Tag: book-reviews

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: ★★★★★

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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:

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

Review: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)

Title: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)
Author: Erin Sterling
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Spooky Season!! The follow-up to Erin Sterling’s New York Times bestselling hit The Ex Hex features fan favorite Gwyn and the spine-tinglingly handsome Wells Penhallow as they battle a new band of witches and their own magical chemistry.

Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven; she’s running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she’s started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween approaches, there’s only one problem—Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow.

Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being the dutiful son in Wales. When he opens up a shop of his own, Penhallow’s, just across the street from Something Wicked, he quickly learns he’s gotten more than he bargained for in going up against Gwyn.

When their professional competition leads to a very personal—and very hot—kiss, both Wells and Gwyn are determined to stay away from each other, convinced the kiss was just a magical fluke. But when a mysterious new coven of witches come to town and Gwyn’s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn’s magic before it’s too late.

Review:

Gwyn runs the successful witchy shop, Something Wicked, in her hometown of Graves Glen. The grumpy descendent of the town’s founder, Wells Penhallow, arrives in the town for a new start. Wells starts his own shop, Penhallow’s, across from Something Wicked. Gwyn wants to shut it down, but as she spends more time with Wells, she starts to fall for him. When her magic begins to fade, Gwyn and Wells must figure out what’s causing it before it’s completely gone.

Gwyn was one of my favourite characters in The Ex Hex, so I was excited to read her own story. I loved the grumpy/sunshine pair, though Gwyn could be more grumpy than sunshine at times. There were some funny moments, just like in the first book. I listened to the audiobook as well as reading the physical book, and it was really well done!

The Kiss Curse is a cute witchy rom com!

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Kiss Curse? What did you think of it?

Review: The Christmas Countdown

Title: The Christmas Countdown
Author: Holly Cassidy
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested. 

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Review:

Callie was recently dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and she still has to see him at work everyday. She doesn’t want to go home for the holidays because she’ll have to see him and his family. To cheer her up and remind her how much she loves Christmas, her sister, Anita, creates an advent calendar for Callie filled with childhood memories and activities to get her out of her shell. Callie decides to follow the calendar. She meets a charming baker who eagerly participates in the activities with Callie and makes her believe in love again.

This was such a cute holiday romance. I loved the way Callie’s sister incorporated so many of their childhood memories into the advent calendar to remind her of the joy of Christmas. Callie and Marco, the baker, had a natural romance that developed throughout their Christmas adventures.

The Christmas Countdown is a fun holiday romance!

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

Have you read The Christmas Countdown? What did you think of it?

Review: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)

Title: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 29, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes a brand new spicy romance set in Dream Harbor!

When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazelcan’t understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just need someone to help her out.

Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he’s been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!

Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:
• opposites attract
• small town
• forced proximity
• he falls first

Review:

Hazel is the manager of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. One day, she finds a highlighted message in a romance book as she is putting it away. Noah, a fisherman, shows up after she finds the message, and he suggests they follow the clue together. Hazel is going to turn 30 soon and she regrets not having a wild time in her 20s. She decides she can have some fun with Noah, who’s known for only having flings. Hazel and Noah spend a lot of time together, but they start to fall for each other, despite their agreement that it will just be a summer fling.

This book was a spicy romance! It was spicier than the first book in the Dream Harbor series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, because Hazel and Noah already knew each other at the beginning so their romance could begin right away. I liked that the romantic couple for the next book was set up in this one. I’m excited to continue this series. 

The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is a spicy summer romance!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore? What did you think of it?

Review: The New Enchantress (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #3)

Title: The New Enchantress (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #3)
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: S.A. Prasad Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 15, 2021
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Cursed by a sorcerer’s hex, Alyssa McCarthy finds herself in a fight she can’t afford to lose, or everything she knows will be lost!

After she finishes her final year of junior high, fourteen-year-old Alyssa faces an uncertain future in more ways than one when a sorcerer casts a hex that leaves her with involuntary magical powers that are too dangerous to remove.

Unable to control her newly gained abilities Alyssa’s end-of-middle-school sleepover ends in disaster when she knocks her friends unconscious when her powers go out of control. If Alyssa can’t learn to master her magic soon, she will be cursed to forget her loved ones and serve as the warlock’s slave for all of eternity. 

Her only hope is to focus on controlling her emotions if she is to break the curse. However, the difficulties of adolescence, along with the perils and growing disasters she faces, make Alyssa struggle even more. From putting her friends’ lives at risk to losing their trust, she continues to fear what will become of her if she fails.

Will Alyssa be able to break the hex and become the enchantress that she was meant to be, or will she become enslaved to the sorcerer forever?

Review:

Alyssa McCarthy’s magic powers have returned with the appearance of a new villain: Boo-Champ Corey. She has a sleepover with friends that ends in her friends being attacked and stolen away, which sends Alyssa on a hunt throughout the magical world for them. Alyssa has to regain the trust of her friends while also learning how to use her new powers and defeat Boo-Champ Corey. 

This is a great third book in the series. It was action packed. Alyssa had to deal with regular friendship drama that most kids face, as well as learning how to use her magical powers. The writing and storytelling really improved throughout the series. The ending was open to more books in the future so maybe there will be more books about Alyssa McCarthy.

The New Enchantress is an exciting magical middle grade novel!

Thank you Sunayna Prasad and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign. 

Content warnings: death of parents (off page)

Other books in the series:

Have you read The New Enchantress? What did you think of it?

Review: Cruel Winter With You

Title: Cruel Winter With You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1)
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Novella
Publisher: Amazon
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories in a delightful short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Ali Hazelwood’s Cruel Winter with You 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:

On Christmas Eve, Jamie Malek’s father sends her to her childhood best friend’s house to borrow a roasting pan. When she gets there, her best friend’s younger brother Marc is the only person there. Since it’s a bad storm and too dangerous for Jamie to walk all the way home, she ends up staying the night, allowing them to confess all the romantic feelings they’ve been holding onto all of their lives. 

This was a friends to enemies to friends to lovers romance, and also a bit of a second chance romance. These kinds of romances always feel so emotional to me. The characters and their backstory was well developed in this short novella.

Cruel Winter With You is a perfect holiday novella!

Other books in the series:

  • Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection #2)
  • All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)
  • Merriment and Mayhem (Under the Mistletoe Collection #4)
  • Only Santas in the Building (Under the Mistletoe Collection #5)

Have you read Cruel Winter With You? What did you think of it?

Review: A Curse of Mayhem (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #2)

Title: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #2)
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

History, like magic, has a habit of repeating itself.

It’s been six months since thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy left magic behind for good. Or so she thought…

Then the enchanted objects that protected her disappear. Now a skeleton named Errol has cursed her with magical powers that keep getting her in trouble. Suddenly strange things are happening with disastrous effects, and if Alyssa can’t remove the magic, she will lose everything she holds dear.

In order to get rid of her unwanted wizardry, Alyssa will have to boost her bravery and confidence and determine who Errol really is. But every time Alyssa uses an enchantment, Errol is one step closer to getting his flesh back and becoming alive, and he will do anything to achieve his goals…even if it means destroying Alyssa’s happiness.

Review:

Alyssa McCarthy has left magic behind since moving in with her godfather, Alex. When the magical items that had been left in her care disappear, Alyssa discovers that she now has magic powers. However, she can’t control them, so she gets in trouble at home and school for using magic. Every time Alyssa uses her magic, an evil skeleton named Errol gets one step closer to getting his body back, so she must quickly figure out how to get rid of her powers.

This is a great sequel in the Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions series. This story was quite different from the first one. Alyssa had new friends in this book, because she had moved from New Jersey to Chicago. I liked that this introduced new characters to help Alyssa on her mission. 

A Curse of Mayhem is a great middle grade fantasy!

Thank you Sunayna Prasad and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for a paid campaign. 

Content warnings: death of parents (off page)

Other books in the series:

Have you read A Curse of Mayhem? What did you think of it?

Review: DeadEndia: The Divine Order (DeadEndia #3)

Title: DeadEndia: The Divine Order (DeadEndia #3)
Author: Hamish Steele
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Eisner Award–winning creator Hamish Steele’s DeadEndia series is Steven Universe meets Adventure Time for fans of Scott Pilgrim, Rick and Morty , Adventure Time , and Pumpkinheads .

In this diverse YA graphic novel, third in the DeadEndia trilogy, Barney, Norma, and friends team up with unlikely heroes to fight a battle for the fate of the universe, all while dealing with their greatest challenge of their love lives.

The battle between angels and demons rages on, and Courtney finds themselves restored to former glory in the realm of the angels with a new bring about a new Divine Order and create a fourteenth plane of existence to keep the demons at bay. On the seventh plane, known to us as Earth, Norma Khan and Barney Guttman have allied with the demons in a search for both freedom and peace. There’s just one thing standing in their the Guttman family reunion. Badyah has joined the resistance as well, honing her martial arts skills and getting ready to protect Norma in battle.

But Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, has tricks up their sleeve that throw everything into chaos as Norma, Barney, and Badyah learn the truth behind everything. The three friends struggle to stop Pael before their lives are changed forever, and a familiar friend returns with a power that just might save them all in this stunning conclusion to the DeadEndia series.

Review:

Barney, Norma, and their friends must begin their final fight to save the world. Their friend Courtney has returned to the angels and is trying to restore Divine Order to try to keep the demons away. Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, throws twists their way that causes chaos in the world, so Barney and Norma have a huge fight on their hands. 

This is a great finale to the DeadEndia series. There were unexpected twists, but I really liked how everything came together at the end. This story has great inclusivity, with characters of different gender and sexual identities and cultural backgrounds. I’m excited to go check out the Netflix series that accompanies this series!

I highly recommend checking out the DeadEndia graphic novel series!

Thank you Union Square and Co for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, violence

Other books in the series:

Have you read DeadEndia: The Divine Order? What did you think of it?

Review: Fall Into Me (The Fall Trilogy #2)

Title: Fall Into Me (The Fall Trilogy #2)
Author: Arden Coutts
Genre: Romance, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: CEI Media LLC
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A night of passion, a world of vengeance, and a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Will Marcus and Kee fall for each other or fall to the dangers around them? 

Kee and Marcus have been playing a game of emotional cat and mouse and have finally surrendered to their desires. After a passionate night together, they find themselves falling for each other. However, their newfound happiness is abruptly shattered when Marcus disappears without a word.

Confused and hurt, Kee wonders why Marcus would leave her without any explanation or information about his whereabouts. Little does she know, he has embarked on a dangerous mission. 

As Marcus plunges into the treacherous world of vengeance, he faces numerous obstacles and life-threatening situations. He relies on his cunning, physical prowess, and unwavering determination to navigate the murky waters of retribution.

Meanwhile, Kee struggles with her conflicting emotions—torn between worrying for Marcus’s safety and feeling betrayed by his sudden departure. She embarks on her own journey of self-discovery as she seeks answers about Marcus’s motives and contemplates the nature of their relationship.

Will Marcus survive the perils he faces along his path of revenge? Will he find redemption and make it back to Kee? And can Kee find it in her heart to forgive him for leaving her in the dark?

Review:

Following the events of Fall Into Midnight, Kee and Marcus have fallen for each other. After a night of passion, Marcus runs away to Russia without telling Kee. He’s on the hunt for his nemesis Dimitri’s daughter, who was connected to Marcus’s father’s murder. Kee joins Marcus’s friends to travel to Russia and save him.

This was such a great sequel in the Fall Trilogy. The characters were all introduced in the first book, so the action started right away. There’s romance but there’s also a lot of danger that the characters face. I’m excited to read the third book soon!

Fall Into Me is a great suspenseful romance!

Thank you Arden Coutts for sending me a copy of this book. 

Content warnings: death, kidnapping, torture, blood, sexual assault

Other books in the series:

Have you read Fall Into Me? What did you think of it?

Review: The Frights of Fiji (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #1)

Title: The Frights of Fiji (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #1)
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: S.A. Prasad Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 20, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A world of magic and adventure awaits for 12-year-old Alyssa McCarthy. A sorcerer kidnaps her to an enchanted island, filled with magical creatures and technology, but also danger. It is up to Alyssa to defeat the peril and overcome the warlock.

Review:

Twelve-year-old Alyssa McCarthy has lived with her uncle and cousin since her parents died in a car accident five years earlier. One day when she’s doing the chores that her uncle assigns to her, she sees words appear on a window. Alyssa discovers that magic is real, and she’s the key to a dangerous wizard regaining his powers. Alyssa must work with other wizards to save herself and her friends. 

This is a great start to a middle grade series! It was fast paced and exciting. I liked that the story was short, so it would be easy for young readers to read it fairly quickly. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!

The Frights of Fiji is a great middle grade fantasy!

Thank you Sunayna Prasad and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for a paid campaign. 

Content warnings: death of parents, memory loss

Other books in the series:

  • A Curse of Mayhem (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #2)
  • The New Enchantress (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #3)

Have you read The Frights of Fiji? What did you think of it?