sarahsbookstack's Reviews (2.55k)

This was a fast read but not my favorite Christmas read ever.

Lila is a blogger (keeps it secret) and works at a bookstore in a town that is famous for a big holiday movie based on the book Holiday By The Lake. She then had to train Teddy (college age nephew of the bookstore owner with his own secret). She finds him rude at first but then tolerates him.

I think I didn't really like either MC. There were some supporting that I liked more but none that really stood out. There were a few Christmas activities in this town but nothing was really too exciting in this book. 

While a lot of this book feels so unbelievable, it is still so action packed with mystery and kept me reading without (mostly) stopping until the end.

Jade had been broken up through text by her former BF Silas and he's with her former BFF Lainey now. Lainey and Jade had signed up for a semester aboard a cruise ship and Jade still goes. Not expecting the two formers to be there too. Now she can't avoid them and they accuse Jade of stalking. Then it seems Lainey is killed. 

When things unravel and get revealed, I felt myself thinking "really? How could this elaborate scene actually come to pass?" and the ending I just hated. 

A magic school. A magic system based on the Moon. A best friend to lovers MCs. A wonderful world to get lost in. 

Wren grew up knowing that she is a Mundane, non magical. She's ok with it and has made peace with the fact that she won't have magic.  Her best friend Lee is the opposite. He knows he will get his magic at 18 and has been working toward it his whole life. But on Wren's 18th birthday, she becomes Moonstruck. She is suddenly found at an island cloaked by magic at a school with Lee.

I liked that Wren gets the magic that she has. She doesn't know what it is for a long while but I liked to see her figure it out. I really like the development of the "more than friends" relationship of Lee and Wren. I loved a lot of the side characters (though if one person, Ruby in this case, identifies as they.... Please use they every time... There were at least 2 instances where she is used when talking about Ruby) .

The way this ends is not exactly how I thought it might end and there were some parts where I felt sad, but I can't wait for the conclusion to this duology! This book was thrilling and exciting and I'm just begging for more of that

This was so cute and I'm sad I didn't read it sooner!

I love the idea of basically a dating show but the main guy (Henry) already had met one of the contestants (Cindy), but even before she knew she'd be a contestant. 

This is a Cinderella spun story. Cindy is our girl who is obsessed with shoes. She goes onto this show because no one expects her to  and because she does have an in. She always acted with poise even at the cruel hate thrown her way because of her size. I loved that Henry never brought up her size with anyone because he got to know her person which is the true part of who we are. 

I also really loved the fact that Cindy's stronger wasn't portrayed as the evil type. She was genuinely just trying to develop a relationship with her stepdaughter and keeps Cindy close to her other kids when she could have just shunned or been mean.

Logan, give me a Scotsman any day! I love his conviction in his beliefs and that he tries to find another life where he's not going to be forced to take over his Grandfather's company, which Logan has ethical issues with. I love how supportive he is of Gwen right away. He makes her feel the value that she is due.

Gwen is a sweet person and a very talented baker who has a very unsupportive mother (I hate when a mother decides that only one of her kids deserves her praise and attention). I love how she blooms under Logan's attention. 

I just adored the two together. They have so much fun together and I loved her showing him all the small-town happenings and involving him in them. 

I don't want to give anything away but I felt so proud of Gwens sister at the end and I really hope that she can get her happy ending too>

Super fun Christmas novella that I read through quickly not only because it's a short book but it's just so great!

Pru and Hayes- best friends, each love each other quietly but won't admit it.
Hayes is tasked with being a matchmaker for the season. When he sees the similarities between his potential match and him and Pru..Sparks will start to ignite!

I loved all the sweet characters in this book. I want to spend Christmas on Nantucket! 

While this seemed a bit long for a Romcom, I still enjoyed it.... There is just a lot of internal dialogue that could have been cut.

Ari and Josh hate each other on sight... Easy to do when they are dating the same woman. Years later, they run into each other and finally come to a tentative friendship where they razz each other and try to help each other navigate breakups. Both have their aspirations for their careers but setbacks and circumstances make them question themselves.

I honestly didn't think much of Josh. He was there and of course very central as an MC, but I liked Ari a whole lot more.  She's interesting and complex. She knows who she is and owns it. 

Fun read that has a few Christmas days in it. Gwen is a doctor going through residency and her mom just got remarried. While house sitting for her mom; Caleb, her new stepdad's nephew, one early morning enters without warning saying he needs a place to hide out-he's an in demand actor.

At first they just float around each other but then start to become friends a bit. Then they fall for each other but is Caleb's life something that Gwen can actually handle?

I liked that though Caleb is a celebrity, he also goes through some very real things like alcoholism, burnout, wanting more than what he's got but afraid to go after it because of anxiety and fear. Also Gwen, who lost her father too soon to cancer and having to grow up faster at a young age to step up and help care for her family, who has a great idea for a therapy program at the hospital but is rejected because she's a woman.

I thought that this was a great debut and I can't wait for

At first glance you might think "Really? Suing a company (a lá Disney) because you were left at the altar and they are "to blame"? But it worked

I had a blast with this book. Yes, a little far fetched, but I loved Scottie's conviction in seeing this lawsuit through to the end! I loved all the references that I could pinpoint being a "Disney nerd" myself. One thing I really, really liked about this book is what happens with Scottie and a certain someone who left and what it brings them at the end. It's bittersweet, but in a way very heartwarming. 

The small, not so talked about, romance was just a small blip in my radar... What really sold me was the relationship with Scottie and her best friend Peyton. P was just the kind of girl I'd want by my side if I lived Scottie's life. 

Really cute graphic novel that is meant to be read like an Advent calendar, one chapter a day. Kids might really enjoy that but I liked to read it all the way through.

Santa has given up most of his magic being the head of Christmas to technology. He has let go of his Reindeer and all but 2 of his Elves. But when the man behind the technology wants to make Santa fully retire, Santa sees the error of his ways and tries to correct it by getting his shop working again with Elves and delivering presents with his Reindeer.

The message is great, that we can't always rely on technology or expect it to work for us always in the best way. Christmas without the magic of believing in Santa is just sad for those that believe!