Christmas Charms came into my life right when I needed it the most.
The different types of Christmas books
I was sifting through the library stacks for a holiday book that would make me feel “Christmassy.” A book where, like, the biggest problems are getting all the children’s toys wrapped in time, or making sure the Christmas cookies aren’t pulled from the oven too early.
My search for the perfect Christmas read taught me that a...
Tartlets, it’s Two-fer Tuesday!
The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine and The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice are set in the same enchanting world of Moonbright, Maine, so I thought it'd be fun to do a dual book review today.
Never judge a book (completely) by its cover
LOOK AT THESE BOOK COVERS. And these titles!
With the fall season in full swing, how can you resist something with “pumpkin” or “spice” in the title? Obviously, I couldn't,...
It took me a long time to read Where the Crawdads Sing. Please don't make the same mistake I did.
Why it took me so long to read Where the Crawdads Sing There has been So. Much. Hype. around this 2018 novel by Delia Owens. It was picked up by both Oprah's Book Club and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Book Club. And, the movie adaptation releases next week. Clearly, Where the Crawdads Sing is a BIG DEAL. So, why'd it take me so long to...
I'm just going to come out and say it. **deep breath** A Discovery of Witches is Twilight for adults. **cringes** And y'know what? I liked Twilight better. **ducks as A Discovery of Witches fans throw things at her**
I feel like I've read A Discovery of Witches before... C’mon, people! I can't be the first person to draw parallels between Deborah Harkness’ series and the wildly popular vampire books by Stephenie Meyer. SO MUCH...
Honestly, is it even summer without a Mary Kay Andrews book to read? You all know my love for MKA runs deep, and The Newcomer hit every expectation that I had for my summer beach read: dreamy Southern vacation spot along the water? Check. a sweet and plucky heroine? Check. a predictable but enjoyable romance with a hot, too-good-to-be-true guy? Check. a spot of murder for a dash of intrigue? Check.
What's The Newcomer about? When I told my...
Let's jump right into it: I loved The Candid Life of Meena Dave. Like, really loved it. As in, I give it all the stars! You guys know my fondness for the "unexpected inheritance" trope, so when Kaye Publicity asked me if I wanted an ARC of The Candid Life of Meena Dave, I was like, You had me at "inherits a Victorian brownstown in historic Back Bay, Boston." I love Boston, and, like most people, my favorite area of the city is Back Bay...
Sunrise by the Sea is the fourth installment of the Little Beach Street Bakery series, and boy, was it worth the wait. Much like one of the “red thinks” (a.k.a., strawberry tarts) from character Polly’s bakery, I devoured this Jenny Colgan novel that brought me back to the fictional Mount Polbearne, a quaint and remote fishing village on an island off the Cornish coast. A note about the Little Beach Street Bakery series If you’re...
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was another different type of read for me: fantasy. This creative story by V.E. Schwab is rich and complex; it’s detailed and emotional; it’s sweet and exciting. There are SO many things going on in this behemoth of a novel. What's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue about? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is about a 1700s French peasant woman, Addie, who makes a deal with a demon to escape an...
Christmas Joy by Nancy Naigle is the perfect book to sink into over the holiday season. Last year, I basically swiped right on a bunch of Christmas books available from my local library. My six weeks leading up to Christmas were spent reading about nothing but candy canes, cookies, holiday décor, and small-town romance. There were some hits and some misses, but Christmas Joy is definitely one of the highlights from that book stack. ...
I'm pretty sure that Party of Two is not author Jasmine Guillory's best work. I know, I know: that's a pretty bold statement to make right off the bat. Guillory’s first book, The Wedding Date, made huge waves when it published a few years ago, but I never got around to reading it. I picked up Party of Two because it was the only Guillory title my library had on hand during COVID quarantine. Given all the fuss surrounding the author and her...
