Hi Friends,
In my Bookmas day 4 post, I’m going to be talking about some underrated holiday books. I always seem to see book lovers recommending the same old holiday reads, so these are some books that I think deserve more recognition.
What Light by Jay Asher
Honestly, I can’t remember a lot about this story, but I do know that it had a Christmas Tree farm setting. The plot follows a young girl that spends the holiday season helping run her Christmas tree lot in California. Although this is a sweet holiday romance, it’s really a story of forgiveness and redemption. I remember this being a slower read, but it is a great wintertime book.
My New Crush Gave To Me by Shani Petroff
Nobody ever talks about this book, which is crazy to me. This is an enemies-to-lovers Christmas story that is a jolly good time. The book follows Charlotte. who rigs the Secret Santa drawing, so that she draws her crush, Teo’s, name. However, she needs to enlist the help of her crush’s cousin J.D., who she can’t stand, in order to get Teo the perfect gift. This is a fun holiday romance with a fun Secret Santa plot.
Snow In Love by Various Authors
This is a collection of four holiday short stories by different different YA authors. The stories focus on the holiday season, and of course there is romance involved in every story. My personal favorite story was written by Kasie West, but she’s one of my favorite author. So, there’s no surprise I’d enjoy her story most. However, the book as a whole is a pretty decent holiday read. Related Post:Snow In Love // Book Review
Whiteout by Various Authors
This is another holiday short story collection, which was released in November of 2022. I, myself, have yet to read this book but it sounds amazing. The story takes place in Atlanta, before the Christmas season, and is all about black teen love. I find that this book has flown completely under the radar, yet I can’t wait to give it a read. Related Post:December 2022 // To Be Read
The Chaos of Standing Still by Jessica Brody
Although this isn’t exactly a Christmas book, it is still a holidays read in my opinion. The book follows a teenage girl trapped at an airport on New Years Eve, which happens to be the day before the anniversary of her best friend’s death. Sure, there is a romance plot, but the main focus is about letting go and the loss that goes along with it. It is a beautifully written and well done story. Also, every reader could use a good sad holiday read right?
There you have some of the holiday books that I think deserve more hype. And yes, they are all YA book recommendations, but that’s my go-to genre. Before you leave, give my little book blog some love by becoming a follower.
About The Book Twisting back and forth through time and various perspectives, this edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of friends spending one last summer at the lake culminates in a shocking ending that will leave readers reeling. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3AXutXK
My Rating
If you’re sole reason for reading this book is because it claims to be similar to ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, then pick another reason. Better yet, pick another book. The story started off pretty slow, and the writing style just wasn’t doing it for me. I decided to over-shoot my 30% rule to DNF, and give the book a chance to improve.
It didn’t get much better…
The book follows a group of friends that return to the beach house they spent most of their earlier summers at. However, the on the previous trip, something horrible happened. In the book, we follow Chelsea, who is an unreliable narrator. She thinks that she remember the previous summer, but in truth she has blocked a lot of things out. As you read, you can’t be sure if what she’s “remembering” is correct.
The book had so much promise, but a stunningly terrible execution. There was way too much going on. We had mediums, ghosts, and even time jumps. It was all over the place. It felt as though the author threw in a bunch of different spooky things to make the story more interesting. But for me, it was overwhelming to keep track of everything going on.
“Attics are places for secrets. Attics are places to hide. Attics are places to set traps for creatures that creep inside.”
However, there were some twists that were pretty shocking. Maybe a few too many twist, if you ask me. I will say one thing, it at least kept my attention. So, I guess I’m not too disappointed I stuck with it. I would say that this would probably do better as a movie, but only if the plot was more refined. I did like what the author did with ending and would pick up another book of theirs in the future.
Overall, I didn’t totally hate the story, especially since psychological thrillers are typically my favorite type of plot in books, movies, and shows. Yet, this one just wasn’t up to par. Also, please check out the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up.
In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. And, what is your favorite psychological thriller you’ve read. Don’t forget to share this post and give my little book blog a follow.
About The Book A humorous love story about a girl who has her lifelong disdain of the wealthy challenged by the son of a hotel mogul, whose attention and loyalty almost convince her that being rich isn’t a character flaw, until she finds out that money is a bigger part of their relationship than she realized. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3AOS6St
My Rating
If you like a rich-meets-poor, not broke, romance with a Gilmore Girls mother/daughter relationship, then you will enjoy this book. The main character, Caymen, is funny, friendly, and close to her mother. And her internal monologue was one of my favorite things about the book.
However, I wasn’t a fan of the fact that she didn’t really have much of an identity. She didn’t know who she was as a person, and spent most of her time helping her mother. Also, why do most YA contemporary characters have only one friend?
In the book, Caymen’s single mother runs a doll shop, which is pretty weird and unique. I don’t think I have ever read a book that includes a doll shop. I wasn’t a fan of her mother; she was kind of judgemental. She kept things from her daughter, and didn’t like the rich so she expected Caymen to, as well.
In the first chapter, Caymen meets Xander, and yes I would call it a meet-cute. There was an instant attraction that neither of them tried to hide. It was a very instant love romance, but there was a sort of love triangle added into the plot.
Similar to Kasie West’s other male love interests, Xander was charming and confident. However, by the end of the book I did wonder if he truly liked Caymen for who she was despite not having a ton of money.
“Feelings can be the most costly thing in the universe.”
I liked that even money was a big issue between the two characters. It showcased that not all rich people are snobs. Some people are simply jerks, and money has nothing to do with it.
By the end of the book, there was a big secret reveal. Though I didn’t get the point of the secret, I understand that parents sometimes lie to protect us. Still, don’t people know that the truth will always come out, eventually? But trust can never really be repaired once it’s broken.
My biggest con with the story was that there is a mention of a baby being a mistake. As someone that wants kids, but is struggling to conceive, this upset me. A child is never a mistake. Having a baby might not be the right choice for you, but that doesn’t make it a mistake or a life-ruiner.
Overall, I loved all the witty batter that Kasie West put into this story. And, it was a sweet romance as well. Also, Gilmore Girls is my all-time favorite show, so any book that reminds me of that is likel ya 5-star to me.
In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others! And, as always, remember to hit the follow button to get post notifications.
About The Book From the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love comes a stunning new contemporary novel—all about boy bands, girl bands, best friends, and first love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3AOS6St
My Rating
At first, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked to be. I was on the fence about Katie Cotugno’s writing, but it did grow on me as time went on. The plot of this book is ‘Making the Band’ meets YA contemporary. The main character, Dana, is level headed and realistic about her future. She doesn’t have the best home life with her single mom, and college is a pipe dream. Her best friend, Olivia, is destined for stardom, so when they both get picked to be part of a new girl group, they’re shocked, but excited.
I don’t know about you, but if me and my best friend got the chance to be in a music group together I would be over the moon. But, you could tell that Olivia was jealous, and somewhat put Dana down, instead of lifting her up. Dana, on the other hand, was supportive of her best friend, never forgot her roots, and worked hard to become a better performer. She was scared of turning out like her alcoholic mother and living in their small town forever, but she wasn’t bitter.
However, I will say that sometimes staying in the town you grew up in and marrying the farm boy isn’t the end of the world. Everyone’s hopes and dreams look different. But, Olivia seemed to think she was better than her friends, which rubbed me (and eventually Dana) the wrong way throughout the story.
This really is a book about unexpected fame and being a fish out of water. Dana had to deal with the pressures of stardom, catty girls, and feeling like she’s not good enough. Also, there was the mention of how paying $40 for a shirt is insane, and I must agree. Money wasn’t a huge topic in the story, but there is the notion that being pretty doesn’t mean you get anything you want.
“Can you allow for the possibility that you’re more special than you give yourself credit for?”
There was a ton of drama within the story, which wasn’t my cup of tea. We get jealousy, a love triangle, and backstabbing all in one book. The plot showed how jealousy can turn even the best of friends against each other. And by the end of things, you being to realize you were never truly friends at all.
As I mentioned, the book features a short lived love triangle that did nothing but add more drama to the plot. In general, the romance was cute, but why does every YA male fall for the average girl!? Can this cliche die already?
Overall, the message of the story was that with hard work and determination you can succeed at anything. You have the power to change your life and choose who you want to be. I enjoyed how the author ended Dana’s story, because she ended up finding herself. The message was conveyed well, but the execution wasn’t my favorite.
The book touches on topics like alcoholism and anorexia, so please keep that in mind before diving into this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and follow my blog for more bookish posts.
About The Book A sweet and swoony contemporary Young Adult novel about a cross-country family road trip that puts one girl and her childhood best friend on an unexpected road to romance! Kasie West delivers another romantic and heartfelt story of family, first love, and how expanding your horizons can take you places you’ve never dreamed of. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3TW7QtF
My Rating
I don’t know how Kasie West creates such amazing YA contemporaries, but I’m happy to read all of them! This book is a second chance romance, which isn’t my favorite, however I did enjoy West’s take on the trope. The main character Norah is a bit naive and weird, but being normal is vastly overrated. She wants to be a video game animator, which I loved. It is a career field that isn’t talked about a lot in books, so it was a cool addition to the story.
The plot follows Norah as she, and her family, embark on a 3 week road trip with some old friends. One being Skyler, who happens to be Norah’s former best friend. I found Skyler’s attitude towards Norah less than favorable. Some of the things he did rubbed me the wrong way, and were kind of cold. It goes to show that reconnecting with people isn’t easy.
In my opinion, he isn’t a fully developed character and is very wishy-washy. As I mentioned before, it was annoying how unfair to Norah he was throughout the book. She was nothing but nice to him, and still had a chip on his shoulder.
However, I liked that Norah called Skyler out on all his anger towards her. And, made him see that he changed as much as she did. The book touched on the topic of how sometimes we don’t show our true selves. That a lot of the time we forget who we are and change for others rather than for ourselves.
“Maybe we were our truest selves as children, before we let the expectations of everyone else dictate who we should be.”
But truthfully, the romance isn’t a huge part of the story. I know that is weird since it is a YA contemporary, yet I found it refreshing. Honestly, Norah and Skyler’s relationship developed naturally and they were immature teens.
I liked the sibling dynamic throughout the book. Norah and her brother acted like true siblings, and Skyler’s brother and sisters were likable characters as well. I loved Norah’s best friend Willow, because she was funny and understanding. Also, there is a lot of fun video game references in the story.
Nevertheless, there were some things I didn’t much care for. Like Skyler’s character and all his secrets. There was a lot of hiding things, and secrets coming out by the end of the book. And none of the twists were all that surprising.
Overall, the book was enjoyable, just as I expected. Still, I would classify this as my least favorite of Kasie West’s books. It isn’t as memorable-able as some of her other work. But for me, it was a cute story with wonderful writing.
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About The Book Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween morning a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3V0uZvQ
My Rating
In the book, Alice witnesses her sister’s murder on Halloween night. One year later, she gets the chance to go back in time to stop her sister from being killed. Let me just say, that this book is a fun, campy mystery/thriller.
I found the main character, Alice, to be likable, but also irritating at times. The fact that she was a horror movie Stan was great, because all the nods to final girls were fun. But she was also very naive at times. However, her actions and attitude felt very real. I’d probably be just like Alice if this happened to me.
There were a lot of twist and turns throughout the book that I loved. Some moments were jaw-dropping. and others I saw coming. The author did a great job of dropping bread crumbs throughout the story. Although, there were a lot of shocking moments, I guessed the killer and ending. But that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.
“I once heard about how the movie Saw was inspired by a news report about a man who broke into people’s houses to tickle the feet of sleeping children.”
The book does have a romance plot, but it is a minor one, because the main as aspect of the story is trying to stop a killer. But remember – the boyfriend is always the killer! The book begs the question if one life is worth millions. And it made me wonder if I would sacrifice the lives of others for my sister. Also, there’s the subtle message that everything happens for a reason.
Overall, the only con I have is that there was one cheesy aspect to the story, but I can’t really say it without spoiling the book. Still, I understand why the author added a particular plot point. So, needless to say I devoured this book within a day! However, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything particularly amazing about this book, but if you are a horror movie fangirl like me, then you will enjoy it.
In the comments, let me know if you enjoy scary movies. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog for more bookish posts.
About The Book This sweet graphic novel follows Morgan, a 15-year-old girl living on a small island in Canada, who one day meets a mysterious selkie named Keltie. At first, Morgan is annoyed by Keltie, but as they spend more time together, she realizes her feelings may be stronger than she anticipated. This charming sapphic coming-of-age story is sure to pull at some heartstrings. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3XeD9m0
My Rating
This is a lighthearted queer graphic novel that can be read in one sitting. When Morgan meets Keltie, she starts to feel things she never did before. Morgan is a very fearful character, who tends to keep parts of herself locked away. But, Keltie helps her see that she shouldn’t hide herself away from the world.
Keltie is a Selkie who becomes able to walk on earth after sharing a kiss with Morgan. Both girls learn to confine and lean on each other throughout the story and you could really see their chemistry. It truly is a great sapphic young love story.
The plot is very character driven, and we get to be inside Morgan’s head. We learn about her relationship with her friends, and her difficult home life. And, you can understand Morgan’s desire to leave the island.
“Sometimes you have to let your life get messy. That’s how you get to the good parts.”
Although the romance is a huge factor within the book, it isn’t the main message. During the story, Morgan got the push she needed to come out, and to not be afraid of her true self. She was scared of feeling different, but in the end she realized that you can’,t and shouldn’t, hide yourself from the world.
Overall, the book was an adorable coming-of-age queer love story, which is perfect for tweens and adults. There was magic, romance, and a few tear shedding moments. Honestly, I would say it’s sapphic Aquamarine meets Tinker Bell’s The Never Beast Movie. Weird combination, but strangely, it works.
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Hi Friends,
Today I’m sharing a small book haul. I have been trying not to buy any books, since Christmas is coming up quick. However, I had to buy some books and wanted to share those with you all.
Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz
“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.”
A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz
“A surprising and romantic YA retelling-mashup of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.”
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“The New York Times bestselling love story about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge.”
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
“Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined.”
Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by James Howe, Andrew Donkin, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator)
“Celebrate over forty years of the modern classic Bunnicula with this fang-tastic graphic novelization that will send a shiver down your spine and leave you howling with laughter!”
Frogkisser! by Garth Nix
“The Last Thing She Needs Is a Prince.The First Thing She Needs Is Some Magic.”
Winterhouse (Winterhouse Series #1) by Ben Guterson, Chloe Bristol (Illustrator)
“An enchanting urban fantasy middle-grade debut—the first book in a trilogy—set in a magical hotel full of secrets.”
The Winterhouse Mysteries by Ben Guterson, Chloe Bristol (Illustrator)
“Danger, intrigue, and the power of family combine in The Winterhouse Mysteries, the fast-paced conclusion to Ben Guterson and Chloe Bristol’s illustrated, enchanting Winterhouse middle grade trilogy.”
If you have read any of these books please let me know your thoughts on them in the comments below. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish posts.
About The Book Lacey Barnes has dreamed of being an actress for as long as she can remember. So when she gets the opportunity to star in a movie alongside one of Hollywood’s hottest actors, she doesn’t hesitate to accept the part. But Lacey quickly learns that life in the spotlight isn’t as picture perfect as she imagined. Buy The Book:https://amzn.to/3DCtxsn
My Rating
This is a companion story to Kasie West’s ‘Love, Life and the List,’ but this time we follow Lacey. In the first book, we learned that Lacey was an actress at the high school and by the end of the book just book her biggest role yet. In this book, we follow Lacey as she is taking on that breakout role.
Lacey was a good main character, and it was interesting reading about a newbie actress. Her character was outgoing and friendly, and super dedicated to her craft. However, she did get offended quite easily especially when it came to the subject of her career choice. Also, I struggle with the fact that her dad wasn’t very supportive of her career, yet I did understand that he was just trying to protect her. In all honesty, actors don’t have the best job security.
As for the romance, when Lacey meets her tutor, Donavan, she thinks he’s uptight. But, there are more sides of Donavan that we get to see, in time. We learned that he loved to write, and didn’t care for fame or social status. The chemistry between them was instant, and their relationship formed naturally. It was a bit of an opposite track type romance though.
“I love stories. I love watching them play out and trying to guess the endings. I love being surprised and learning new things about people or about myself.”
Within the story, we get to see Lacey struggle with feeling replaced in her life back at home. It isn’t a huge part of the story, but the sentiment that coming home isn’t always easy was a nice addition to the more lighthearted story. Lacey learned that going after your dreams means having to make sacrifices and if your passion is worth everything you have to give up.
There is this funny twist involving Donavan and another actor, which I did predict. But I liked how it was added to the story. It was a small touch that connected Donavan to Lacey’s world a little more. Also, there is a ton of witty batter in this book! Kasie West always writes the most charming characters with some of the best dialog.
Overall, this is a cute YA contemporary that is easy to read in one sitting. The story was well throughout and the romance was sweet. Although, I don’t know if I see Lacey and Donavan lasting long-term, but I have high hopes they’ll stay together.
Let me know in the comments below if you enjoy the opposite track trope. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish content.
Hi Friends,
Today is my November TBR post! For the month of November I decided that I would mostly mood read. However, I have a lot of Christmas books that I would like to get to, so I thought that I would share those with you. Also, I will be taking part in the Gilmore Girlsreadathon, but I am going to be doing a separate TBR post for the readathon.
“A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this hilarious, romp-filled young adult romantic comedy perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Hallmark Christmas movies.”
“Who’s naughty and nice at Riverwood Mall? In this hilarious YA holiday rom-com, two rivals get together to save their families’ livelihoods, and Christmas, too!”
“A pitch-perfect holiday rom com about two oil-and-water reality-star country singers who must fake a relationship in order to win the opportunity of a lifetime, perfect for fans of Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game and Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze.”
‘Reading Rabbits’ Book Club Book “Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night? Agatha Christie meets Clue in this delightful, tense manor house murder mystery.”
Those are just some of the holiday books that I would like to get to in the month of November. Let me know in the comments the books on your TBR for the month. Please don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified whenever there’s a new post.
Hi Friends,
Nobody ever talks about this book, which is crazy to me. This is an enemies-to-lovers Christmas story that is a jolly good time. The book follows Charlotte. who rigs the Secret Santa drawing, so that she draws her crush, Teo’s, name. However, she needs to enlist the help of her crush’s cousin J.D., who she can’t stand, in order to get Teo the perfect gift. This is a fun holiday romance with a fun Secret Santa plot.
