Review: Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first title that I have read that was being turned into a Hallmark movie. (As far as I remember anyway). This one was very cute. I am going to somewhat take apart the characters and story but I do want you to know that this was a light story made for Hallmark. So these we know were going to end up with a HEA ending and its not going to have any sex in it or bad language and it might be a little religious sometimes (this one wasn't though like at all) . So if you kind of go into it knowing those things you will be bettered prepared. I loved this book and it was so cute!! So here is my breakdown of the story and its characters.

So lets start this one out by talking about the characters. Them together was ok, some of their interactions seemed very well weird if you ask me. But for the most part I fell in love with both of them. I kind of wished that this wouldn't have been a Hallmark movie title because it self like this could have been much better if the romance could have gone further within the story. So in some aspects it felt stilted.

I will say that there were parts of it where Abby's internal monologue really irritated me. She came off as a whinny at times. For the most part I really did feel for her. The situation of her boyfriend leaving her with a child sucks and she had a hard life getting her degree for nursing and providing for her son. As a low income parent I felt for her. I really wouldn't call Abby poor as all her bills were paid, it didn't seem like she was on welfare and although she couldn't buy her son everything on his Christmas list I think they were doing better than my family is right now. Abby had a heart of gold and I really enjoyed the parts of where she thought Nick was freaking CRAZY for spending so much money on stupid things. As well as the humor she had with her gramps and mom. I can not wait to see how that all plays out on screen on the 26th.

As for Nick, I have to say that he was a workaholic and spend far to much money on stupid crap. I felt like I really wanted to scream at him during a lot of this title. I hope that this year we have a hundred dollars to spend for presents for my girls this year. So that kind of made me not like him just a smidge. He was so focused on keeping his father's business afloat and profitable that he was missing out on life. I have to say that he reminded me a little of Christian Gray from 50 Shades but just a tad, a pinch, a dash. Overall, as the story progressed I found myself both loving and hating him. I am interested in finding out how the actor will portray him when the show comes out.

Abby's son Max was adorable, her gramps was freaking awesome and I hope we get to see him a lot in the movie! Her mom was there but not and really felt like a side character in the background much like Richard (Nicks houseman, house person? he was the one that answered the door). That is pretty much all of the characters that we really get to see. Other characters include Nick's sister whom I freaking loved. I loved how although she was rich she wasn't snooty rich. She loved Abby and Max and she was just so bright like her own sun.

The story itself was one that was great for the holidays. I loved all the snow and the setting of Richmond. What Abby did to transform the house was perfect and I loved that when things didn't work out she got to work to do it on her own. We don't really leave the small town where this story takes place. Like most Hallmark movies/stories you stay where you start.

Overall, if you are addicted to Hallmark Movies like I am then this one will work for you. If your looking for a Christmas story to get into the holidays then check this one out. It will open your heart to this family and not let you go until the page!

Go Into This One Knowing: No mentions of God, Cinderella Story, Single Mom, No Deaths

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Review: Furyborn

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I am so devastated right now!! I wanted to love this book so much and this is a signed copy to ME!! And I hate it. There I said it I did not care about the characters and jump in timelines and POVs just irritated the everliving crap out of me. This story about two queens set 1000 years apart was one that I thought was going to be perfect. But the jump between the two characters alternated each chapter so I was never given the chance to fall for anyone. Add into that the enormous amount of cast, political people, and all the other kingdoms and this just ended up being confusing on top of boring.

I say that if you ever feel like you need a float chart for a story then this book might not be for you.

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Review: The Speed of Falling Objects

The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one book that surprised me so much. It follows Danger through going on a trip with her dad and wanting to show him that she can be strong and not be afraid of the world. Danger lost her eye when she was little and I really think that she blamed herself for not listening. Even though as us parents know that kids just don't listen sometimes. The story really gets going once the plane that Danger was in crashes and she finds herself alone in the Amazon.

I have to say that this was a very interesting story. The main character of Danger only has one eye and that really messes with her ability to see depth as well as anything on her left side. I thought that as character disabilities etc. go this was one that I hadn't seen before. Overall, Danger not having vision in her left eye didn't really affect her trip though the Amazon. I would have liked it to affect her more since it was a big topic in the story. The rest of the characters were great. I think the author did an amazing job with this cast.

The story itself from start to finish was wonderful. I liked how we started out learning about Danger and how we only get tidbits of how she lost her eye until almost the end of the story. It gave it a slight mystery feel.

Overall, this was one that had a little bit of everything in it from danger to romance, to one girl finding her own voice.

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Review: A Dress for the Wicked

A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I started this one I wasn't sure if it was going to be a historical or contemporary or what I was really getting into. I grabbed this one as a title to read for Year of Epic Reads Read a Book with a Dress on the Cover. But, I am so glad that I did! This was a gorgeous story about a girl that just wanted to design clothing for people to fall in love with. And it really reminded me of how the world of fashion might have been happening until the world of the runway happened.

The story opened much like the Selection did and that worked out really well. This one kind of reminded me of the Selection series just a tad with how things unfolded. Although it one girl trying to win a spot as an apprentice instead of one girl trying to win a crown. I really loved how all the elements of this historical contemporary came together.

Emmy was such a fabulous characters and I loved her so much!! I would love to have a few novellas about the girls back stories leading up to each one being chosen for the Fashion House! I fell in love with all the characters and would have loved to find out who won the competition as well as where everyone ended up.

Although this is a stand alone (as far as I know) I think it could become a series pretty easily. We don't get any kind of wrap up at the end. Which was my only issue with this one. I would have liked an epilogue where we found out down the road where everyone was at.

The writing was pretty easy to follow and its a very fast read. When I started it I just kept reading and then all of a sudden I was past 150 pages in no time. I would love to learn more about this world Emmy is in. We don't really get to learn much of the larger world around her. Such as mermaids are mentioned but we never learn if its a joke or do they really exist in this world. I would love a follow up title where Emmy and Sophia goes on some kind of world tour with their creations. And maybe they get to design for the mermaid queen if these beings are really alive in this world!

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Review: The Good Luck Girls

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story was one I will not soon forget!! I loved the fresh idea of the Favors and how the world was like the Wild West. I really thought this one reminded me of the 90's movie Bad Girls and I would love to see this one on the big screen. The only issue I had with this title was that on the cover you have this gorgeous POC on the cover of the title. However, in the story it is never mentioned what color skin or nationality (other than them being Dust something. IE. they had no shadows). Although this didn't take away from the story at large I just felt like it was missing in passing at least as a descriptive on what these characters looked like.

The story opened with us learning a little about this world that these girls have grown up in. I think the author did a great job with giving us this information without it feeling like an info dump. We also learn more as the story unfolds and I think it worked to weave a wonderful tale. The pacing worked out well and the writing was simple but beautiful. The mythology in this the story worked to create a wonderful world that felt like an old western, dystopian, fantasy novel and go figure it worked out as one of the best titles that I have read this year.

The characters in this one were all well formed and each had their own personality. With how this one ended I am excited to see where the next story takes us. Will we get to see everyone returning or will we get pulled in one direction over another. Although there are five characters in this one we really only get a few POVs and then the overall story. Were are never really just in one other than the start. But for the most part we get Aster's POV after the story gets going and it worked well. I never thought that it was overwhelming and well you guys know I love POVs when they are done well!

Overall, this story was beautifully written with a creepy scary world and amazing strong women as characters. The fight for freedom has never been tougher.


Go Into This One Knowing: Prostitution, Slaves, Branding, Human Trafficking, Drug Use

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