Saturday, December 19, 2020

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.







Friday, December 18, 2020

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!

Thursday, December 17, 2020

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.





Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Advent Reads Day 16: Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler

    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: "From the screenwriter of the Netflix Original viral hit, A Christmas Prince, comes another heartwarming holiday story about a beautiful Grinch who’s determined to get her dream job even if it means spending a week at a Christmas Camp where she discovers an unexpected love.

Haley Hanson’s idea of the perfect Christmas is escaping to the Caribbean to work so she can avoid all the traditional Christmas distractions. Over the years, she’s sacrificed her personal life to climb the corporate ladder at a prestigious Boston advertising agency. Now she just needs to land a coveted Christmas toy company account to make partner. But first, her boss, Larry, thinks she needs a holiday attitude adjustment, so he ships her off to a Christmas Camp at Holly Peak Inn to help her find her Christmas spirit.

Arriving at the charming mountainside inn, Haley meets the owner’s handsome son, Jeff, and feels an instant spark, but resists the attraction, refusing to be distracted from her goal of doing all the required Christmas tasks as fast as possible so she can get back to work.

At first Haley struggles with all the traditional Christmas Camp activities. It’s not until she finally allows herself to slow down, live in the moment, and let Christmas back into her heart, that she begins to grow closer to Jeff. But when he finds out Haley’s come up with a plan to help his dad save the struggling inn while he’s been trying to convince his dad to sell it, their relationship takes a serious holiday hit.  Now it will take the magic of the season to bring these two hearts together."

My Review: This is a cute story, it would be great for someone who is struggling to get into the Christmas spirit or trying to find new traditions in a year where things are so different. I enjoyed the story but really had a hard time connecting with it or the characters (I am not one who is reserved at Christmas). I did however really enjoy the feel of the story, a small group of characters being brought together and growing together, a sort of found family element, along with the actual family element. I also did really enjoy the growth the characters went through as the story progressed. While it may not have been my favorite Christmas book, I still enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it for someone needing that extra push for the holidays.

My Rating: I love the idea of a Christmas Camp, and just want to go and be surrounded by all things Christmas.  I did struggle with this one a bit, maybe because I do love traditional Christmas things. I also was expecting a more scrooge like character but Haley turned out to be  just someone more untraditional and goal oriented, and I couldn't fault her for that.  I give it a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.







Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Advent Reads Day 15: Blog Tour and Review of The Kiss that Saved Christmas by Elysia Lumen Strife

   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!



She doesn't want to fall for him. He can't help but fall for her...

Read for: Requested Review/ Advent Reads

Synopsis: "Claire’s husband passed away two years ago this Christmas, leaving her alone and in charge of a beautiful and overwhelming cabin venue in the Montana mountains. She’s low on cash, the truck won’t start, and fewer people are calling in event requests.
Every past assistant has been problematic and disappointing. With one final wedding scheduled for the year, Claire is desperate to make a good impression and needs the property in top shape. Only one candidate remains: Zach.
Zach is prior service, down on his luck, and shamed by the town for the actions of his youth. Even after a decade of service, he can’t escape the gossip.
Claire has no option but to entrust him with the future of Briar Ridge—her future. She just wished he didn’t have to remind her so much of her late husband. Yet Zach is different, bringing with his burdens an unexpectedly sweet side.
Zach is full of surprises.
She doesn’t want to fall for him.
He can’t help but fall for her.
A sweet holiday romance with a few curses and some violence."

My Review:  Phew! This was a lot more book than I was expecting! Definitely an emotional tale that had me crying within the first few pages. It was a much heavier book than I was expecting for a Christmas story, there is a lot of dark emotions throughout the story and the characters go through a lot of internal turmoil. It was pretty slow moving, so if you are looking for a quick little romance, this may not be the book for you right now, but if you want a book you can completely immerse yourself in and get all the feels, definitely pick it up! I enjoyed the characters, Claire was such an emotionally loyal person and has a strength to her, it was great to see her slowly emerge from her walled in fortress. Zach was everything you could want in a hero, strong, loyal, helpful, honest, and so much more; I have to admit that I fell in love with him right away! This story also had some great side character, I absolutely loved Zach's family and want so much more of them! All in all, it was a bit slow moving and full of emotional punches but worth the time and heartaches.

My Rating: This was quite the journey, and I would warn anyone who has family serving in the military to be aware of possible triggers. This was emotional but so worth it.  It give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pump Up Your Book. The above is my honest review and opinion.



Chapter 1

Claire lay sprawled out on the leather sofa in the timber-framed great room, feeling a kinship with the skeleton of what should’ve been something beautiful and full of life. The stone fireplace crackled softly before her. At its heart, flames cast the only light and warmth in the empty lodge. Floor-to-ceiling windows exposed the brewing winter storm outside Briar Ridge, snowflakes piling up against the glass like the guilt in her stomach.

She hated the notion she needed to hire a man. Ignoring the ache in her hands from working on her husband’s old truck, she gathered his worn flannel shirt beneath her head. Briar Ridge was her late husband’s dream, and she didn’t want to lose her last piece of him.

Claire had taken time off from her second job, a remote position writing articles for an online newspaper, to focus on the venue. There were still too many things to prepare for her last scheduled wedding of the season to do everything alone. Mr. Carver was her only applicant, and she couldn’t wait. The lodge wouldn’t pay for itself.

Mr. Carver was her last hope.

She drew in the last breath of her husband’s piney, metal-slag scent. Then it was gone—like footprints in the sands of a honeymoon in Hawaii. Claire clutched the fabric of his shirt. Her body ached, wishing to lie next to him once more. Despite her fluffy wool socks, her feet were cold. Nothing could combat the chill that followed that phone call. She had to love a soldier.

“I'm not ready.”

The loss of their child only made her heartbreak harder to bear. Ghost pains crept through her core. She forced herself to focus on the future of Briar Ridge. Two weeks to the wedding. Two weeks after, Christmas—the day her dreams crumbled.

Weddings gave the lodge life and a chance to survive while keeping her mind occupied. She refused to let Briar Ridge go under without a fight. Stanly deserved that much, at least.

Tori, her last assistant, had stolen her husband’s Purple Heart from the desk in their old bedroom. Sheriff Riviera had returned Stanly’s medal, but the violation of that respect boundary broke Claire. He’d died for his country, and no one cared but her. Not even his family.

She clenched her teeth and stared into the fire. Tori had the code to the safe. Cash regularly disappeared in small amounts. Claire couldn’t seem to catch Tori with it. Five thousand dollars had gone missing in less than eight months.

Forehead throbbing, Claire rubbed the spot between her eyebrows to push back the ache. Firing the young woman had made her feel better, but Claire never found the money.

Her arms quivered in protest when she pushed herself up. Claire wiped the moisture from her cheeks and laid Stanly’s shirt tenderly in her lap. The ad for a new venue assistant she'd placed in the local newspaper sat on the oak coffee table in front of her. Regret made her pick it up.

The rustle of paper echoed throughout the empty house. “Forgive me, Stanly. I need someone who can do the heavier stuff I can't.” I’ve lost my appetite recently. I don’t know how much longer I can go on without you, out here, alone.

Her interview with Mr. Carver was scheduled for the next morning.

Tossing the ad back on the table, she raked her hands through her hair and leaned forward. She'd tried to eat dinner but lost interest. Her stomach did flips over the idea of another man being in the building, even if it was just for work. I’m not trying to be unfaithful to you, she thought, hoping Stanly was listening.

The last two years had taken fifteen pounds from her. If she didn't make a change, she was bound to end up with her husband.

She didn't always fight the idea.

At night she dreamt of little feet thundering through the halls like they had always wanted, the reason he built the lodge. 

“It's for family, my big family!” He'd take her on a tour now and then, stopping by each of the twenty rooms. Stanly would tell her who could stay where for the holidays and which room would be the nursery. “You can decorate it however you want. I don't even care if you paint the wood pink.” His nose would wrinkle in mock disgust, and she'd giggle. 

Claire laughed once to herself but lacked the strength to smile. Collecting his shirt from her lap, she trudged down the hall to their old room and padded across the wood floor to the closet. She freed a hanger from the rack, deftly slipping it inside the shoulders of the red and brown plaid shirt with cold fingers. Claire clenched her teeth and hung the shirt back with the rest. 

His scent had faded from the others. They hung like fabric ghosts of the man he once was.

Falling in against the soft pillow of his shirts, she buried her nose in the flannel again. Claire drew in only a musty whiff of old cotton and dust. 

“I'm trying to do what you made me promise.” She shivered. “Fill this home with life, with love, and never give up on what I want. It's hard without you.” You’re what I want.

Claire pressed a trembling kiss above the chest pocket of a shirt and forced herself to back away. Her body felt weak, her joints complaining at every movement.

I have to be strong—for him. Claire strained to steady her muscles. The effort was exhausting, and she decided to save her energy for the morning. She didn’t want Mr. Carver to think she was a pushover or fragile. Claire couldn’t afford to be taken advantage of again.

She wondered what his personality would be like. Claire had fired the last three girls. She’d considered an age requirement in the ad, though it wasn't always a sure indicator of maturity in her mind. 

Releasing a weighted breath that puffed out her cheeks, she flopped back on their bed. Claire tucked her feet beneath the comforter and replayed the phone call. 

His name was Zach. He had mechanical skills and could lift over 100 lbs.

Good for him.

But could he be polite with guests? Could he stay clean and drug-free? What was his work ethic like? Was he trustworthy? Or would he take advantage of her like the other assistants? Steal like Tori? Get caught in the shed with a significant other like Amber? Be lazy, worthless help like Gretchen, who preferred her phone to guests?

Claire rubbed her face and groaned. Tomorrow was going to be more stressful than hosting a wedding with a runaway bride.



Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08669F4SH








An optimist and opportunist, Strife is a self-made author, cover designer, and editor. Best known as Elysia Strife, who writes primarily sweet holiday romance, she most loves writing dystopian science fiction fantasy novels under the pseudonym variation E. L. Strife. She is an upcoming author of young adult fantasy as Elysia Lumen and looks forward to diving deeper into the world of magic.

Strife has toured castles, haunted houses, frozen caves, lava tubes, and concentration camps. She’s a hopeless empath who needs the quiescence of hiking in the Cascades, camping, and snowboarding to recharge. She also enjoys reading on rainy and snowy mornings with a fire going, even if it’s just the fake one in her RV. She craves learning new things, like how to work on her 1981 Corvette, her jeep, and the four-wheeler that just won’t budge.

Strife lives with an amazing man who can build anything he puts his mind to and a rescued dog that steals socks and chases the vacuum. Together, they travel the country—from the golden plains of North Dakota to the warm ocean of the southern Texas coast and back to the green valleys and vineyards of Oregon. Anywhere is home as long as they’re together.

If you’d like to know when Strife’s next books will be out, and to ensure you hear about her giveaways, visit her website: elstrife.com and subscribe via the links on her homepage.

 


Website: http://www.elstrife.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElysiaLStrife

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElysiaStrife









http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Monday, December 14, 2020

Advent Reads Day 14: Bedtime Story: If I Could Give You Christmas by Lynn Plourde & Illustrated by Jennifer L. Meyer

  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: Borrowed Book/ Children's Books

Synopsis: "Skating on a frozen pond, decorating the fanciest gingerbread house ever, re-reading a favorite story . . . these activities and more are brought to life through a variety of animal pairs. The tastes, smells, sights, and sounds of the holiday are evoked in universal scenes showing special moments being shared by parent and child. Adults will appreciate the theme of passing on traditions and the message that it doesn't take a lot of stuff to celebrate Christmas. Kids will enjoy the playful, loving scenes. Sharing this book could become a brand new family tradition!"

My Review: This book popped up on my recommended list and I was immediately drawn to it, luckily my library had a copy available. I love the illustration style with some very cute animals. The story is also a sweet one, it flows right off the tongue and holds beautiful sentiments. I like how it is focused on the gifts that you can't wrap and put under the tree, the smell of cookies baking, the sight of the colors of decorations, and more. This is what I would prefer to focus on for Christmas and might be a great reminder for littles who get caught up in the 'I Wants'.

My Rating: This was definitely a warm fuzzy book to share with the littles. It is short and sweet with soothing lines and illustrations. I give it a rating of Four Paws!


Good Night! Sweet Dreams!







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

The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Snow Love by Julie Lipson
Sammy Claws the Christmas Cat by Lucy Rowland (Bedtime Story)
Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies


 Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Booked for Christmas
Christmas Camp
Better Late than Never
Kiss that Saved Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
If I Could Give You Christmas


Currently Reading:

The Princess Knight by G.A. Aiken - Ebook - on page 178 of 352




Pages Read/ Time Listened
925:12 Hours Listened (17:23 listened this week)
29,356 Pages Read (431 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Unhaul Cut Off ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Likely Story (Gift)  -READ

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


Can you believe Christmas is next week?! December has absolutely been flying by this year.  So fast in fact that I didn't manage to get a post up on Saturday night, sorry about that!  We were running all day cleaning the house and getting things done, then we went as a family to see a drive through Christmas light show, which was really fun and so worth it. We then went out to dinner for the first time since February! It was so nice to be able to sit down and eat, not having to worry about dishes or clean up.  

I have been listening to a lot of books lately while doing my cleaning and holiday prep. So much that I struggle to sit down and read a print book because I feel like I am not being productive while reading.  I am thinking I need to get back to enjoying books for the down time, being able to sit and focus on the story in my hands as opposed to using it as a distraction while doing less desirable chores. Not that it is an issue but I feel like I am loosing touch with books in their print form and want to get back to that love of curling up with a good book and letting the rest of the world pass me by for a few hours.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Advent Reads Day 13: Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

 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: Audio Book/ Borrowed Book

Synopsis: "Generations of believers in hope and goodwill have made Valentine Davies’ Miracle on 34th Street a treasured part of their holiday traditions. Millions of copies of this award-winning story have sold since its first publication in 1947, delighting readers of all ages. A facsimile edition of the book is now faithfully re-created, offering a new generation--and fans of the original--the beauty of the classic 1940s design. Details of how the book came to be written, and made into a beloved film, are included in a brief historical note."

My Review: I don't think I have ever watch this movie in its entirety, even though it is such a classic. So I thought I would give the audio book a try. I have to say, I can see why it is a much loved Christmas classic! It has the magic, the feels, the family, everything you could want in a holiday story. I loved the audio edition I listened to, it had a full cast of narrators and definitely added something special to the story. I definitely think I need to watch the movie now!

My Rating: I am surprised how much I enjoyed this story, and a little disappointed it took me so long to try it. This is definitely a classic that needs to be re-read every year. I give it a rating of Four Paws!