Contemporary – Page 4 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot

Title: Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot
Author: Isaac Rudansky
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world where fiction is forbidden and truth is a matter of life and death, one young boy must write a story to save humanity . . .

When his father is abducted by a mysterious figure, twelve-year-old Georgie Summers is thrown into the adventure of a lifetime. Georgie’s journey takes him to Scatterplot, a hidden realm where Scribes record human memories to safeguard the truth. But when the evil Flint Eldritch threatens to corrupt those memories and plunge the world into chaos, Georgie must team up with an unlikely group of friends to stop him. As the journey grows increasingly dangerous, Georgie realizes that only he holds the key to defeating Eldritch and saving not just his father . . . but every mind on Earth.

Will Georgie be able to wield the power of the Aetherquill to save his father and protect everyone he loves, or will Eldritch rewrite history itself? In Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot, author Isaac Rudansky spins an exhilarating tale of strength, determination, and the power of friendship to lift you from the depths of loneliness and despair.

Review:

This book is a great middle grade fantasy! The world of the scribes and Scatterplot had magic that centered around reading and writing. I think kids who love reading will love this world. The ending was really shocking, so I hope there will be a sequel to clear things up!

There’s a special Crack the Code Challenge, where readers are invited to figure out the secret code hidden within the book. When readers find the clue to decipher the alphabet chart in the front of the book, they can crack the code and send in the message for a chance to win weekly prizes! This challenge is only available on the limited first print run of hardcovers.

Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot is a fun and fast-paced middle grade fantasy!

Thank you Isaac Rudansky and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: death of parent, missing parent, memory loss, fire, violence

Have you read Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot? What did you think of it?

Review: The Reunion

Title: The Reunion
Author: Beth Reekles
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: W by Wattpad Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ten years after graduating, the class of 2014 are back at Tisdale Comprehensive for the reunion, packed into a school gym full of familiar faces – and plenty of new secrets.MOST LIKELY TO END UP TOGETHER – Shaun and Steph were each other’s first love. Now, they’re settled and planning the perfect wedding – to other people. Could reconnecting spark a new romance?MOST LIKELY TO BECOME FAMOUS – Bryony was supposed to travel the world, rule the West End, have a dazzling career as a TV actress… Now, she’s a drama teacher who’s exaggerated her whole life on Instagram, and is desperate to save face.MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED – Hayden was told he’d achieve great things, like be on the cover of TIME, win a Nobel prize… or, the accolade his daughters just awarded World’s Best Dad. Is it too late for him to turn things around, and more importantly, does he even want to?MOST LIKELY TO KILL EACH OTHER – Ashleigh was an A* student, and Ryan the star of the school rugby team. After years of putting each other down, they left school each convinced they would have the better life. Now, that old rivalry finds them drawn back together in a new, intoxicating way – one they’re both determined to hide.With an evening of power cuts, fire alarms, sneaking off to explore classrooms in the dark, stolen kisses and heated fights – it’s like they never left at all.

Review:

This story follows 6 friends at their 10 year high school reunion. They were each voted as a “Most Likely To…” at the end of high school, but none of them fit the person who they have become. It’s hard to believe in the moment during high school that we won’t be the same person 10 years later. We think we’ll be that same teenager once we’re an adult, but we change a lot. There were some funny and unexpected moments in this story that made it a fun read!

The Reunion is a great story!

Thank you Wattpad Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read The Reunion? What did you think of it?

Review: Blood Lasts Forever

Title: Blood Lasts Forever
Author: Jeff Gunhus
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 11, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Not every death is a tragedy.

When fifteen-year-old Wyatt Bucks is found dead in the Sagasett River, the small town of Chambers breathes a collective sigh of relief. Wyatt was a troubled youth, feared and despised by many. But his death, deemed an accident by the local sheriff, leaves a chilling legacy that will haunt the town for decades.

Twenty years later, Mitch Ansel, now a middle school teacher, receives a call that resurrects the nightmares of his past. Alongside his old friends, the Fab Five, Mitch is forced to confront the dark secret they’ve buried for years—a secret that ties them to Wyatt’s death.

As the friends reunite at a remote cabin, they must navigate a web of deceit, fear, and violence. Each carries scars from the past, but none are prepared for the revelations that await them. Mitch’s terrifying visions of Wyatt and the relentless pull of their shared guilt threaten to unravel their lives and sanity.

Review:

Blood Lasts Forever is a creepy and suspenseful thriller. It is the scariest book I’ve read in a long time. I made the mistake of reading it before I went to sleep, and then I was wide awake for a long time! There were some very disturbing scenes, but I think it justified the murder that happened when the main characters were kids. Check the content warnings before reading this one.

Blood Lasts Forever is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: child abuse, sexual assault, animal abuse, animal death, murder, PTSD, hallucinations, body horror

Have you read Blood Lasts Forever? What did you think of it?

Review: A Hush at Midnight

Title: A Hush at Midnight
Author: Marlene M. Bell
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary, Mystery
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A manipulator.

A fatal plan for revenge.

Award-winning author of the Annalisse series, Marlene M. Bell, brings distant friends together in the rural South only to have one of them become the victim of a brutal crime of passion.

Once celebrated for her show-stopping pastries and irresistible desserts, former celebrity chef Laura Harris is now making headlines for a far darker reason.

Laura has been accused of murder.

How could this petite chef have brutally smothered the beloved small-town matriarch, World War II ferry pilot veteran, Hattie Stenburg? Hattie wasn’t just a pillar of the community; she was Laura’s confidant and mentor. The shocking twist? Hattie’s will contained recent changes, bypassing next-of kin and leaving her entire fortune and historic estate to Laura.

As Laura scrambles to clear her name, she uncovers sinister secrets lurking beneath the town’s idyllic surface. The real murderer is always one step ahead, leaving taunting clues and threatening Laura to leave Texas—or face deadly consequences. With time not a luxury, Laura must untangle the web of deceit before the killer makes her the next victim.

In “A Hush at Midnight,” Marlene M. Bell twists an amateur sleuth crime mystery into a race against the clock to solve her mentor’s murder.

Review:

A Hush at Midnight was a thrilling mystery. There were many subplots that made the mystery a little more complex, and most of them were connected in the end. The writing was descriptive and beautiful. It created a full and vivid picture of the setting in my mind.

A Hush at Midnight is a suspenseful thriller!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: death of parent (off page), cancer, strangulation, death, stalking

Have you read A Hush at Midnight? What did you think of it?

Review: The Wedding Witch (The Ex Hex #3)

Title: The Wedding Witch (The Ex Hex #3)
Author: Erin Sterling
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 15, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bowen Penhallow has always been a loner, studying dark and ancient magic on a mountaintop in Wales. He prefers it that way, but when his friend Declan—who happens to be a ghost—asks him to attend a Yuletide wedding at a grand estate deep in the Welsh countryside, Bowen reluctantly agrees.

Tamsyn Bligh is not a witch, but she makes her living off of them. As a procurer and seller of magical items, Tamsyn’s business is not always above board, but she’s been trying to fix that (mostly.) Bowen is an occasional customer—as well as the star of several of Tamsyn’s dirtiest dreams—but she’s been around enough witches to know that, as a human, getting involved with one is not the smartest idea. She’s finagled an invite to the Witchy Wedding of the Century in the hopes of finally making a score big enough to retire. Just one priceless magical artifact from Tywyll House would set her up for life.

But Tamsyn isn’t the only one sneaking about in Tywyll House, and the mix of a very strong spell combined with a wedding mishap transports Bowen and Tamsyn into Tywyll House’s past, to the Yuletide Celebration of 1957. As Bowen and Tamsyn work together to get back to the present, they must also face off with the origins of Tywyll House’s haunting, the suspicions of their fellow witches…oh, and the fact that somewhere between the mistletoe and the bonfire, they might be falling in love.

Review:

This was such a fun holiday romance! I liked that it was quite different from the first two books. This one followed the third Penhallow brother, but it was set mostly in Wales instead of Graves Glen. The first two books were set in Graves Glen and had a similar type of plot, so it made sense for this book to take a different path. It also involved time travel which is one of my favourite things to read about!

The Wedding Witch is a fun holiday magical romance!

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Wedding Witch? What did you think of it?

Review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Title: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
Author: Ally Carter
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
Publisher: Avon
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 24, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

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.

Review:

Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt are mystery writers who are both invited to an English mansion for Christmas. The mansion is owned by Eleanor Ashley, the famous author of 99 mystery novels. On their first night at her home, Eleanor disappears without a trace. Though some of Eleanor’s family is there too, only Maggie and Ethan take on the task of searching for clues and finding Eleanor, while also avoiding assassination attempts on their lives.

This was a fun holiday mystery. Eleanor left some clues about her disappearance, but they were closely related to her novels. Since Maggie was a huge fan of hers, she was able to figure them out. The mystery was fun to follow, and I had a hard time figuring out who was responsible.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is a great Christmas mystery!

Thank you Frenzy Books for providing a digital copy of this book!

Content warnings: poisoning, fire, gun violence

Have you read The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year? What did you think of it?

Review: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch

Title: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch
Author: Julia McKay
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.

Review:

On the night before her Christmas wedding, Holly Beech’s fiancé breaks it off. She’s too devastated to go on their honeymoon in Hawaii, so she sends her best friend Ivy Casey on the trip instead. Holly takes Ivy’s solo trip to a winter cabin in a small town. When Ivy arrives in Hawaii, she discovers that Holly’s ex-fiancé decided to go on the honeymoon with his new girlfriend. She finds a new place to stay with the bartender at the resort. Holly meets her teenage rival and crush in the small town on her trip. Both women have vacation flings that develop into real feelings.

This was a cute holiday romance. It started with heartbreak for Holly, but the rest of the story was positive and uplifting. Both women had very different holidays, with Ivy in tropical Hawaii and Holly in a Christmasy small town. It had such a cute, heartwarming ending!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a fun holiday rom com!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read The Holiday Honeymoon Switch? What did you think of it?

Review: Make My Wish Come True

Title: Make My Wish Come True
Author: Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sapphic Netflix-esque Christmas movie meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days from the New York Times bestselling author duo of She Gets the Girl Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.

Hollywood teen actor Arden James’ messy reputation is interfering with her career when a notoriously picky director won’t give her a role based on her party-girl image. So she and her publicist make up a lie – not only is she from a small town (true) but her childhood best friend Caroline, is her long-term girlfriend (false) and she can prove it when she goes home for Christmas.

Caroline Beckett hasn’t thought about her ex-best friend Arden James for years, focusing instead on her dreams about becoming a journalist. When Arden turns up on her doorstep and promises her an article in Cosmopolitan magazine on their twelve snow-covered romantic days together, Caroline agrees to play along.

But when old feelings start to bubble up, what will fall faster – Arden and Caroline or the Christmas Eve snow?

A gorgeous, heartwarming cosy romance – perfect for the holidays!

Review:

Hollywood teen actor Arden James has developed a reputation for partying. She auditions for her dream role, but the director won’t take her seriously because of her reputation. Arden decides to go back to her hometown and start a fake relationship with her childhood best friend and crush to show the public that she can have a wholesome image. Caroline Beckett was Arden’s best friend and first crush until she abandoned her to move to Hollywood. Caroline has focused on her dream to become a journalist since then. When Arden asks her to be in a fake relationship, she promises Caroline that she can write the article that introduces their relationship to the public. However, their staged dates stir up old feelings that both of them have, so they must figure out if they will confess their feelings to each other.

This was a fun holiday rom com! Arden and Caroline had a heartwarming romance without a lot of drama. I liked that Caroline was Jewish and they talked about celebrating Hanukkah as well as Christmas. Since their town had so many Christmas traditions, Caroline decided to start a Hanukkah celebration in the town too.

Make My Wish Come True is a cute sapphic holiday romance!

Thank you Simon Teen for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Make My Wish Come True? What did you think of it?

Review: The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)

Title: The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 10, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the viral TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes the only spicy grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom you need this year!

Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.

Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.

After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.

Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.

But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questionning why she refused help in the first place..

The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls with a HEA guaranteed!

Review:

Kira North moved away from her wealthy family in Georgia to Dream Harbor and bought the Christmas tree farm. It’s more run down than she expected, and she needs help since the heat isn’t working and the temperature outside is rapidly dropping. Bennett Ellis is visiting his sister, Jeanie, from California for the holidays. After an encounter with Kira on her land, he offers to help her fix up the house. Kira refuses his help at first, but then reluctantly agrees when she realizes they could have a Christmas fling. However, when their feelings become real, they have to figure out what will happen when Bennett eventually goes back home.

This was such a fun Christmas rom com. They were a grumpy/sunshine couple. There were still funny antics in Dream Harbor. The people in the town believed there was some dark secret at the Christmas tree farm, like the previous owner had murdered and buried his wife on the property. This is a really fun series, and I can’t wait to read the rest!

The Christmas Tree Farm is a cute Christmas romance!

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Christmas Tree Farm? What did you think of it?

Review: All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)

Title: All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)
Author: Olivia Dade
Genre: Novella, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Secret crushes, spicy Christmas treats, heinous holiday traffic, and a fateful snowstorm bring good friends together in a funny, heartfelt short story by bestselling author Olivia Dade.

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Olivia Dade’s All by My Elf is part of Under the Mistletoe, a stirring collection of December romances that thrill and tingle all the way. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

Review:

Nina, William, and Claudia are adjunct professors who take a side job during the holidays driving a food-shaped truck and promoting pastries. Nina has had a crush on William since she started working at the university. Nina’s best friend Claudia and William seem to be getting closer so Nina thinks she’s lost her chance with William. However, when a storm traps Nina and William on the truck together, they have to cuddle for warmth and maybe confess their true feelings for each other.

I really enjoyed this novella. It was short at only 55 pages, but it was enough space to develop the characters, their relationships, and a steamy romance plot. My only criticism is that I don’t think the title really fits with the story.

All by My Elf is a cute holiday novella!

Other books in the series:

Cruel Winter With You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1)
Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection #2)
Merriment and Mayhem (Under the Mistletoe Collection #4)
Only Santas in the Building (Under the Mistletoe Collection #5)

Have you read All by My Elf? What did you think of it?