Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Rituals to Observe: Stories about Holidays from the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction -- anthology

The title pretty much explains what you're going to be reading in this book, short stories that won the Flannery O'Connor Award. That means that you're going to be reading deep stories with deep themes. And, though the book is out in October, it doesn't mean that the books all center around the same holiday. Instead, it runs the gamut of the year.
Rituals to Observe: Stories about Holidays from the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short FictionI think people that don't mind some stories that make you really think, even if they are a bit depressing, will enjoy this book. For me, this was not a good time to read these stories so I don't think I connected to them well.'

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 1st
ARC kindly provided by University of Georgia Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Monday, October 14, 2019

Charlie Brown: All Tied Up Charles M. Schulz

Charlie Brown: All Tied Up (PEANUTS AMP Series Book 13): A PEANUTS Collection (Peanuts Kids)Another great collection of Peanuts comics. We have Charlie in a fight with the kite eating tree, Sally trying to write a report that is factual, and Lucy still working on getting Schroeder to notice her. Of course, we get some glimpses into various baseball games and more than a few Beagle Scout trips (addition of Harriet and her Angel Food Cake with Seven-Minute Icing.)
An excellent addition to the Peanuts canon.

Four and a half stars
This book comes out October 15th
ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories edited by Martin Edwards

The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories by Martin EdwardsWith a series of stories from the Golden Age, all set at winter holidays, this set of stories is a lovely tome to read in front of a roaring fireplace. The story from which this anthology takes its title is a locked room mystery that takes place when a group of railway travelers is stranded at a hotel that they are warned not to stay at. But what else are they to do?
Also included are stories by well-known authors and names that have been lost to the past alike, this is a lovely story for when the snow starts to fly.

Four stars
This book came out October 1
ARC kindly provided by Poisoned Pen Press and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own

Saturday, October 5, 2019

The Unicorn Whisperer by Dana Simpson

Another winner from Dana Simpson. Phoebe and Marigold go through another school year including
Halloween. Phoebe goes... as herself but with super powers. She also has a sleepover with Max and gets a bedtime story from her dad. Marigold deals with Phoebe having to do homework and Phoebe works through Marigold finding a new friend (but not a BEST friend.)

Four and a half stars
This book comes out October 8th
Followed by Camping with Unicorns
ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The Christmas Project Planner by Kathi Lipp

The Christmas Project Planner by Kathi LippI don't necessarily feel any pressure to prepare the perfect Christmas but I do generally love all things surrounding the holiday and thought this looked fun. And it was -- my favorite aspect was creating a mission statement for your Christmas. I think that very much helps keep people on track.
However, that was one of the things I liked least about this book as well-- it was sort of... corporate. Not in the things that Lipp suggested but rather more the suggestions of how to deal with the holiday. It's as if a regular planning tool (not even a personal one) was taken and given a veneer of Christmas. Good suggestions; nothing particularly new.

Three stars
This book comes out October 1st
ARC kindly provided by Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey Yates

Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey YatesCaleb Dalton fell in love with Ellie Bell the day he met her. Too bad she was always fated to marry his best friend, the eminently better man. But her husband died fighting fires and now Caleb is Ellie's rock and his family is helping her to raise the daughter her husband barely knew she was carrying. Without him, Ellie would have been lost. But now she's finally starting to come back to life, to feel as if she deserves something more. She's got a new job and she's ready to start dating. Or at least have sex. It comes as a huge surprise when Caleb is the one man who makes he feel lust. And while Ellie is coming to terms with falling in love with her husband's best friend, Caleb still has some things to work through.
I didn't love the last Big Misunderstanding - I didn't feel like it was consistent with Caleb's arc- but overall a nice Christmas read.

Four stars
This book came out September 24th
Follows Lone Wolf Cowboy
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin and NetGalley
Opinions are my love

The Write Escape by Charish Reid

The Write Escape by Charish ReidCommon romance trope: heroine loses both her fiance and her job in less than 24 hours. Job wasn't that great and the fiance was definitely a dud. It sucks, the reason that they break up, but it sure underlines Antonia's nervousness about getting married. She decides that, without a job or a husband, she might as well go on her honeymoon. She could finally work on her novel. But she doesn't count on her dick of a fiancee canceling her reservations. With the local festival going on, she barely finds a room in a cottages 30 minutes away. Tired beyond all belief, she barely realizes she's flirting with the cute Irish guy in line behind her at the grocery.
Cute guy, aka Professor Aiden Byrnes, only has a year before he's up for tenure and he's behind on his publishing. So it's a good thing he's got a week at his annual cottage getaway planned. He's not expecting to see the gorgeous American from the grocery store pounding on his door in the morning telling him that his music is too loud. He's delighted that she is as smart as she is beautiful and, before the week is over, he's plotting ways to help her to stay.
The book was a little cheesy and a little too judgmental of other romance novels but a fast, fun, and fluffy read.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out September 30th
ARC kindly provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own