Saturday, December 21, 2024

Happy Holidays!


 

Happy Holidays! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and a New Year filled with health, peace, happiness, and some good books. I may be popping in with a review between Christmas and New Year's Day as well as my list of my favorite books of the year. I can't wait to hear which books made your "Best of" list, too.  

Meanwhile, if you are looking for some holiday books to curl up with till 2025 comes, check out my list of favorite holiday novels, holiday new releases, and holiday picture books, too! 

 Happy Holidays,

Friday, December 20, 2024

Book Review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Pages: 304
Genre: Adult Fiction/Holiday
Pub. Date: September 24, 2024
Publisher: Avon
Source: Personal Copy
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
 

Goodreads says,
"The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas. Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt: She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery. He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy. She hates his guts. He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first."
 
Maggie Chase, a cozy mystery writer, has never really enjoyed Christmas, thanks to the fact that she has horrible memories associated with the holiday, namely, the untimely death of both of her parents and the fact that her husband left her for her best friend. Her publisher invites her to her literary idol's holiday party at her English estate. They are pushing her to go despite her hesitations, but how can Maggie pass up an opportunity to spend time with Eleanor Ashley? Once she gets there, she realizes Ethan Wyatt, another mystery writer and her nemesis, is also there. As long as she can avoid him, she is sure to have a delightful holiday in such an idyllic spot. But things go very, very wrong. For starters, Eleanor goes missing. At first, Maggie thinks that maybe this is a "fun" game as Eleanor is a fantastic mystery writer and has come out with her one-hundredth book. Maggie hopes this fun  "game" is a way to figure out who should be her co-author or maybe Eleanor wants someone to continue the series. However, things go from bad to worse. One of the  house guests is poisoned. This doesn't feel like a game anymore, so Ethan and Maggie team up to figure out what is happening and find out what happened to Eleanor. As they spend more time together, sparks fly between Maggie and Ethan, as they have great chemistry. Carter provides flashbacks to their first encounters to shed some light on their past and some misunderstandings. If you need a break from the overly sappy holiday novels, check out Ally Carter's The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. It's a fun mystery with a festive touch.

How could you not root for Maggie? Her backstory is pretty depressing, so I was hoping she would step out of her comfort zone. She definitely does and I adored the blossoming relationship between Ethan and Maggie, especially when they realized they have more in common than they thought. Carter does a fantastic job with their witty banter, jokes, and snappy dialogue. I really enjoyed that aspect of
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

The setting of an English estate was also fantastic as it reminded me of an Agatha Christie locked room mystery. Many novels lately claim to be Agatha Christie-inspired, but have failed to capture that type of energy. That is not the case here in The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. Carter truly pulled it off!

While this novel can be enjoyed any time of the year, I feel 
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was made  for the winter months and especially enjoyed over the holidays. It's not an overly Christmas-y novel, but the many festive touches that  Carter includes definitely adds to the holiday feel throughout the novel. Admittedly, I was getting pretty tired of the overly melodramatic and Hallmark movie-type of holiday novels, so this was a great break from that. If you need a break too, I urge you to  check out The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year this winter season.

So, are you a fan of Ally Carter? Have you read
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.


Thursday, December 19, 2024

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Freedom's Game



World War II is one of my favorite historical periods to read about, and I have a particular appreciation for young adult novels set during this time. Historical fiction for young adults provides an excellent opportunity to teach children about the past, honor forgotten heroes, and learn about atrocities to ensure they never happen again. 

That's why I am excited to showcase a new young adult novel today: Freedom's Game by Rosanne Tolin. Set in Nazi-occupied France in 1942, this novel conveys a powerful message of courage, resilience, and hope, which young adults will truly appreciate.


Learn More About the Book:

 

Freedom's Game by Rosanne Tolin 

Written by Rosanne Tolin

Illustrated by Vali Mintzi

Ages: 10-13 | 248 Pages

Publisher: Reycraft Books/Benchmark Education (2024) | ISBN: 978-1478876199

Publisher’s Book Summary: "Twelve-year-old Ziggy Wirth, originally from Germany, doesn’t know what to expect when he arrives at the Annemasse orphanage in eastern France. It is 1942, and the Nazis have conquered the northern part of the country. Annemasse is supposed to be a secret haven for Jewish children separated from their families, but Ziggy can’t help feeling that the worst is about to happen. Any adult around him could easily be a Nazi spy. Ziggy befriends Elka, a girl his age who has lived at Annemasse for three years and dreams of when she will be reunited with her family in Dresden. Along with the excitement of this new friendship comes the intrigue surrounding the mysterious, blond-haired new gym teacher, Georges Loinger. Is Georges a friend who can lead all the children to safety in nearby Switzerland? Or is he a spy luring them towards the Nazis?

When any mistake could be deadly, Ziggy and Elka are never sure who to trust."

You can purchase your own copy of Freedom's Game at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. Also, you can learn more about Rosanne Tolin by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram, and X.  

 

Enter the Giveaway:

 
I've partnered with Rosanne Tolin to host a fantastic giveaway today. Readers who follow the tour can enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a signed copy of Freedom’s Game and a brand new official World Cup match ball! Don’t miss out on your chance! Freedom's Game: Book Giveaway  
 

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Mini Reviews: Christmas Novels


The holidays are almost here and if you are looking to squeeze in a few more festive reads, I've got you covered. These two holiday romances bringing all you would expect from a holiday novel with a side of family drama.


One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery
Pages: 320
Genre: Holiday
Pub. Date: October 1, 2024
Publisher: Harlequin
Source: Library
Other Books By Author: The Christmas Wedding Guest
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
 
 
Goodreads says, "
Julie Parker’s kids are her greatest gift. Still, she’s not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. Her son, Nick, is taking a belated honeymoon with his bride, Blair, while her daughter, Dana, will purge every reminder of the guy who dumped her. Again. Julie feels practically giddy for one-on-one holiday time with Heath, the (much) younger man she’s secretly dating.

But her plans go from cozy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie’s ex. She can’t refuse, even though she dreads their reactions to her new man when they realize she’s been hiding him for months.

As the guest list grows in surprising ways, from Blair’s estranged mom to Heath’s precocious children, Julie’s secret is one of many to be unwrapped. Over this delightfully complicated and very funny Christmas, she’ll discover that more really is merrier, and that a big, happy family can become bigger and happier, if they let go of old hurts and open their hearts to love.
 
 
Julie is in her 50s and runs her family's towing company. She is divorced and finally focusing on herself. She is dating a much younger man, Heath, and things are going well with him despite the twelve year age difference. The one problem is she hasn't told her grown children about him. But there's no need to this holiday season as everyone is going their separate ways, so she plans on spending the holiday with just Heath. Her relaxing plans get blown up in her face when her kids want to spend the holidays together at their family cabin. So, Julie scratches the idea of a romantic Christmas for a full-blown family holiday complete with her daughter-in-law's uncle and grumpy mother. She convinces Heath to join them, as she will finally introduce him, and to top it off, his children want to attend now as their plans have changed, too. One thing is for sure Julie's holiday won't be short on family drama. One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery is a holiday novel full of family drama, a focus on repairing family relationships, and a lot of melodrama.
 
Julie is a bit of a control freak in 
One Big Happy Family. I really didn't understand her choices in the novel, especially involving Heath's ex-wife, but I guess it made the story interesting. There were so many family conflicts though, particularly between Blair and her mother that this novel felt stressful half the time. But have no fear, because Mallery gives readers what they want in a holiday novel: a happy ending. The ending did seem melodramatic and Hallmark movie-like, but I think that is what readers demand in a Christmas novel. My favorite aspect of the novel was the fact that Julie is a mature female protagonist and I appreciated her second chance with romance as I don't think we see enough of that in novels.
 

 

 
 The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans
Pages: 320
Genre: Holiday
Pub. Date: October 3, 2023
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Publisher for review
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
 
 
Goodreads says, "
Clumsy, earnest baker Sylvie West has worked at the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her boozy eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bakeoff fifteen years ago. Her forever happy place, the café compliments her sweet, well-ordered life with her roommates: recently-widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug Crumpet.

When Sylvie learns the café might be sold, she’s determined to put the Christmas Café on the map in a big way. Good thing the Holiday Channel* is filming in Silver Bells. And how perfect of bra-snatching Crumpet to have forced an awkward encounter with the film’s charming lead actor, Royce. When Gramps and Sylvie make a pact to be brave this Christmas, Sylvie knows just how to stretch her wings and save the Christmas Café in the process: get the film team to set a scene at the café!


Between her newfound acting gig, a booth at the Christmas Festival, an appearance at the Christmas Parade, and a budding romance with Royce, Sylvie has a lot on her plate. Good thing her old friend, gruff yet reliable Abe has just come back home to manage his parents’ goat farm. That is, until she catches herself feeling all too merry and bright in his presence. With a little help from family, friends, Crumpet, and the goat farmer down the way, Sylvie just might make this Christmas the sweetest she’s ever had…


In Silver Bells, Wyoming, everyone knows about the famous Christmas Cafe. It's Christmas year round in the restaurant and they serve delicious treats made by Sylvie. Sylvie works there and it holds a special place in her heart as she has so many memories at the cafe with her grandmother. But she finds out that the owner of the cafe will be retiring and he plans on selling it. Sylvie convinces him that he doesn't have to sell just yet; she can run it for him and he can enjoy the extra money. The owner agrees to do this on a trial basis, so Sylvie has to convince herself she can turn this cafe around and that she is capable of running it. And what better way to do that when a holiday channel movie is being filmed in Silver Bells? She knows she can get the cafe featured on social media and in the movie, especially after  meeting the movie's star, Royce, and they hit it off. Not only will he feature the cafe, he also is interested in her romantically. As time goes on, her friends and family worry about Royce's intentions though. Sylvie needs to  figure out not only what she wants for the cafe, but also what she wants for her life in The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans.

I enjoyed the character of Sylvie and her interactions with her family, especially her grandfather. I do feel she was a bit codependent on him and it made her a bit of a hermit. I was happy to see her get out, go on dates, try new things, and get outside of her comfort zone. But the more she hung out with Royce, the more things got complicated. Her friend and goat farmer, Abe, is the person I was rooting for her to recognize as a love interest and I was so happy when he started coming around more as he is genuinely supportive of her. Also, my favorite aspect of the novel was Sylvie's dog---adorable! It made this holiday novel even more enjoyable. But be forewarned, 
The Christmas Cafe reads like a Hallmark movie. In fact, this plot feels very familiar, doesn't it? There's over the top gestures, melodrama, quirky townspeople, and endings that are too good to be true, which reminded me a bit of Virgin River as it had that small town feel with lots of sentimental moments. Nonetheless, it was a solid holiday novel that made me smile.


So, have you read these holiday novels? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Blog Tour and Giveaway: What Makes Hands Beautiful?


 

I love sharing picture books with my children that carry important messages, especially during this time of year. It’s essential to remind kids about the significance of kindness, and I always appreciate when a picture book reinforces that idea.

 

Today, I'm excited to showcase a new picture book titled What Makes Hands Beautiful? by J.F. Bierlein. The holiday season is the perfect time to share this book, which beautifully conveys a message about kindness and the importance of serving others.


Learn More About the Book:

 

What Makes Hands Beautiful? 

Written by  J. F. Bierlein

Illustrated by Houda Zahid

Ages: 4-6 | 29 Pages

Publisher: Independently Published (2024) | ISBN: 979-8336568356

Publisher’s Book Summary: In this charming story, a young girl learns from her mother that it is not appearance that makes hands beautiful, but what they do, and the love that motivates the hands. The book is a celebration of the values of kindness, service, and respect for others and their work.

 

You can purchase your own copy of What Makes Hands Beautiful? at Bookshop and Amazon. Also, you can learn more about J.F. Bierlein by visiting his website.

 

The Giveaway:

 

I've partnered with J.F. Bierlein to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of What Makes Hands Beautiful? Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a signed set of J.F. Bierlein’s books, including What Makes Hands Beautiful?, Parallel Myths, Kindness Matters, and the upcoming River Stones. Good luck!  

What Makes Hands Beautiful: Book Giveaway



 
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