Christmas – Donna's Reading Chair

Book Review: A California Christmas by Brenda Novak

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review! This was originally released in 2020 and I promise you I read this a few years ago…I PROMISE…I just never wrote the review, YIKES!

Emery Bliss is a promising TV anchor, until she breaks up with her boyfriend (who also happens to be a colleague…which also happens to not be allowed) and then he leaks a sex tape. Don’t get me started on how angry this made me because she ends up taking all the heat and he essentially escapes scot free! UGH!

Looking to be out of the public eye in LA and where she isn’t known, she flees to Silver Springs, her hometown. She finds solace with Aiyana Turner, who ends up being like her mother figure (oh yeah, Emery’s parents are going through a crazy divorce) and helps her with her ranch and prepare for her upcoming wedding.

One by one Aiyana’s family comes to town and in walks Dallas Turner. A bachelor. A man who travels all around the world and doesn’t have time for anyone. A man who also had a crush on Emery back when they were in high school. A man who will help Emery stand up to her ex-boyfriend.

The subject of revenge porn I felt was portrayed in a realistic manner. Dallas helps Emery, even with a lot going on in Dallas’ own life. There are so many side stories to the main story in this tale, it is JAM PACKED. Novak does such a delightful job at stringing everything together and giving us all the answers we need. You’ll be cursing Dallas one moment, cursing Emery the next, then back to Dallas, and eventually you find yourself falling in love with the flawed characters and want the best for them.

5 stars. This was more than just a romance book. This has grief, pain, heartbreak, and love. While Emery is our star, Dallas is a fantastic co-star and his story is just as intriguing as Emery’s in. This is the perfect book to set up a great Christmas in July if I do say so myself! It is part of a series, but it’s a standalone! Enjoy!

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Title: A California Christmas

Author: Brenda Novak

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

Publisher: Harlequin, MIRA

Release Date: October 13, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Christmas In Winter Hill @AuthorCarlson @RevellBooks #Christmas #MomsWhoRead #HolidayReads

I took advice from Literary Elephant and read a book that I wanted to read…I pushed aside everything I was in the middle of and picked up this book that well, ended up being a few days overdue back to my library (sorry patron who had this on hold!!!!).

This was such a CUTE read. A mother and her daughter move to a new town in a new state to try and start a fresh life. Going from the Arizona desert to the Washington snow is a huge change and thankfully the daughter is loving the prospect of snow! Things aren’t going so great for Krista, the mom, who finds out her new town is obsessed with Christmas…a time she tries to avoid.

Not only is she thrown in to this small town who goes crazy for Christmas, her new apartment is small and dingy, she has no car and has to find time to buy one, and she may have to be the Grinch as the new city manager and squash some of the Christmas celebrations.

Krista is also single…and meets a single dad…will romance bloom? Will she end up being the Grinch? Will she be run out of town? My only question…when is Hallmark going to turn this in to a holiday movie?!?!? LOVED it!!!! It is everything and more I want in a holiday read! It was quick and I loved everything! Truly, Krista’s daughter makes this book everything it is…that sweet, sweet girl!

5 stars because I can and because I love Christmas books. Honestly, if you love watching Hallmark Christmas movies you will agree with me and LOVE this book. Who knows…maybe Krista will even end up looking forward to Christmas! Oh oh oh you’ll just have to read to find out!!

Title: Christmas In Winter Hill

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Christmas

Publisher: Revell Books

Release Date: September 3, 2019

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Slay Bells

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. I apologize for the late holiday review (yes, I finished this in 2018), but, I’m still watching Hallmark Christmas movies. I love the holidays!

This was my first cozy mystery read. I will warn you right now, I am apparently not a cozy mystery genre fan. I found this book to be too cheesy at times and lacked some substance for me. However, I can look past what makes a cozy mystery a cozy mystery and provide an honest review about the overall writing.

Despite all the cheesiness, I was hooked in to this book. The premise is a troupe of performers stay at Plum Cottage while they perform nightly during the Christmas Festival in Christmas Village. There are a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, to the point where it’s overwhelming, and are quite eccentric. Mrs. Claus helps her friend who owns Plum Cottage and suddenly one of the troupe members is murdered.

What intrigued me was how the murder happened and who did it. I could not forecast how exactly the murder happened nor could I figure out who did it (until much later in the book). A second murder also occurs which is also as equally puzzling as the first; this is why I kept reading.

The premise of the murders was so mind boggling that I ignore the cheesiness of the book just to figure out how they were committed. Mrs. Claus has a lot to do with solving the murders, which is something that is a bit bizarre. And yes, there are references to her husband who is very busy this time of year, along with her pet ferrets, coincidentally named after famous reindeer. I would have preferred a more realistic storyline instead of a happier, light one, but, to each their own.

I will say I was shocked with how both murders were committed. I was not surprised at who did it, the author alludes to who did it as the book progresses. However, those murders! I really could not figure out in my head how they were committed and just wow. The first body is found in the snow with no footprints around it. I will say that how the murder occurred is revealed at the very end and blew my mind. The second murder is crazy in its own right as well. If not for the uniqueness of these murders, I doubt I would have kept reading.

Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars (which ultimately rounds up to 4 stars on Goodreads and Amazon). I would recommend this book if you’re into a puzzling murder case around Christmas time and can look past an overly cheesy barrage of characters and storyline. If you know you do not like cozy mysteries, don’t pick this book up. If you are curious, go ahead and try it, just know that I warned you.

Title: Slay Bells: A Christmas Village Mystery

Author: T.C. Wescott

Publisher: Better Mousetrap Books

Release Date: November 23, 2018

ISBN-10: 1732135819

Quick Link To Amazon Here

Great, Cheap Christmas Gifts Find!

I am going to let you guys in on my book buying secret…DOLLAR TREE! Yes, each of these books was only $1!!!! What I love the most about Dollar Tree finds are that every time I walk in to a Dollar Tree, there are new books to be found!

Ok…I will admit, only *ONE* book in this picture is for someone else…the rest are a gift for me! Hopefully he doesn’t see this post, but, Greenpeace Captain is going to my brother this Christmas! Maybe I will wrap up a few of these and put them under the tree and act like Santa surprised ME!

Do you shop for books at Dollar Tree? Have you ever had great finds? Are you heading there now for a last minute gift? Let me know!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!