romance.  I admired his love and devotion to Emma, but his relationship with Sienna moved at warp speed.  Don't believe the blurb, this is definitely not a slow burn.  It has really high reviews on Goodreads, too, so maybe take my review with a grain of salt!  3 stars

Christmas Sweater Weather by Jacqueline Snowe (2024)

Charlotte has had a crush on Hayden for a long time, even after he rejected her a couple years ago.  Now the two are thrown together for her brother's Christmas wedding, and it seems like now she's not the only one with feelings.  I have had really bad luck with my holiday reads this year, and I ended up DNFing this one around 50%.  The characters felt so immature; their inner thoughts sounded like teenagers with a major crush.  The tone and pace felt frantic, even manic - everything moved so quickly, from thoughts to feelings to events, that it was hard to keep track of what was going on sometimes.  And lastly, this book could have used another good round of editing - from the above-mentioned issues to wrong words being used.

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Top Ten Tuesday: My Winter TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our winter TBR.  I'm focusing on my 2024 preorders that I haven't gotten to yet - I definitely want to make them a priority before getting into 2025 releases!

What will you be reading this winter?

Guest Blogger: NYC Book Tour

 Michele is back today to share a fun day!

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As a belated anniversary and birthday gift, my husband planned a NYC bookstore tour for us.  Nine miles and many hours later, we had visited 8 different stores:

The Corner Bookstore – a small store with a surprisingly nice selection.

 

 

Albertine – a bookstore nestled in a historic building that mostly caters to French language books.

 

 

McNally Jackson – probably my favorite of the day!  It was large and bright and had a wonderful selection.

 

 

Book Off – a used bookstore that also has a large selection of used video games, CDs and DVDs.

 

 

Kinokuniya – A large bookstore with an entire floor dedicated to Japanese books, stationary and other goods.

 

 

Alabaster Bookshop – another used bookstore with a focus on rare books.

Our last two stops were Strand and Barnes & Noble Union Square, both pretty popular NYC destinations. 

 

 

Our haul included a few books for me and a few for our daughter!

What are some of your favorite bookstores?  

Holiday Quick Reviews

 Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (2023)

Due to a misunderstanding during a job interview, Laurel's boss is under the impression that she owns and runs her sister's farm, and when he invites himself over for Christmas, she'll have to fake her way through the holiday, including being married to her nemesis, Max.  Will the truth come out when they are all trapped by a snowstorm?  Although this wasn't my favorite Christmas read, it did have some cute moments.  Laurel is kind of a mess, but she finally has a good thing going with her current job and she's determined to keep it.  It was funny the lengths she was willing to go to in order to deceive her boss.  I also enjoyed her relationship with her twin sister, Holly.  I did think the story moved VERY fast, like warp speed, and I really disliked the miscommunication trope that led to her hating Max years ago.  It was pretty obvious what was really going on, and I wanted Laurel to stop interrupting Max and just let him explain.  Overall, a quick read with lots of holiday vibes.  3 stars

A Wish for Christmas by Courtney Cole (2023)

An unhappily married couple makes a wish on an enchanted snow globe that they had never met, and they wake up the next morning living separate lives, with no memories of their life together - but are they really meant to be?  I was really looking forward to this book, after enjoying a couple other holiday books from this author, but this one was a miss for me.  The premise sounded so good, but maybe some wires got crossed for me somewhere, because the story itself didn't really seem to match.  We begin the story with two people, but then the names change? And they go back to their shared hometown, where their respective parents are feuding over business opportunities, and the two are drawn into it, while slowly falling in love.  I just never felt fully invested in the story, even going so far as to question what the point even was.  The dialogue is so cringey, the author attempts to pull at heartstrings with animals and illnesses, and the ending left a LOT to be desired.  I love a bit of magical realism in my books, but this one took it too far.  2.5 stars

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Stolen Queen

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

The Stolen Queen

Fiona Davis

Expected publication date: January 7, 2025

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger. - from Goodreads

Henry's Shelves #8

 

I think it's been a few months since I shared the books that Henry and I have been enjoying together, so today we're back for another edition of Henry's Shelves!  It's always fun for me to see what books he gravitates towards.  I try to give him a big selection, but he seems to want to read the same ones over and over again!

George Ferris, What a Wheel! // Hulk's Big Feelings // Duck, Duck, Moose

Curious George // How Do Apples Grow? // Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

The Goodnight Train Rolls On! // Happy Halloweenie // Penguin and Penelope

Have you read any of these?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Jigsaw Puzzles

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is a freebie, so I've decided to do something non-bookish.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love jigsaw puzzles, specifically 500 piece puzzles.  They can be challenging but not too hard, something I can work on over the course of a couple days.  It's so satisfying to see them come together, and Henry loves looking at the final product!  At the time I'm putting together this post, I've done 43 puzzles this year, and here are some of my favorites!

 

Little Feminist // Music Cats

 

Shrooms in Bloom // Garden Path

 

The Magic of Stories // Happy Plants

 

Sweet Confections // Springtime Petals

 

Woodland Pass // Spooky Portraits

If you're interested in more 500 piece puzzles, check out my picks here!

Do you enjoy jigsaw puzzles?

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Month in Review: November 2024

 

November was full of fun!  We started the month by going on a fall foliage train ride, which was really fun.  We celebrated our nephew's 3rd birthday, and Henry had a great time in the huge bounce house with all the kids.  We put up our outdoor Christmas lights very early (although we still haven't decorated inside!) - Henry's job is to turn them on each afternoon when he gets home from school.  My in-laws came over for Thanksgiving, but it was a pretty chill day.  It was also Henry's 3rd birthday!  I can't believe three years have flown by already.  I made my first birthday cake - let's just say I'm thankful that frosting can cover up a lot of mistakes!  It tasted good, though.  We ended the month with a small family party for Henry.  Our sweet boy still enjoys reading, and his current obsession is hot air balloons.  He loves reading about them, watching videos about them, and pretending everything in our house can be turned into one - it's been interesting!

The Books

Everything Beautiful In Its Time // Idaho Madams // The Big Bang Theory // Never Coming Home

The Palace // The Demon of Unrest // The Situation Room // Fangirl Down

The Posts and Reviews

Nonfiction November 2024: Choosing Nonfiction

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Is She Really Going Out With Him?

Horror Novella Quick Reviews

Nonfiction November 2024: Book Pairings

Top Ten Tuesday: Destination Titles

Audiobook Quick Reviews

Michele's Monday Picks #59

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Jewel of the Isle

Blog Tour: Idaho Madams

Nonfiction November 2024: New to Our TBR

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Under Loch and Key

Nonfiction November Review Round-Up

How are you doing?

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Nonfiction November Review Round-Up

While I didn't *exclusively* read nonfiction this month, I was able to knock quite a few off my TBR, and honestly, they were all pretty incredible.  I wouldn't be surprised if most of them made my "best of 2024" list!  Here is a quick round-up of some of the books I read this month.

The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series by Jessica Radloff (2022) 

I was only a casual watcher of The Big Bang Theory when it started, but by the last couple seasons, it was required Thursday night viewing for me!  I fell in love with the characters, with the humor and heart, and even the science!  In this book, Jessica Radloff compiles interviews with the cast and crew, creating a comprehensive look at a TV show that dominated our screens for over a decade - behind-the-scenes stories, memories, and things they haven't talked about until now.  A must-read for fans of the show!  4.5 stars

The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court by Gareth Russell (2023)

Historian Gareth Russell explores the history of the British palace Hampton Court.  From its humble beginnings to massive renovations to its current state, Hampton Court has been an important location for many British monarchs.  I love history and especially learning about royalty and iconic buildings, so this was the perfect mash-up of all those topics for me!  It was fascinating to learn how many events took place at Hampton Court, from births to deaths to scandals and everything in between.  Russell has arranged the book in chronological order by royal house, and while the Tudor section was a particular favorite of mine, they all offered something interesting.  4.5 stars

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson (2024)

If Erik Larson writes it, I will read it.  Even if it's about a subject that, on the surface, I might not think I'm interested in!  I love history, but American history is, ironically, not at the top of my list of subjects I enjoy reading about.  But, when I saw that Erik Larson was releasing a book exploring the months between Abraham Lincoln's election and the first shots of the Civil War, I knew I was going to read it.  Larson's narrative nonfiction style truly does make it feel like you're reading a novel, but you can also tell that he's done a ton of research.  He transports you back to 1861, bringing people, both famous and not, to life through vivid details.  I always feel like I learn a lot from Larson's books, and this one was no exception.  5 stars

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Under Loch and Key

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

Under Loch and Key

Lana Ferguson   

Expected publication date: December 3, 2024

A woman discovers that not all monsters are her enemy—the opposite, in fact—in this new paranormal romance by Lana Ferguson, author of The Fake Mate.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess. - from Goodreads

Nonfiction November 2024: New to Our TBR

 

It's the last week of Nonfiction November, and it has been a great month of nonfiction!  This week is "new to our TBR" and is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.  Life got a bit in the way this month and I didn't get to blog hop and find as many new books as I'd hoped to, but I did come across some very interesting ones, so thank you to the following bloggers for the new additions to my TBR!

The New Guys - Simple Tricks & Nonsense

No Scrap Left Behind - Based on a True Story

Furious Hours - Notes in the Margin

The Year Without Summer - Simple Tricks & Nonsense

The Other Ancient Civilisations - Bookfever