Merry Christmas

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Book's I DNF'd this year

     Which is something that I normally don’t do, but there were a few books this year that for one reason or another I just couldn’t finish. (They say not every book is for every reader). And these are my opinions and what I took away from the books.

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
The Premise for this one sounded good and I do love romcoms but for some reason this one just didn’t click with me. It’s possible that I tried to read it at the wrong time so this one I may try to read again.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman 
The premise of this one also sounded good but the main character drove me nuts.

Cherokee Summer by Susan Antony
In this one, one of the Main Characters is a member of the Cherokee tribe. However, I could find any information anywhere on rather or not the not the author is of Native decent.  And since the novel is told from both the point of view of both John and Ace it’s not own voices and I’m getting to the point in my life if I’m going to read a book with a Native main character I want the author to be Native. And to me it just had way too much teenage drama. I know it’s a YA but even for a YA novel it was too much.

American Royals by Katherine McGee
 The Title alone should have told me that I wouldn’t like it. But I wanted to give it a chance.  I made it half way through but I stopped reading.  The premise even sounded absurd to me, I’m sorry there is no way that George Washington would have become king of the United States, he’d just defeated a monarchy and he was also the president who refused a third term when they offered it to him.  And beside the house of Washington wouldn’t have lasted as Washington didn’t have any children. The grand children they raised were the children of Martha ‘s children from her first marriage.   Not to mention the book makes no mention that I could find that Maratha’s great-granddaughter  Mary Randolph Custis Lee only surviving child of Maratha’s grandson George Washington Parke Custis the son of Martha’s son from her first marriage and she out lived all her children  married Robert E Lee. Which in theory would mean that the house of Washington in the book would have technically become the house of Lee and would have sided with the south. So even the alternative history in this novel doesn’t really make sense.

Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love by Mary Calvi
  I thought this would be a neat read. Through I don’t remember a Mary Philipse from any of my history classes. But what I wasn’t ready for was a book that basically implied that George only joined the patriot cause do a to failed relationship with Mary as well as implying that he cheated on his wife with said person.

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson (Mulan retelling)

I wanted to live this one because I’ve liked her fairy tale retellings in the past. But this retelling just like the previous one The Orphan’s Wish (Aladdin retelling) I just found too much wrong with changing the original tales.  That while fairy tales can be interrupted different ways and retold different ways there are some in which the retellings still need to stick to culture and place in which they were originally set, The Orphan’s Wish at least Aladdin (the main character was from the Middle East and was brought to Europe during the crusades. However, in The Warrior Maiden Mulan is half European and half Asian but it’s almost like her Asian heritage is pushed to the back. 

Reading this week

Finished

The Crown: The Official Companion, Vol 2 Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the years that Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert lacey

Christmas at the Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

The Rancher’s Holiday Hope by Brenda Minton

Holiday Homecoming Secrets by Lynette Eason

Christmas Angels by Nancy Naigle

Western Christmas Wishes by Brenda Minton

Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel

Reading

Wrapped up in Christmas by Jancie Lynn

Stranded for the Holidays by Lisa Carter

Non-fiction reading

Classic

Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

Audio on the Way to Work

Getting ready to read

Their Christmas Prayer by Myra Johnson

Clara’s Solider: A Retelling of the Nutcracker by Brittany Fichter

True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott

The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron

Book reading for bookclub at work

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Tide and Punishment review

Title:  Tide and Punishment

Author: Bree Baker

Series: Seaside Café Mystery book 3

Chapters: 24

Pages: 370

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Tide and Punishment by Bree Baker is the 3^rd book in the Seaside Café mysteries and its Christmas time in Charm and Everly Swan finds herself in the middle of another murder and this time someone she cares about is the prime suspect.

I enjoyed this one just ass much as the first two and Christmas at beach was a neat setting I don’t think I’ve read a book with Christmas in a beach town.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of A Killer Carol

Title:  A Killer Carol

Author:  Laura Bradford

Series: An Amish Mystery book 7

Chapters: 24

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher:  Berkley

     A Killer Carol by Laura Bradford is the 7^th book in the An Amish Mystery series.  It’s Christmas time in Heavenly Pennsylvania and Claire finds herself in the middle of yet another murder investigation. That’s she’s determined to help solve before Christmas.

     While A Killer Carol is a standalone mystery like the rest of the books in the series, it’s best to read the books in order otherwise you will spoil yourself for a few things that happen through the course of the books including a relationship or two.

     I have to say that this is my favorite book in the series to date mainly because something happened in this one that I’ve been waiting on since book three.  And I look forward to the next book in the series.  This book is perfect for fans of Amish stories and cozy mysteries and Christmas Stories.

Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder review

Title:  Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder

Author: Meg Macy

Series: Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery book 3

Chapters:

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher:  Kensington Publishing

     Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder is a Christmas cozy featuring a teddy bear called “Beary Potter” and a murdered Santa Bear.  This is the 3^rd book in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery by Meg Macy.  

     I mean who doesn’t love a cozy about teddy bears.  As the third book in a series it’s hard to talk about many of the characters and other aspects of the book without giving spoilers for   the first two books in the series.  But it is a quick read like most cozies. If you haven’t read the first too books in the series, Bearly Departed, and Bear Witness to Murder I recommend checking them out.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Silent Night, Deadly Night

Title:  Silent Night, Deadly Night

Author: Vicki Delany

Series: A Year Round Christmas Mystery 4

  

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkley

           

     In Silent Night, Deadly Night by Vicki Delany the 4^th book in the A Year Round Christmas Mystery a murder that hits to close to home for Merry and her family also threatens her dad’s role as the town Santa.  Rudolph New York is a town in which it’s Christmas year round.  As someone who loves Christmas I enjoy this series, and of course Mattie the Saint Bernard puppy who is adorable.

     Like most cozy mystery series, I recommend reading this series in order, in order to not spoil yourself for previous books in the series