Eight Winter Nights 

by Liz Maverick

Synopsis: 

Last year, Rachel Bacharach met the man of her dreams at a Hanukkah party — and then her outgoing best friend Tamara swooped in and “called” Oz Caplan for herself. It’s a typical outcome for the dependable, bookish Rachel, who is never able to extinguish the spark she immediately felt for Oz. But being secretly in love with her best friend’s boyfriend all year hasn’t been easy.

As this year’s party approaches, Oz and Tamara break up. It’s a worst-case scenario when Oz asks Rachel to help him write Tamara love letters to win her back in time for their Hanukkah anniversary. Rachel’s been writing love letters to Oz in her journals for a year; she knows all the words he would need. But will Rachel be able to hide her true feelings from Oz any longer? And might this year’s party finally be Rachel’s chance to trust her heart and put everything on the line for love?

My Take:

This was such a cute read! I'm not Jewish but I'm always interested in learning about other cultures, religions and so forth. Plus there just isn't enough holiday novels out there! This was such a great listen on Audible! At first I thought maybe it had the same plot as Something Borrowed, but it pretty quickly changes and I was so very grateful for that. It was super fun and engaging and will probably read it again in the future!

 

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

 

Royal Holiday 

by Jasmine Guillory

Synopsis:

Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain private secretary, his charming accent, and unyielding formality.

Malcolm Hudson has worked for the Queen for years and has never given a personal, private tour—until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling.

Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy affair come New Year’s Day. . .or are they? 

 

My Thoughts:

This was my first Jasmine Guillory novel and I wasn’t really sure what to expect, at least not entirely.  I was lucky in that I had a chance to read an excerpt of The Wedding Date and even though I haven’t read that full book, it gave me a pretty good idea as to what I might find in Jasmine’s books. Witty banter. Relatable characters. A fun time!

It was extremely refreshing to read a story from another’s perspective. Just little things that different people of different walks of life deal with for the day today. I felt like though Vivian was a mother of an adult child already, she was still a little too old for me. I actually haven’t read that many stories where the mc is more than 5 years older than myself and I’m 34. Hopefully, I will read more like this and it won’t seem strange at some point.  I really did enjoy Vivian’s honestly both with Malcolm and herself. I loved watching her character grow but even more, I enjoyed watching Malcolm grow both with his family and with Vivian. The last two things I wasn’t necessarily expecting and didn’t care too much for were the sex scenes and the foul language in the book. I am no saint by any means, but I’m just not a fan of specific curse words or terms for the body part. Yeah, I’m a clean romance kind of gal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this international affair and am excited to read more of Jasmine’s books!

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

 

Letters to the Lost

by Brigid Kemmerer 

Synopsis: 

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

Oh.My.God. This book is phenomenal. This is one of those contemporaries that every teen, young adult and older adult should read. I know Brigid's writing was incredible because I've previously read Call it What You Want her newest YA contemporary and I've read the CurseBreakers series to date but this book STILL blew me away!

I want to jump into this story and not only bear hug Declan but I want to squeeze Juliet too! So much emotion in book. The real, raw emotion in this story speaks right to your soul. The side characters (which Brigid excels at writing also) Rev and Rowan are exceptional characters. The mc parents. Everything about this story is fantastic. The drama is real life drama and even if we have never lost someone in our own lives, we can relate to these characters. Their feelings are so palpable that they can't be ignored in any way. I listened to and read this book.  The narrators are phenomenal. I mean, seriously, just everything.  Brigid is my favorite!

Review of Let it Snow by John Green Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances

By John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Synopsis:

Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks.

Thanks to three of today’s best-selling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.

My thoughts: 

The first story with Jubilee and Stewart was absolutely gorgeous and gave me all the feels that I wanted to feel this November as I prepare for the upcoming winter season. I could super relate to Jubilee's character as I had been in a relationship where I was taken granted for also but the other person was too scared to just break up with me and just strung me along.  I think Johnson knows how a broken heart feels because he totally explained how I had felt. I'm so glad that I finally found my own Stewart. It's important to note that I'm listening to this book on audio so I may misspell character names here because the names aren't in the synopsis provided by Goodreads, my go to source ;) 

Green's story is not my favorite out of the first two. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of the name J.P. and or Carla, really, hey, that's a real thing to note! Character names can really help me bond with the character.  Ok, maybe I'm a bit dramatic. I did love all the James Bond references throughout the story. I definitely got some winter vibes from this one though, probably a little more than the first one. 

While the last story's mc annoyed me a little bit, I really enjoyed her growth throughout the story and loved the ending.  I'd have to say this one was super warming to listen to and Jeb has become a new #bookboyfriend for sure! 

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon

Point of Danger

Irene Hannon

Synopsis: 

Radio talk show host Eve Reilly is used to backlash from her pot-stirring on-air commentary and interviews, but now it seems a disgruntled listener is resorting to more than angry words to express their displeasure. When a suspicious package arrives on her doorstep, Eve turns to law enforcement for help.

Police detective Brent Lange can't find any evidence to link the string of unsettling incidents that follows, but he's convinced they're connected. As the harassment grows more menacing, it becomes clear someone wants Eve's voice silenced--permanently.

But unless he can track down her foe, fast, the gutsy woman who is willing to take risks for what she believes--and who is swiftly winning his heart--may not survive.

Bestselling author and three-time RITA Award winner Irene Hannon is back with a heart-stopping new series that will have you turning pages well into the night.

My Thoughts: 

Irene Hannon never ceases to amaze me! Especially with a new series in the making, I am a Hannon groupie for life! 

I love when romantic suspense has author names that I adore and I do adore the names Brent and Eve for sure! Really this one read like a suspenseful Hallmark movie to me and I couldn't be happier with that feeling. Once I picked up this book it was super hard to set it down, to even take a drink of water! I absolutely loved these characters and the relationships that Hannon built between them. 

The Price of Valor by Susan May Warren

The Price of Valor

Susan May Warren

Synopsis:

Former Navy SEAL Hamilton Jones thought that the love of his life was dead. But when a girl claiming to be his daughter shows up with a dire message from his wife, Ham knows he will stop at nothing to find her and bring her home.

Kidnapped by rebels while serving as an interpreter in Ukraine, Signe Kincaid has spent the past decade secreting out valuable information about Russian assets in the US to her CIA handler. Fearing for her daughter after being discovered as an operative, Signe sends her to Ham for safekeeping. She's ready to give her life for her country, and she can hardly expect Ham to rescue her after breaking his heart over and over.

When Ham discovers the reason Signe has kept her distance, he must choose between love for his wife and love for the nation he has vowed to protect. Will he save the many? Or the few?

USA Today bestselling author Susan May Warren takes you on a global search and rescue mission where the stakes are higher than ever in this final installment of her popular series.

My Thoughts:

Susan May Warren never fails to please my Christian romantic suspense loving heart. Every single one of her books has fed my appetite and this one is no different. I love how Warren ties all of her characters together and weaves them in and out of each other's lives. I truly feel like I'm included in part of a circle of fictional friends that I am so grateful for! 

Warren stayed true to her writing and filled The Price of Valor with so much entertainment that I couldn't have been more please if I had tried. I can truly imagine everything unfolding in my mind as I read through the book. Warren will forever be an autobuy author for me!

Nine by Rachelle Dekker

Synopsis:

Zoe Johnson spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places. But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes. Now, against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all. The girl knows only one thing: she must reach a woman in Corpus Christi, Texas, hundreds of miles away, before the government agents who are searching for her catch up to them.

Award-winning author Rachelle Dekker throws you into the middle of the action and keeps the pressure on in this page-turning story that, asks Are we who the world says we are--or can we change our story and be something more?

My Thoughts:

Action packed!  A must read!  Sometimes I hesitate on reading some Christian fiction because its just too fluffy! I need a dose of reality.  I mean sure, God performs miracles all the time, but sometimes it really has to hurt before we feel the joy. Also, there’s violence in the world. When a book bypasses that reality it just feels so fake to me and I lose interest.  Not with Rachelle’s books though. She is her own person and earned her following. This book, like Rachelle’s others definitely held my attention from beginning to end. I’d love to see more of this world in the future. Dekker is phenomenal at writing a series.

Giveaway and Review: Jo & Laurie

Jo & Laurie

by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 2nd 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings, 

Synopsis:

Bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz bring us a romantic retelling of Little Women starring Jo March and her best friend, the boy next door, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence.

1869, Concord, Massachusetts: After the publication of her first novel, Jo March is shocked to discover her book of scribbles has become a bestseller, and her publisher and fans demand a sequel. While pressured into coming up with a story, she goes to New York with her dear friend Laurie for a week of inspiration—museums, operas, and even a once-in-a-lifetime reading by Charles Dickens himself!

But Laurie has romance on his mind, and despite her growing feelings, Jo's desire to remain independent leads her to turn down his heartfelt marriage proposal and sends the poor boy off to college heartbroken. When Laurie returns to Concord with a sophisticated new girlfriend, will Jo finally communicate her true heart's desire or lose the love of her life forever?

My Review:

I had only recently read Little Women this past January right before I went to see the new movie in theatres.  I read the physical book and listened to the audio read by Christina Ricci on Audible.  I thoroughly enjoyed Little Women and don’t want to take away anything from the original.  However, I’m sure I’m like most of Alcott’s fans and was greatly let down with that ending and the final resolution of Jo March, our star authoress. Well, Jo & Laurie completely healed my broken heart.

Overall, I appreciated De La Cruz and Stohl’s retelling of this fine classic tale.  In particular, I liked Laurie’s character more now than from the classic and felt that he was portrayed as a more mature character than in the original and especially compared to the movie.  I felt like he was bolder and more confident when it came to Jo.  He became a total swoon-worthy character for me.  On the other hand, Amy’s character felt like she was written younger and she annoyed me more than the snobbish portrayal of her original character.   I suppose I must take the bad with the good.

Likewise, to my feelings from the original, Jo and Meg were still my favorite characters.  I felt their characters were the most developed.  I think Meg’s character stayed truer to herself, while Jo struggled more with her feelings. Her character growth was interesting to watch unfold, and although I finally got the outcome that I wanted, the sudden change in heart was a little too sudden.

I would definitely recommend this book to those fans who have an open mind and want to have the ideal ending that they felt would’ve completed the story.  If I had to choose to reread Little Women again or reread Jo & Laurie, I would most certainly choose the latter.   

Favorite Quotes:

"No, that's not true. I don't hate writing; I absolutely, positively loathe it."

"She was left, as a result, with no alternative but to resort to the most trusted and time-honored, if most time-consuming, occupation of all writers--belly-aching about needing to work instead of working."

"Is my current poverty of i9matination not a real problem?"

"This literary husbandry is the very foundation of our glorious profession."

"He looked down at Jo. "So, then. Romance? That what we need, Mr. Snodgrass, old chap?""

"So it seems, Mr. Weller. I believe little whalebone-corseted hearts are to be set afire, as it were."

"And they're not even talking about anything. They never are. Just loads and loads of nonsense."

"Love yourself like I love you, old friend."

"She meant it, which Meg knew-as sisters do-and so peace was struck just as war had been declared."

"Remember who you are and where you come from. Remember everything and be cheerful, because this chance will never come again."

"No one with such an ancient lineage ever lets any else forget it."

"I will ram that peacock feather down your pretty throat, Meg thought."

"His music is the mother he misses. The life he will never know. The book I cannot remember how to write."

"My messes and scrapes and moods and shadows. My queer temperament and career. My inability to live on the same plane of existence as every other person on earth..."

"You're a fool who doesn't know her own heart."

"For life and love are very precious, she wrote, when both are in full bloom."

"I'll always think of you.  I'll always treasure our friendship, no matter how far away I go."

"I thought I was the improper one in the family. We can't all be scandalous, now, can we?"

"Keep writing your way back to the light."

"It's all right, Jo.  This is life. I will lose you, and you will lose me.  Losing is part of having, my love."

"Because of all the other little sisters-the ones you'll never know or meet-who you've made believe they could tell a story of their own."

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48895207-jo-laurie

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eKjILC

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jo-laurie-margaret-stohl/1136270761?ean=9780593112861

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/jo-laurie/id1489092197

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Jo-Laurie-Melissa-de-La-Cruz/9781984812018?ref=grid-view&qid=1587559819389&sr=1-1

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/jo-laurie-1

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=8Pe_DwAAQBAJ&rdid=book-8Pe_DwAAQBAJ&rdot=1&source=gbs_atb&pcampaignid=books_booksearch_atb

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION

MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

She is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

 

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

 

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

 

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

 

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

AUTHOR LINKS

MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

Website: https://melissa-delacruz.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21911.Melissa_de_la_Cruz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissadelaCruz

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormelissadelacruz/

Tumblr: https://authormelissadelacruz.tumblr.com/

 

MARGARET STOHL

Margaret Stohl is a #1 New York Times bestselling nerd, world-builder, video game creator, comic book writer and festival founder.

As an award-winning young adult author, she has been published in fifty countries and thirty-two languages and has sold more than ten million books worldwide. Beautiful Creatures debuted as the Amazon #1 Teen book of the year; seven of Margaret’s books have reached bestseller lists around the world.

She has published fifteen novels and graphic novels, as well as contributed to several games and countless comics since her debut. Her last book, Cats Vs Robots: This is War, was a family affair, illustrated by her child, the artist Kay Peterson, and co-written with her husband, Lewis Peterson. It also starred three of her family’s five cats.

After Beautiful Creatures was released as a feature film from Warner Brothers and Alcon Entertainment, Margaret began working with Marvel on her bestselling Black Widow: Forever Red duology; in 2017 she began writing the ongoing Mighty Captain Marvel comic, followed by the acclaimed Life of Captain Marvel miniseries, where she established a new origin story for Carol Danvers in preparation for the theatrical debut of Brie Larson as “Captain Marvel” for the MCU. 

When not roaming the halls of Seattle game developer Bungie - where she oversees the creation of new global IPs - Margaret can often be seen at a Comicon or at one of the teen and youth book festivals she co-founded, YALLFEST (Charleston, SC) and YALLWEST (Santa Monica, CA), the largest in the country. Wherever she goes, you can find out more about her (and invariably her cats) at @mstohl on twitter or margaret_stohl on Instagram or margaret_stohl on Snapchat or at mstohl.com.

AUTHOR LINKS

MARGARET STOHL

Website: https://mstohl.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2895707.Margaret_Stohl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mstohl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaret_stohl/

 

PROMO MATERIALS

Audiobook sample: https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/jo-laurie-by-margaret-stohl

PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN

Win a tea tin when you pre-order JO & LAURIE (US ONLY)

Link to the promotion and submission page: https://woobox.com/8jrorg

TOUR SCHEDULE

https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2020/04/tour-schedule-jo-laurie-by-margaret.html

GIVEAWAY

Prize: Win a copy of JO & LAURIE by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz (US Only)

Starts: 27^th May 2020

Ends: 10^th June 2020

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86504/?  

Review of Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Dear Martin, took me by complete surprise and introduced me to an Own Voice author that I have not known before. Nic Stone has become, very quickly I might add, one of my favorite new middle grade and YA authors. Her storytelling ability is remarkable as I'm reading the book, I am picturing scene by scene in my mind and putting faces to voices. This character-driven story has impacted me in a way most contemporaries don't do. 

Dear Martin, made me look at my surroundings, my work office, my school, my church, my grocery store, and my neighborhood. I listened to how people said things to and about one another, and I recognize the injustices as soon as I opened my eyes. I am a white middle-aged, middle-class woman and even though I struggle from time to time to have money to do extra things that I want to do (I am by no means a Beverly Hills chick), I don't and could not understand what it is like to be oppressed in America. 

Dear Martin, opened my eyes to the injustices that surround us on a day-to-day basis. For such a small book to have such a huge impact makes me speechless even though I'm rambling on about how much I loved it. This is a book that my 12-year-old son will read. This is a book, that I want my husband to read. I want to gift this book to everyone I know because I want people to look past the notions of prejudices that we’re taught and raised with.  I immediately fell down a Nic Stone rabbit hole and just devoured my third book of hers and I'm ready for the next one!

]

The Way of the Brave

by Susan May Warren

Published by Revell Publishing House

Synopsis:

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes--the man she nearly killed.

Her skills and his experience are exactly what's needed to prevent another tragedy--but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?

Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren.

My Review: 

Wow, I had no idea that I could become more attached to a Susan May Warren series than I did with the Montana Rescue Me series, but Orion and Jenny's story has blew me away. The start of the story had me a little anxious because there was a lot of background information on ice climbing with terminology and tools that I did not understand at all, but pushing past that initial intro of information is well worth it.  The story itself takes off for each of these characters separately and intertwining at just the perfect moments.  



The world building of snowy mountains and ice ledges was designed perfectly for the images played out well in my head.  The descriptive action scenes were my most favorites parts of the story.  I held my breath quite a few times, unable to tear my eyes away from the pages, even when my husband or son started to talk to me.  I had to hold a finger up, begging for a just another few minutes. I am so excited for next installment and cannot wait to see how the lives and relationships unfold in the rest of this powerful and exciting series.

This story is strong, powerful and moving. You will laugh. You will tear up or cry. You will find yourself holding your breath!  Did I mention I want to go to Alaska?! 

Susan May Warren

About the Author