Review: Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2)

Title: Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2)
Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

How the moose (almost) stole Christmas.

Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can’t stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana’s determined to prove that she belongs…even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town’s hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.

And really…how hard could it be?

The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it’s not getting any easier now that his dream girl’s back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it’s clear she needs help, fast…and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It’s an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong…together.

Review:

Lana Montgomery is the wealthy heiress who has purchased most of Moose Springs for her family’s property company. The residents don’t like her because she’s planning on developing the town and making it more of a tourist attraction. Rick Harding is one of the business owners and residents of the town. He helps Lana search for the mysterious Santa Moose who keeps destroying the town’s Christmas decorations. However, she ends up shooting Rick with a tranquilizer dart meant for the moose. From that moment on, Lana and Rick find what they’ve been looking for: romance.

I really liked the character development in this story. I haven’t read the first book so I wasn’t familiar with the characters, but I figured them out quickly. Lana was a fun character. She was used to living a fancy life with her family but she got used to life in the small town in Alaska quickly. She was eager to please the residents by catching the destructive moose. One part that I really liked described how Lana makes sure she always stands out in a room. If everyone is ordering wine, you should order champagne. If everyone has two inch heels, you should wear two and a half inch heels. This was a subtle way to demonstrate her upper class personality.

There were some funny and quirky animals in this story as well. The Santa Moose was running around town, destroying all of their festive decorations but no one could catch it. There was a scene where Rick and Lana ended up at a bed and breakfast that was full of taxidermy squirrels. That was definitely a funny scene, but it would be terrifying to live through!

This was a cute holiday story.

What to read next:

An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Other books in the series:

  • The Tourist Attraction

Have you read Mistletoe and Mr. Right? What did you think of it?

First Lines Friday – December 25

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Here are my first lines:

“Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

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And the book is… A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

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Goodreads synopsis:

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim. The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions together with the introduction of new customs, such as Christmas trees and greeting cards. Dickens’ sources for the tale appear to be many and varied, but are, principally, the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales.

Have you read A Christmas Carol? What did you think of it?

Review: Calling All Witches! The Girls Who Left Their Mark on the Wizarding World

Title: Calling All Witches! The Girls Who Left Their Mark on the Wizarding World
Author: Laurie Calkhoven, Violet Tobacco (illustrator)
Genre: Fantasy, Children’s
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 28, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For all the girls as clever as Hermione Granger, as dedicated as Tina Goldstein, and as fierce as Minerva McGonagall, this incredible compendium is packed with the stories of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts’ most amazing heroines! Complete with gorgeous, full-color illustrations on every spread, fans can relive their favorite movie moments featuring the most empowering witches of our age. Explore the many ways these women built, enriched, and saved the wizarding world, and get inspired by their stories in this compelling handbook–a must-have for fans!

Review:

This book is about all the powerful witches in the Wizarding World. The featured witches were from both the Harry Potter series and the Fantastic Beasts movies. Some were obviously powerful, like Hermione and Molly Weasley. Others were very minor characters who played an important role in the Wizarding World, like Arabella Figg and Pansy Parkinson.

Unfortunately, the wizarding fandom was let down this year with the hate speech that has been spread by the author. However, this series and world has played such an important role in my life, including inspiring my career as a writer. I was so excited to read this book, which is written by another author, because I love reading studies of my favourite books. This book showed the variety of women in the series as well as their important roles in the story.

One warning before picking up this book is that it gives away all the spoilers. Most of the major plot points in the series were used as examples throughout the book, so you shouldn’t read this if you haven’t read all the books or watched the movies. This book also focused more on the stories from the movies, rather than the books. There aren’t books to go along with the Fantastic Beasts movies, so those characters had to come from the screen. However, there were some parts that were different in the Harry Potter books and movies. For example, in the book Padma Patil was sorted into Ravenclaw but in the movies, she is in Gryffindor. For parts like this, the movie version was used.

This is a great book for fans of the Wizarding World.

What to read next:

Harry Potter’s Bookshelf by John Granger

The Unofficial Ultimate Harry Potter Spellbook by Media Lab Books

Have you read Calling All Witches? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – December 24

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries—until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth’s radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents—considered expendable by society—are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life…or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she’s haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor’s son, came to Earth for the girl he loves—but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind’s last hope.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: Christmas Island

Title: Christmas Island
Author: Natalie Normann
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 30, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Cosy up in front of a fire and discover Christmas the Norwegian way…full of romance, cosy traditions and hygge!

In the bleak midwinter…
A really frosty wind is making Holly’s life absolutely miserable

After all the years of hard work it took Londoner Holly Greene to become a doctor, now it could all be taken away and she only has herself to blame. She’s retreating to her brother’s rustic home on an island off the coast of Norway to lick her wounds. Only, it’s the middle of winter and icy slush plus endless darkness isn’t exactly the cheery, festive getaway she had imagined.

Nearly stumbling off the edge of a cliff in the dark, Holly is saved by Frøy, a yellow-eyed cat of fearsome but fluffy proportions, and his owner – grouchy, bearded recluse, Tor. Tor has his own problems to face but the inexplicable desire to leave a bag of freshly baked gingerbread men on Holly’s doorstep is seriously getting in the way of his hermit routine.

Call it kindness, call it Christmas, but Holly’s arrival means midwinter has never looked less bleak.

Review:

Holly Greene left her life in London to visit her brother in Norway for Christmas. Her brother and his family were still on vacation when she arrived, so she spent time wandering around his small town island by herself. As soon as she arrived, she got lost and was saved by Tor and his cat Frøy. Tor is staying at the island temporarily, and he has kept to himself until he met Holly. Holly brings Tor out of his home and into the community so they can celebrate their Christmas traditions together.

I haven’t read a story set in Norway before so I found it fascinating to learn about their culture. They had a lot of customs and traditions that they did around the holidays. Many of these traditions involved delicious-sounding food. I highly recommend having treats on hand while reading this one!

I found some parts of Holly’s character confusing. She’s training to be an oncologist in London, yet she made a fuss about having to wake up before eight in the morning. She was also completely confused at why the sun set early. She couldn’t believe that it was dark at five in the evening, even though the sun sets early in London in December as well. Plus, since she’s a doctor, she would have to get up early when it’s dark and probably work until after the sun set. These issues came up multiple times and didn’t fit with Holly’s lifestyle.

This was a nice Christmas story.

Thank you One More Chapter for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Summer Island by Natalie Normann

An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow

Other books in the series:

  • Summer Island

Have you read Christmas Island? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – December 23

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. The expected publication date is January 26, 2021.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon’s sparkling romantic comedy debut.

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. But lately it’s been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who’s fresh off a journalism master’s program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it’s this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it’s not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.

As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Stepsister

Title: Stepsister
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 14, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Isabelle should be blissfully happy – she’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who’s cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe … which is now filling with blood.

When the prince discovers Isabelle’s deception, she is turned away in shame. It’s no more than she deserves: she is a plain girl in a world that values beauty; a feisty girl in a world that wants her to be pliant.

Isabelle has tried to fit in. To live up to her mother’s expectations. To be like her stepsister. To be sweet. To be pretty. One by one, she has cut away pieces of herself in order to survive a world that doesn’t appreciate a girl like her. And that has made her mean, jealous, and hollow.

Until she gets a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl.

Review:

Isabelle has a beautiful sister named Ella, whose foot fits into the glass slipper that the Prince sent around town. Isabelle tried to cut her food to pieces to make it fit, but Ella’s foot was a perfect fit. While Ella goes to live in the palace, Isabelle has been left behind to be jealous of her stepsister’s new life. Her life slowly crumbles around her, making her more bitter, until one day she’s given a chance to find her destiny.

This story gave a different perspective of Cinderella’s fairy tale. It began where Cinderella’s tale ends, after she is discovered to be the girl that the Prince loves. Usually, that’s where the stepsisters are left behind and forgotten, however in this story, that is just where Isabelle’s story begins.

Isabelle’s story was being plotted by Chance and Fate. They were side characters who were trying to map out her destiny. Fate, chance and destiny are important elements of fairy tales. These elements were brought to life in this story and played an active role in Isabelle’s life.

This is a great, original fairy tale retelling.

What to read next:

Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Have you read Stepsister? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Hope Santa Brings

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Books I Hope Santa Brings. Here’s my list:

1. The Damned by Renée Ahdieh

2. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

3. Fable by Adrienne Young

4. The Camelot Betrayal by Kiersten White

5. Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell

6. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

7. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

8. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

9. Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

10. The 4% Fix by Karma Brown

(All book covers from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Review: A Christmas Carol (Easy Classics)

Title: A Christmas Carol (Easy Classics)
Author: Charles Dickens, Philip Gooden, Pipi Spósito (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Who can help a mean old man to love Christmas? How about a ghost? (…or three!)

Scrooge’s heart is colder than snow, he’s richer than half the banks in England and meaner than, well, everyone. But when three seriously spooky ghosts turn up to take him on an adventure through time, he soon learns that being cold isn’t cool. Can he change his ways before it’s too late?

Review:

Ebenezer Scrooge is a grumpy old man. He doesn’t treat his employees well, and he doesn’t celebrate Christmas. On Christmas Eve, the ghost of his former colleague visits him. Scrooge will see three ghosts that night to show him his Christmas past, present, and future. These ghosts persuade Scrooge to change his ways.

This is a great children’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The language was simplified and easier to read for children. There were cartoon style illustrations to go along with the story, which demonstrated what was happening in the story.

This version of the story was a little more optimistic and not as depressing as the original story. Scrooge’s employee, Bob Cratchit, still struggled to give his family a happy Christmas, but their suffering wasn’t as prominent in the story. This made the story focus more on Scrooge’s transformation from a mean man to kind hearted.

I really liked this adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

Thank you Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

The Old Curiosity Shop (Easy Classics) by Charles Dickens, Philip Gooden, Pipi Spósito (illustrator)

Have you read A Christmas Carol? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – December 21

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Christmas Island by Natalie Normann.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?