Frankincense “Francie” is the epitome of Christmas, from the fact that she was born in a stable, her family owns a Holiday shop, and a Santa School that was founded by her grandpa who recently passed away. Francie is currently working at her family’s holiday shop hoping to earn enough money to finally get a car but her Aunt Carole has other plans... especially with wanting to Hollywood-aply their entire work and instate horrible holiday-themed uniforms. Aunt Carole’s vision of a more glamorous Christmas is going to ruin the charm and nostalgia that Francie loves about her family’s business and Francie will do anything to stop her... except that her aunt is also her boss. Francie wants two things for Christmas- her dream car and to finally get a real kiss from a boy without having to be constantly harassed at school by the one boy she let kiss her who then in turn went around making fun of her. Besides having to wear horrible work uniforms all season long, Aunt Carole also has Francie working as “Santa’s Intern” in which she has to respond to thousands of letters written by children to Santa... but thankfully with the help of some amazing friends and a very cute and sweet boy who works at the Christmas tree lot next door, Francie’s about to have a wonderful Christmas. This book instantly garnered an extra point from me when it mentioned how much one of Francie’s friends adored Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries ( It’s by far one of my all time favorite shows). This was a cute Christmas time read and I loved how invested Francie was in the holiday and in keeping her Grandpa’s Christmas wishes alive.

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A Marketing guru Ben Reese finds himself in a whole lot of trouble when he stumbles across Cat Cafe Owner/Vetrinarian Kara Ingalls. Kara owns a cute cat cafe called “ Meow and Furrever Cat Cafe” however it’s going into the red and if she wants to save it she’ll have to turn to the PR wizard Ben for help. Ben, who prefers dogs to cats and isn’t much of an animal person finds himself with a new chaotic kitten as well as falling for the sweet and cute cafe owner... except both Ben and Kara have been hurt by past relationships and what they’re feeling for each other isn’t something the other thought they would ever feel again. Kara, someone who has completely avoided social media after the horrendous events that occurred with her ex finds that she’ll have to finally be open to it if she wants to save her cafe. While trying to not mix professional with pleasure both Ben and Kara can’t help but fall for each other during this holiday time, but when exes come back into the picture, can this new relationship last or will it crumble? This was a pretty cute Christmas Rom com complete with so many adorable cats! Kara and Ben both had trust issues from previous relationships but both of them wanted to work it out and heal and throw in some very cute pets and you get a pretty cute read perfect for the holiday season.

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Two girls, a history of death, and a twisted plan. Tillie Gray is no stranger to romances gone wrong... especially after escaping the events of her last relationship that has her relocating to a quiet suburb in Willow Creek. Tillie was meant to get a new start, to move on from what happened with her ex and stay as far away from girls that would bring her trouble... but the moment beautiful queen b Madison lays eyes on Tillie it’s over for her. Madison is rich, beautiful, and the resident popular girl... except she’s taken an interest in Tillie for some reason. Yet despite what everyone around Tillie tries to tell her and warn her about Madison, Tillie can’t stay away. The more she gets to know about Madison, the more she thinks that no one really knows the true Madison and that the real evil in this little town is Madison’s ex, Elliot who has been accused of sexual assault by another girl but has gotten away with it. The more Madison reveals about Elliot the more Tillie wants to get revenge with her... but when Tillie’s own past is revealed... things are about to get twisted. What started off as a revenge plan quickly spirals and soon the consequences of their actions will come for them... and a dead body will be awaiting by the end of this. The true question is, can Tillie trust Madison or is Madison just as bad as everyone says? This was a pretty interesting thriller read and I appreciate how both Tillie and Madison are a bit twisted. They’ve both been hurt and they both want to hurt someone, their romance is definitely on the morally grey side but I really liked that about them.

*Thank you Sourcebooks Reads for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A struggling writer recounts how she became a writer... and how Krampus has come for her. This is a brilliant take on the Krampus story. The story follows Ro, a struggling writer who has experienced a horrific childhood trauma that has left her hating Christmas but suddenly finds herself celebrating Christmas with four other strangers... a tradition that spans across years... each year they meet up and bring gifts for each other that they have stolen. Yet as the years go on Ro finally makes it as a horror writer and some of the friends in the group die... and after so many years the group decides to come celebrate Christmas together again but something much more sinister is going on and there is a killer amongst them. This was a brilliant and fun Christmas horror story and I loved how it weaved the past and the present into it. It also added such a nice touch of Krampus horror to it! Seriously would recommend for all my horror fans out there!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tordotcom for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Magic, tea readings, bourbon that can steal memories, and complicated family relationships come together in this story about love, memories, and healing. This is a multi-generational family drama following three Haywood witches who live in the town of Yarrow, Kentucky. These witches are gifted with the ability to help locals with their emotional pains through the Shadow Garden, their pain is processed but not forgotten and are thus able to start their healing journey. The other residing magical family in the town is the Bonner family, a family that works their magic through special bourbon that , one a year, can get rid of a person’s worst memory. The story follows Maura, Irene, and Addison Haywood, Maura is the grandmother of Addison and is in charge of the family garden and business while Irene is still reeling from the betrayal of falling in love with Nate Bonner who then broke her heart. Addison’s magic is wonky and she can’t seem to find the love she is looking for, whether it be from her family or from her ex who she accidentally stole too much of his emotions. Three women, three witches, all with complicated relationships and all connected to the Shadow Garden. The Bonner and the Haywood family have a complicated relationship, twenty years ago someone died and another disappeared and no one can remember what happened.... and now Kaden Bonner is back in town, the older brother of Nate and the one Bonner who escaped the family and was seemingly forgotten by the entire town... yet the moment he runs into Irene sparks are flying... and soon memories are awoken again and they seem to have a past... but which they have no clue where their memories are from and why they had forgotten it... Someone has been stealing memories and hiding a much darker secret as well as the murder of Irene’s brother Nolan.This was a fantastic mystery/fantasy/ romance/ family drama! I was thoroughly immersed in the mystery and the magic of the town. I had so much fun reading this and it definitely makes you want to grab a cup of tea while reading it!

*Thanks Forever Pub for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A new awkward and adorable take on the classic Hades and Persephone story! A super cute and funny story begins about the love-struck adventures between Persephone and Hades. The artwork is STUNNING! I absolutely love this story so much and am so happy to see it has been made into a book. The webtoon is so amazing and I would highly recommend it!!!

Magic, race, and power all come together in this story about one girl’s journey about making a future for herself in a world that is set on putting her down. Set in 1937 New York City, the story follows 17 year old Laura Ann Langston who not only has to deal with racism but also the magical divide as there is a strong division between those who work in the magical arts and those who do not. In a world where you have to have a license in order to work magic and working magic illegally can land you in prison, all Laura wants is to get a license to work her magic in order to open her own bakery. Laura left home with the hopes of finally making it big in New York... but things are not working out and with no money to pay rent and a magical unicorn that advises her to go work for the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps ( a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynaism, aka the catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force and threw America in disarray) Laura has no other options but to work for them. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past who is reluctant to take Laura as her apprentice. The story follows Laura’s journey along with the Skylark as they try to fight against the Blight and work with other mages in order to save the world. The story felt a bit long and the overall reveal felt a bit late however the magic system was so fascinating and i definitely think this is an interesting read, especially with the way that the story includes photos, reports, and notes from the characters to make it fell so much more personal and real. It’s a great historical fantasy filled with adventure and magic, definitely give it a go!

*Thank you to Epic Reads and Balzer + Bray for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A wallflower who is on the brink of becoming a spinster and disappointing her family if she is unable to get a husband with a title finds herself falling in love for the first time with the most unexpected person.... a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester. Miss Philippa York is a bluestocking, and in order to help her parent’s status and reputation, she is meant to find a suitable husband. Philippa has turned suitor after suitor down, feeling as if nothing will ever make her cold dead heart beat... her only true passion comes from her reading group and her friends. Thomasina Wynchester “Tommy” on the other hand is a master of disguise who has fallen in love with Philippa ever since she met her, she’s been secretly pinning after her for over a year now and has finally gotten the courage to talk to her. Tommy knows the only way to actually meet Philippa in society, to actually court and flirt with her is by becoming a suitor, or at least a pretend one, so she creates a fake identity as a baron. However the more time they spend together the more they begin to fall for each other yet Philippa’s family is hell bent on her marrying a duke and nothing else, which means that Tommy never stood a chance, yet when Philippa’s friend finds her work being stolen from her, its up to Tommy and Philippa to work together to unravel the mystery and reveal the truth. Philippa will soon have to ask herself if she is willing to give up her duty to her family and pursue her own happiness and Tommy will have to ask herself if she is willing to give up a part of herself to be with Philippa or if she is only going to accept a love that truly loves all of her and not just a part of her. This was a fantastic historical romance with sapphic love interests. Both Tommy and Philippa have their own difficulties and struggles and both of them have to work to finally reach for what they both deserve. Their romance was sweet and I adored Tommy so much.

*Thank you to Forever Pub and Read Forever for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review*

An aging artist finds herself living in an assisted-living care home in the country and what starts off as a new living situation starts descending into spookiness. Penny is 89 years old, she’s been living in the same space she shared with her partner who was also an artist who has passed away. The older she’s gotten the more she’s begun to forget things... so when she is moved itno an assisted living facility that was apparently provisioned by her late partner Penny is surprised but she has had no recollection or idea about this happening. The great thing about this book is the way it brings forth a feeling of haunted and spookiness, you empathize for Penny as she tries to figure out what is going on and the writing style was just beautiful. The story handles the loneliness and terror of everyday life, especially with aging.

*Thank you Gallery/Scout Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A dystopian novel involving a missing girl and the girl who is tasked with finding her in order to gain her freedom. Set in a world in which everyone is monitored by a device called the Insight by an autocratic government known as the Delegation, Insight is implanted in the eye of people at a young age in order to track them. People are rewarded/punished based on their actions and words and our protagonist Sonya is used as the face for the advertisement of the Delegation’s slogan “What’s Right is Right” and earns herself the nickname of “Poster Girl”. When the Delegation is overthrown by the Triumvirate, Sonya and other prominent Delegation members are imprisoned in the Aperture and Insights are discontinued. Ten years later she is offered a deal by the Triumvirate, she is tasked with finding a girl named grace Ward and if she succeeds she will earn her freedom. The book focuses on themes of surveillance, social media, and public personas. Sonya is a very morally grey character and as she investigates the case she begins to learn complicated truths and will have to face difficult decisions. Overall this book just didn’t hook me, despite the interesting premise and the mystery, i just couldn’t find myself immersing in the story. Overall this is a great novel for fans of 1984 with a mixture of the hunger games, dystopian stories, and stories about surveillance states.

*Thank you William Morrow and Harper Collins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*