That Mistletoe Moment

Title: That Mistletoe Moment

Author: Cat Johnson, Kate Angell, Allyson Charles

Publisher: Kensington Books 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 265

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit

MADE UP
Like a Christmas miracle, the Build a Boyfriend App lets you simply input the stats of your dream man, and witty texts, passionate emails, and hot Instagram pics start flooding in. No more awkward questions or pitying looks as you face the holidays alone!

MIXED UP
But even the best technology has its glitches. When real-life emotions come into play, this trio of twenty-somethings find themselves in a tangle of crossed signals, flying wrapping paper, disastrous Christmas parties…and surprising kisses.

MATCHED UP
Yet despite the confusion of their mistletoe misadventures, when the New Year dawns, these very satisfied women just may find themselves waking up with true love beside them.

“A Boyfriend by Christmas” by Cat Johnson — Such a cute story. I really loved Noelle and her joy at Christmas. And the entire plot line, while predictable, was just the right amount of sweetness and meet-cute. Loved it!

“All I Want for Christmas is…” by Kate Angell — Another fun and cute story. I loved Riley and Daniel. The ending was a bit much for me, but I still enjoyed the story.

“Her Favorite Present” by Allyson Charles — My least favorite of the three stories, but it was still really good. Loved Rachel even if Gabe wasn’t the best male protagonist.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mistletoe and Mischief

Title: Mistletoe and Mischief

Author: Melanie Karsak, Margo Bond Collins, Erin Hayes, Blaire Edens, Pauline Creeden, Jayne Fury, Katie Hayoz, S.K> Gregory, Evan Winters, Carrie L. Wells, Bokerah Brumley, Anna Albergucci, T.K. Bradley, Angelique Archer, J. Mills, Deb Christie, Ella Malone

Publisher: 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 392

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit Readathon

Sixteen magical holiday stories from NY Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. This collection will whisk you from Christmas season in steampunk London to Yule celebrations with the coven to Hanukkah celebrations with a supernatural twist. Battle Krampus, ghosts, vampires, demons, and a hell of an eggnog hangover in this special collection of paranormal, horror, urban fantasy, and steampunk holiday tales.

This collection was such a mixed bag. There were a few good stories, but many of them were clearly part of a series and presented with limited background info. I just didn’t understand the worlds I was being thrown into. Those stories really brought my star rating down. My favorite story was actually the very first one. Loved the alternate London full of monsters and interested characters. Loved that one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Title: Strange Weather

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Reading Assignment; Popsugar - Weather

A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill.

"Snapshot" is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by "The Phoenician," a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

Thoroughly creepy story. I loved the fantastic imagery, especially the scene with the lightning storm. This story reminds a lot of NOS4A2. I definitely had a few disturbing dreams after readying this one.

A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump. . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in "Aloft."

An interesting character study of a sorts. I really loved the concept of an alien entity creating Aubry’s heart’s desires. The reveal on the cloud was perfect. And the ending was lots of fun.

On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. "Rain" explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.

My absolute favorite story from the volume. Very creepy, very suspenseful, great characters. I sped through this story not being able to wait to see what happened to Honeysuckle and assorted company.

In "Loaded," a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.

My least favorite of the bunch. I just really didn’t love the storyline or any of the characters. There have been too many mass shootings and general gun violence for me to enjoy reading this story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Town Called Christmas by Stella Wilkinson

Title: A Town Called Christmas

Author: Stella Wilkinson

Publisher: Amazon 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 68

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit

Returning home for the festivities isn’t high on Dulcie’s wish list. But it soon becomes obvious that she's needed, mainly to sort out the love lives of the boys she grew up with. They all seem to be involved with exactly the wrong person. Can Dulcie untangle them in time for Christmas, and maybe even find love herself?

Very cute little Christmas story. I loved the all the characters and the plotline. It was a little week on really fleshing out the characters, but it is a short story. Still an enjoyable read!

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Christmas Gift by Stella Wilkinson

Title: A Christmas Gift

Author: Stella Wilkinson

Publisher: Amazon 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 32

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit

Holly and Caleb had been best friends as children, growing up on the same street, but as teenagers they couldn't be further apart. When Caleb unexpectedly asked Holly to help him pick out a Christmas gift for his girlfriend, neither of them anticipated where it would lead.

Such a cute little short story. I love these short Christmas themed romances in December. I picked this one up for free on Kindle, but I would definitely continue reading these sweet stories from Wilkinson.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Winter Stroll (Winter #2)

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Brown and Company 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 261

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit Readathon

Another Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn reflecting on the past year as he writes a holiday letter to friends and family. Though the year has had its share of misfortune and worry, the Quinns have much to celebrate. Kelley, now single, at least is on better terms with his first wife Margaret, who is using her celebrity to lure customers to the inn in record numbers. Their son Kevin has a beautiful new baby, Genevieve, with the Inn's French housekeeper, Isabelle; and their daughter, Ava, is finally dating a nice guy--her devoted colleague, Scott.

Now the Quinns are looking forward to celebrating Genevieve's baptism, welcoming Isabelle to the family, and enjoying the cheer of Nantucket's traditional Christmas Stroll. But just when a peaceful family gathering seems within reach, Kelley's estranged second wife, Mitzi, shows up on the island after souring on her relationship with the inn's former Santa Claus. Soon Kelley isn't the only Quinn entertaining a surprise guest from Christmases past as lovers old and new gather beneath the mistletoe. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it's going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns--and the inn--through the holidays intact.

Another Christmas themed book that I sped through in two days. I really am falling for the Quinn family. I felt so bad for Isabelle and Kevin in this volume. Ava annoyed the crap out of me.(Seriously woman! Get it together!) It was nice to hear from Jennifer and even Mitzi (although she’s is definitely not a favorite). I think my favorite character of this volume was Margaret. Really loving her. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series!

Winter:

#1 Winter Street
#2 Winter Stroll
#3 Winter Storms
#4 Winter Solstice

Next up on the TBR pile:

Z-Burbia by Jake Bible

Title: Z-Burbia (Z-Burbia #1)

Author: Jake Bible

Publisher: Severed Press 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 228

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: What’s in a Name - Starts with Z; A to Z - Z; Seasonal Series - Break My Heart

Whispering Pines is a classic, quiet, private American subdivision on the edge of Asheville, NC, set in the pristine Blue Ridge Mountains. Which is good since the zombie apocalypse has come to Western North Carolina and really put suburban living to the test!
Surrounded by a sea of the undead, the residents of Whispering Pines have adapted their bucolic life of block parties to scavenging parties, common area groundskeeping to immediate area warfare, neighborhood beautification to neighborhood fortification.

But, even in the best of times, suburban living has its ups and downs what with nosy neighbors, a strict Home Owners’ Association, and a property management company that believes the words “strict interpretation” are holy words when applied to the HOA covenants. Now with the zombie apocalypse upon them even those innocuous, daily irritations quickly become dramatic struggles for personal identity, family security, and straight up survival.

Welcome to normal life in Z-Burbia!

Eh. I’m going to say this one is pretty boring. Not enough character development. Not enough zombies. Too much swearing (and this coming from someone who curses like a sailor). I was just pretty bored through most of this story. I know it’s the first in a series, but I’m going to say that this series will not be one I will be continuing. Just pretty boring to me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Winter Street (Winter #1)

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Back Bay Books 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 249

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Leaf as Bookmark; Christmas Spirit Readathon

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four grown children: Patrick, a hedge fund manager; Kevin, a bartender; Ava, a school teacher; and Bart, who has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines. As Christmas approaches, Kelley looks forward to spending the holidays with his family at the inn. But when he walks in on his wife Mitzi kissing another man, utter chaos descends, and things only get more interesting when Kelley's ex-wife, news anchor Margaret Quinn, arrives on the scene.

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.

Going into this book, I thought it was going to be a fun and fluffy romance. Not quite. This volume had much more serious topics, plot points, and issues. Once i got into the story, I was very interested in seeing the progress of each character. I especially fell for Margaret. Such a contradiction! Now I’m intrigued as to what happens next with the Quinn family.

Winter:

#1 Winter Street
#2 Winter Stroll
#3 Winter Storms
#4 Winter Solstice

Next up on the TBR pile:

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Title: Looking for Alaska

Author: John Green

Publisher: Speak 2008

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 234

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen; Modern Mrs. Darcy - Banned book

Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

If I had read this book at 15, I imagine that it would have devastated me. Green has a connection to the teenage experience; so much so that is sounds as though he is speaking directly to the reader. I successfully avoided all spoilers for this novel leading to a suspenseful read. Obviously something big happens, but I had no idea what. I was floored when the event happens. I just couldn’t believe it. I will even admit that I teared up. Definitely a great book, especially for those teen readers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Washington Square Press 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 389

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Recommendation

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

I’ve heard such great things about this book from blogs, podcasts, and articles. I’m so glad that I did pick it up and am joining in this month’s book club discussion about it. I know that Evelyn isn’t supposed to be a great person, but I found that I really really liked her. I loved following her life story through her seven husbands. I loved the big twist that came in the middle of the book. (Although to be fair, I did see it coming; hello foreshadowing!) I especially loved seeing many of the side characters come and go throughout her life. And yet, I’m not totally in love with the ending. The big twist regarding Monique felt a little too contrived for me. I would have preferred to keep the story about Evelyn instead.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 225

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit Readathon;

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe from New York Times bestselling author, Melissa de la Cruz, is a sweet, sexy and hilarious gender-swapping, genre-satisfying re-telling, set in contemporary America and featuring one snooty Miss Darcy.

Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. She dates hedge funders and basketball stars and is never without her three cellphones―one for work, one for play, and one to throw at her assistant (just kidding). Darcy’s never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else’s drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her family.

Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32-years-old and has never left home. He’s a carpenter and makes beautiful furniture, and is content with his simple life. He comes from a family of five brothers, each one less ambitious than the other. When Darcy and Luke fall into bed after too many eggnogs, Darcy thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?

A cute little gender swapped contemporary version of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. I immediately loved connecting the the contemporary characters with the ones from the original text. Overall, it was a cute little romance that I sped through in only two days. My only quibble with this book is how horrible Darcy acted at times. I understand her insecurities and misunderstandings, but at times it might have gone a bit too far. She was made out to be far more of a royal bitch than she was. I’m excited that everything turned out in the end (of course it was going to!), but slightly annoyed at a few pages.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds (Darkest Minds #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Disney Hyperion 2012

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 499

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA); Seasonal Series - Audiobook

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America's children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

Really disappointed in this book. It felt way too much like YA Dystopia/Apocalypse-lite. The characters were very bland and very predictable. The plot had way too many holes to be believable. And on top of all that, I hate when books don’t explain things and keep everyone in the dark so much that the reader just gets lost. I can’t get behind this one at all…

Darkest Minds:

#1 The Darkest Minds
#1.5 In Time
#2 Never Fade
#2.5 Sparks Rise
#3 In the Afterlight
#3.5 Through the Dark
#4 The Darkest Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Title: Alaskan Holiday

Author: Debbie Macomber

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 256

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Christmas Spirit

Before beginning her dream job as sous chef in one of Seattle’s hottest new restaurants, Josie Avery takes a summer position cooking at a lakeside lodge in the remote Alaskan town of Ponder. Josie falls for the rustic charms of the local community—including Jack Corcoran, the crotchety keeper of Ponder’s famed sourdough starter, and, in particular, the quiet and intense Palmer Saxon, a famed master swordsmith.

Josie and Palmer become close during the long Alaskan summer days, but Josie knows that, come fall, she’ll be returning to reality and the career she’s worked so hard for. Palmer, on the other hand, would like nothing better than to make Josie his wife and to keep her in Ponder. But Josie can’t imagine abandoning her mother back in the Emerald City and sacrificing her career to stay in this isolated town—not even for a man she’s quickly coming to love.

I’m usually always up for a Christmas romance story (no matter how cheesy they can be), but this one just didn’t sit right with me. I was bored with the main characters. The side characters, specifically Jack, seemed very silly and one dimensional. You know how this is going to end, but it was just so repetitive. The constant internal questioning of each other’s motives instead of saying something really had me wanting to yell at all the characters. I finished it, but I just don’t think this book was for me…

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha and Matt Griffin

Title: Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel

Author: A.W. Jantha and Matt Griffin

Publisher: Freeform 2018

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 528

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - PoC Characters

Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.

The book club selection for my newly created club. So I have a bit of mixed feelings about this one. I love love love the movie and by extension I really enjoyed the novelization of the movie that is the first half of this volume. I loved pictured the Sanderson sister running amok on the streets of Salem. I loved the little extra scenes that added into the story from Winnie’s perspective. I really enjoyed the first half. And then we get to the second half and things aren’t quite as good. It wasn’t the storyline or the characters. (Although at times I hoped the characters would act a bit more immature than they were portrayed) What really disappointed me was the first person narration. It was very jarring from the first half of the book. In addition, first person narration often feels very lazy and trite. I just didn’t love Poppy’s voice at all. I was still excited to see the Sanderson sisters, meet their fourth sister, and even meet their mother.

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Name is Markham by Jodi Taylor

Title: My Name is Markham (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7.6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 51

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Free Space

Like a smaller and much scruffier Greta Garbo – finally – Markham speaks!

It’s Christmas and time for the first (and almost certainly last) St Mary’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party – attendance compulsory, by order of Dr Bairstow. Discovered practising his illegal reindeer dance and poo-dropping routine, our hero, along with fellow disaster-magnets Peterson and Maxwell, is despatched to Anglo-Saxon England to discover the truth about Alfred and the cakes.

In his own words, our hero reveals Major Guthrie’s six-point guide to a successful assignment and the Security Section’s true opinion of the History Department. And of historians in general. And of one historian in particular.

And, just to be clear, it is time travel, for God’s sake. Forget all that pretentious ‘investigating major historical events in contemporary time’ rubbish.

This is history without the capital ‘H’. Because this is the way the Security Section rolls!

Cute little short story from the St. Mary’s crew. I enjoyed the subject matter of this one and the fun comedy bit at the end involving the reindeer. I wasn’t as much of a fan of Markham narrating the story. I’ve gotten so used to Max’s voice that this one was a bit strange. Still love this series and pushing through to the next one!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Title: Nimona

Author: Noelle Stevenson

Publisher: HarperTeen 2015

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 272

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 365 Days of YA

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

I’ve been meaning to pick this one up for awhile now and I finally got it from the library. This is an utter treat of a book! I immediately fell for Blackheart and Nimona and their amazing growing relationship. I love all of the characters, but my favorite was Nimona hands down. She’s such a complex character with hidden depths. I was blown away by the reveals of her character later in the book. I really really loved this story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair

Title: Death by Diamonds (Vintage Magic Mystery #3)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2010

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 270

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Not YA

Madeira Cutler loves her Vintage Magic boutique, but the 'visions' she gets from the garments can be hard to handle, especially when she knows the owner. At first she's thrilled to receive a package containing the beautifully bejeweled dress she designed for actress and old friend Dominique Delong while in fashion school. But the dress comes with a disturbing message from Dominique, who it seems took her last bow under very mysterious circumstances.

Oh that Madeira Cutler! Always getting into the thick of a murder investigation. I think I enjoyed this volume even more than the last one. I loved the mystery of Dom’s death and the ensuing whirlwind of designer clothes and visions. It was nice to see a bit more of Mad’s life in New York before she returned home. The only thing that bugged me about this one: the love triangle between Mad, Nick, and Lytton. I really really really don’t like Nick and wish Mad kick him to the curb. I get the sex appeal, but his jealousy without actual emotional commitment drives me bonkers. I want to see Mad explore a relationship with Lytton and soon!

Vintage Magic Mystery:

#1 A Veiled Deception
#2 Larceny and Lace
#3 Death by Diamonds
#4 Skirting the Grave
#5 Cloaked in Malice
#6 Tulle Death Do Us Part

Next up on the TBR pile:

On a Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell

Title: On a Cold Dark Sea

Author: Elizabeth Blackwell

Publisher: Lake Union 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 277

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

On April 15, 1912, three women climbed into Lifeboat 21 and watched in horror as the Titanic sank into the icy depths. They were strangers then…

Con artist Charlotte Digby lied her way through London and onto the Titanic. The disaster could be her chance at a new life—if she hides the truth about her past. Esme Harper, a wealthy American, mourns the end of a passionate affair and fears that everything beautiful is slipping from her grasp. And Anna Halversson, a Swedish farm girl in search of a fresh start in America, is tormented by the screams that ring out from the water. Is one of them calling her name?

Twenty years later, a sudden death brings the three women back together, forcing them to face the impossible choices they made, the inconceivable loss, and the secrets they have kept for far too long.

One of the book club selections for this month. As a young child, I was really into the Titanic and immediately went back to childhood when I read the summary of this book. I really wanted to love the story of three women dealing with the aftermath of the sinking. But I ended up being a bit disappointed by the ending. I wanted more. The book felt like it was 100 pages too short. We don’t get a good conclusion to the story, especially in regards to Anna and Esme. I felt like the book spent too much time and even not enough substantial time on Charlotte. Not bad until the ending. Then I was disappointed.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Title: Purple Hibiscus

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2003

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 307

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 21st Century Women Authors; Popsugar - Fave Color

Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating.

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father's authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins' laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.

A very powerful story about family. I was rooting for Kambili and Jaja throughout the novel. I just want them to have a good life aware from hardship and strife. Of course, that wasn’t to be, but it was nice to see them gain strength over the course of the story. Adichie crafts a richly descriptive world. I especially loved the descriptions and passages about food. I wouldn’t say I loved this book, but I really enjoyed the journey.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen

Title: Royal Blood (Royal Spyness #4)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2010

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 318

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal Series - Wearing a Sweater

London, 1932. With her hateful brother Binky in town, Georgie has been desperately seeking an escape. So when an invitation from the Queen of England arrives asking her to represent the royals at a wedding in Transylvania—legendary home of vampires—she's delighted to accept. But when the bride starts acting a little batty and a prominent wedding guest is poisoned, something must be done lest the couple's vows become "till undeath do they part..."

Another fun romp with Georgiana and her random cast of realties and friends. it was a nice change of pace to to shift the action from England to Transylvania. And I loved meeting even more of Georgie’s royal relatives across the continent. The murder mystery was a bit silly, but at least we get a dramatic death this time. And we get to see more of Darcy. Yeah!

Her Royal Spyness:

#0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
#1 Her Royal Spyness
#2 A Royal Pain
#3 Royal Flush
#4 Royal Blood
#5 Naughty in Nice
#6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
#7 Heirs and Graces
#8 Queen of Hearts
#9 Malice at the Palace
#10 Crowned and Dangerous
#11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service
#12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile: