Carries Book Reviews

Falling for Christmas by Kate Hewitt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Hannah Ford got upset at a holiday party when her ex-boyfriend showed up with his new girlfriend she wasn’t thinking straight when she hopped in a car and decided to just drive to get away and clear her head. Right before Christmas she heads north until she ends up near the Canadian border in a small town with a blizzard steadily coming down. Pulling off the highway her small car immediately gets stuck in the unplowed roads.

Sam Taylor is out on the roads that night having come from plowing a driveway when he pulls over to offer Hannah help. With only one place to rent a room in the small town and it being closed for the holidays Sam offers to let Hannah stay with him which she reluctantly agrees to. With the blizzard dropping nearly three feet of snow and the snow plows no where in sight Hannah ends up having to spend the holiday with Sam who is very much used to being alone on the holidays.

Another lovely holiday read that has the characters bringing out the best in each other during a tough situation and dealing with their own ghosts haunting their holidays. Sam and Hannah couldn’t be more opposite of each other but when together they just seem to work.

At novella length this is another great quick read romance I’d recommend to curl up with during the holiday season.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Curse by Erika Marks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emily Landon is sure that she is cursed when it comes to Christmas. Her previous three boyfriends have broken up with her during the holiday. Now her current boyfriend Phillip is away on business and has said they need to talk when he returns. Thinking she can break the curse by hiding out and not speaking with Phillip, Emily books herself a cabin in the mountains for Christmas. Avoiding her phone though, Emily misses a call from the owner that a storm is coming and she shouldn’t come to the mountains.

Griff Boone is the small town vet who has come out to the property to look after the owner’s sick dog. He has his own issues with the holidays and had packed up and planned to leave town before the oncoming storm arrives. When he suggests that the property owner go check on her neighbor before he leaves he doesn’t expect the storm to arrive sooner than predicted and for her to not be able to make it back from the neighbor’s and is left hosting Emily when she arrives.

Another nice little Christmas tale of two people riding out the storm together and coming to grips with their Christmas woes. Nice characters that grow together when they both share their own pain of the holidays and find comfort in each other.

This is listed as the sixth book in a series but read find as a standalone novella. Another good holiday read that I’d recommend checking out.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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A Bad Boy for Christmas by Kelly Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cutter, Eli and Caleb Jackson suddenly have their world turned upside down when out of nowhere a half brother they never knew they had, Jackson Nash, walks into their world looking for answers and to meet the father he never knew. Jackson could be Cutter’s twin so there is no doubt that he is who he claims he is. Coming along with Jackson for support is his foster sister Mia. When Mia and Cutter meet there is an instant attraction that the two try to push away for the sake of the family.

After thirty years of marriage though, the Jackson boys parents have gone to Europe for an anniversary trip. Not knowing when they’ll be returning Jackson and Mia stick around to get to know the family better and are soon welcomed by everyone while things begin to grow between Mia and Cutter.

A wonderful little story about family with great characters and an engaging plot. Not only do you have a lovely growing romance between Cutter and Mia but watching the family accept Jackson and Mia both after the world they came from with not having families was truly touching.

Great little novella, would definitely recommend.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Claire Danvers at sixteen year old who has just started her freshman year at college. When some girls in her dorm go too far and attack Claire she fears for her life and decides she’s not going to go back to her dorm. When looking for a place Claire answers an ad for a roommate wanted where she meets Michael, Eve and Shane. The trio open Claire’s eyes to the secrets and rules of Morganville.

A decent start to this series but I did find some of Claire’s choices a bit annoying. She’s supposed to be really smart being in college at such a young age but it’s obviously book smarts as she sure isn’t full of common sense at times. One of those let’s break all the rules of any horror situation and do exactly what I shouldn’t be doing.

Definitely one that you take this for the entertainment value and not expect amazing writing books. A few good giggles, some good characters and interesting story line, I’ll be continuing more of this series to see where the story goes.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Kaz Brekker is approached by a local merchant to break into the Ice Palace to retrieve a scientist who is responsible for making a drug that transforms a Grisha’s abilities but has dangerous side effects. Kaz assembles his crew carefully knowing that he needs each to have even a slight chance to complete this mission.

The crew consists of Kaz, the leader of the local gang the Dregs. Inej the Wraith, she has become the eyes and ears of the Dregs sneaking into places to obtain others secrets. Nina, a Grisha who had been trained for battle at one time. Matthias, a prisoner who was once a soldier out to destroy all Grisha. Jesper, the sharpshooter for the Dregs. Wylan, the runaway merchant’s son who is good with explosives.

Six of Crows is a spinoff from Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series. The first of the books that I’ve read perhaps I missed a bit of the world building from not reading the other series but this still was understandable on it’s own. I really wanted to love this book as much hype as I’d seen from it and perhaps it would have been a bit higher rating had I gone in knowing what a Grisha was and more about the world but it was still really good overall.

My biggest complaint so to speak was the pacing, it seemed to drag a bit in the middle for me and felt it could’ve been a bit shorter. The current happenings in the story seemed to be on somewhat of a pause while slowly giving the backstory on the characters and just felt it could have been done a bit quicker. I loved learning so much about the crew and what made them they way they are but I shouldn’t be still dying for details thirty chapters into the book.

Overall though a good read at 3.5 stars for me and will look forward to more adventures in the second book of the series.