Audio: Christmas in Chestnut Ridge

By: Nancy Naigle

Narrated by: Virginia Rose

Series: Chestnut Ridge, Book 2

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 10-08-24 by Tantor Audio

Romantic fiction/to review

It looked sweet, cute and xmassy and it was all those things.

Sheila is visiting her friend and taking part in a Christmas Tree decoration. She seems like she needs a break.

The town was sweet, everyone are nice and friendly. Then she meets a hunky fireman, and even though she has seen him before she is all damn. Ok not really but yes sparks fly and they try it out.

Then there is a fire and the town rally to help the family. And Sheila too.

The only drama is like can they really give it a try because she does not even live there. But honestly the drama is so tiny that it is not even there. It is a heartwarming book where people have good hearts.

Good narration. She did voices and moods well and it really fit the book

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.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

10/15/2024 Who is your ideal book boyfriend/girlfriend?

Now that is something that will not come to me now. That is something that when I am reading I am all awww. I am also old so when I was watching Bluey with my kid I was all damn Bandit is the best dad ever, love him, lol.

I feel like most book boyfriends are those that you love and then leave cos they would never last. 

But I will just go with Julius from Heartstrikers cos he is a cutie and so damn sweet

10/22/2024 What are the top three items on your bucket list?

10/29/2024 How do you like to be scared? Horror or thriller?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s Monday: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe

Author: Laurie Gilmore

Title: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe

Series: Dream Harbor #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Cozy mystery, Chick Lit

Format: ebook

Pages: 286

Published: August 30, 2023

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

A spicy small-town romance,

When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won't fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…

Review:

I had a couple of friends suggest reading this recently and it is simply perfect for October. I decided to try my library but the wait for this was 7 weeks!!!! EEEE too long, so I used my digital reward points I have been saving on Amazon to buy the ebook of this. Yayy. 

This is a small town and Jeanie is excited to start her new life after her aunt gifts her the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. Dream Harbor will give Jeanie a fresh start away from her dull desk job and hectic life. She meets a lot of folks, but there is something about Logan. He is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. However, Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and they can't stop thinking about each other. At the same time....weird stuff keeps happening. Jeanie will have to figure out who or what is going on.

This was simply perfect for the fall season. It made me want to eat all of the pumpkin glaze donuts we got from the cider mill. Nommmmm! 

I loved Jeanie. She was simply so adorable. Logan? He was okay. He annoyed me a little bit with his inner monologue. Yes, yes. I'm sorry your ex sucked but please.....talk to a therapist or something. Jeanie OBVIOUSLY is 1000000% better and ADORES YOU! *shakes fist* Once he got out of his own way I found him tolerable. 

Hazel and Annie were very endearing. Loved them. 

The mystery felt lacking to me. I wish they would've beefed that up a bit. Jeanie didn't seem as concerned as she should've been LOL. I know I would've been on a warpath!!!

The love was sweet and when we FINALLY got to the spicy bits it got really good. It took eons (I blame Logan). 

All-in-all, this was an adorable book for the fall. Very sweet love, a cute town, and entertaining banter. This would make a good Hallmark movie. I do wish the mystery bits were beefed up a bit though. I do want to read book 2 someday! I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Sweet

Audio: The Mountain crown by Karin Lowanchee

By: Karin Lowachee

Narrated by: Julienne Irons

Series: Crowns of Ishia, Book 1

Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins

Release date: 10-10-24 by Tantor Audio

Fantasy novella/to review

Something went wrong...what? I have no idea because I have no idea what I listened to. 4 hours and not a single clue. Was it the book? The narration? I should have given up but I had a little bit left, the thing is there was always a little bit left because I could not concentrate.

No idea what happened, no connection to the people in it. The story felt confusing. I could not picture anything.

Maybe reading would be better?

Méka must capture a king dragon, or die trying.

War between the island states of Kattaka and Mazemoor has left no one unscathed. Méka’s nomadic people, the Ba’Suon, were driven from their homeland by the Kattakans. Those who remained were forced to live under the Kattakan yoke, to serve their greed for gold alongside the dragons with whom the Ba’Suon share an empathic connection.

A decade later and under a fragile truce, Méka returns home from her exile for an ancient, necessary rite: gathering a king dragon of the Crown Mountains to maintain balance in the wild country. But Méka’s act of compassion toward an imprisoned dragon and Lilley, a Kattakan veteran of the war, soon draws the ire of the imperialistic authorities. They order the unwelcome addition of an enigmatic Ba’Suon traitor named Raka to accompany Méka and Lilley to the mountains.

The journey is filled with dangers both within and without. As conflict threatens to reignite, the survival of the Ba’Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself will depend on the decisions – defiant or compliant – that Méka and her companions choose to make. But not even Méka, kin to the great dragons of the North, can anticipate the depth of the consequences to her world.

City of the lost by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Rockton/Casey Duncan (#1)

Format: 408 pages, Trade Paperback

Published: January 17, 2017 by Minotaur Books

Crime/own

I read the spin off book first, that would be book 8? So I decided to go back and see what Rockton was all about.

..not a good place at all. This should be a place where people could escape too, but soon I saw that everyone escaped here. The bad guys too, and the abused. This system was broken. Not to mention you were not allowed to go beyond the city. And trust me this was for your own good because outside there were hostiles, and those were not friendly.

To this mess Casey arrives because she killed someone 10 years ago, and her bestie who was in an abusive relationship. Oh and Diana was toxic!

People have vanished and are found dead. Casey is put on the case with the town sheriff. No idea who to trust. Seeing that the system is not really working. But I guess she has 6 more books to see if this town has a future.

And what to I see when I finish. Yes the next book is out of stock. Come on!! Sigh.

A good start to this series. They are all alone out there.

Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows that someday this crime will catch up to her. Casey's best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana's husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it's time for the two of them to disappear again.

Diana has heard of a town made for people like her, a town that takes in people on the run who want to shed their old lives. You must apply to live in Rockton and if you're accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, and living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council's approval. As a murderer, Casey isn't a good candidate, but she has something they want: She's a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn't the only secret Rockton is hiding—in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

10/8/2024 Tell us about your favorite fall comfort foods.

I do not know if I have anything special? I mean sure when Fall comes, rain comes, so soup gets yummy to eat. But something else? Nope same thing year around. But yes soup is not  a summer food.

10/15/2024 Who is your ideal book boyfriend/girlfriend?

10/22/2024 What are the top three items on your bucket list?

10/29/2024 How do you like to be scared? Horror or thriller?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s Monday: Never seduce a Scot

Author: Maya Banks

Title: Never Seduce a Scot

Series: The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 418

Published: September 25, 2012

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.

Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

Review:

I picked this up for two reasons. One being that it fits into a couple reading challenges and two, one of the mains has a disability and I love inclusion like that in stories. Plus I can't remember the last time I read a HR in Scotland. It was time!!

Eveline and Graeme are our mains here. Eveline is fiercely loved and protected by her clan, but outsiders consider her "touched". She hasn't spoken since her accident. She doesn't speak to anyone including her family. After her accident she lost the ability to hear, but she can read lips, but she is allowing everyone to think her daft so she can avoid marrying a bad man. However, she is forced into a different marriage with Graeme. This is an arranged marriage to try and end war and the clan rivalry. She is intrigued because she can sort of hear his extremely deep voice. 

This took me forever to read. I was moving at a snail's pace. Why? Not sure. The story was interesting enough and I liked the characters. Maybe it was just me? It just felt like it was dragging forever in some spots. 

The love was a little too insta for my liking and some plot points/issues were resolved extremely quickly. However, I did enjoy the simplicity of their romance. Yes, they are being forced to wed, but they are both good people and they are obviously meant for each other. It was sweet. 

Ugh Ian. That is all. 

Screw all the McHughs. Hopefully their actions will fully unite Montgomerys and Armstrongs. 

I am curious about the next book. I believe it is Graeme's brother. Oooooo!

All-in-all, I did like this one. It was very sweet overall even with the issues I had. I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Okay

Challenge(s):

- Library Love #26

- Romance Reading Challenge #25 (Arranged marriage/Marriage of convenience)

Audio: Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

By: Ilona Andrews

Narrated by: Chris Brinkley

Series: Roman’s Chronicles, Book 1

Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins

Release date: 07-30-24 by NYLA

Urban fantasy novella/ From storytel.fi

This novella was about Roman who is getting a guest around the holidays. And a bunch of people who is trying to catch that guy and kill Roman.

I am not in a review mood today, and this review is a week late. So...

Action, Gods, bad guys and everything works out. I enjoyed it. It was a good novella

Good narration too

It’s not easy serving the Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

Best of September

 

Here are our bests from September!!!! 

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong

"Best book. Not a place I want to visit."

Carole -  Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

"So good. So sad. A must-read"

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole - Nadda again. Whoops. 

Blodeuedd - Barbie (2023)

"I finally watched it!"

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Rick and Morty & Emily in Paris

"Rick and Morty is always fun. Emily in Paris, well ditch that toxic Gabriel."

Carole - Tacoma FD

"Rewatching this gem now that it is on Netflix! Looks like there is a new season. Getting there but I am rewatching the other seasons because why not?"

Best Cover of the Month:

B's Favorite: Says a lot about the book

C's Favorite: So pretty

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

10/1/2024 What were your favorite surprise books of the year? 

These books really surprised me. Out of my normal comfort zone.

While these are more my cup of tea, but they still really surprised me how good they were.

Oh and now I see I missed the Kelley Armstrong book! That one surprised me too!

10/8/2024 Tell us about your favorite fall comfort foods.

10/15/2024 Who is your ideal book boyfriend/girlfriend?

10/22/2024 What are the top three items on your bucket list?

10/29/2024 How do you like to be scared? Horror or thriller?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.