Lore Olympus Vol. 3 by Rachel Smythe

Title: Lore Olympus Volume 3

Author: Rachel Smythe

Publisher: Random House Worlds 2022

Genre: Fantasy Comic

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

All of Olympus—and the Underworld—are talking about the God of the Dead and the sprightly daughter of Demeter. But despite the rumors of their romance, Hades and Persephone have plenty to navigate on their own.

Since coming to Olympus, Persephone has struggled to be the perfect maiden goddess. Her attraction to Hades has only complicated the intense burden of the gods’ expectations. And after Apollo’s assault, Persephone fears she can no longer bury the intense feelings of hurt and love that she’s worked so hard to hide.

As Persephone contemplates her future, Hades struggles with his past, falling back into toxic habits in Minthe’s easy embrace. With all the mounting pressure and expectations—of their family, friends, and enemies—both Hades and Persephone tell themselves to deny their deepest desires, but the pull between them is too tempting, too magnetic. It’s fate.

Another wonderful collection of Smythe’s story of love between Hades and Persephone. It was lovely to revisit the story even though I have read farther in the Webtoons. Smythe’s coloring and illustrations add beautiful atmosphere to the story. I especially love the differences in coloring between all the characters. I cannot wait until the fourth volume publishes.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Literary Education by Emily Cook

Title: A Literary Education

Author: Emily Cook

Publisher: Build Your Library Publishing 2017

Genre: Nonfiction - Education

Pages: 202

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Have you researched Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education but discounted it as old-fashioned and overtly religious? Then this is the book you need to read. In A Literary Education, Emily Cook lays out how she has brought Miss Mason’s ideology into the modern age for secular homeschoolers. In conversational prose she discusses the key tenants used in Charlotte Mason homeschooling and explains how to make them work for your family. You’ll read about: · Living books and how to use them · Reading aloud: the why and the how · Nature study in the 21st century · How to inspire creativity in your children · How to get the most out of the preschool years · How to combine children of multiple ages · And much more! In A Literary Education, Emily shares her 14 year homeschool journey and how she has learned to take Charlotte Mason’s method of home education into the 21st century to give her children a beautiful living books education.

Finally borrowed this from a friend and read it in one sitting. We are eclectic homeschoolers, but a big part of that is Charlotte Mason philosophy. I love the concept of living books, read aloud, and getting out into nature. Unfortunately, the pure Charlotte Mason philosophy is very Christian and we just aren't. I love how Emily Cook distills CM’s philosophy devoid of religion or mid-1800s mindsets and perspectives. Cook details how exactly she implements the philosophy into her everyday homeschool routine. Many of the things she highlights we already do. But I did get a few new ideas and more importantly, ways to view what we are already doing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author: Shelby Van Pelt

Publisher: Ecco 2022

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 360

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; 52 Book Club - Book About Secrets

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

I resisted reading this book for so long. When someone describes a book as “heartwarming,” I usually run screaming in the other direction. And so, I did not pick up this book last year. Then, a friend picked it for January’s book club selection and I, grumbling, sat down to read it. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed this one. Mostly, I enjoyed it for the slim interludes chapters narrated by Marcellus. I think I would have loved any entire book narrated by Marcellus. Instead, we have to add a few humans into the mix and a whole host of secrets. The tidy nature of the secrets were a bit too much for me to give this book 5 stars. That and the chapters focused on Cameron really bugged me. I grew to really love Tova and the story of her life. I would have liked more about her and her interactions with the various members of the town. The chapters about Cameron were tough to get through. He was not a great and lovable person and I really struggled wanting to reach through the pages and slap him. A mixed bag. Overall, It was a nice story and I am interested to see everyone’s reaction at book club tonight.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Me You Love in the Dark by Skottie Young and Jorge Corona

Title: The Me You Love in the Dark

Author: Skottie Young and Jorge Corona

Publisher: Image 2022

Genre: Horror Comic

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Writer SKOTTIE YOUNG (I HATE FAIRYLAND, DEADPOOL, STRANGE ACADEMY) and artist JORGE CORONA (NO. 1 WITH A BULLET, SUPER SONS, FEATHERS) follow up their critically acclaimed series MIDDLEWEST with a brand new haunting tale. An artist named Ro retreats from the grind of the city to an old house in a small town to find solace and inspiration without realizing the muse she finds within is not what she expected. Fans of STEPHEN KING and NEIL GAIMAN will enjoy this beautiful, dark and disturbing story of discovery, love and terror.

Collects THE ME YOU LOVE IN THE DARK #1-5

I picked this one up off of a list of great horror comics and it sure did deliver. We get a very spooky slow-build story of an artist trying to find her muse in a creepy house. Of course, things are going to go badly, but not before they seem to go very well. I adored how the monster is revealed in little slivers throughout most of of the story. We don’t get to see the true horror until we’ve completely immersed ourselves in the setting. The art was done beautifully. I sped through this one and then went back and reread it immediately to really slow down and appreciate the construction of this story.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos #1)

Author: Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 848

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; COYER; 52 Book Club - High Fantasy

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

The Nerdy Bookish Friends club started 2023 with this behemoth! And what a story it was. I will admit that it took my about 100 pages to really get into the story. There are many people and places to keep track of and I had to orient myself to this world. This is high fantasy and definitely involves a lot of world-building at the beginning. Once, I settled in, I started to connect to some of the characters and began to see the big conflicts brewing. I really enjoyed how Shannon wove the stories of all these very different characters to highlight their prejudices and biases. By the end of the book, I was glad that I had read it, but I must say this wasn’t my absolute favorite. The pacing seemed very off throughout the book. I was extremely bored at many times throughout and then something would happen and I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I may have been more satisfied if this book had been broken up a bit in two separate volumes. Still debating about reading the prequel that’s just about to be published…

The Roots of Chaos

#0.5 A Day of Fallen Night
#1 The Priory of the Orange Tree
#2 TBD

Next up on the TBR pile:

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 357

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Winter TBR; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.

Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.

After finishing the first book in the series, I just had to immediately start on the next one. This series is so much fun and full of action. The story dives right in and doesn’t let up until the last page. We get to see Cat four years after the events of the first book as she tries to navigate a new life away from Bones. Of course, he’s not going to stay away for the entire book. Thankfully he fairly quickly makes an appearance and we get the real action. The reader finally gets to learn more about the world and the history of the characters. Another great volume in this series. I’m definitely going to be moving on very soon.

Night Huntress:

#0.5 Reckoning
#1 Halfway to the Grave
#1.2 The Other Half of the Grave
#1.5 Happily Never After
#2 One Foot in the Grave
#3 At Grave’s End
#3.5 Devil to Pay
#4 Destined for an Early Grave
#4.5 One for the Money
#5 This Side of the Grave
#6 One Grave at a Time
#6.5 Home for the Holidays
#7 Up from the Grave
#7.5 Outtakes from the Grave
#7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway
#8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Romanceopoly - The Vault; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with vampires)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

This particular series has been sitting on my unread shelves for years. I finally started it just a few days ago and I sped right through the first book. The action starts right away and doesn’t let up until the end of the story. We get a strong female lead and a strong male lead. I loved following Cat’s journey as she comes to understand who exactly she is. Once Bones enters the picture, the story really gets going. I just really love their banter and the way that he cares for Cat. The mystery of the disappearing girls gives the plot a bit of depth and kept me on my toes. I just had to see how everyone concluded. At the conclusion of this volume I knew that I had to keep reading. I’ll be starting the next volume immediately.

Night Huntress:

#0.5 Reckoning
#1 Halfway to the Grave
#1.2 The Other Half of the Grave
#1.5 Happily Never After
#2 One Foot in the Grave
#3 At Grave’s End
#3.5 Devil to Pay
#4 Destined for an Early Grave
#4.5 One for the Money
#5 This Side of the Grave
#6 One Grave at a Time
#6.5 Home for the Holidays
#7 Up from the Grave
#7.5 Outtakes from the Grave
#7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway
#8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

The End and Other Beginnings by Veronica Roth

Title: The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2019

Genre: SciFi Short Stories

Pages: 262

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club - Time in the Title

No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers.

A collection of science fiction short stories isn’t usually a winner and this volume was no exception. I usually find a few stories that really interest me, but often the stories are dull or uninspired. This one dives into the future featuring a few dystopian worlds and a few alien worlds. I preferred the dystopian worlds to the alien worlds. I liked when the stories stuck to simplicity. When authors try to cram too much world-building into short stories, they do not really work. Oh well. Stories can’t always be winners.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Paradise Falls by Keith O'Brien

Title: Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe

Author: Keith O’Brien

Publisher: Pantheon Books 2022

Genre: Nonfiction - History, Science

Pages: 455

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Lois Gibbs, Luella Kenny, and other mothers loved their neighborhood on the east side of Niagara Falls. It had an elementary school, a playground, and rows of affordable homes. But in the spring of 1977, pungent odors began to seep into these little houses, and it didn’t take long for worried mothers to identify the curious scent. It was the sickly sweet smell of chemicals.

In this propulsive work of narrative storytelling, NYT journalist Keith O’Brien uncovers how Gibbs and Kenny exposed the poisonous secrets buried in their neighborhood. The school and playground had been built atop an old canal—Love Canal, it was called—that Hooker Chemical, the city’s largest employer, had quietly filled with twenty thousand tons of toxic waste in the 1940s and 1950s. This waste was now leaching to the surface, causing a public health crisis the likes of which America had never seen before and sparking new and specific fears. Luella Kenny believed the chemicals were making her son sick.

O’Brien braids together previously unknown stories of Hooker Chemical’s deeds; the local newspaperman, scientist, and congressional staffer who tried to help; the city and state officials who didn’t; and the heroic women who stood up to corporate and governmental indifference to save their families and their children. They would take their fight all the way to the top, winning support from the EPA, the White House, and even President Jimmy Carter. By the time it was over, they would capture America’s imagination.

Such a hard book to read, and yet I was very interested in it when the book published. One of my book clubs chose this to read and I dove in after the beginning of the year. I knew the basic information about the Love Canal incident. I remember seeing news reports (after the fact obviously) and I knew about the incident was the origin of the EPA’s Superfund program. This volume really goes into depth, detailing the events leading up to the inhabitants of the neighborhood realizing that there was something seriously wrong. We get to know all the major players including a few of the women who led the neighborhood response. I’ve heard the name Lois Gibbs before, but it was nice to understand exactly who she was and how she helped lead the efforts to clean up the area. Many of the sections were difficult to read. Reading about children getting sick and dying is never my idea of fun. And yet, this is such an important story to read. I’m sure that we will have a very interesting discussion next week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

Title: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 341

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Finishing the Series

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the services of her detective-agency tenants to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all. Soon Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her down to the mythical underworld and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

Oh I am so on board with the series still. I absolutely love the mix of Sherlock Holmes and wild supernatural adventures. The first two books were setting up the larger storyline without really telling us that there was a larger storyline. In this volume, we get the big plans laid out. We finally meet the big players, including the mysterious pale man from the previous two books. We also get to learn so much more about Jenny and Jackaby while following the clues in Jenny’s murder case. I sped through this volume on pins and needles desperate to see what would happen and who would live and die. I cannot wait to finish this series with the last book. So happy to have been recommended this series by a bookish friend.

Jackaby

#1 Jackaby
#1.5 The Map
#2 Beastly Bones
#3 Ghostly Echoes
#4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Deal (Off Campus #1)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Bloom Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 360

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Campus Corner; 52 Book Club

Spice Meter: 5

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

CW: Rape (in the past, off page, but discussed), Domestic Abuse

I admit to being hesitant to dive into a New Adult romance series. I have a history of being very annoyed by the early 20-something character whining about life. Like seriously, what have you experienced? So, I tiptoed into this series. By the end of the book, I was looking forward to more from this author and the world. This book is so much more than just a college romance. We get very big discussions about domestic abuse and rape. Nothing is put on the page in a graphic nature, but we know it’s happened. We have characters that come together, slowly get to know one another, and eventually build a romantic relationship. I really enjoyed watching Garrett and Hannah connect. The conversations felt real and meaningful.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Title: Misadventures of a Curvy Girl

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: Waterhouse Press 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 226

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Farmer’s Market

Spice Meter: 8

For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more low self-esteem. She’d rather be alone than with someone who’ll only love her if she’s skinny.

Caleb Carpenter and Ben Weber are everything Ireland and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce dreamed of when conceptualizing the “Real Kansas” promotional campaign. They’re handsome, young, educated, and totally dedicated to their small prairie town.

When Ireland’s Prius gets stuck on a Kansas dirt road and a massive storm rips through town, she’s left stranded with nowhere to turn but to Caleb and Ben. These two hunky country boys are impossible to ignore, but could they ever be interested in her as well?

Caleb and Ben are more than interested…and they’re willing to share. After their first night together, they know this has to be more than a one-time thing. They need to make her theirs forever. But can they convince Ireland they love her, curves and all?

I was hoping that this would be a good choice for my book club’s Dirty Book Month. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. I was completely onboard for a plus-size FMC and even a polyam relationship with two men. I wasn’t really okay with the insta-love from the men. Seriously, it was a bit much. And I wasn't okay with the constant body shaming from Ireland herself. I understand not liking your body and thinking negative thoughts. I don’t necessarily want to read that every other page throughout the entire novel. Authors only have to mention it a few times. Readers are going to forgot that the heroirne has body issues. It felt overdone. I was very much getting annoyed with the internal thoughts interrupting every scene.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ducks by Kate Beaton

Title: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Author: Kate Beaton

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2022

Genre: Graphic Novel Memoir

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club

Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beaton, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush―part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can’t find it in the homeland they love so much. Katie encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands, where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet is never discussed.

Beaton’s natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, northern lights, and boreal forest. Her first full length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.

CW: Sexual harassment, rape

Fascinating look at life on an isolated mining facility in Canada. I have enjoyed Beaton’s comedic takes and was intrigued by this memoir. Be advised that this book details her experiences of sexual harassment and rape while working in the Oil Sands. This is not a comedy. This is a look at her life experiences and a discussion of how isolation can affect a person. I enjoyed some of the questions that jumped into my brain while reading. I will most definitely keep Beaton on a must-read list of authors.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katie Robert

Title: Court of the Vampire Queen

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2022

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Pages: 496

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Fang Alley

Spice Meter: 8

Three Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men

And One Queen to Rule Them All

All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either―until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion.

Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realizes he's not the monster she first thought―and as fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions.

Now surrounded by all three men, the center of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life―and crown―that by all rights should be hers.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

CW (from the author): Dubious consent, blood play, breeding, abusive parent (father), patricide, pregnancy, blood, gore, murder, explicit sex, vomiting (cause pregnancy), discussions about abortion, abusive parent (father, historical, off-page), blood play, attempted sexual assault (alluded to, non-graphic), attempted drugging

I picked this up on the strength of Robert’s Dark Olympus series. I figured that this one was going to be steamy and no joke, the steam gets started in Chapter 1. And it doesn’t let up until the last page. Make sure to notate that this is a MMMF explicit romance. I was drawn in my the dark vampire romance and stayed for the good discussions and relationships. Mina was a bit of a naive character for the first section, but thankfully she grows and matures throughout the novel. Once we get to know Malachi, Wolf, and Rylan, the story kicks into gear and I really fell for this book. I especially loved the relationships between the men. They somehow balanced each other out. In the end, we get an interesting look at creating polyam relationships albeit ones with supernatural beings. I ended up taking a star off because of the pacing. The last section of the book felt incredibly rushed without the good resolution that I was craving. I understand that Robert collected three novellas into one. That explains a few of the weird pacing issues, but I still wasn’t a big fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Bad Boy for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #3)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 196

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

HER:
There I was, reeling from the biggest disaster of my life, with my PR career in smithereens, I was bracing myself for the worst Christmas ever. Then I saw a shot at retribution. Tyler Bliss, Boston’s hottest bad-boy hockey star, finally thrown off his team. I know I can change the public’s perception of him and get him reinstated, he just needs to clean up his act, and follow my plan to the letter. Given his reputation, that might be more difficult than it sounds… Can we make our own Christmas miracle?

HIM:
They call me Bad Boy Bliss. I’m a beast on the ice, and off. All I want is to be back playing the game I love, And now this bossy publicist is telling me she can make it happen. I’ll grit my teeth through all the publicity stunts if it means being back on the team by January, We both need for this to work, But that means keeping our hands off each other, And I’m starting to think the frustration might be more than either of us can take.

Meh. I was intrigued by the summary and was definitely up for a bad boy hockey player. Unfortunately, we just don’t really get to know enough about either character to care that much. I wasn’t that excited about the pairing. Tyler wasn’t the exciting bad boy that I wanted. He’s more like the class clown who gets in fights. The story touches on some hard topics (e.g. alcoholism, death), but seems to just gloss over things. I needed more. And the steamy scenes weren’t all that steamy.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Highlander's Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander’s Holiday Wife (Clan Kendrick #5)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 426

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It’s Christmastime in Edinburgh, but Lady Samantha Penwith’s secret mission takes no holiday: the Highlands-born lass vows to find the assailants who murdered her beloved husband, founder of a charitable school for orphaned boys. On her latest undercover excursion, she closes in on a pair of armed attackers and interrupts another assault, then disappears into the darkness, leaving the lone victim mystified—and lucky to be alive . . .

Braden Kendrick may be the sensible brother, yet the dedicated doctor routinely ignores the dangers of his late-night calls to the city’s slums. But when a fleet-footed rescuer saves his life, he’s determined to uncover the stranger’s identity. And once he does, he’ll find himself facing his own past loss for the first time—and more than willing to risk his heart again, just in time to make the Clan Kendrick’s Christmas celebrations more festive than ever . . .

Not super focused on Christmas, but a very enjoyable historical romance. We finally get to see more of Braden Kendrick after being teased for four books. I had been hoping that he wouldn’t just be the quiet doctor. Thankfully, we get much more from him and from Samantha. I loved the big mystery and action sequences within this story. It helped to fill in the gaps and give the book much more. I loved piecing together the mystery along with Braden and Samantha. My biggest complaint is that this volume is very light on the steamy scenes. In fact, they were practically nonexistent. Much more of a closed door romance in this one. Still it was a good light book to end my year with.

Clan Kendrick

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fake It for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Fake it for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #1)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 233

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

HER:
Billionaires just aren’t like the rest of us, are they?
No sooner has my boss requested my assistance at a winter wedding, we’re boarding a private jet to Aspen, and I’m being introduced to every member of his filthy rich and utterly insane family as his girlfriend – and he barely even knows my last name!
I know I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,
I just need to play this role for a few weeks, collect my check and go.
So why can’t I tear my eyes off his brother?

HIM:
At my sister’s wedding, there’s one girl taking all the attention from the bride,
My brother’s new girlfriend – the one he never thought to mention until right now.
Immediately, I can tell that something’s up. Our parents’ approval is hard-won, and it can drive some of us to ridiculous ends…
Are these two really an item? Or, just maybe, did my brother simply not want to be the only sibling here without a date?

Decent Christmas romance novella, but I really wanted a bit more between the main characters. There was a lot of discussion about the Bentley family and the situation at work, but not enough between Ellie and Sawyer. I wanted a bit more meat on the bone. Still it was a decent open door (but not super steamy) romance.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

#1 Fake It for Christmas
#2 Stuck Together for Christmas
#3 Bad Boy for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Stuck Together for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #2)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 219

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

For the first time in years, I was excited about the holidays, A week of sun, sea and luxury, curtesy of my newly loaded brother. I should have known there’d be a sting in the tail… The moment I arrive in Hawaii, I realize there’s an intruder in the house, And it’s no burglar—no, it’s far worse than that, Because Ryan Finch—my brother’s business partner, and the same man my mother’s been trying to hook me up with for years—is apparently here for the holidays as well. The longer we spend together, the harder it is to remember all the reasons why I told myself that going there would be a terrible idea, And my relaxing Christmas getaway has just turned into the ultimate exercise in restraint.

Short little novella following a sorta enemies to lovers couple. We get a cute set-up with interfering parents and siblings focused on a Christmas in Hawaii. I love their slower progression to a relationship. I would have enjoyed a longer focus on their relationship after they started dating, but that’s my usual complaint about these type of novellas.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

#1 Fake It for Christmas
#2 Stuck Together for Christmas
#3 Bad Boy for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin

Title: The Librarian Spy

Author: Madeline Martin

Publisher: Hanover Square Press 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence.

Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It’s a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in order to silence them.

As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war..

Intrigued by the summary and the idea of two women being internal to the spy business during WWII. Disappointed that the spy business doesn’t really show up and just how boring and naive both women are. I think I am spoiled by WWII novels with Kate Quinn’s book. Her heroines (while usually based on real people) are spunky and tough. They are delight to get to know with the pages of the book. Ava and Elaine were pretty disappointing in comparison. I really detest when characters are super naive and others keep vital information from them resulting in miscommunications, faux-pas, and outright mistakes.This happened so many times throughout the book. I had trouble rooting for the ladies and really any of the characters. I was very angry with Joseph and his treatment of Elaine (before the book even starts). I just couldn’t forgive him for working with the resistance, lying to his wife the entire time, and even going so far as to forbid her to do anything for the war effort. Ugh! So frustrating. Overall, I was very disappointed in this novel.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Highlander's Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander’s Irish Bride (Clan Kendrick #4)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra

Genre: Romance

Pages: 464

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family’s estate to raise horses and manage her father’s magnificent gardens. But when a scandal threatens her reputation, her parents order her to a remote Scottish estate, hoping she will finally learn to behave like a proper lady. To make matters worse, her escort is a handsome Highlander who just happens to be the most boring man in all of Scotland . . .

After a youth of dangerous and wild escapades, Grant Kendrick surprised his family—and himself—by becoming a successful businessman and the most respectable Kendrick brother. But does that matter, when the beautiful and free-spirited Kathleen deems him a stodgy bore? Luckily, he gets the chance to prove her wrong when their carriage is ambushed by thieves. But it will take all his ingenuity to protect the beautiful lass who has stormed her way into his heart—and to convince her that a life with him will be a love-filled adventure . . .

I continue to enjoy this series, but not absolutely adore it. This particular book seemed to drag a big in the middle. I was getting annoyed by Jeannie’s repetitive behavior. I admit that I was distracted by her character throughout the book. I wanted to spend more time developing the relationship between Grant and Kathleen. As to the main characters, I found both of them intriguing, but it was definitely Kathleen that kept me reading. Grant was a bit too reserved for my tastes. I wanted a bit more banter and sass (like his twin Graeme). I kept reading wanting to see them get their happy ending and figure out the identity of the gang. Decent addition to the series. I can’t wait to see Braden’s story next.

Clan Kendrick

#1 The Highlander Who Protected Me
#2 The Highlander’s Christmas Bride
#3 The Highlander’s English Bride
#4 The Highlander’s Irish Bride
#5 The Highlander’s Holiday Wife

Next up on the TBR pile: