Review of Unplugged by Gordon Korman

 

Read for: Requested Review/ Netgalley/ Audiobook

Synopsis: "As the son of the world’s most famous tech billionaire, spoiled Jett Baranov has always gotten what he wanted. So when his father’s private jet drops him in the middle of a place called the Oasis, Jett can’t believe it. He’s forced to hand over his cell phone, eat grainy veggie patties, and participate in wholesome activities with the other kids whom he has absolutely no interest in hanging out with.

As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he can’t help noticing that the adults at the Oasis are acting really strange. Could it be all those suspicious “meditation” sessions?

Jett is determined to get to the bottom of things, but can he convince the other kids that he is no longer just a spoiled brat making trouble?"

My Review:  I was immediately drawn to this cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. I think it will appeal to many young readers the way it did for me. It starts off kind of slow, kind of a boring summer camp drag but things take quite an interesting twist and send the characters off on a bit of a mystery adventure. I did struggle a bit with the audio file from netgalley, it was computer generated as the full narration hadn't been released yet. It was difficult to distinguish the various POVs as well as the tone of each character, but I am sure that will be corrected once it has actual narrators voicing the story. That little issue made it difficult for me to focus on the story but I do really think it will appeal to a lot of young readers and I may give it a shot again in print format or the full audiobook once released. I think there is a character in this story that everyone can find a connection with.  I really enjoyed watching kids bond over something so different and the way friendships are built.

My Rating: I did struggle quite a bit with the audio version, but please keep in mind that I was not listening to a final narration, so don't let that put you off. I am sure the final version will be so much better. I give it a rating of Three Paws.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. The above is my honest review and opinion.

You can find out more about Gordon Korman and his book on his Goodreads Page or Website.

Unplugged releases on January 5th, 2021 so you can pre-order  your copy in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it at your local library or bookstore.

Review of The Princess Knight by G.A. Aiken

 

Read for: Requested Review/ Netgalley/ Enjoy the Author's Books

Previous Books in Series: 

The Blacksmith Queen

Synopsis: "LONG LIVE THE QUEEN

Gemma Smythe dedicated her life to the glory of battle. With her fellow War Monks, she worshipped the war gods, rained destruction on her enemies, and raised the dead when the fancy took her. Until her sister Keeley became the prophesied Blacksmith Queen, and Gemma broke faith with her order to journey to the Amichai Mountain and fight by Keeley’s side.

The Amichai warriors are an unruly, never-to-be-tamed lot, especially their leader-in-waiting, Quinn. But when the War Monks declare support for Gemma’s ruthless younger sister Beatrix, the immaturity of her key ally is the least of Gemma’s problems. She has to get to the grand masters, dispel their grudge against her, and persuade them to fight for Keeley and justice. If her conviction can’t sway them, perhaps Quinn’s irritating, irreverent, clearly unhinged, ferocity will win the day . . ."

My Review: I have really enjoyed Aiken's (Laurenston's) books in the past, and really loved the dragon series. If you follow her books at all you know to expect somewhat brutal worlds, a lot of banter and snark and a lot of steam, all of which make highly entertaining reads. I was excited to see a new series from her last year but struggled a bit with the first book but enjoyed it enough to want to continue. It took me a while to settle back into this world, I remember the main players and events but not all the details. This book focused on Gemma and she is a tough character to like, especially after the first book, but the constant banter kept the story moving along. It felt like there was a lot more action in this book than in the previous book. We get to see a bit more of the world and meet a lot of new characters, so there wasn't as much focus on the romance (I did miss that a bit). I did like the way she connected this book with others, and that is all I can say about that without getting into spoilers.

My Rating: I struggled to stay focused on this one, even more than the first.  I don't know if I would continue with the rest of the series except for the little bit that happens in the Epilogue that is drawing me back in.  For now I give this one a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. The above is my honest review and opinion. 

You can find out more about G.A. Aiken and her books on her Goodreads Page or Website.

The Princess Knight was just released on November 24th so you can purchase your own copy in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it at your local library or bookstore.

Review of The Great Unicorn Race by Whitney Sanderson

 

Read for: Requested Review/Netgalley

Synopsis: "Ruby loves riding fast on Tempest. Iris enjoys showing off her control and skill with Lyric. But who is the better unicorn rider? Their friend Cole suggests they have a race. Whoever can cross the Diamond Desert and reach the magical Lotus Gem first is the winner. But the Diamond Desert is filled with dangers. Can Ruby and Iris overcome their rivalry and work together to make it back home? There are unicorns behind Magic Moon Stable, but no one except Iris and Ruby know they exist. As Unicorn Guardians, it is their job to protect the unicorns and their magic to keep them safe from the outside world."

My Review:  Even as an adult I am still instantly attracted to anything to do with unicorns, so of course I had to read this book. This is definitely a book that younger 3rd grade me would have been obsessed with. This is the 8th book in the series but even having not read the previous books, it was still super enjoyable. It is pretty easy reading and would be appropriate for young readers getting out of those beginning reader books and wanting something a little more advanced. There are a lot of illustrations throughout the book as well. Think along the lines of Kingdom of Wrenly or Magic Tree House books. I really liked the message in the story about there being an time and a place for both speed and careful control, all wrapped up in quite the adventure. I think I want to go back and read the rest of the books, and share them with my nieces.

My Rating: Just reading this book brought me back to being the unicorn obsessed girl, adventure and lots of riding unicorns were everything I lived for as a kid.  I really appreciate how this story gives adventure while providing a good message to the readers.  It is easy to read even without the whole series behind it, so readers can pick up the book the find and can still enjoy it.  I give it a rating of Four Paws.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. The above is my honest review and opinion.

You can find out more about Whitney Sanderson, this book and her many other horse related books on her Goodreads Page.

The Great Unicorn Race releases on January 1st, so you can pre-order  your copy in print format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or request it at your local library or bookstore.

Monday Reading List

 

    It is Monday again and it is time to update with what I read last week, what I am currently reading and what to look forward to next week.

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

Christmas Under the Northern Lights by Annie O'Neil

A Highlander is Coming to Town by Laura Trentham

Marshmallows & Mistletoe by Marianne Rice

 Books Finished Last Week:

Reviews will be posted at a later date

Snuggle Time Christmas Stories

Currently Reading:

Unplugged by Gordon Korman - Audio - 18%

Pages Read/ Time Listened
932:47 Hours Listened (NONE listened this week)
30,523 Pages Read (26 This week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently: TBR
The Eyes of Tamburah (gift)
The Wolf in the Whale
~~~~~~~~~~March Birthday Waiver Books ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rain Dragon Rescue
The Order of the Unicorn
All the Wandering Light
Life on the Leash
Phoenix Unbound
The Caged Queen
The Mum Who'd Had Enough
The Voyage to Magical North
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End Birthday Waiver~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beefcakes
Hades & Persephone
Dark Skies
About That Kiss
The Girl and the Stars
A Choir of Lies
Loving Cara
Girl of Fire & Thorns (gift)
Fury of a Phoenix
Homicide in Hardcover (gift)
Unravel the Dusk

A Touch of Stone and Snow (gift)

Ember and the Ice Dragons

Midnight Sun

On the Hunt

Tis the Season

Captive Heart

Sword of the Six

Sacrificed to the Dragon

Guenevere Queen of the Summer Country

Knight of the Sacred Lake

Lady of Light and Shadows

Anxious People

Her Lucky Cowboy

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen

Holiday Murder - READ

The Forgotten Kingdom

Death in the Stacks - READ

Kingdom of the Wicked

From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Unhaul Cut Off ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Kind of Cowboy - READ

The Dragon Republic

The Burning God

A Sky Beyond the Storm

A Likely Story (Gift)  -READ

Better Late than Never - READ

Snowball's Christmas (gift)

Us Against You (gift)

Home Body

The Christmas Table - READ

The City in the Middle of the Night

Tempests & Slaughter

From Blood & Ash (gift)

More than Cocoa (gift) - READ Years ago

The Invisible Library (gift)

The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories

Let it All Burn

Devils & Thieves (gift)

Song of a Captive Bird

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boy did I drop the ball last week! I only read one tiny picture book for Advent Reads and then I didn't even get the review up on time.  I hope that those of you who celebrate had the best Christmas possible in the current times. If you couldn't be with your loved ones, I hope you found a way to connect with them. Can you believe that this year is nearly over?! I am having a hard time believing it.  I know for some this year has seemed like the longest year of their lives, but for me it was just insanely busy. We have been fortunate that both hubby and I have been able to continue working but the difficulties of doing so with all the restrictions and having to take on distance learning and no child care options have been stressful.  With all that said, I feel like I didn't even get a chance to come up for air this year, and am happy to see it go but plan to just continue on as I have been for the past 9 months. Normally by now I have planned out my next year's reading challenges and have set some TBRs but I haven't even gotten that far.  I have started a shelf reorganization to help me limit down my physical TBR, you can follow along on my Instagram @EasternSunset9 as I clean up my bookshelves and remove some to focus that TBR down to a more manageable number.

I wish you all the bright hope a new year brings!

Advent Reads Day 23: Marshmallows & Mistletoe by Marianne Rice

 Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Recently Added

Synopsis: "Christmas is the most magical season of the year. Noel loves everything about it. From the decorating, to the music, and the baking. While visiting her parents in their farmhouse nestled in the Maine woods in preparation for the holiday, she finds herself alone when the power goes out.

But when she finds a stranger and his little boy stranded next to the road, she follows her intuition and offers them shelter until they can figure out how to restore the power.

All Ian wanted to do was take his son to see Santa. Now he’s stuck with a Christmas enthusiast in a farmhouse decorated with smiling faces on family pictures. But as Ian spends more and more time with Noel, he’s reminded of what the true spirit of Christmas is all about.

Family, joy, kindness…and love."

My Review: I picked this book up last year at a local author event and have been excited to read it for Christmas this year. It had all the makings of a perfect holiday romance for me, single parent, forced close proximity, big family, tons of Christmas cheer, and so much more. It really delivered on everything that was promised. I loved the characters in the story, even the side characters of Noel's family that were off page most of the book. I loved the cozy winter atmosphere that just screams Christmas. It was a simple story but the characters really jump off the page and make it difficult to put down. It was a fast and really enjoyable read that was fun to read on a snowy day leading up to Christmas. I am looking forward to reading the next book on my shelf!

My Rating: This was such a fun book, we got to experience all the best parts of Christmas through the characters in this one.  It was short and light but still hit all the feels I want in a holiday romance.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!

Advent Reads Day 22: Date Night with a Book: A Highlander is Coming to Town by Laura Trentham

 Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Requested Review/ Netgalley

Previous Books in the Series: 

A Highlander Walks into a Bar

A Highlander in a Pickup

Synopsis: "The third book in the Highland, Georgia romantic comedy series from Laura Trentham, A Highlander is Coming to Town, full of love, laughs...and highlanders!

You better watch out. . .

Holt Pierson is dreading Christmas. His parents absconded to Florida for the season and left him to handle the family farm which will be his one day―whether he wants it or not. Driven by duty, Holt has always followed the path expected of him. But lately, he’s been questioning what he wants and where he belongs. Will assuming the responsibility of the Pierson farm make him happy or is there something―or someone―else out in the wider world calling to him?


To Claire Smythe, the Scottish lead singer of a touring band, Highland, Georgia, is the perfect place to hide . . .until a very handsome and deeply curious Holt begins to ask all the questions Claire doesn’t want to answer. As Holt draws Claire out from under and into the fabric of small-town life, can Claire put the past behind her and embrace the unexpected gifts of the season―including the new and lasting love?"

My Review:  I just started with this series this year and have come to adore the little town of Highland with all it's quirky characters and fun festivals. I was so happy to see Holt get his own book, he is definitely a character I really became attached to in previous books. This was also a perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit. I was really drawn in with the mystery and backstory surrounding Claire. I adored Ms. Meadows and loved watching the relationships with her and the people around her grow and shift as the story progressed. This is definitely a feel good holiday romance, though I would recommend reading the previous books first, but I think this is the best in the series so far.

My Rating: This is such a great holiday book. I honestly read it way before the holiday season but it still gave me all the vibes and the characters have definitely stuck with me.  If you want a heartwarming book, a bit of steamy romance and some comedy this is a great one to pick up.  I give it a rating of  Four Paws!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. The above is my honest review and opinion.

To find out more about Laura Trentham and her Highland series check out her Goodreads Page or Website.

A Highlander is Coming to Town was released back in August so you can obtain your own copy now in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it at your local library or bookstore.

Advent Reads Day 21: Christmas Under the Northern Lights by Annie O'Neil

     Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Requested Review/Netgalley

Synopsis: "One Christmas on a Scottish island…

A lifetime together?

After her fiancé’s shocking betrayal, district nurse Audrey Walsh hopes to escape Christmas on remote Bourtree Island! Instead, she’s met by a gorgeous man in a Santa suit—Dr. Cooper MacAskill! They’re stuck working—and living—together till New Year, both with their demons to face. Except their inconvenient attraction and the warmth of this island community offer them healing and happiness—if they have the courage to take it!

From Harlequin Medical: Life and love in the world of modern medicine."

My Review: I have never read any of Harlequin's Medical romances so wasn't really sure what I should expect. To be honest, I struggled a bit with this one but it was mostly with the terminology used to fit the setting. I am from the US so some of the more British or European terms sometimes trip me up, as well as the concept of District Nurses. With that said, I did love the dynamics between the characters and the way the story progressed both with their relationship and that of the individuals they treated. I loved the small town atmosphere and the hardiness of the citizens. It was a short read that fit into the busy season but was still completely satisfying and heartwarming.

My Rating: It really took me a bit to get into this book but it was more on me having difficulty grasping the various different terms than I am used to, but I did enjoy the characters and the way their relationship developed (which was my main reason for reading a romance).  I give it a rating of Three Paws.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley; the above is my honest review and opinion.

You can find out more about Annie O'Neil and her books on her Goodreads Page or Website.

Christmas Under the Northern Lights was just released on December 1st so you can pick up your own copy in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it at your local library or bookstore.

Monday Reading List

    It is Monday again and it is time to update with what I read last week, what I am currently reading and what to look forward to next week.

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

If I Could Give you Christmas by Lynn Plourde (Bedtime Story)

The Kiss that Saved Christmas by Elysia Lumen Strife

Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler

Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber

The Shy Little Kitten's Christmas by Kristen L. Depken (Bedtime Story)

Mickey and Donald's Christmas Parade #2 by Byron Erickson & Illustrated by Massimo Fecchi (Graphic Novel)

5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas by Jimmy Fallon (Bedtime Story)

 Books Finished Last Week:

Reviews will be posted at a later date

The Princess Knight

Death in the Stacks

Shy Little Kitten's Christmas

Mickey & Donald Christmas Parade #2

5 More Sleeps 'til Christmas

My Kind of Cowboy

Mistletoe Murder

The Great Unicorn Race

Currently Reading:

Pages Read/ Time Listened
932:47 Hours Listened (7:35 listened this week)
30,497 Pages Read (1,141 This week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently: TBR
The Eyes of Tamburah (gift)
The Wolf in the Whale
~~~~~~~~~~March Birthday Waiver Books ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rain Dragon Rescue
The Order of the Unicorn
All the Wandering Light
Life on the Leash
Phoenix Unbound
The Caged Queen
The Mum Who'd Had Enough
The Voyage to Magical North
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End Birthday Waiver~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beefcakes
Hades & Persephone
Dark Skies
About That Kiss
The Girl and the Stars
A Choir of Lies
Loving Cara
Girl of Fire & Thorns (gift)
Fury of a Phoenix
Homicide in Hardcover (gift)
Unravel the Dusk

A Touch of Stone and Snow (gift)

Ember and the Ice Dragons

Midnight Sun

On the Hunt

Tis the Season

Captive Heart

Sword of the Six

Sacrificed to the Dragon

Guenevere Queen of the Summer Country

Knight of the Sacred Lake

Lady of Light and Shadows

Anxious People

Her Lucky Cowboy

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen

Holiday Murder - READ

The Forgotten Kingdom

Death in the Stacks - READ

Kingdom of the Wicked

From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Unhaul Cut Off ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Kind of Cowboy - READ

The Dragon Republic

The Burning God

A Sky Beyond the Storm

A Likely Story (Gift)  -READ

Better Late than Never - READ

Snowball's Christmas (gift)

Us Against You (gift)

Home Body

The Christmas Table - READ

The City in the Middle of the Night

Tempests & Slaughter

From Blood & Ash (gift)

More than Cocoa (gift) - READ Years ago

The Invisible Library

The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here we are, the week of Christmas! Are you ready? I am certainly no where near ready. For some reason this year has me completely off my game! I hadn't even started wrapping until yesterday (normally I wrap gifts as they arrive), I am still last minute shopping (something I usually manage to avoid because it always leads to over spending), and I am just getting around to making holiday goodies that I will have to then deliver before Thursday! The one good thing is that I have all the rest of the Advent Reads posts scheduled for your enjoyment.  I hope you have found a Holiday read or two to warm your heart this season!

Advent Reads Day 20: Bedtime Story: 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas by Jimmy Fallon

     Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Children's Books

Synopsis: "Host of NBC's The Tonight Show and three-time #1 New York Times-bestselling author Jimmy Fallon returns with this sweet and spirited Christmas picture book.

Just 5 more sleeps 'til Christmas!
Can you believe it's here?
I know that Santa's coming soon
'cause I've been good all year.

Everyone who grew up celebrating Christmas remembers the excitement that built up to the most magical day of the year. But why not make the last week until Christmas more fun by counting how many sleeps until the arrival of Santa and his reindeer?

Accompanied by the beautiful and energetic artwork of Rich Deas, enjoy the humor of Jimmy Fallon as he prepares readers for the most exciting week of the year in this new holiday tradition for your family—5 More Sleeps 'til Christmas."

My Review: After hearing about this book, I had to read it for Advent Reads! This is a fun and cute book for the countdown to Christmas day. We all remember the anticipation that is almost too much to handle and this book perfectly captures that excitement. It is fun to read with some great rhyming that just rolls off the tongue when you read it aloud. It may not be the best book for bedtime because I felt like it did feed into that excitement a bit and may get everyone going but it is still such a fun book to read in the last few days leading up to Christmas!

My Rating: I really enjoyed this book and picked up a copy for my friends who have younger children. It is easy to read out loud and the kids will be so excited while listening to it.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Advent Reads Day 19: Graphic Novel: Mickey & Donald's Christmas Parade #2 by Byron Erickson & Illustrated by Massimo Fecchi

     Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Graphic Novel

Synopsis: ""'Tis No Season!" Mickey and Donald meet up one winter day to find that Christmas suddenly doesn't exist... and hasn't been celebrated for sixty years! It's the start of a time-travel saga full of wacky wormholes, kleptomaniac robot Santas—and a perilous Phantom Blot plot!"

My Review: I am always on the hunt for holiday Graphic Novels and had to have this one when I found it. I was hoping it would be along the lines of the Mickey Mouse TV specials/movies. It ended up being more like the classic comic books from when I was a kid. The print is small and a bit difficult to read but the illustrations were great. This definitely brought back a bit of nostalgia for me. It included one longer story and then several shorter ones, some only being a page long, all with different Christmas themes.

My Rating: This was more of a nostalgic type book than anything, it brought back my childhood with the Donald & Mickey comic books we would get every once in a while. It was fun and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.  I give it a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.

Advent Reads Day 18: Bedtime Story: The Shy Little Kitten's Christmas by Kristen L. Depken

     Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Children's Books

Synopsis: "The shy little kitten stars in her first-ever Christmas adventure, and her second Step into Reading book!

Fans of the classic 1946 Little Golden Book The Shy Little Kitten (and its Step into Reading adaptation) will be thrilled to see Shy enjoying her first Christmas in this Step 1 Step into Reading book. Freshly illustrated in the style of the Little Golden Book, this sweet story about Shy and her siblings learning the meaning of Christmas is the perfect addition to the Step into Reading line.

Step 1 readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story."

My Review: I always loved the Shy Little Kitten when I was a kid so of course had to read this book for the holiday season. This was a great level one book, it had short sentences, lots of sight words, repetition and lots of counting and colors. The story is simple yet engaging for young readers and listeners who have a hard time staying focused. The illustrations match the classic style I remember and love, with adorable little animals. Definitely a great book for little ones during the holiday season.

My Rating: This was such a cute book, I wish I had it for Munchkin when he was little. It has great way for littles to get involved in their reading by counting the kittens and finding the right colors on each page.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Advent Reads Day 17: Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber

    Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Read for: Requested Review/ Netgalley/ Love Debbie Macomber's holiday books!

Synopsis: "A young workaholic avoiding home for the holidays discovers that you can't run away from who you are--a heartfelt Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Everly Lancaster always dreamed of leaving her hometown in rural Illinois. Now she helps run a burgeoning startup in Chicago, where her professional goals leave little time for friends...or a vacation.

When a massive snowstorm hits, Everly's mother urges her to come home for Christmas, but she hesitates to return to the life she's worked so hard to escape. Searching for other holiday plans, Everly tasks her assistant with booking her a cruise--the perfect getaway. Embarking on a weeklong tour of the Amazon guided by charming naturalist Asher Adams, Everly slowly but surely begins to realize that relationships are more important than work--and just might decide to journey home just in time for Christmas Day.

Debbie Macomber's signature wintry warmth shines in this holiday delight."

My Review:  Debbie Macomber has become a holiday staple for me. It doesn't feel like the Christmas season until I have read her new holiday release. I was lucky enough to get to read this one a little early and it was a great way to get me into the spirit (and get my holiday shopping started early). I felt connected Everly immediately, the constant weight of the business on her shoulders and lack of time to take an actual vacation. Then the vacation she does get isn't quite what she had hoped for or needed. While this book doesn't feel real Christmassy at first, give it time, it does get there. We do get that classic coming home, family and small town feel good Christmas feeling and it is so worth it. Asher seems like a perfect hero from the get-go but he has quite the personal journey to go on and while we don't get to see a lot of it, I do like he growth. This was another great holiday read, different from so many others I have read; yet it still had all the feelings I hoped to have.

My Rating: This was a bit different than other Christmas stories I have read, it didn't dive right into the season but instead we spend half the book in a rain forest. With that said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and got all the feels I have come to expect from Debbie Macomber during the holidays. I give it a rating of Four Paws!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. The above is my honest review and opinion.

You can find out more about Debbie Macomber and all of her books including her holiday books on her Goodreads Page or Website.

Jingle All the Way was just released this fall so you can obtain your own copy in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it from your local bookstore or library.