Book Review – Fence Volume 2

Title: Fence Volume 2
Author: C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad and Joana Lafuente
Rating: ★★★★★
Read: January 30, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 12
Format: eBook
Page Count: 112
Series: Volume 2 of Fence
Book 1 Review: Fence Volume 1
Genre: YA Contemporary Graphic Novel

Synopsis: Nicholas Cox is determined to prove himself in the world of competitive fencing, and earn his place on the Kings Row fencing team, alongside sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama, to win the right to go up against his golden-boy half-brother.

Tryouts are well underway at King’s Row for a spot on the prodigious fencing team, and scrappy fencer Nicholas isn’t sure he’s going to make the grade in the face of surly upperclassmen, nearly impossibly odds, and his seemingly unstoppable roommate, the surly, sullen Seiji Katayama. It’ll take more than sheer determination to overcome a challenge this big!

Review: Yup. I’m obsessed. These boys are my children.

Again, these characters are amazing and the banter is superb. If you’re looking for a fun and addictive graphic novel series, pick this up!

Book Review – Fence Volume 1

Title: Fence Volume 1
Author: C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad and Joana Lafuente
Rating: ★★★★★
Read: January 30, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 11
Format: eBook
Page Count: 112
Series: Volume 1 of Fence
Genre: YA Contemporary Graphic Novel

Synopsis: Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama…

Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges.

Review: This was a lot of fun! Really great characters. Considering how much I enjoyed this, I can see it getting even better as the story goes on.

ARC Review – The Knockout Rule

Title: The Knockout Rule
Author: Kelly Siskind
Rating: ★★★★★
Read: January 24-30, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 10
Format: eARC
Page Count: 322
Release Date: February 24, 2021
Genre: Romance
Publisher: CD Books

Synopsis: Growing up with an adoring father for a boxing legend isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It looks more like hospital visits, bloody noses, and cracked ribs.

Isla Slade now works as a physiotherapist, helping athletes heal their bodies. Except for boxers. She has no interest in reliving the stress of her teen years. Dating someone in the boxing world? She’d rather snort wasabi powder.

Until she meets Preston Church.

Preston manages heavyweight boxing darling Brick Kramarov. A brute who’s built tougher than his name, with a cocky attitude to boot. She wants nothing to do with either man, but her father begs her to help them prepare for a huge Vegas fight.

She doesn’t expect Preston to recite romantic poems and slowly break her resolve. His fascinating mind gets under her skin, even if his star athlete reminds her how much she hates boxing.

Too bad it’s Brick coaching Preston how to woo Isla, falling for her from the sidelines. Once she finds out, she’ll have to decide if she can risk loving another man who puts it all on the line for the knockout.

Review: I’ve read a lot of romance novels in my time. It takes genuine talent to make a hug the most intimate and romantic scene I’ve read in a long while, and Siskind pulled that off and then some.

The Knockout Rule felt a smidge different that the other books in this series, but not in any bad way at all. It felt the most REAL, if that makes sense. If anything I felt this story the most deeply. It was amazing.

This series is a favourite of mine and I still can’t pick a favourite out of the four of them. They’re all so individual.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from the author. An honest review was provided.

Surprise Announcement and Cover Reveal – Love Next Door

Surprise! I’m so happy to be partnering with Social Butterfly in sharing the announcement of Helena Hunting’s all new upcoming book, Love Next Door!

Love Next Door, an all-new enemies-to-lovers standalone romance filled with laugh-out-loud banter and undeniable chemistry from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is coming July 27!

Pre-order your copy today, exclusively on:
Amazon
Amazon Worldwide
Add LOVE NEXT DOOR to Goodreads

Synopsis: When Dillion Stitch left her hometown, she had no intention of going back. But when her brother gets into trouble, Dillion reluctantly agrees to return home to take her place at the family business.

Being back in Pearl Lake after all these years feels familiar, but also brings a few surprises. She’s quick to notice that someone new has shown up at the cottage next door.  Dillion gets more than an eyeful when she goes to check out the newcomer and meets Donovan “Van” Firestone—her beloved neighbor’s grandson—in all his unclothed glory.

Having gotten off to a rocky start, it’s not long before they begin bickering with each other all over town. All that back and forth inevitably sparks an undeniable attraction. But Dillion’s family has issues, Van’s family resents him, and neither Dillion nor Van feels truly at ease in the small town. For these Pearl Lake exiles, home isn’t just where the heart is—it’s where things get complicated.

ARC Review – The In-Between

Title: The In-Between
Author: Rebecca K.S. Ansari
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 26, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 9
Format: eARC
Page Count: 320
Release Date: January 26, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Walden Pond Press

Synopsis: Cooper is lost. Ever since his father left their family three years ago, he has become distant from his friends, constantly annoyed by his little sister, Jess, and completely fed up with the pale, creepy rich girl who moved in next door, who won’t stop staring at him.

So when Cooper learns of an unsolved mystery his sister has discovered online, he welcomes the distraction. It’s the tale of a deadly train crash that occurred a hundred years ago in which one young boy among the dead was never identified. The only distinguishing mark on him was a strange insignia on his suit coat, a symbol no one had seen before or since. Jess is fascinated by the mystery of the unknown child—because she’s seen the insignia. And, she tells Cooper, he has too.

It’s the symbol on the jacket of the girl next door.

As they uncover more information—and mounting evidence of the girl’s seemingly impossible connection to the tragedy—Cooper and Jess begin to wonder if a similar disaster could be heading to their hometown. Thus begins an unforgettable adventure about the forgotten among us and what it means to be seen.

Review: This is the type of story that mystery lovers of any age can enjoy.

There are many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The author came up with a narrative that’s engaging and a writing style that keeps you hooked and unable to put the book down.

The entire plot is a whole lot more than just a middle grade mystery as the genres suggest. There’s a slight fantasy/paranormal/magical realism faction woven into it as well. All of this intrigue and magical feeling is tied together with very real issues such as loneliness, parental divorce and sibling diabetes.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Harper Collins on Edelweiss. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – You Have a Match

Title: You Have a Match
Author: Emma Lord
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 19-25, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 8
Format: eARC
Page Count: 320
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Synopsis: When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby’s growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Review: Lord has delivered another gem of a story. I’m now confident that she’ll be an autoread author for me.

Her characters are imperfectly perfect to the point that you want to reach in and give them all a hug, a mug of cocoa and be best friends with them all.

If you follow Lord on any form of social media (especially Twitter) you know her trademark easy humour. All of that humour oozes into every crevice of her storytelling and becomes vivid as well as giggle inducing.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press on NetGalley. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – Make Up Break Up

Title: Make Up Break Up
Author: Lily Menon
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Read: January 24, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 7
Format: eARC
Page Count: 336
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Genre: Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Synopsis: Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.”

High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful—and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile—and monumentally more successful—didn’t already make her stomach churn.

As the two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about?

Review: I often try not to compare an author’s previous works when reading their current works, but in this case, it’s hard not to.

I sadly found this story lacking the heart that comes hand in hand with Menon’s YA novels. But I will say this was a fine enough story if you just want a romance to take your mind off of things. I guess I was just expecting a bit too much.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press on NetGalley. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – The Meet Cute Project

Title: The Meet Cute Project
Author: Rhiannon Richardson
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 17-23, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 6
Format: ARC
Page Count: 375
Release Date: January 12, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Synopsis: Mia’s friends love rom-coms. Mia hates them. They’re silly, contrived, and not at all realistic. Besides, there are more important things to worry about—like how to handle living with her bridezilla sister, Sam, who’s never appreciated Mia, and surviving junior year juggling every school club offered and acing all of her classes.

So when Mia is tasked with finding a date to her sister’s wedding, her options are practically nonexistent.

Mia’s friends, however, have an idea. It’s a little crazy, a little out there, and a lot inspired by the movies they love that Mia begrudgingly watches too.

Mia just needs a meet-cute.

Review: This is a great book that’s geared towards teen YA readers. The story has a fantastic and relatable narrator. The entire plot idea was clever and fun.

If you have a teen reader in your life who is looking for a unique twist on romance, they’ll enjoy this one.

*Disclaimer* I received an ARC from Simon and Schuster Canada. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – Glimpsed

Title: Glimpsed
Author: G.F. Miller
Rating: ★★★★★
Read: January 16-17, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 5
Format: ARC
Page Count: 374
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Synopsis: Charity is a fairy godmother. She doesn’t wear a poofy dress or go around waving a wand, but she does make sure the deepest desires of the student population at Jack London High School come true. And she knows what they want even better than they do because she can glimpse their perfect futures.

But when Charity fulfills a glimpse that gets Vibha crowned homecoming queen, it ends in disaster. Suddenly, every wish Charity has ever granted is called into question. Has she really been helping people? Where do these glimpses come from, anyway? What if she’s not getting the whole picture?

Making this existential crisis way worse is Noah—the adorkable and (in Charity’s opinion) diabolical ex of one of her past clients—who blames her for sabotaging his prom plans and claims her interventions are doing more harm than good. He demands that she stop granting wishes and help him get his girl back. At first, Charity has no choice but to play along. But soon, Noah becomes an unexpected ally in getting to the bottom of the glimpses. Before long, Charity dares to call him her friend…and even starts to wish he were something more. But can the fairy godmother ever get the happily ever after?

Review: Cheeky banter is my life force. The banter in Glimpsed is some of the best I’ve read in a long time. It was *chef’s kiss*

The story itself was fully entertaining and refreshingly original. I would gear this more towards a contemporary audience. While, yes, it’s about a fairy godmother, it doesn’t have a huge fantasy feel. It’s just like if our modern world has a little bit of secret magic mixed into it.

So if you’re like me and enjoy magical realism and contemporary novels, you’ll love this as much as I did. The book has a great narrator and an abundance of Star Trek references!

*Disclaimer* I received an ARC from Simon and Schuster Canada. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – Happily Ever Afters

Title: Happily Ever Afters
Author: Elise Bryant
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 2-8, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 4
Format: eARC
Page Count: 336
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.

When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just…gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.

But as Tessa checks each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

Review: One of my most favourite things to read about is when authors make their protagonists “artists”. Whether it’s painting, dancing, music, or, in the case of this book, writing, it’s always beautiful to read. Nothing in life is more wondrous than the way an artist sees the world.

Tessa, the protagonist in Happily Ever Afters, is a romance writer. The way Bryant wrote Tessa experiencing daily life while getting inspired for her craft was marvellous. Her inner monologue heading in the direction of “oh! I need to write that down” kept me smiling. I know artists. I know that blissful look they can get when something perfect just clicks in the creative well that is their minds, and that’s what I kept picturing with Tessa. This clever young woman being brilliant.

But, (and this isn’t a spoiler because it’s in the synopsis) when Tessa gets a pretty intense writer’s block situation, it becomes less obvious and more subtle. I’m really impressed with how Bryant achieved this. Tessa’s narration was fantastic throughout the whole story.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Harper Collins on Edelweiss. An honest review was provided.

ARC Review – The World Between Blinks

Title: The World Between Blinks
Author: Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 3-5, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 3
Format: eARC
Page Count: 336
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Series: Book 1 of The World Between Blinks
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Synopsis: Discover a magical world where lost things are found.

Whenever cousins Jake and Marisol get together, adventure follows. They have their late Nana to thank for that. Her epic trips and treasure hunts were the stuff of family legend.

This summer, with the whole family reuniting for one last vacation at Nana’s home, the cousins are in for a legendary trip of their own.

Following a map Nana left behind, Jake and Marisol sneak out to a nearby lighthouse—then accidentally slip into another world! The World Between Blinks is a magical place where all kinds of lost things (and people!) end up. Everywhere they turn, the cousins find real mysteries from history—plus a few they thought were only myths.

But the man who holds the key to Jake and Marisol’s return journey doesn’t want to be found . . . and if the cousins don’t catch him fast, they could end up lost in this world for good.

Review: The concept for this story is so clever and imaginative. It’s basically a history buff’s dream come true, while at the same time, middle grade readers can easily get lost in the World and will have fun imagining themselves within the pages.

While the story is a fun little adventure, it also hits an emotional punch with the cousins dealing with the grief of losing their grandmother. Kaufman and Graudin dealt with the subject matter well.

*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Harper Collins on Edelweiss. An honest review was provided.

Book Review – Faking Under the Mistletoe

Title: Faking Under the Mistletoe
Author: Ashley Shepherd
Rating: ★★★★★
Read: January 1-3, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 2
Format: ebook
Page Count: 300
Genre: Romance

Synopsis: Olivia Langley is the human embodiment of Christmas cheer, and she has absolutely no problem spreading it around for all to hear.

Christmas sweaters? She has twenty. Christmas cookies? She’ll take three dozen. Christmas movies? Yeah, she’s seen them all. 

So it’s no surprise when she’s put in charge of Loveridge & McGowan’s holiday festivities. Secret Santas? Yep. Ice skating? Of course. Holiday trivia? Duh. Christmas-themed bar crawl? That’s one big jingle bell hell yes.

Kissing her boss at a Christmas tree lighting in front of his ex-girlfriend? Well… it is the season of giving. 

And Olivia does not come with a gift receipt. No exchanges. No returns. No refunds. All sales are final.

In an effort to ungrinch the grinchiest man she’s ever met, Olivia enlists herself, Santa’s Executive Helper, to scheme up a plan that includes sleigh rides, snow days, and one too many mistletoe kisses, which certainly gets Asher’s tinsel in a tangle. 

She’s pretty sure that she sleighed this whole fake dating thing.

Well… until she realizes there’s nothing fake about her feelings for Asher, and suddenly tangled tinsel, unsolicited Christmas trees, and celebrity heartthrobs are the least of her worries

Review: This book is a combination of tropes that are basically my kryptonite: fake dating and “the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one”. Having both in one book is a recipe for Caryn heart eyes.

This was so well written. I laughed, I cried (and ugly cried), my heart broke. So many emotions. If you’re like me and love a good romance with a lot of heart and a truly great back story, you’ll be glad you read this.

Plus, there are numerous mentions of the most delicious sounding food you’ll ever read. Make sure you have snacks on hand! My stomach was constantly rumbling.

On a completely unrelated note: yeah, I’m a grown woman and I watch (and love) My Little Pony. If you’re familiar with the show, it’s worth knowing that Olivia is the human equivalent of Pinkie Pie. You know darn well Olivia would happily own a party canon.

Upon finishing, I found out that a side character, Willa, has her own book that takes place prior to this story. So beware of spoilers if you’re wanting to read that one as well. I know for sure I’ll be picking it up because Shepherd is a fantastic author.

Book Review – Umbrella Academy Volume 2: Dallas

Title: Umbrella Academy Volume 2: Dallas
Author: Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: January 1, 2021
Book Read in 2021: 1
Format: eBook
Page Count: 192
Series: Book 2 of Umbrella Academy
Book 1 Review: Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite
Genre: Sci-fi Fantasy Graphic Novel

Synopsis: The team is despondent following the near apocalypse created by one of their own and the death of their beloved mentor Pogo. So it’s a great time for another catastrophic event to rouse the team into action. Trouble is—each member of the team is distracted by some very real problems of their own. The White Violin is bedridden due to an unfortunate blow to the head. Rumor has lost her voice—the source of her power. Spaceboy has eaten himself into a near-catatonic state, while Number Five dives into some shady dealings at the dog track and the Kraken starts looking at his littlest brother as the key to unraveling a mysterious series of massacres…all leading to a blood-drenched face-off with maniacal assassins, and a plot to kill JFK!

Review: I think I liked this even more than the first one. Lots of twists and humour.

Wrap Up – 2020

Well, WE MADE IT! Happy end of 2020 everyone.

And while this year may have been a nightmare for all of us, reading wise, for me at least, it was pretty stellar.
I had started off 2020 with a goal of reading 80 books. When I passed that amount in June, I upped it to 125. I passed that amount at the end of October and had thought I’d just leave it at that. But then on December 30, when I realized I was sitting at 145 books read, I decided to set a challenge for myself for the final day of 2020. I made one final increase of my Goodreads challenge and set it to 150. On December 31 at 11:43PM I hit my final goal! I was very proud of myself.

Here are some other fun stats for my 2020 year in books:
# of Books Read: 150
# of Pages Read: 46,939
Favourite Read of the Year: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Favourite New-to-You Author: A.A. Albright
Underrated Read: The Riddler’s Edge series by A.A. Albright
Will Recommend: Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Didn’t Live Up to the Hype: Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

Reading format:
Audiobook – 16
eBook – 129
Physical book – 5

Type of read:
New read – 138
Reread – 12
DNF – 10

Top 30 Reads of 2020:

1. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
2. Riddler’s Edge series by A.A. Albright
3. 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
5. The Oddmire: Books 1 & 2 by William Ritter
6. City Spies by James Ponti
7. All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia
8. Little Lies by H. Hunting
9. Riding the Elephant by Craig Ferguson
10. A Secret for a Secret by Helena Hunting
11. The Mall by Megan McCafferty
12. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
13. Roaring by Lindsey Duga
14. Heartstopper Vol 1 & 2 by Alice Oseman
15. Undercover Bromance/Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
16. Wayfair Witches series by A.A. Albright
17. The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
18. Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
19. Katy Kramer series by A.A. Albright
20. Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall
21. Get a Life, Chloe Brown/Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
22. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
23. Moose Springs, Alaska series by Sarah Morgenthaler
24. The Beat Match by Kelly Siskind
25. Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout
26. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
27. Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross
28. Don’t Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind
29. Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
30. Fable by Adrienne Young

Book Review – Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite

Title: Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite
Author: Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: December 31, 2020
Book Read in 2020: 150
Format: eBook
Page Count: 184
Series: Book 1 of Umbrella Academy
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy Graphic Novel

Synopsis: In an inexplicable worldwide event, forty-seven extraordinary children were spontaneously born to women who’d previously shown no signs of pregnancy. Millionaire inventor Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven of the children; when asked why, his only explanation was, “To save the world.”

These seven children form the Umbrella Academy, a dysfunctional family of superheroes with bizarre powers. Their first adventure at the age of ten pits them against an erratic and deadly Eiffel Tower, piloted by the fearsome zombie-robot Gustave Eiffel. Nearly a decade later, the team disbands, but when Hargreeves unexpectedly dies, these disgruntled siblings reunite just in time to save the world once again

Review: As graphic novels go, this was highly entertaining.

I’m sure like many others, I had seen the show but I hadn’t read the source material. It was fun seeing the aspects in this that the show took to the screen. It honestly shocked me how much the actor who plays Five looks like he does in the graphic novel. A+ casting there.

If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll definitely enjoy reading this.

Book Review – Killer Christmas

Title: Killer Christmas
Author: Harper Lin
Rating: ★★★★☆
Read: December 31, 2020
Book Read in 2020: 149
Format: eBook
Page Count: 108
Series: Book 1 of Emma Wild
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis: After breaking up with hunky movie star Nick Doyle, Grammy Award-winning singer Emma Wild returns to her hometown for Christmas to get away from it all. In Hartfield, a small town in Ontario, Canada, she gets caught up in a murder case after a fan’s drink is poisoned at the Chocoholic Cafe, owned by Emma’s sister Mirabelle.

Who is the killer and was the drink originally intended for Emma?
To add to the chaos, Sterling Matthews is the detective on the case. He’d shattered her heart nine years ago and inspired all her hit singles, but now they must work together to find the murderer before the murderer finds Emma.

Review: This story has a great protagonist and a fantastic mystery. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’m really excited to continue the series.

Wrap Up – December 2020

I read 18 books in December. Considering Taylor Swift dropped yet another surprise album and I spent close to week not reading anything because of that, I’m right chuffed.

I even ended up upping my Goodreads challenge to 150 and I hit it with 17 minutes to spare.

Here’s my wrap up:

• This is Not a Ghost Story by Andrea Portes ★★★☆☆
• Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye by Jacquelyn Middleton ★★★★☆
• Snow in Love by Various Authors ★★★★☆
• The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand ★★★★★
• Memento by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff ★★★★★
• Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper by Debbie Johnson ★★★★☆
• The Case of the Listening Library by A.A. Albright ★★★★☆
• Booked for Christmas by Lily Menon ★★★☆☆
• 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston ★★★★★
• Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman ★★★★★
• Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman ★★★★★
• Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm by Jaimie Admans ★★★☆☆
• Before You Ghost by Debra Anastasia and Helena Hunting ★★★☆☆
• Cadaver on Candy Cane Lane by Leighann Dobbs ★★★★☆
• Grievance in Gingerbread Alley by Leighann Dobbs ★★★★☆
• My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors ★★★★★
• Killer Christmas by Harper Lin ★★★★☆
• Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá ★★★★☆

Total pages read: 3896
Number of books read in 2020: 150

Favourite read of December

Least favourite read of December