Mini Review: Stolen Things by R.H. Herron

Stolen Things by R.H. Herron

Published: August 20, 2019

Publisher: Dutton

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

“Mama? Help me.”

Laurie Ahmadi has worked as a 911 police dispatcher in her quiet Northern California town for nearly two decades. She considers the department her family; her husband, Omid, is its first Arab American chief, and their teenaged daughter, Jojo, has grown up with the force. So when Laurie catches a 911 call and, to her horror, it’s Jojo, the whole department springs into action.

Jojo, drugged, disoriented, and in pain, doesn’t remember how she ended up at the home of Kevin Leeds, a pro football player famous for his on-the-field activism and his work with the CapB—“Citizens Against Police Brutality”—movement. She doesn’t know what happened to Kevin’s friend and trainer, whose beaten corpse is also discovered in the house. And she has no idea where her best friend Harper, who was with her earlier in the evening, could be.

But when Jojo begins to dive into Harper’s social media to look for clues to her whereabouts, Jojo uncovers a shocking secret that turns everything she knew about Harper—and the police department—on its head. With everything they thought they could rely on in question, Laurie and Jojo begin to realize that they can’t trust anyone to find Harper except themselves . . . and time is running out.

My Thoughts

Stolen Things seemed like a read I would’ve read in one sitting and by the premise, I wanted to but once I started reading it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I thought this was a thriller about a mother trying to get her daughter back and while it was it took different turns that I couldn’t get invested in. 

Laurie thought she knew her daughter but when she calls 911 and Laurie who is a dispatcher answers she finds out her daughter has been hanging with some shady people. Jojo’s best friend has been involved with some older men who are police officers and seeing how Jojo’s father is one this isn’t good. Plus when someone is found dead and Jojo doesn’t know how she ended up drugged and maybe even raped her mother doesn’t know where to start to find out the truth.

While all of this sounds good and parts are really good overall I found that too much stuff was happening. There were a lot of characters and there were so many issues being thrown at you I couldn’t keep track of them at times. This was an okay read but honestly, me going into this thinking it was about something else might have not made me fully get into it.

Mini Review: One Week 'Til Christmas by Belinda Missen

One Week Til Christmas by Belinda Missen

Published: November 1, 2019

Publisher: HQ Digital

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Two people. One chance meeting. Seven days to Christmas.

Isobel Bennett is waiting for the number 11 bus when a man quite literally falls into her lap. Snow is falling, Christmas lights are twinkling, and a gorgeous man with dark brown hair has just slipped on ice and is now pressed against Isobel. Isobel knows she’s not imagining the chemistry between them. But then his ride arrives and, embarrassed, he beats a hasty retreat, murmuring apologies – and Isobel realizes only too late that she didn’t manage to catch his name…

When she runs into him again the next morning, she decides it’s fate. It’s a second chance for Isobel and Tom – but there’s only one week until she’s leaving London for good. Seven days of enjoying all the festive delights the city has to offer: ice-skating at Somerset House, mulled wine on the Southbank, Christmas shopping at Liberty. There’s magic in the air and mistletoe in the trees – but what will happen when the week is over?

My Thoughts

Isobel and Tom have their met cute when they bump into each other not once but twice and what happens after that leads to a week of fun and romance but what happens after their whirled wind week? Will these two realize that there is more to this than just a fling or will they just chalk all this up to just fun?

I liked this novel it was a quick read filled with fun and romance and two characters that were meant to be. When they meet it was supposed to be just a fling but they soon discovered how much they had in common and how much they filled what was missing in their lives. This is a read for anyone who loves a good romance sprinkled with the magic that is Christmas.

Mini Review: Go Ask Fannie by Elisabeth Hyde

Go Ask Fannie by Elisabeth Hyde

Published: April 10, 2018

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Everyone has baggage. The Blaire siblings are just taking theirs home for the long weekend.

When Murray Blaire invites his three grown children to his New Hampshire farm for a few days, he makes it clear he expects them to keep things pleasant. The rest of his agenda–using Ruth and George to convince their younger sister, Lizzie, to break up with her much older boyfriend–that he chooses to keep private. But Ruth and George arrive bickering, with old scores to settle. And, in a classic Blaire move, Lizzie derails everything when she turns up late, cradling a damaged family cookbook, and talking about possible criminal charges against her.

This is not the first time the Blaire family has been thrown into chaos. In fact, that cookbook, an old edition of Fannie Farmer, is the last remaining artifact from a time when they were a family of six, not four, with a father running for Congress and a mother building a private life of her own. The now-obscured notes written in its pages provide tantalizing clues to their mother’s ambitions and the mysterious choices she once made, choices her children have always sought without success to understand. Until this weekend.

As the Blaire siblings piece together their mother’s story, they come to realize not just what they’ve lost, but how they can find their way back to each other. In this way, celebrated author Elisabeth Hyde reminds readers that family survival isn’t about simply setting aside old rivalries, but preserving the love that’s written between the lines. 

My Thoughts

In Go Ask Fannie we have the Blaire siblings who all come home to help deal with their father. This is well written family drama that showcases the dynamics between each sibling and how no matter how long you can be apart when family comes together it can be a beautiful but also hectic thing. I enjoyed the family dynamics between the characters and how each while flawed in the end do love and care for one another. There is nothing I love more than a good family novel and this one was pretty good.

Mini Review: Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

Published: March 6, 2018

Publisher: William Morrow

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Growing up, Kate Priddy was always a bit neurotic, experiencing momentary bouts of anxiety that exploded into full-blown panic attacks after an ex-boyfriend kidnapped her and nearly ended her life. When Corbin Dell, a distant cousin in Boston, suggests the two temporarily swap apartments, Kate, an art student in London, agrees, hoping that time away in a new place will help her overcome the recent wreckage of her life.

Soon after her arrival at Corbin’s grand apartment on Beacon Hill, Kate makes a shocking discovery: his next-door neighbor, a young woman named Audrey Marshall, has been murdered. When the police question her about Corbin, a shaken Kate has few answers, and many questions of her own—curiosity that intensifies when she meets Alan Cherney, a handsome, quiet tenant who lives across the courtyard, in the apartment facing Audrey’s. Alan saw Corbin surreptitiously come and go from Audrey’s place, yet he’s denied knowing her. Then, Kate runs into a tearful man claiming to be the dead woman’s old boyfriend, who insists Corbin did the deed the night that he left for London.

When she reaches out to her cousin, he proclaims his innocence and calms her nerves--until she comes across disturbing objects hidden in the apartment and accidentally learns that Corbin is not where he says he is. Could Corbin be a killer? What about Alan? Kate finds herself drawn to this appealing man who seems so sincere, yet she isn’t sure. Jet-lagged and emotionally unstable, her imagination full of dark images caused by the terror of her past, Kate can barely trust herself, so how could she take the chance on a stranger she’s just met?

My Thoughts

I was really excited about this read seeing how Peter Swanson has become one of my favorite authors but sadly this one just fell a little flat for me. In Her Every Fear we have Kate who is recovering from something tragic from her past and her parents decide maybe she needs a break and maybe she should exchange places with her cousin in the States for a while. Corbin her cousin has his own demons from his past he is trying to escape but the timing of the swap isn’t the best for him and soon he finds himself having to prove his innocence.

While I found this novel interesting there were some things I just couldn’t believe in. I found myself getting confused at times with the characters and other times I just wanted to know what was going to happen. I liked Corbin as a character and found his storyline very interesting but Kate wasn’t my favorite. I found her just repeating her mistakes and just wanted her to find her way. This novel will definitely draw you in but at times I found it dragging. I’m still a huge fan of the author but this one was an okay read for me in the end.

Mini Review: Last Christmas by Marisa Mackle

Last Christmas by Marisa Mackle

Published: April 24, 2013

Format: via Kindle

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

A group of strangers are thrown together unexpectedly at Christmas and spend the holiday together at a tiny guesthouse in the middle of the woods. A fun thought-provoking festive story with a hint of romance.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this short holiday read about a group of strangers who individuals stories all seem to intertwine at the end. Each of these people ends up wanting to enjoy the holidays even if at the beginning they didn’t think they would. What I found so magical was that all these lonely souls came together to celebrate the holidays, and that's what Christmas is all about. This is a very short read but one that gives you a great story in a limited time. This is recommended for anyone who wants a holiday read in a short time.

Mini Review: Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

Christmas at Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

Published: September 3, 2019

Publisher: Revell

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?

My Thoughts

Krista and her daughter recently moved to Winter Hill in hopes of a better future. It’s Christmas time and no one loves it more than Krista’s daughter but Krista isn't one for it since she grew up in the foster care system and the holidays bring no cheer at all. So when she moves to a town that loves the holidays Krista is a little put-off, to say the least, but her daughter and the town hope to change her mind.

So will this town change her mind about Christmas and make her see there is some good in this world? Not to mention maybe even a new romance is her future. I really enjoyed this book it was cute and a quick read but one with lots of cheer and holiday magic. I like a good read that shows us that hope is a possibility and shows us that the good still has good people in it. This is one read that will bring you some great holiday feels.

Mini Review: Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer

Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer

Published: October 15, 2019

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: via publisher

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Christina Antonioni is preparing for the holidays at her Nantucket toy shop, unpacking last-minute shipments and decorating for her loyal Christmas shoppers. But when her Scrooge of a landlord, Oscar Bittlesman, raises her rent, it seems nearly impossible for Christina to continue business on the wharf.

Even so, Christina hopes there is a warm heart underneath Oscar's steely exterior. When she bonds with Wink, his sweet, young granddaughter who frequents the shop, it becomes clear that perhaps he isn't so cold after all. And with the help of Wink's uncle, who happens to be a charming and very handsome bachelor, this may be the best Christmas any of them could have ever imagined. Nancy Thayer's enchanting Nantucket setting provides the perfect backdrop for this holiday love story.

My Thoughts

If this isn’t made into a Hallmark Christmas movie I don’t know what will! In Let it Snow we have Christina who is the owner of a toy store who finds herself on a mission to try to save her store and others after their landlord has decided to raise their rent, many of who cant afford it.

One day she meets Wink, a little girl who she caught stealing but decides to help her out thinking she's a girl who doesn’t have anything or anyone. Little does Christina know that Wink is the granddaughter of her very wealthy landlord and finds out the girl is lashing out due to issues that are going on with her parents. However, Christina felt a connection with Wink and knew all she needed was someone to care and be there for her. In the process, she soon meets Wink’s uncle Andy and like that Christina is a goner. Andy is everything Christina would want in a man but she isn’t sure if she should take her time with him or throw caution to the wind. While they haven’t known each other for that long both can’t help but have feelings for one another but with her issues with his father and her not wanting to think she is using him, all these obstacles are very challenging for their relationship.

This is a very classic story when it comes to a Christmas romance novel, boy meets girl and something is always in the way of their budding romance, and while this one is that way its still very magical and a cozy read. I liked how she was very independent and didn’t want to use their relationship in helping her situation with her store. In the end, I will always be a sucker for a cute romance and throw in the holidays and I’ll buy it every time! So in that way, this is a no brainer if you want something short and fast-paced for the holiday season, definitely a cute romantic read.

Review: The Whisper Man by Alex North

The Whisper Man by Alex North 

Published: August 20, 2019

Publisher: Celadon Books

Format: audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window.

My Thoughts

In theory, The Whisper Man had everything I wanted in a book, it was a thriller with hints of real scariness that I was so ready to get into. It’s the story of Tom wants a new start with his young son after the loss of his wife, until his son encounters “The Whisper Man” and Tom doesn’t know what to think. The Whisper Man was a man who years ago came to the window of young children to kidnap them and do harm. However many think the man who was convicted had an accomplice and now the police are out to find out what is really going on.

This story is told through different timelines and POVs, so much so I found myself confused at times. While I was so looking forward to reading this it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I was imagining something more scary or haunting but it wasn’t so much that than a story of fathers and sons. and their relationships with one another. Don’t get me wrong there were some scary elements but nothing like I thought it would be. Although it wasn’t what I was expecting it was a good read, one with an interesting storyline and characters that will leave a lasting impression.

Review: Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Published: September 3, 2019

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

After a year of college, Pablo is working at his local twenty-four-hour deli, selling overpriced snacks to brownstone yuppies. He’s dodging calls from the student loan office and he has no idea what his next move is.

Leanna Smart’s life so far has been nothing but success. Age eight: Disney Mouseketeer; Age fifteen: first #1 single on the US pop chart; Age seventeen, *tenth* #1 single; and now, at Age nineteen…life is a queasy blur of private planes, weird hotel rooms, and strangers asking for selfies on the street.

When Leanna and Pab randomly meet at 4:00 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, they both know they can’t be together forever. So, they keep things on the down-low and off Instagram for as long as they can. But it takes about three seconds before the world finds out.

My Thoughts

Pablo is just a guy working at a local deli when Leanna enters his world and turns everything upside down. One night Leanna walks into the deli and sparks fly and they hit it off and things take off from there. If they want to have fun and see where this goes they can’t let anyone know, meaning they must stay offline.

Each of them are having their own problems so they know this whatever it is won't last forever. Pablo is dealing with family issues and his college career is up in the air. Leanna has been in the spotlight all her life and all she wants is to have some time off and just be herself. I felt that they both entered each other’s lives just when they needed someone. They used each other as a means to escape what they were going through.

While I didn’t love this read I thought it was okay. I liked the characters but some of the storylines just went on longer than I thought they needed to. This was a middle of the road read for me but I would give the author another chance in the future.

Review: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Published: January 9, 2018

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.

You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.

You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.

Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

My Thoughts

I kept hearing a lot of this novel so when I finally finished it I was so on the fence. In The Wife Between Us it was labeled as a thriller and so I went into this looking for that but I never got it. There were parts when I was confused as to who was who and in the beginning, I felt something building up but nothing ever really happened.

We see the tale as old as time about a couple who divorce and now he is about to remarry and his ex seems to become obsessed but is she really? Then we hear parts of her story and her past which does come into play. Is she just an obsessed ex who is crazy or is she a victim of sorts? To be honest, by the end I really didn’t care. I did give it three stars because when the “reveal” finally happened I was a bit taken back and surprised.

All in all, I think this failed the hype in my opinion. There were great parts but other times I was like umm okay, I think if it was dubbed a mystery which is what it was more to me I would’ve maybe liked it more. In the end, it wasn’t bad but it was the greatest either.

Holiday Reviews: One Snowy Night & Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

  One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Published: November 8, 2016 / November 7, 2017

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3.5/5 & 3/5

My Thoughts

One Snowy Night is a cute and cozy read about Rory who is stuck and has to go home for Christmas and her only way to get there is by Max. Max is her old high school crush and let's just say that time has been very good to him. Rory has to get home in time to deliver her mom’s present but a snowstorm has other plans and soon she and Max become close. I loved how finally Rory just lets go and enjoys herself, she really just enjoyed the moment and it was perfect. This was a very cute read one that will definitely have you rooting for Max and Rory.

Holiday Wishes is about Lottie who owns an inn and Sean who comes to celebrate his brother’s upcoming wedding. Soon a snowstorm has everyone stranded there and then Sean recognizes Lottie as someone from his past but when he talks to her she seems to not know who he is. Lottie definitely knows who Sean is but seeing how he took her virginity then never called her after she doesn’t want anything to ever do with him ever again. Since they are trapped in together they soon talk and get to know each other again and the truth comes out about that night from years ago. The chemistry they have is undeniable and soon sparks fly and there is no doubt they are want to see where this can go. This is definitely a more steamy read but nevertheless, it is a good one, if you want something fun and sexy this is the one for you.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 25, 2011

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

Gretchen Daniels has recently moved into a condo with her two children to be closer to her mother, Miriam. As they build a life together in their new community, they notice a mysterious young woman, Melissa McCreary, who lives next door. She has few possessions, little personality, and keeps to herself. One day a local landlord who is looking for Melissa knocks on Gretchen's door for assistance. Melissa's mother has died and in the coming weeks the landlord needs Melissa to empty her mother's apartment. Gretchen reaches out and offers to help Melissa, but the apartment is a gut-wrenching shamble of a home. There is little worth saving except for a few photos and a note that is discovered on the crate beside the bed. It is unfinished, but in the two scribbled lines, Melissa discovers secrets about her family that she never could have imagined. Can two very different women embark on a journey that explores a long-buried need for forgiveness, hope, and redemption?

My Thoughts

The Christmas Note is the tale of Gretchen who has moved to be closer to her mom and whose husband is in the military. She has a neighbor Melissa who is not neighborly, to say the least. While Gretchen and her kids try to be nice and friendly Melissa is used to keeping to herself and she wants to keep it that way. One day when Melissa is gone someone shows up and tells Gretchen that Melissa’s mom has passed away and that she needs to tell her. While Gretchen doesn’t know how to tell her this news once she does she tries to befriend Melissa to help her through this hard time, but what Gretchen doesn’t know is that Melissa and her mom weren’t close at all. Melissa soon discovers that her mom kept a huge secret from her and now she’s on a mission to find out what her mom hid all these years. This secret it turns out is much closer than she ever realized and not only that but she finds out her mother isn’t who she thought she was, she learns she had hardships in life. Though all this Melissa and Gretchen become friends soon they will discover that life has other plans for them. This was a feel-good read that shows us that fate does exist. People are bought into our lives for a reason and Melissa and Gretchen will discover that. Nothing screams Christmas than a miracle and these two will definitely find theirs during the holidays.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 13, 2009

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love.

Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet, but her job is in jeopardy because she’s often late to work due to the unreliable teenaged sitters she’s forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson’s department store, the owner of Wilson’s wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious “Christy.” Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is “above” working at Wilson’s. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for.

My Thoughts

In The Christmas Secret, we met Christine who is a single mother and who is trying to make ends met when she helps a woman who has a health crisis at a local department store, she leaves and the woman never knows who saved her life. Christine’s ex-husband is threating to take the kids away so Christine tries to find a new job but it seems like nothing she does can get her ahead of things. She soon meets Jason but due to a miscommunication he doesn’t know her true identity and while they hit it off Christine thinks he is sent my her ex to spy on her. Jason’s grandfather is on a mission to find the person who saved his employee's life and little do they know its none other than Christine. I liked this read with Christine’s mission to make a better life for her and her kids however all she needs is a little help and a break to make it happen. Will Christine get a Christmas miracle to change her life or will Christmas be nothing but heartache for her kids? This is one read that was cute and inspirational with a little romance through in for good measure.

Review: Goldie Vance Vol 1 & 2 by Hope Larson, Illustrated by Brittney Williams

  

Goldie Vance Vol 1 & 2 by Hope Larson, Brittney Williams [Illustrator]

Published: October  5, 2017

Publisher: Boom! Boom! Box

Format: via Hoopla

Ratings: [Vol. 1 – 4/5] [Vol. 2- 3/5]

Synopsis

The newest gal sleuth on the block is Goldie Vance, an exciting, whodunnit? adventure that mixes the fun of Eloise with the charm of Lumberjanes. 16-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and dreams to one day become the hotel’s in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery utilizing her smarts, random skills, and connections with the hotel staff and various folks in town.

My Thoughts

Volume 1

This year I wanted to challenge myself to new genres so I thought I would take a chance on a graphic novel and I kept hearing great things about Goldie Vance so I figured why not? Well, I'm glad I did cause this is so my kinda graphic novel. I like the fact that she’s a girl detective, I like her no holds barred attitude, the retro vibe and I really love that it's really diverse and has LGBT representation.

I really enjoyed the first volume I liked how we were introduced to everyone and the story was enjoyable. I liked seeing her family and friends and how she is a strong character. Can't wait to see what's in store.

Volume 2

This story was okay for me, but the first one was better. I didn’t really enjoy the astronaut storyline it was all iffy for me. However, I did enjoy the blossoming romance between Goldie and Diane and I liked seeing Goldie’s mom in this one. I liked their relationship and seeing them interact with each other.

All in all, I’m really liking where this is going I can't wait to see what more Goldie and her friends have in store for the upcoming issues. This is definitely my kind of vibe and I’m highly enjoying this so far.

Holiday Review: Four Days of Christmas by Emma St. Clair

Four Days of Christmas by Emma St. Clair

Published: December 7, 2017

Format: free Kindle read

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

You can't really know someone in four days...can you?

Natalie isn't looking for romance after getting out of a long-term relationship with the guy she thought was The One. But when she takes a job as an elf in the mall's Santa's Workshop Photo Place over college break, sparks fly...with more than one man.

There's Alex, the handsome photographer with a secret, and then Santa himself, the mystery man behind the costume who keeps her laughing. Will she know either guy well enough to choose by their last day of work on Christmas Eve? Or will a shocking discovery about Santa's Workshop make her walk away from both?

My Thoughts

Four Days of Christmas was a middle of the road read for me. The plot was okay nothing special and some of the romance was a little forced for me. There were two guys and I liked her chemistry with one guy more than the other but I felt like they forced one more than the other. While there were some parts I didn’t gel with, overall it was a nice holiday read. The romance was interesting and the banter was fun, it's a short read that doesn't take up too much time.

Review: The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock

The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock   

Published: February 23, 2016

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger. Four very different lives are about to become entangled.

My Thoughts

The Smell of Other People’s Houses circles around the lives of four teens who are trying to find their way in Alaska. As we read the story of four lives who are very different by the end we see how they all connect. I loved seeing these teens trying to find themselves and come of age during the 70’s. Some of their stories are truly heartbreaking and I felt myself really feeling for them. I also loved how each one felt alone and how they thought each one’s life was so different from the next but little did they know that deep down everyone has their troubles despite what it might look like from the outside. This was a really good novel one that I enjoyed and a story that is relatable.

Review: Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Published: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help? It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son. In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

My Thoughts

I really wanted to love this read, it had all the potential in the world and had the elements I was looking for to get me out of my book slump but sadly it just wasn’t all that I was looking for. Not to say that it was bad which it wasn’t it just didn’t live up to the hype I was expecting.

We met Jessie who has moved from the only home she has ever known to California when her dad remarries. She is thrown into a new home with a new insta family and she doesn’t like it all. Her new school is a prep school and she soon finds herself the object of someone who claims they want to help her. She soon finds herself talking to a stranger but strangely she feels so open to this person she feels like she can tell them anything.

Honestly, I figured out who this person was very quickly and while I think it was cute I honestly found myself getting annoyed by Jessie. I get that she was upset about her father remarrying and that she was still getting over her mothers' death but I found that she was really whiny and very rude. I get that whole “teen” attitude thing but she really didn’t give people a chance and some points in the book I was really over her.

While many people found this so swoon-worthy sadly I didn’t. I thought it was an okay read I didn’t have any real emotions one way or another. I will say I did listen to the audiobook so maybe that had something to do with it because there were so many text messages maybe I would feel different if I actually read it. In the end, I thought this was a middle of the road read for me and who knows maybe if it the circumstances were different I would’ve felt different about it.

Review: The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish    

Published: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Gallery Books

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Growing up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Tiffany learned to survive by making people laugh. If she could do that, then her classmates would let her copy their homework, the other foster kids she lived with wouldn’t beat her up, and she might even get a boyfriend. Or at least she could make enough money—as the paid school mascot and in-demand Bar Mitzvah hype woman—to get her hair and nails done, so then she might get a boyfriend.

None of that worked (and she’s still single), but it allowed Tiffany to imagine a place for herself where she could do something she loved for a living: comedy.

Tiffany can’t avoid being funny—it’s just who she is, whether she’s plotting shocking, jaw-dropping revenge on an ex-boyfriend or learning how to handle her newfound fame despite still having a broke person’s mind-set. Finally poised to become a household name, she recounts with heart and humor how she came from nothing and nowhere to achieve her dreams by owning, sharing, and using her pain to heal others.

By turns hilarious, filthy, and brutally honest, The Last Black Unicorn shows the world who Tiffany Haddish really is—humble, grateful, down-to-earth, and funny as hell. And now, she’s ready to inspire others through the power of laughter.

My Thoughts

My thoughts on this book was so-so. There were some parts that I loved, such as her determination in making it as a comic. She never let anything or anyone knock her from her goals. I also liked how she always worked hard in life and never letting her bad situations define her. However, there were some parts I felt like she was cruel. The way she made fun of people, in my opinion, didn’t sit right with me. What I loved the most were the stories I felt were she let her true self shine. When she was talking about her mom I felt I was seeing the real Tiffany. I also enjoyed her stories of meeting Will and Jada Smith that was so funny I couldn’t stop laughing. All in all, this was an okay read for me. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. There were parts that I absolutely loved and others I could’ve done without. This is one read that I feel like is up to the individual to decide if they want to read it or not.