Review: The House at Watch Hill

The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have no clue how to rate or review this book. On one hand, it was a great book with a killer cliffhanger for the ending. It was enough to really have me looking forward to the next book. On the other hand, I really disliked the main character Zo ( and yes, that is what she prefers to be called). I found her to be childish in the extreme; as much as she was an adult taking care of her ailing mother, she was selfish when it came to other things. She never wanted to listen to anyone who might know more about what was happening; she never wanted to hear what was good for her. I did, however, love a lot of the other characters in this book.

The chapters were filled with Zo's angst, sexual thoughts, and long-winded ramblings, which I found annoying to the extreme. However, when there was someone else there or some action going on, it was a great book that allowed me to get lost in it. Unfortunately, those sections were few and far between. It was still enough for me to 'like' this book and to want to see what happens next.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all.

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SYNOPSIS: "#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning is back with a gripping, imaginative, and seductive new series in which a young woman moves to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit a large fortune and a Gothic mansion full of mysteries and ominous secrets...

Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers.

Met with this irresistible opportunity to finally build a future for herself, Zo puts aside her misgivings about the foreboding Gothic mansion and the strange circumstances, and moves in, where she is quickly met by a red-eyed Stygian owl and an impossibly sexy Scottish groundskeeper.

Her new home is full of countless secrets and mystifying riddles, with doors that go nowhere, others that are impossible to open, and a turret into which there is no visible means of ingress. And the townspeople are odd…

What Zo doesn’t yet know is that her own roots lie in this very house and that in order to discover her true identity and awaken her dormant powers, she will have to face off against sinister forces she doesn’t quite comprehend—or risk being consumed by them."

Review: In the Unlikely Event

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I recommend this book to anyone that likes factual fiction (and easily researched to find that everything happened pretty much the way it was written ---the crashes, I mean); I recommend this book to anyone that lived in this time period (the mid '50's) and to anyone that just likes gripping and emotional reads.

This was a fascinating mixture of fact and fiction I have ever read. I never knew just what this part of New Jersey had to go through. Talk about the character's having PTSD - to have three planes crash in your neighborhood in less than 60 days is just amazing.

Ms. Blume lived through these events and did a wonderful job of weaving what might be fictional stories in with the horror of the truth.

It was interesting to note that Newark finally did move that pathway.

The one complaint I had was that by reading it on Kindle, I had wished I had a paper copy of the cast of characters. There were just so many to keep straight!

I took this out of the library, but I will be buying my own copy. (and I did!)

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SYNOPSIS: "NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The author of Are you There God? It’s Me, Margaret returns with an adult novel that takes us back to the 1950s and introduces us to the town where she herself grew up, where a community is left reeling after a real-life tragedy when a series of airplanes fell out of the sky.“Makes us feel the pure shock and wonder of living.... Judy Blume isn’t just revered, she’s revolutionary.” —The New York Times Book Review “No one captures coming-of-age milestones…like Blume.” —The Boston GlobeHere she imagines and weaves together a vivid portrait of three generations of families, friends, and strangers, whose lives are profoundly changed during one winter. At the center of an extraordinary cast of characters are fifteen-year-old Miri Ammerman and her spirited single mother, Rusty. Their warm and resonant stories are set against the backdrop of an extraordinary real-world tragedy. Gripping, authentic, and unforgettable, In the Unlikely Event has all the hallmarks of this renowned author’s deft narrative magic."

Review: Cold Nights, Warm Hearts

Cold Nights, Warm Hearts by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a two-in-one "book" re-issue.

All I Want for Christmas

This was a charming story about twin boys who wish for "THE" mother. Yes, that's correct. They want "THE" mother, not "A" mother. They call her THE mother because they have everything all picked out, plus they want to share her with their father! So they write to Santa for THE mother. And guess what happens? Yep. This short novella was super cute, and I loved the happily ever after! I needed something sweet and relaxing after reading a bunch of violent books in the last few days.


Captivated

Captivated is a short book, not a novella like the first one. It is not a Christmas book or even a holiday book. It is basically about witchcraft and sex. This was as far from the style of the first novella as you can get! It didn't hold my attention like the first book did, and I couldn't find a way to actually like the characters or the storyline in this one.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Silhouette/Harlequin, the author, and Edelweiss/ATTL.

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SYNOPSIS:"Sometimes the gift you need most is the one closest to your heart.

All I Want for Christmas

Wanting a change from her fast-paced life in Manhattan, Nell Davis moves to the small town of Taylor’s Grove, Maryland, to revamp the local music program. Her sweet students identical six-year-olds Zeke and Zack Taylor have already stolen her heart—though she can’t say the same for their brooding father, Mac. A single parent, Mac firmly believes that any romance will only distract him from raising his sons. Little does he know, a mother like Nell is exactly what the boys are hoping for this Christmas…

Captivated

When filmmaker Nash Kirkland reaches out to real-life witch Morgana Donovan to help him reseach his next film, Morgana humors the skeptical writer. She allows him to make foolish assumptions about magic, but quickly grows tired of his close-minded ideas on the modern witch. Working in Hollywood, Nash assumes magic is only special effects and smoke and mirrors—and he's written enough horror films to know exactly what goes on behind the scenes. But something about Morgana makes Nash want to change. Nash is ready to start believing in magic, but is Morgana ready to open her heart?"

Review: Women's Hotel

Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I admit that I doubt if I am the proper audience for this novel. I acknowledge that I have never read anything by this author, so I really had no great expectations. However, based on the recap, I expected something a little different from what I got. This book was compared to Lessons in Chemistry, and I can wholeheartedly say that that is a bunch of bull poop.

This heavy-handed novel does not have me living these females' lives. I fully expected some true history based on real women's hotels with a lot of fiction mixed in. Instead, I got endless paragraphs of repetitive drivel that did nothing but ramble. There is nothing cohesive about this novel.

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SYNOPSIS: "From the New York Times bestselling author and advice columnist, a poignant and funny debut novel about the residents of a women’s hotel in 1960s New York City.

The Beidermeier might be several rungs lower on the ladder than the real-life Barbizon, but its residents manage to occupy one another nonetheless. There’s Katherine, the first-floor manager, lightly cynical and more than lightly suggestible. There’s Lucianne, a workshy party girl caught between the love of comfort and an instinctive bridling at convention, Kitty the sponger, Ruth the failed hairdresser, and Pauline the typesetter. And there’s Stephen, the daytime elevator operator and part-time Cooper Union student.

The residents give up breakfast, juggle competing jobs at rival presses, abandon their children, get laid off from the telephone company, attempt to retrain as stenographers, all with the shared awareness that their days as an institution are numbered, and they’d better make the most of it while it lasts.

As trenchant as the novels of Dawn Powell and Rona Jaffe and as immersive as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Lessons in Chemistry, Women’s Hotel is a modern classic—and it is very, very funny."

Review: Christmas in Chestnut Ridge

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge by Nancy Naigle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the perfect book if you need some simple pre-holiday escapism. It is a clean novel. Every situation is heartwarming; the people (and there are many)are very kind and very sweet, the town is quaint, and even the horror of a house fire turns into a lesson in loving your fellow man.

This is a very worthy read.


However, I could not connect with the main characters of Sheila and her best friend. I couldn't even figure out what age bracket they were supposed to be in. A tiny bit of this story was just a tad too sweet for me, even when Sheila and Tucker have their little spat toward the end of the book.

I don't regret reading this book, though - we all need some sweetness with our sour!

*ARC was supplied to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, the author, and NetGalley for pre-reading and reviewing purposes.

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SYNOPSIS: "A heartwarming love story set at Christmas time by USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle.

In the enchanting mountain town of Chestnut Ridge, where tree farms blanket the hillsides and the promise of a white Christmas is ever-present, a heartwarming holiday romance is about to blossom. When Sheila's best friend convinces her to help decorate a tree in the annual Christmas Tree Stroll fundraiser, she embarks on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, all wrapped in the cozy embrace of a tight-knit community. As she immerses herself in the joy of twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and the camaraderie of the townsfolk, Sheila's world begins to transform, and she finds the sense of belonging she never knew she needed.

Meanwhile, Tucker, the town's reliable fire captain, is gathering volunteers to help a family with four young children who have just lost their home to a devastating fire weeks before Christmas. Sheila offers her helping hand, and as the town rallies to support the family in their time of need, sparks of love begin to flicker between her and Tucker.

In this charming town where dreams come true, and Christmas magic is everywhere, come along for a tale of love, community, and the true spirit of the season.:

Review: An Amish Christmas Match

An Amish Christmas Match by Winnie Griggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The young Amish woman, Phoebe, knows everyone thinks she is a bit odd. After all, she can't read or write and is a bit clumsy. We do learn the most likely reason for her issues.


Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head. He has his five orphaned brothers to take care of, along with his business and their farm. He had someone helping him until she broke her wrist; now, he needs another housekeeper.

Phoebe is asked to come help out at Seth's farm, and despite her misgivings, she takes on the job.

This story is set just after Thanksgiving and during the rest of the Christmas holidays. While Phoebe is taking care of the brothers, she gains a lot of confidence and brings a lot of joy to this family. During these few weeks, Phoebe and Seth learn to care about each other, yet they don't show it until it is almost too late.

This excellent novel is filled with humor, joy, and a big helping of learning about Amish life. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel in this trilogy (?), and I'm assuming that it will be about the next oldest brother, Levi.

*ARC is supplied by the publisher Forever/Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "Can one Amish woman give a struggling widower with five rowdy boys a helping hand—and chance at love—this Christmas season?

 
Phoebe Kropf knows everyone thinks she’s a bit odd—and more than a little accident-prone. She doesn’t understand why they fuss over her at home rather than see her as a bright, independent Amish woman. So when a friend asks Phoebe to help care for a house full of young men in nearby Sweetbrier Creek, she leaps at the chance to prove she’s more than her shortcomings . . .

Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head with his five orphaned brieder to care for and all the Christmas orders his woodworking shop needs to fulfill. When he asked for help with some cooking and cleaning, he wasn’t expecting a housekeeper as unconventional—or lovely—as Phoebe. Yet her warm care and holiday traditions win their hearts one by one. And soon the farmhouse finally starts to feel like home again. When the Christmas season and Phoebe’s time there is nearly at an end, will Seth convince her that the greatest gift would be her staying . . . as part of their familye?"

Review: Christmas at Glitter Peak Lodge: A Novel: A Heartwarming Holiday Cozy Mystery Set in Snowy Norway

Christmas at Glitter Peak Lodge: A Novel: A Heartwarming Holiday Cozy Mystery Set in Snowy Norway by Kjersti Herland Johnsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 Stars rounded up.

If you are looking for a light, comforting Christmas read, this book may not be precisely the type of Christmas book you are looking for. While this is a lovely book describing Norway and all of her holiday customs and food, it is very, very heavy on the narration, and it isn't until the last 40% of the book that anything to make the reader sit up and take notice happens to advance the story. However, don't despair; nearly everyone gets their own happily ever after- or as close to it as possible.


Typically, I fly through holiday reads because of the 'lite' factor, but because this book was much heavier and more profound with many tragedies and possible tragedies, it took me much longer to get into.

I was grateful to find a glossary of foods, holidays, terms, and even recipes at the back of the book.

*The ARC was supplied by HarperVia the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. It was first published in 2022 in the original Norse language.

View all my reviews SYNOPSIS: "“Delightful and charming—a breath of lovely mountain air!” —Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Corner and The Christmas Bookshop

Mark the days till Christmas with this feel-good romantic mystery set at a cozy family inn in the snowy mountains of Norway—structured as an advent calendar for your daily reading pleasure.

An old mystery. A tragic accident. Secrets. Confessions. A new beginning.

After a traumatic climbing accident, well-known Alpinist Ingrid Berg has returned to the quaint Norwegian village that her family has called home for generations. She’s now ready to put away her ice axe and take over the management of the Glitter Peak Lodge from her aging grandmother, who's no longer up to the task. With Christmas rapidly approaching, guests are expected from both Norway and abroad, and Ingrid is welcomed as the inn's savior.

But within short order of Ingrid’s return, complications arise. Leaking pipes. Last-minute cancellations. The resurfacing of a long-buried mystery. And the return of two men from Ingrid's past. Will Ingrid be able to keep the inn alive, or will her family's legacy be lost forever?

The ultimate feel-good holiday treat, Christmas at Glitter Peak Lodge explores the healing power of family and home, and the magical bonds of community and traditions. Set up like an advent calendar with twenty-four chapters, each set on a different day in December leading up to Christmas, it can be enjoyed one chapter a day or devoured in one sitting."