Under the Mistletoe is a collection of fiveAmazon-Original holiday-themed stories published this month, penned by well-known authors in the romance gUnder the Mistletoe is a collection of fiveAmazon-Original holiday-themed stories published this month, penned by well-known authors in the romance genre. Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood is novella 1/5.
Jamie Malek has always shared a love/hate relationship with her best friend’s younger brother, Marc Compton, and the last time they saw each they did not part on good terms. So, when a snowstorm leaves them stranded together on Christmas Eve, old resentments flare, and sparks fly. Can Jamie and Marc resolve their differences this Christmas?
Cruel Winter With You was my first book by Ali Hazelwood and I was really impressed by her writing and can’t wait to read more by her. This one was a sexy open-door romance but tastefully done. I loved that thorough backstories were provided for the characters relationship given the short length of the story. Maybe Marc was kind of obsessed with Jamie, dropped too many f-bombs for my taste, and did the author really have to make him a billionaire? But it was supposed to be a Christmas fantasy, so I’m not too bothered it wasn’t entirely realistic. A great start to this series....more
It’s the dreaded Family Beach Vacation for Greg Heffley!
In the 19th instalment of the hugely successful Diary of the Wimpy Kid series, titled Hot MessIt’s the dreaded Family Beach Vacation for Greg Heffley!
In the 19th instalment of the hugely successful Diary of the Wimpy Kid series, titled Hot Mess, Greg’s Gramma wants the family to vacation at Ruttyneck Island in honour of her upcoming 75th birthday.
In attendance are, of course, Greg and his family – Mum, Dad, older brother Rodrick, and younger brother, Manny.
Greg’s aunts on his mother’s side – Aunt Gretchen and her two bratty twins Malcolm and Malvin, Aunt Cakey and her long-suffering boyfriend Vincent, and Aunt Veronica and her internet-famous dog Dazzle.
And gate-crasher Uncle Gary – Greg’s dad’s brother.
Prepare yourself for the hilarity and light-heartedness. These books are always chock full of fun, and entertaining twists and surprises. As always, Greg tries his best to stay out of trouble and fails spectacularly. It would be boring if he didn’t. I loved spending time with Greg, his family, and relatives. The perfect holiday read to put you in high spirits....more
A luxury villa in the breathtaking, picturesque Tuscan countryside. Sounds sublime, right?
But for Anna Pace – early thirties, working a dead-end job aA luxury villa in the breathtaking, picturesque Tuscan countryside. Sounds sublime, right?
But for Anna Pace – early thirties, working a dead-end job at an ad agency in New York – a once in a lifetime vacation is upset by two major obstacles:
1. Her toxic and frustrating relationship with her dysfunctional family – her parents, twin brother Benny, sister Nicole, brother-in-law Justin, and Benny’s new boyfriend Christopher. The saving grace is Anna’s two nieces – Waverly and Mia.
2. From the moment Anna steps inside Villa Taccola she is plagued by an uneasy feeling. Cold spots, footsteps, strange voices speaking Italian, objects moving around, doors slamming, and every night brings vivid nightmares.
And then there’s the tower room – the door leading to the staircase is locked, concealed by a tapestry. The locals have warned the Pace family not to open it – ever! But the key is beckoning, calling out to them…
Diavola was unnerving, macabre, spine-tingling gothic horror at its finest. I loved the subtlety of it. And there were several nail-biting twists. It may not be fast-paced or exciting enough for some horror reader fans, as a lot of time was spent on the Pace Family’s vacation experience and familial drama. But for me the scariest part was them doing normal touristy things one minute and then being confronted with something supernatural the next. One of the creepiest notions was that the haunting probably couldn’t have taken hold if this family dynamic had of been healthier – their lack of communication, selfishness, and various resentments were their ultimate downfall.
Disturbing cover art aside, content-wise there was some body horror, blood, and descriptions of rotting food. I would characterise Diavola as mild horror, and any regular readers of thrillers who want to dip a toe into horror this October would be able to handle this just fine. The novel was narrated entirely by Anna, and I loved her particular brand of sarcasm and humour right down to the mocking chapter titles. Both her plights - family and paranormal - made her a sympathetic, relatable character, although not particularly likeable. No one was loveable in this, except for the two children, and the cats, neither of which were harmed in this book.
I know we are only thirteen days into the month, but Diavola is currently my top pick horror read, and it is a tale that will stay with me for a long time to come....more
One sibling in a large Catholic family has the potential to be a serial killer. Will they give in to their darker urges?
Elmira, New York – It’s 1951 wOne sibling in a large Catholic family has the potential to be a serial killer. Will they give in to their darker urges?
Elmira, New York – It’s 1951 when we first meet the Larkin Family – Donald 31, Ava 32, and their six children, Myra 13, Fiona 11, Alec 10, Joan 7, Lexy 4 and Archie 2 months.
Every Sunday after church Myra has an entire hour to herself, a reprieve from taking care of her younger brothers and sisters. While reading in a corner booth at the local diner, a handsome, charming, young stranger approaches Myra. They chat for awhile until it’s time for her to leave. On her walk home it starts to rain. A car approaches. It’s the stranger again, and he offers her a ride.
Myra doesn’t know it at the time, but it’s her first of the Larkin family’s many chance meetings with various serial killers. Myra was spared that fateful day. The family down the street from her were not so fortunate.
Wolf at the Table was a literary fiction, character study, family saga, spanning six decades between 1951 and 2010 and every chapter marked a defining moment, significant point of change, in one of the family members life. Every scene usually involved a conversation between two people, usually a one-off encounter with a never seen again character, or a first meeting with someone who would go on to become significant to them, making this a dialogue heavy novel. It was also a lengthy novel, clocking in at 480 pages. I thought it zipped by, that every sentence served a purpose, but you know me I love my long books.
It was also an in-depth examination of what shapes a predator and that no one single thing is responsible – that it’s a combination of many factors, bad choices, and risky behaviours. In this instance, genetics, upbringing, personality, lack of empathy, experiences, trauma, drugs and alcohol, lack of direction, loneliness, and boredom all contributed to create a monster. While Wolf at the Table wasn’t overly graphic given the distressing subject matter it was a disturbing, uneasy, bleak, and emotional read that has left its mark on me.
The characters were certainly memorable, and even though pretty much everything they went through was outside my experience it was relatable and understandable for these characters given their circumstances. Although I personally did not find any of these people particularly likeable, since they tended to focus on the negative aspects in their lives, given the hand they were dealt, I was unsurprised by the path each sibling chose.
It may seem a little far-fetched just how many serial killers this family stumbled upon, but there was a naivety to all these characters that made them either blind to or attracted or fascinated by the danger. And even though every family member had an inkling that a wolf resided at their family dinner table they were never prepared to acknowledge it out loud – some were scared, others oblivious, and the two really in the know were unwilling to accept it, or deal with it, and consequently all buried their heads in the sand.
The novel was beautifully written with exceptional dialogue and top-notch metaphors. The insertion of pop cultural references, historical events, and actual real serial killers made every year this was set feel authentic and nostalgic.
I toggled between the e-book and the audio, and I now worship the narrator, Paul Sparks. Any time he was reading a serial killer’s dialogue gave me goose-pimples as well as had me marvelling over how incredibly talented he was. His voices for any teenage and child featured within its pages was also amazing, and his varied American and English accents were faultless.
Given how depressing it was Wolf at the Table will not be for everyone. Although you could characterise it as uplifting because it will make you feel better about your own life. In that case, I 100% recommend this novel to everyone....more
A touching, meaningful, contemplative read, but gosh it took a long time to get there. So much filler! Warning, my rating may change after I’ve writteA touching, meaningful, contemplative read, but gosh it took a long time to get there. So much filler! Warning, my rating may change after I’ve written my review....more
I loved this one too. It also amused me that it had several plot points in common with my previous romantic read(also 5 stars), Is She Really Going OuI loved this one too. It also amused me that it had several plot points in common with my previous romantic read(also 5 stars), Is She Really Going Out With Him? RTC....more
Cornwall Inn, Newport, Rhode Island – Welcome to Lila’s six-day Wedding Extravaganza! The bride has mPhoebe Stone is the coincidental Wedding Crasher!
Cornwall Inn, Newport, Rhode Island – Welcome to Lila’s six-day Wedding Extravaganza! The bride has meticulously planned every detail, with no expense spared. Nothing can go wrong!
Until the arrival of Phoebe Stone – a stranger who has somehow managed to book the best room in the place, even though the entire inn was supposed to be reserved for Lila’s Wedding People. Phoebe has hit rock bottom – unable to see a way forward. But all Lila can see is a person whose mere presence has the potential to sabotage her dream wedding. And she won’t stand for it! So, Lila inserts herself into Phoebe’s life, and from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same.
Because, just maybe, Phoebe Stone is exactly who Lila and The Wedding People need in their lives.
The Wedding People was a harmonious blend of serious, raw, and honest combined with playful, fun, cheeky, and hilarious. The author didn’t shy away from characters having tough conversations and her depth of understanding of human behaviour and thought processes was insightful and relatable. I could be laughing out loud one moment, and moved to tears the next. Every character was well fleshed out, and Phoebe’s deep conversations, witty banter, and chemistry with other characters, and the relationships she witnessed between others felt genuine, realistic, and entertaining. Surprisingly, given the serious subject matter this novel never felt depressing or bleak – there was always hope and light to be found. It really was a book about never giving up, even when you feel like you’ve lost everything, and that there’s joy and positivity in the smallest of things, and the most annoying of people.The wedding setting really appealed to me – all the lavish details, the activities, and outings, as did the cozy feel of an Inn setting where everyone kept running into one another, had a shared event, and couldn’t escape each other.
When I reached 64%, I remember feeling sad that I only had 36% to go, because I loved spending time with Phoebe and this group of Wedding People. I wish I could delve more into the plot, and characters, and how special it all was, but I’d be spoiling things, so I’ll conclude by saying that I loved all the directions it went in.
I’ve just realised that another of this author’s books, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, is on my list, so I’ll be reading that sooner rather than later. The Wedding People will definitely make my end of year top favourites list, no question....more