2022 DNF Round Up

I decided to hold off on my DNFs until the end of the year and, surprisingly, I didn’t have as many as I thought I would. Although, I didn’t really read as much this year as I normally do. Still, I ended up with 7 DNFs this year and I also came to the realization that some authors just aren’t my cup of tea, more about that in a later post.

 

Here’s what I DNF’d in 2022.

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

East Yorkshire: Single mum Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, no idea what he is doing there. Against her better judgement she invites him in to her home.

Surrey: Twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed.

My Thoughts: I was intrigued by the concept but, sadly, the blurb was the only thing that held my attention. This was my first Lisa Jewell novel and it didn’t go well.

I have been *attempting* to get through this book for at least two years (possibly longer) and I still have a little over 3 hours left on the audiobook. I’m just done with it, there’s no way I’m going to be able to finish this. It was as entertaining as watching paint dry. I didn’t care about the plot, the characters were annoying, and it was just lackluster. I had a feeling early on how this would end—I asked a friend and it turned out I was right—and the writing wasn’t intriguing enough to make me want to keep listening.

The Truth About Melody Brown by Lisa Jewell

When she was a child, Melody Browne’s house burned down, destroying all her family’s possessions and her memories. Ever since this tragic event, Melody Browne has had no recollection of her life before she was rescued from the flames.

Now in her early thirties, Melody is a single mother, living in the middle of London with her teenaged son. She hasn’t seen her parents since she left home at fifteen, but Melody has no desire to reconnect until one night, while attending a hypnotist show with a date, she faints. When she comes around, she is suddenly overwhelmed with fragmented memories of her life before that fateful fire.

Slowly, she begins the arduous process of piecing together the real story of her childhood. Her journey takes her up and down the countryside, to seaside towns to the back streets of London, where she meets strangers who seem to love her like her own. But the more answers she uncovers, the more questions she is left with, and Melody can’t help but wonder if she’ll ever know the whole truth about her past.

My Thoughts: Again, I was intrigued by the blurb but bored with the content. This was my third Lisa Jewell book and the second one that I DNF’d.

It took me about 3 weeks but I managed to read 71 pages (13 chapters) before I put this one down for good. I could get into the plot, I didn’t care for the characters, everything was, again, lackluster and I wasn’t going to make myself finish a book I wasn’t enjoying.

Binding Vows by Catherine Bybee MacCoinnich

Duncan MacCoinnich's task... Travel to the twenty-first century Renaissance Faire, deflower the Druid virgins, and go home. Only his job is not so easily accomplished with the virgin in question, Tara McAllister. Time is running out. The evil is closing in on them both. Tara finds Duncan irresistible after what was supposed to be a mock Hand-fasting binds them. When Duncan whisks her to his home in Scotland she could accept that. But, can she forgive him for taking away her modern life when she finds herself in the sixteenth century? And is it love they feel? Or something else?

My Thoughts: I was looking for a sexy little Scottish time travel romance and this wasn’t it, sadly.

It had potential: druidic aspects, nasty witch tossing out curses, hunky highlanders. Unfortunately, the heroine was bloody annoying and I’m not sure why the hero just didn’t leave her stranded somewhere in the Highlands. The writing itself was a bit meh and sort of felt as though the author was going off the ‘how to write a Scottish time travel romance’ checklist. There was nothing about this one that made me want to finish reading it.

Amy & Lan by Sadie Jones

Amy Connell and Lan Honey are having the best childhood ever. They live on a 78-acre farm in the South West of England, with sisters and brothers, other kids, chickens, goats, three dogs, and even a calf, called Gabriella Christmas.

The three sets of parents are best friends who came to Frith from the city, and are learning, year after year, how to farm the land.

Free and unsupervised, Amy and Lan play with axes and climb on haystacks, but there is grownup danger at Frith they don't see. It's Gail, Lan's mother, and Adam, Amy's father who should be more careful. They should learn what kids know: never to play with fire.

My Thoughts: I received an ARC of this from the publisher and I was intrigued by this one because it was being compared to Little Men by Louisa May Alcott but, sadly, this didn’t feel like it was going anywhere.

I read about a third of this and nothing was grabbing my attention or making me want to read more. I don’t necessarily think this was a bad book but it was just too slow for me and didn’t really have that Little Men vibe that I was expecting.

Still Series by Amy Stuart

Instead of including the blurbs, I just linked to GoodReads to save time.

Still Mine | Still Water | Still Here

My Thoughts: A friend recommended this series and I couldn’t get into the first two books so she said that the third was the best and it would make me want to read the first two. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I just couldn’t get interested in any of the books, no matter the order I read them.

Amy Stuart’s writing is often compared to Lisa Jewell’s and I don’t think that style of writing is for me.

There's Something About Merry by Codi Hall (Mistletoe Romance #2)

Merry Winters has the holiday blues. She's spent the last year learning to love herself, and now she's ready to find the right guy. But the pickings are slim in Mistletoe, Idaho, and it’s just her luck that the man who catches her eye is the stoic new foreman at her family’s Christmas tree farm. Too bad he wants to keep a 39-and-a-half-foot pole between them.

Single dad Clark Griffin isn't looking for romance, but he wouldn't mind a friend to snuggle with on a cold winter's night. When he signs up for online dating, he doesn't expect to connect with the sassy, crafty Knottygirl25 and get wrapped up in every message she writes.

But when Merry turns out to be his blind internet date, his surprise causes him to miss his chance under the mistletoe. Can a little Christmas magic give these two a second chance at a first impression?

Series: Mistletoe Romance #2 | Publisher: Audible | Narrators: C.J. Bloom and Lee Samuels | Length: 10 hours 43 minutes | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 

I did not like the first book in the series (Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist) and ended up DNFing it so I wasn’t sure about this one. In fact, I had it on my TBR list for two read-a-thons and kept putting it off until it was the last Christmas book left in my audiobook que. I’m so glad I gave this book a listen as I enjoyed it.

While Merry and Clark work together, they’ve both been determined to avoid each other, when possible, due to issues in their past but it seems they’ve been hitting if off  anonymously through a dating app. While the two begin to suspect early on, they still have some issues to work out.  

This was a fun book. I’ve seen it labeled as enemies-to-lovers and I wouldn’t go that far, they had some previous misunderstandings but nothing that made them enemies. It was more a grumpy/sunshine situation. They were both fun characters; Merry was a little more free and jovial and Clark’s more cautious and serious, which makes sense seeing as he is a single father.

The romance in this one was a little off-kilter in the pacing but I still found it to be believable. While it starts sweet, it does turn a bit steamy.  

Out of all the books that I’ve read this season, this one was the most Christmassy but it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

I’m a little on the fence with the rating, I initially gave it a 3.5 then ended up rounding up to a 4. While I did enjoy the book, the pacing felt a bit off to me. It started very slowly, then quickened up in spots but slowed down in others. I felt like the author spent a lot of time on the fluff of the story but the relationship aspects were rushed. I also thought they rushed the reveal a little too early. In the end, I did settle on a 4 because I enjoyed the characters and the Christmassy vibe

Overall, this was a fun, sexy, Christmas romance that I do recommend. The unevenness of the plot, thankfully, didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the characters. 

A Partridge And A Pregnancy by Willa Nash (Holiday Brother’s #3)

There are a lot of places I’d rather spend Christmas Eve morning than on a cold, snowy sidewalk outside someone else’s home. I’d kill to be sitting beside a fireplace, drinking cocoa, wearing flannel pajamas and reading a book.

Instead, I’m here, standing in front of my one-night stand’s house, working up the courage to ring the doorbell and tell him I’m pregnant.

I hate that term—one-night stand. It sounds so cheap and sleezy. Tobias Holiday is neither of those things. He’s handsome and caring. Witty and charismatic. And once, a long time ago, he was mine.

Our one-night reunion was only supposed to be a hookup. A fling with an old lover. A parting farewell before I moved to London and put my feelings for him an ocean away. How exactly am I supposed to explain that to Tobias that I’m having a baby? His baby? Maybe I could sing it. He always loved the silly songs I made up in the shower.

Three French hens, two turtledoves.

And a partridge and a pregnancy.

Series: Holiday Brothers #3 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Kindle Unlimited | Rating: 1 

 This was my least favorite in the series and, honestly, I almost DNF’d it before the first chapter was over. I started with the audio and was annoyed from the start (that was no fault of the narrators), so I switched the e-book and still annoyed.

The quick of it is: Tobias and Eva had a one-night stand (they have a history but this was her going away, saying goodbye one-night stand) now she’s pregnant and is getting ready to leave for London but he doesn’t want her to go but doesn’t want to force her to stay.

Yeah, I didn’t like this one from the start. Eva, couldn’t stand her and her annoying, self-centered ways. Tobias was okay, not my favorite Holiday brother, but he too became annoying. The entire book is basically one miscommunication: she wants him to ask her to say and he wants her to stay because she wants to not because he’s asking,*Cue Cheap Trick* yeah, that became old rather quickly.

I think this trilogy would have worked better had the three novellas been combined into one full-length book with each brother having alternating chapters. There’s a lot of repetition in each book as they all take place during the same timeframe. The epilogue, which takes place on the same night, one-year later, is pretty much the same in each book so you know what happened after reading the first one.

Overall, I was over this book before it even started and the fact that Eva was annoying didn’t help. Perhaps the Holidays should have only had two children…Like the others, this was very light on the Christmas vibe but it was exceedingly angst-filled.  I would say read the first two books and skip this one. 

Three Bells, Two Bows, And One Brother's Best Friend by Willa Nash (Holiday Brothers #2)

I pride myself in being grounded. Sure, I’ve had my share of childhood fantasies. Winning an Oscar. Winning the lottery. Winning an Olympic medal for an athletic talent I have yet to discover. But the only fantasy I ever thought might actually happen was winning my brother’s best friend.

Heath Holiday.

My crush on him has ebbed and flowed over the years, but the day I started working for his construction company was the day I smothered it for good. Sort of. Mostly. It was on my to-do list. Making it a priority would have been easier had he not arrived at his family’s annual Christmas party looking ridiculously handsome in a suit.

Then he kissed me. We stepped into an alternate universe and he kissed me. I assumed the next day I’d just be Guy’s little sister again. The office newbie. Our kiss forgotten. Except he keeps showing up at my house. With gifts.

A gold bracelet carrying three jingling bells. Two dainty jeweled earrings, each shaped as a bow. And finally, he brought himself.

One brother’s best friend, asking if I can keep a secret.

Series: Holiday Brothers #2 | Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Kindle Unlimited  | Rating: 3

 ‘Tis the season to date your brother’s best friend…This is the second book in the Holiday Brothers trilogy and it was cute, for the most part.

 

Stella’s had a crush on her brother’s best friend since she was old enough to know what a crush was and, while Heath’s also shared the same feelings for Stella, as his best friend’s little sister, she’s been off limits. Now that they’re working together it’s a little harder for them to deny their attraction, especially when things heat up at his family’s Christmas party.

 

Okay, I liked the start of this: the banter between Heath and Stella, Stella’s awkwardness, Heath’s desire to be close to and protect Stella. Then came the ‘secret relationship’ part and I wasn’t a massive fan of that. Honestly, they should have just stepped up and handled that situation before it started. I just didn’t care for the level of immaturity everyone showed regarding that issue. While it was handled somewhat quickly (due to this being a novella), it still annoyed me.

 

While this one had its issues, Stella and Heath’s romance was a bit more believable, even though it was still an insta-love romance, because they did have a closer relationship growing up. There’s that bit of history that added more credibility for the quickness of their relationship.

 

This is the second in the trilogy and they do share the same timeframe, so the storylines are overlapping. There’s a lot of reveals about Heath and Stella in the first one and, while it didn’t spoil the book, it made their big moments a little less thrilling. While the first book made me eager to read Heath’s story, this one dampened my excitement for the last book as I feel like it revealed too much about the story.

 

Overall, this was an okay read. It’s quick, the characters are mostly likable, and it’s very light on the Christmas aspect. I thought this was going to be my favorite of the series but, sadly, I was wrong. 

Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn

After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood.

To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Nola writes back to her new pen pal—who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops—and quickly turns flirtatious.

Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, they can’t deny the simmering attraction that brought them together in the first place.

Can these nameless pen pals write their own love story—or will they be too caught up with the ghosts of their Christmases past to find a future together?

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories | Narrators: Carly Robins, Aaron Shedlock | Length: 1 hr 42 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Kindle Unlimited  | Rating: 4 Cups 

This was a short, sweet, second chance romance set during Christmas and played out mostly through a string of secret pen pal letters, which I absolutely loved.

 

Nola’s back home after a breakup and to get her mind off things—and the holiday—she’s decided to help renovate her family home. Because things have to be complicated, the guy who trampled her heart years ago just happens to own the hardware store. To make things more interesting, Caleb’s friend—a meddling mailman—digs Caleb’s Scrooge-y—and anonymous—letter to Christmas out of the trash and delivers it to Nola, who shares the same sentiment. They begin to exchange anonymous letters, which changes from fun to flirty. Although there’s still a lot of tension boiling between Nola and Caleb in person, and there’s also a ton of leftover attraction and chemistry.

 

I’m always up for a Meghan Quinn romance and this one was the perfect pick-me-up romance that I needed. I’m going to be honest, there’s not a lot in this one—it’s light and fluffy—but it’s so worth the read. Although, if you do pick this up, just remember the majority of the book is letters.

 

I picked up the e-book first on Kindle Unlimited but I quickly switched to the audio because there’s a glitch with the e-book that left several of the pages blank (I tried it on multiple devices and the blank pages were still there). To be honest, the narrators were amazing on this one and really brought the book to life, so the audio is well worth the listen.  

 

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun romance to put on while cooking, cleaning, wrapping presents, talking a walk, or just soaking in the tub, I highly recommend this. It’s just a feel-good romance that you’ll enjoy. 

The Naughty, The Nice, and The Nanny by Willa Nash (Holiday Brothers #1)

One week with one little girl—an angel, according to my staffing agency. Acting as the short-term nanny for a single dad should have been an easy way to make some extra cash. Until I show up for my first day and face off with a demon disguised as a seven-year-old girl wearing a red tutu and matching glitter slippers.

 

Oh, and her father? My temporary boss? Maddox Holiday. The same Maddox Holiday I crushed on in high school. The same Maddox Holiday who didn’t even know I existed. And the same Maddox Holiday who hasn’t set foot in Montana for years because he’s been too busy running his billionaire empire.

 

Enduring seven days is going to feel like scaling the Himalayas in six-inch heels. Toss in the Holiday family’s annual soiree, and Christmas Eve nightmares really do come true. But I can do anything for a week, especially for this paycheck, even if it means wrangling the naughty, impressing the nice, and playing the nanny.

 Series: Holiday Brothers #1  |  Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source:  Kindle Unlimited | Rating: 3 

This was a cute, quick holiday read that’s the first in a series that follows three brothers in the days leading up to Christmas.  While this book wasn’t overly Christmassy, it’s still enough to give you that holiday cheer.

 

Maddox needs a nanny for his troublesome daughter, Violet, so the agency sends Natalie, who happens to be in need of a little extra cash to fix up her vehicle so she’s determined to not to let Violet get the best of her. Although, surprisingly, it’s not Violet that’s causing the problems, Natalie’s still harboring the crush on Maddox she’s had since high school and it appears he’s been harboring one for her as well. The only problem is, she doesn’t date her employers.

 

If there’s a governess/nanny and employer romance I will likely read it thanks to my love of Jane Eyre and this one did not disappoint. I thought that this was a cute novella. Violet was a bit of a brat and I found part of me wanting her father to sit her down and figure out what was going on with her but he’s a little preoccupied with having a house built in his hometown and running his streaming company. Natalie’s able to connect to with Violet because she knows what’s it like to have an absent mother. Maddox and Natalie made a cute couple and they had some fun moments together.

 

This one was a little insta-love and, for a novella, it kind of worked although I would have loved to have more of Maddox and Natalie getting to know each other. While they knew each other in the past, they didn’t have an actual relationship, so I do feel as though a little more relationship building would have been appreciated. While we see their relationship developing off page, there’s a lot bonding between Natalie and Violet and, while that was nice, most of that could have been off the page and summed up in a few paragraphs here and there and the focus put back on Natalie and Maddox.

 

This is the first book in the series and it gives you just enough information about Heath and Tobias Holiday that you want to know their stories. I do recommend picking up the entire series as the books all take place within the same timeframe.

 

Originally, I did pick this series up from Audible Plus then ended up picking them up on Kindle Unlimited.  Vanessa Edwin and Aaron Shedlock did a brilliant job narrating this one and I ended up listening to half of this then reading the other half, just because it was quicker. I did speed up the narration a bit but wasn’t a fan of how jumbled it sounded, so switching to the book was the best option.

 

Overall, there’s a little bit of drama, a little bit of Christmas, some childish hijinks, and a bit of romance. I do think that this would have benefited from giving Maddox and Natalie a romantic past or from making this a full-length book. This is still worth a read and I do recommend it, especially if you’re looking for something quick. 

Blame it on the Brontes by Annie Sereno

She’s going to write her own happy ending.

English professor Athena Murphy is an authority on the novels of the Brontë sisters. But as they say in academia, publish or perish. To save her job, Athena decides to write a biography of C.L. Garland, the author heating up bestseller lists with spicy retellings of classic literature. Tracking down the reclusive writer and uncovering her secret identity, though, means Athena must return to her small midwestern hometown where Garland—and her ex-boyfriend, Thorne Kent—live.

Seeing Thorne again reminds Athena that real life never lives up to fiction. He was the Heathcliff to her Catherine, the Mr. Rochester to her Jane. Not only did their college breakup shatter that illusion, but they also broke each other’s hearts again a second time. Now she has to see him nearly every...single…day.

The only solution is to find C.L. Garland as quickly as possible, write the book, and get the heck out of town. As her deadline looms and the list of potential C.L. Garlands dwindles, Athena and Thorne bicker and banter their way back to friendship. Could it really be true that the third time’s a charm?

Athena and Thorne have a love story only a Brontë could write, and the chance for their own happily-ever-after, but first, they’ll need to forgive the mistakes of the past.

Publisher: Forever |  Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher | Rating: 2 Cups

Publish or perish, Athena knows she needs to come up with something good to save her career and she knows exactly what it has to be: Uncovering the identity of C.L. Garland a bestselling author who writes saucy retellings of the classics. While she thinks it’s going to be an easy task, seeing as the author is rumored to be living in her hometown, the unexpected surprise of her ex owning the café she’ll be working at has made things extremely complicated.

 

Okay, to be honest, I was there for the title. I’m a massive fan of the Brontë sisters and this title just called to me. I tried the audio version, which the publisher kindly sent me, and couldn’t handle the narrator’s portrayal of Athena. So I switched to the print book and, turns out, it was not the narrator, it was Athena. She was annoying and made the book unbearable. Normally the mystery aspect of a book will allow me to carry on even though the characters aren’t my cup of tea but, yeah, I figured this one out in under 60 seconds.

 

This was almost a DNF for me and, honestly, a 2-Cup rating feels like I’m being exceedingly generous, but I ended up finishing the book because I was interested in the Brontë references. And the only thing I liked about Athena was that she liked Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff.

 

Overall, I feel like the only thing that’s selling this book is the Brontë references. The writing was weak and awkward at times, the characters had little to no chemistry, the mystery was nonexistent, and I’m struggling to figure out why this was labeled as a rom-com. 

Speed Review: Evergreen Chase by Juneau Black

It’s the winter solstice in Shady Hollow, that magical time of year when creatures of all shapes and sizes come together to honor the season and eat as much pie as possible. Reporter Vera Vixen is eager to experience her first holiday in town and is especially looking forward to the unveiling of the solstice tree. But then disaster strikes. The year’s tree—the tallest in the forest—has disappeared without a trace. Can Vera, her best friend, Lenore, and Deputy Orville Braun find the tree and save the season? Or will this year’s solstice be especially dark?

Series: Shady Hollow 3.5 (novella) | Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard  | Genre:  Cozy Mystery/Animal Fiction | Source: Purchased | Rating: 3.5 

I’ve been loving this series so when I spotted this cute little holiday novella on Amazon, I decided to pick it up.

This is short (just a little of 50 pages on my Kindle) but it was a lovely edition to the series and just something to read for a bit of fun. The mystery surrounds the missing solstice tree and the search to find it.

While this one wasn’t earth shattering or revealing, it was a fun little read showing the residents of Shady Hollow coming together for the holiday and searching for their missing tree. This one can be read anywhere in the series although I wouldn’t read it at the beginning as the characters and the village has already been established.

Overall, this is just something cute and light to read when you need a change from heavier reading. 

Shady Hollow Mystery Series

Shady Hollow

Cold Clay

Mirror Lake

Evergreen Chase (novella)

 

The Cowboy Cookie Challenge by Lori Wilde (Twilight, Texas #16)

He's sexy, single, and he can bake!

Roan Sullivan is the answer to Jazzy Walker's prayers. The doting single dad is also fresh off his win on a popular cooking show and a whiz at campfire cooking, so who better to help her win this year's annual cookie bake-off? With his help, Jazzy is sure she can finally take first prize right out the grasping hands of Andi Browning, the gal who stole her fiancé right from under her nose.

A widower with a four-year-old daughter, Roan tells himself there's a million reasons not to help Jazzy. She's too kind, too optimistic, and could do so much better than hitching up with a curmudgeon like him. But every time she draws near, he can't help but wonder if he could open his heart and love again.

As the holidays come closer, the magic of Twilight starts to weave its spell...and soon it's not just the competition that's heating up, it's the hot sizzle between Roan and Jazzy.

Series: Twilight Texas # 16 | Publisher: Avon |  Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher  | Rating: 4.5 

It’s been a minute since I’ve last visited Twilight, Texas and I forgot how much I loved this series.

Wanting to win the campfire cookie contest and beat her life-long rival, Jazzy persuades Roan to bring his Dutch oven out of retirement and school her on the ways of campfire cooking. While Roan has his reservations—there’s a very good reason he hung up his fireproof gloves— and his hands full with his young daughter, there’s no way he can say no to Jazzy. While working together has its ups and downs, there’s no denying the attraction growing between them but there’s a lot of baggage they both need to unpack before anything can get started.

This was a fun, small town, warm and cozy, cookie baking romance that I devoured. Roan’s a single father, he’s lost his wife (who happened to be his high school sweetheart) and he’s walked away from the campfire cooking aspect of his life. There’s a lot going on with him emotionally and he has a lot on his plate but I loved that he was willing to let Jazzy in his and his daughter’s lives. Jazzy was a bit hard to take at times with her Pollyanna personality. Honestly, it was a bit irritating at times, especially since she let so many people walk all over her. I’m not the doormat type and I don’t always get on with characters who are so it surprised me that I did come to like Jazzy.

What stood out for me in this one was the developing relationship between Roan and Jazzy. While there is an age gap (she’s 22 and he’s 32), I enjoyed the maturity of their conversations regarding their relationship. They weren’t afraid to discuss what they wanted in the moment or sort through the baggage they both had.

This was nearly a 5, it was so close, but there were a few issues. Roan had a tendency to make the age gap a massive deal at times. It was ten years not a lifetime as he made it sound. He also handled things badly towards the end of the book. Then there was Jazzy’s rivalry that was a little over the top and immature at times.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It’s probably one of my favorite Christmas romances. If you love single father, small town romances with a peppy heroine and slightly broody hero I definitely recommend this one. 

 

‘Twas the Night Before Tudor Christmas by Laura Loney Illustrated by Kathryn Holeman

"Anne longed for a taste of a sweet, scrumptious food, Some rose-scented marchpane would secure her good mood..."

 

What happens when King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn bump into the Lord of Misrule late on Christmas Eve? Find out in this Tudor-themed retelling of Clement Clarke Moore's classic Christmas poem.

 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas is far more than a poetry book. It includes more than 30 original Tudor-inspired activities, games, ideas and recipes to bring a twist of Tudor to your modern Christmas! And it's sumptuously illustrated by Kathryn Holeman.

Publisher: MadeGlobal Publishing  |   Source: Kindle Unlimited  | Rating: 4.5 

This was a cute, quick read. It’s a re-telling of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas with a Tudor-twist. It’s set during the marriage of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and it gives a brief look at life at Christmastime in the Tudor court. The book also contains a brief bio on the Tudor Dynasty, Tudor-inspired (modern) recipes, games, craft ideas, and different ways to have a Tudor-inspired Christmas.

When I first heard about this one, I was curious and debating on buying the hardback or the paperback for my Tudor collection. I ended up picking this up via Kindle Unlimited and I have to say that, while this was a cute and fun book, I don’t think it’s one that I need in my collection. While it is fun for adults, it’s geared for children and it doesn’t really add anything to my shelf.

I do think the retelling is nice but I feel like it was a stereotypical version of Henry VIII. It shows a larger, crankier Henry obsessed with having a male heir. 1535 was the last year Henry and Anne shared a Christmas and Henry was still quite fit at this time (it wasn’t until his jousting accident in January 1536 that he started putting on weight), so it would have been nice to see that version of him.

Who should pick this book up?

❆If you’re someone that homeschools and has younger kids, this book would be great.

❆If you’re someone wanting to showcase historical Christmas traditions, again, this would be great.

❆If you know a kid that’s interested in the Tudors or if you want to share your love of the Tudors with your kid, then this is a must have.

Overall, the author was definitely someone in the Boleyn camp, and while that’s fine (all Tudor enthusiast and scholars end up picking a camp at some point) I feel like Henry VIII could have been represented a bit better, especially since he was still in his younger days during his marriage to Anne. I feel like it’s easier for authors of fiction to lean towards this stereotypical version of Henry rather than have to actually paint a true picture of him in his earlier days. Believe it or not, Henry was actually quite the partier during his first two marriages and it would have been nice to see a more jovial representation of him.

If you’re a Tudor enthusiast, I don’t know if this book would be a must have, unless you just wanted to add something cute to your collection.  

‘Tis The Season-a-thon Kickoff and Progress Post

Hey, Lovelies, the ‘Tis The Season-a-thon hosted by Heather over at Bookables on YouTube kicks off today and I’m so excited to be joining in this year.

 

Here’s what you need to know:

 

Date: December 5-11

Challenges

Read a book set in December

Read a book with snow on the cover

Read a book under 250 pages

Book you received as a gift

Make a holiday treat while reading

 

There’s also a bingo board.

 

Where will I post my updates? I’ll be updating my progress on this post as well as on Instagram @Simplyangelarenee

 

2022 HoHoHo Read-a-thon

 

HoHoHo Read-a-thon hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Reviewer (find more about it HERE) starts tomorrow and I’m so excited to be joining this year. Sadly, I didn’t have time to work on a challenge, I’ll be better prepared next year.

 

What am I going to read? There’s so many great Holiday/Winter books on my TBR pile but I’m going to play most of it by ear as I am a mood reader but I do know that I want to start with There’s Something About Merry by Codi Hall (audiobook).  I’m a little nervous. I wasn’t a fan of the first book in the series (Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist) and ended up DNFing it but I’ve heard this one’s really good so I want to give it a go. I’m also a bit curious about the Holiday Brothers Series by Willa Nash.

 

What’s my goal? I’m not setting one this time so, that way, there’s no pressure.

 

Updates? My first update will be Monday and I’ll be updating on Instagram as well. I’m not sure if I’ll update on Wednesday or just check in on Friday, we’ll see how that goes.

 

In other notes, the blog is still undergoing some changes; please excuse my dust as I spruce it up!

Sunday Post for 11/6/2022

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

Hey, Lovelies, happy Sunday! I hope you’re doing fantastic!

 

Before I get started, I want to apologize for the mess. The blog is currently getting a much needed update. Not only are the graphics changing, I’m changing up the format, updating different sections, and working on an author/series database. I’m also going to be adding new features as well. While I liked the look of the blog in the past, I never really felt the blog fit my vibe so it’s been fun playing around and seeing what really resonates with me. Pardon the dust for the next few weeks as I work to bring you a new chapter of the blog. I’m so excited to for the change!

 

Here’s what’s been going on…

 

Life-wise, October was a crazy busy month for me and I didn’t stop or slow down all month. Every day I had something going (a lot of time, I had multiple things going) plus work was extremely chaotic and I didn’t take timeout and ended up sick. I think it was a mixture of overdoing it, burnout, and the weather going back and forth. So, I ended my October feeling off and started November sick, which has now morphed into a sinus infection I can’t seem to shake. While I do have some work obligations, I’m going to take this week a bit slower.

 

Blog-wise, Blogtober was a bust. My wrist just wasn’t cooperating for me to type for long periods of time. Thankfully, it’s starting to feel normal again and I can type without it throbbing for hours afterwards. I’ll be posting my Fraterfest update this week and start back with reviews as well.

 

Reading-wise, it’s been great. I’m finally back into a steady reading groove. I’m just in that weird place where I still want to read Spooky Season books but my Christmas/Wintery tbr is tempting me with their amazing covers. I did start Special Delivery by Lauren Blakely on audio, so I am getting a bit Christmassy, but I’m not loving it on audio so I might pick up the ebook.

 

I also kinda want to start the Virgin River series and I might do that this week. I have the first seven books and I want to pick up the rest of the series but I want to make sure they’re in the new mass market size so they match on my shelf.

 

Other news, I’m so excited that my Harney and Sons tea order arrived. So I picked up some old favorites that I needed to restock and found some new ones to tryout.

 

I restocked:

-Hot Cinnamon Spice—if you love cinnamon, you’ll love this tea. It’s the perfect warming tea for those chilly Autumn and Winter days.

-Victorian London Fog—this is one of my favorite teas. It has that nice and creamy earl grey taste with an added bit of lavender.

 

New ones to try:

-Williamsburg Ginger Cake—this smells exactly like the ginger cakes they serve at Raleigh Tavern so I’m hoping it tastes the same. I’m eager to try this one.

-Disney Minnie Mouse Rose Scented Black Tea with Caramel—when they released their Disney collection, this tea didn’t strike my fancy. I picked up the Moana and Snow White teas and wasn’t going to pick up the others but, ultimately, I was intrigued by the blend of rose and caramel.

-White Peach Matcha—I’ve not had the best experience with flavored matcha tea, but I thought I’d take a chance on this one since it’s loose and not bagged (not a fan of bagged matcha). I haven’t opened this yet but there’s a strong peach scent wafting out of the caddy so this could be interesting.

-Amba Thieves—I have no idea about this tea but was intrigued by the origin story. Per the website: Amba Thieves Tea is a handmade brisk black tea with a storied past. Years ago at the Amba Tea Estate, all tea had to go to the owners. However, some ladies plucked the tea and then made a crude and strong black tea in their hut. They were "thieves."

 

 

What have I been loving this week?

 

-Sunrises—there’s nothing better than an Autumn sunrise. The entire sky is glowing and gorgeous.

-Doc Martin Season 10—this just dropped on Acorn and I’ve been loving this version of the Doc. It’s one of my favorite seasons so far.

-The Krewe of Hunters Series by Heather Graham—I picked up a few books for Fraterfest and forgot how much I love her writing so I’ve been gobbling them up. 

The Sunday Post for 10/16/2022

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

Hello, My Fellow Spooky Season Lovers, happy Sunday, I hope you’re all doing fantastic!

 

We’ve finally reached Fall weather in Ohio and I’m loving it. The trees are starting to change, I can dress in layers, wear cute boots and fun hats, and I still haven’t turned my heat on. Honestly, I still have the AC running most nights. I’m such a Fall Soul and this weather is perfect. It’s also the perfect walking weather..

 

Here’s a quick recap of my week

 

Monday, I went on a local ghost walk with a dear friend of mine. It was a fun time, her dad and uncle were two of the ‘ghost’ and they made for rather lively ghosts.

Tuesday, Mum and I stopped in for a grand opening of a local small business. I had ordered an iced coffee glass, tumbler, and shirt for her birthday and we were finally able to pick some of the items up. It was a nice outing with just the two of us.

Tuesday night, I made a delicious sautéed seafood salad then ended up having a horrible allergic reaction, which was a bit scary. I had to take two Benadryl and ended up sleeping for 12 hours. I have a mild shrimp allergy but I’ve never been allergic to lobster or crab, which is what was in the salad.

Wednesday, I had another scan on my wrist. I tore tendons as well as fractured the base of my thumb. It’s been back and forth for almost two weeks. They said no surgery, then they said surgery, then they wanted me to wear a brace. Thankfully, the brace is working and no surgery is required.

Thursday, I was released for light typing as long as I wear my brace.  I spent the day working on a few blog things, a few planner things, and then spent the evening watching spooky shows.  

Friday was a lovely day. I went to Café 28 with a dear friend of mine and had a lovely time chatting. Then I spent the evening binge watching the first four episodes of The Watcher on Netflix.

Saturday started off with a fail. I had intended to make homemade cinnamon rolls but my dough went funky. Oh well, I’ll try another recipe that doesn’t require leaving the dough to rise overnight. I did read a huge chunk of Home Before Dark then I switched to the audio while making lunch.  I went on a walk with a friend and her little girl then I spent the evening finishing The Watcher. Yeah, the show was kind of a letdown although I had a feeling it was going in that direction.

 

On the blog front—I’ve not been able to type due to my wrist, so I’ve not been able to keep up with posting daily for Blogtober, which was a bummer, but there will be daily posts going forward, unless something changes with my wrist.

On the reading front—I’ve found my reading groove again. I’m not quite back up to where I was last year but I’m heading in the right direction.

Books Read

-Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

-The Night They Vanished by Vanessa Savage

-Chaser by Kylie Scott

 

Book Mail

I’ve been good this month and only purchased 1 book and I picked it up from a used book shop online.  My thanks to the publishers and media groups that sent me the other books.

 

Crown & Sceptre by Tracy Borman (purchased)

Mirror in the Sky: The Life & Music of Stevie Nicks by Simon Morrison (publisher)

The Sporty One by Melanie C (publisher)

Mystery At Windswept Farm by Wendy Sand Eckel  (Meryl Moss Media)

Twin Crown by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber (Owl Crate)

Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch (publisher)

 

I was a ‘90s kid so, of course, I was a Spice Girls fan (don’t judge me, my taste in music has greatly improved) and I remember reading If Only by Geri Halliwell when it first came out—I think I was 13 at the time. There was a lot of interesting information in it, especially about the infighting and things that was going on behind the scenes. I’m curious what’s in The Sporty One. Do I think it will make my keeper shelf? No, but it will make an interesting read.

 

On the house front—I have half a porch. They did pour the cement and finish half of the steps but they haven’t set the support columns yet or installed the railing, which makes the porch unusable by city code.

 

What have I been loving this week? 

©     London Fogs with half a shot vanilla syrup and two shots of lavender—it’s been my ‘go-to’ drink when stopping in at the local café.

©     The Weather—I just love the cooler weather we’ve been having.

©     Nomad Cosmetics Hudson Valley Palette—the colors are gorgeous and perfect for Fall.

©     Reading in the mornings—there’s nothing better than a hot cuppa tea, a Fall-scented candle, and a good book to start the day.

©     Late night baths—I’ve been loving a hot bath before bed lately. It’s the perfect way for me to relax and unwind before climbing in bed. 

 

#FraterfestRAT Bingo Challenge

Hello, My Fellow Spooky Season Lovers, and welcome to the 2022 Fraterfest Bingo! *Cue the spooky music* I’m so excited to, once again, be a host for this year’s Fraterfest Readathon.

 

If you’ve been around for a bit, you probably know the rules but let me just give you a quick recap. Fraterfest is a thrilling read-a-thon hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It runs from Friday, October 14th through Sunday, October 24th. The goal is to read or listen to as many Thrillers, Urban, Paranormal, Cozy, Suspense, Zombies, Horror, Dystopian, Ghosts, Serial Killers, Supernatural, novels, novellas, and/or graphic novels as you can during the challenge. All formats count and the fear level is up to you.

 

When sharing your progress on Twitter or Instagram, don’t forget to use #FraterfestRAT2022 

Welcome to the 2022 Hocus Pocus-Inspired Fraterfest Bingo!

 

 

It’s time to scour your shelves, e-readers, and audiobook collections for titles that coordinate with the bingo prompts.  Any type of bingo counts: horizontal, diagonal, vertical, or postage stamp. Or go wild and fill the entire card! The choice is yours. You do not have to read the book.

 

To enter, you must be signed up for the Fraterfest Read-a-thon. Please leave your answers in either the comment section below or post a link to your own post in the comment section.

The Prompts

 

Free Space—your choice

Salem—book set in Salem

Sanderson Sisters—book about Witches

Binx—black cat on cover

Billy—book with Zombies

It’s Been 300 Years—any historical that fits the them

Black Flame Candle—black on the cover

Boooook—your favorite spooky read

I Put A Spell on You—a book that held you under its spell and you couldn’t put it down.

Another Glorious Morning. Makes Me Sick—book with vampires

Come, We Fly—a book with a broomstick on the cover

It’s Just A Bunch of Hocus Pocus—orange, purple, or green on cover

When the Moon is Round—a book with werewolves or shapeshifters

Winnie—a suspense, thriller, mystery book

Sarah—a paranormal romance book

Mary—a cozy mystery book

Shove it, Satan— a book that’s dark themed, horror, occult

Hallowed Ground—a grave or cemetery in book or on cover

Circle of Salt—a book that contains ghost(s)

Old Salem Village—woods or forest in book or on cover

Calming Circle—short story or novella

All Hallows Eve—an atmospheric read

Hocus Pocus 2—second book in a series that fits Fraterfest theme

Trick or Treat—a book you’ve been wanting to read

Life Potion—a book about magic or had magic in the title

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Terms and conditions: One lucky winner will be selected at random by Rafflecopter to win a $15 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open international and runs October 14 through October 25th

The winner will be notified via email on October 25th  and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Must be 13 or older to enter or have your parents/guardians permission.