What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, December 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 512 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

In a heartbeat, everything changes…

Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.

Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.

As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.

Where is Ben? The clock is ticking...

Review:

As with all books, especially mystery themed ones, I picked up this book only knowing the hype surrounding it an not really knowing what the plot actually was. When I found out that it was about the abduction of an 8-year-old boy, I was hit a little to close to home as I have a 9-year-old and because of that, I found that I was distracted and also a little uncomfortable reading it. However, even with that said, I found myself gripping the pages to find out what exactly happened and who dun it!!

This was my first go with author Gilly Macmillan and I really found her writing style to be right up my alley. I loved the fact that, while having many characters throughout the story, she focused the points of view on only two (or three if you count the psychologist). For some reason, I think that books with alternate points of view to be perfect when reading mysteries, yet if you have too many, it gets confusing... so two is perfect. Not only does it give you a different perspective with which to hear what's happening but it makes you read that much faster... the need to find out what's happening is real.

Now, even though I like the fact that the book was written from different characters perspectives, I didn't love them both equally. I really did feel for Rachel and was insanely disappointed with the way the public treated her... I mean what parent doesn't loosen the leash on their child a little as they get older?? Was she a fantastic character? No, but she was definitely relatable and I can see myself, or any other mother, being exactly as she was should they ever find myself in that same position - god forbid. Jim, on the other hand ... actually the entire of the police force... I could not stand. Why was he so affected with the outcome of the trial? I am still baffled by this. I was also extremely disappointed with the way each of the officers treated Rachel every time she called or came by. I would hope that, in real life, the police would treat the family of the victim with more class and dignity.

Overall, I found this story very well written, the characters well developed and it really kept me guessing to the very last second. As an avid mystery fan, I love when an author can leave me thinking I know how it's going to turn out only to pull the rug out from under me at the last minute.

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, September 2016

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir

Pages: Hardcover, 272 pages

Rating: 4/5 pages

Summary (from goodreads.com):

Just when Glennon Doyle Melton was beginning to feel she had it all figured out—three happy children, a doting spouse, and a writing career so successful that her first book catapulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list—her husband revealed his infidelity and she was forced to realize that nothing was as it seemed. A recovering alcoholic and bulimic, Glennon found that rock bottom was a familiar place. In the midst of crisis, she knew to hold on to what she discovered in recovery: that her deepest pain has always held within it an invitation to a richer life.

Love Warrior is the story of one marriage, but it is also the story of the healing that is possible for any of us when we refuse to settle for good enough and begin to face pain and love head-on. This astonishing memoir reveals how our ideals of masculinity and femininity can make it impossible for a man and a woman to truly know one another - and it captures the beauty that unfolds when one couple commits to unlearning everything they’ve been taught so that they can finally, after thirteen years of marriage, fall in love.

Review:

Before I begin, I have to tell you that I don't read the book synopsis of any book before diving in. I like the surprise element so before I began Love Warrior, all I knew was that it was a memoir (non-fiction) and because that is my least favourite genre, I was not anticipating enjoying it... not only that, but I may have even harboured thoughts about skipping it entirely and if it wasn't the Paper & Glam Book Club book for February, I would have likely done that. However, by the second or third page of the book, I was HOOKED and it turned out to be an amazing story of a woman who went through so much before she was able to love herself.

While most of what Glennon goes through from her adolescence through to her adulthood are things that I have never personally dealt with (bulimia, alcoholism, drug abuse, infidelity), I have suffered many similar things to different degrees so I felt very vulnerable reading her story and relating to so much of it. I loved how candid she was while telling her story and that there really was no hiding from her issues. She laid everything out on the table and basically said, "Take me as I am" because that was, indeed, who she was.

Again, because I don't read the synopsis before diving in, I didn't realize that there was a spiritual aspect to this book and I was so grateful as I read about Glennon's love for God. I was moved to (near) tears as she realized just how much God loved her and that no matter what she does in her life, she will always be loved... she will find her eternal home with unending love. It was so heartwarming.

Overall, if you have, or even if you haven't, felt the pressure that society puts on us to be perfect but realized that perfection is unattainable so felt like you were failing at life, this is a book that you must read. I feel that so many people would benefit from Glennon's story about becoming a Love Warrior. You don't have to be religious or spiritual to enjoy this story... you just have to love yourself or have a deep desire to learn to love yourself!

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

Publisher: Ballantine Books, June 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 384 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Review:

It's been a hot minute since I've read any of Emily Giffin's book but I was easily reminded just why I like her writing style. The stories that she weaves are so easy to get lost in and always centred around topics that are not only relatable but also real. Things that you would hear about standing around the water cooler at work or watching tv.

When I first added "First Comes Love" to my TBR shelf, I assumed it would be the perfect read for February (Valentines Day) but it actually turned out to be a much different story than I was expecting. While there is a certain love element, as with all chick lit books, it went so far outside of the box that I wouldn't even say this is a 'love story' at all. In fact, it's more about family dynamics and how families deal and move on from tragedy.

All of the characters in this book were very flawed... not necessarily in a bad way but with each and every one of them, there was something beneath the surface that just felt 'off'. I actually appreciated that and felt that it touched on how many of us survive the day-to-day, covering up a secret that lives deep down. My biggest issue of all came with Meredith... I wanted to throat punch her and actually felt that she made her own misery. I mean Nolan seemed like a dreamboat!!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this and, while cheesy and a little predictable, I still feel like there are underlying themes that will hit some harder than others. A definite must for all of Emily Giffin's fans.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

Trapped by Michael Northrop

Publisher: Scholastic Press, February 2011

Genre: Fiction, Teen/Young Adult

Pages: Paperback, 232 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive. . . .

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision. . . .

Review:

I have to start this off by saying that I am a self-proclaimed disaster junkie. "Breaking News" is my crack (sorry if that's offensive, but you get my point). I love any movie that centres around extreme weather (Twister, San Andreas, The Day After Tomorrow, to name a few) so I figured why would books be any different?!

After seeing Trapped on one of the book tube channels I watch and hearing that it was about the biggest snow storm in the history of the US, I knew I not only had to read it but wanted to save it for a super snowy day... that was yesterday!!

Now, this was a super easy read and I want to say that it was geared more for the teens than anything but even with that, I found it to be a very enjoyable read. The characters were a group of typical high school kids and fit into every stereotype that you can think of.. maybe a little too "cookie-cutter" but I still managed to find each of them decent in their own rights. The main character "Scotty" was a good narrator and I enjoyed the book from his perspective.

I've heard of Nor'easter's before but just imagine 18 feet of snow in less than a week with no breaks in between... that's insane and I'm not even sure it's possible. However, it made for an intense, edge of your seat read and I found myself turning pages as fast as I could and just as tuned in as I would be to my real-life disasters.

Overall, a quick read that was totally worth it! Definitely pick it up during the next snow storm!!

Savage Drift (Monument 14 #3) by Emmy Laybourne

Savage Drift (Monument 14 #3) by Emmy Laybourne

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, June 2015

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult

Pages: Paperback, 306 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

It's over.

Dean, Alex, and the other survivors of the Monument 14 have escaped the disaster zone and made it to the safety of a Canadian refugee camp. Some of the kids have been reunited with their families, and everyone is making tentative plans for the future. And then, Niko learns that his lost love, Josie, has survived!

Or is it?

For Josie, separated from the group and presumed dead, life has gone from bad to worse. Trapped in a terrible prison camp with other exposed O's and traumatized by her experiences, she has given up all hope of rescue. Meanwhile, scared by the government's unusual interest in her pregnancy, Astrid-along with her two protectors, Dean and Jake-joins Niko on his desperate quest to be reunited with Josie.

Review:

** spoiler alert **

As I have continued to read YA books, I have started to discover that I don't love them, they just don't relate to me anymore and I find them a little too juvenile for my liking. However, there is something about dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories that just grab me and suck me in... it probably has something to do with being a self-proclaimed disaster junkie... I just enjoy reading about the world in chaos.

For me, Savage Drift, was a great book... full of non-stop, fast-paced action that kept me reading way past my bedtime (remember, I'm old). It was a great ending to the series and I found that, for the most part, the story wrapped up very nicely and didn't really leave me with too many unanswered questions. I love it when a series does that!

I liked that this part of the story focused on more of Josie's story because she sort of felt like the lost character in the previous books and I knew she was such a bad-ass that I wanted to learn more about her. As for the other half of the story, while I enjoy reading from Dean's point of view, he is just such a wimp... even with his new 'bulked up, type-o' image of himself, he just bugs me.

Overall, very glad that I picked up the final book in the Monument 14 series because it really is a great series. Worth the read if you love dystopian novels!

Always Watching by Chevy Stevens

Always Watching by Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, June 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 342 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

She helps people put their demons to rest.

But she has a few of her own…

In the lockdown ward of a psychiatric hospital, Dr. Nadine Lavoie is in her element. She has the tools to help people, and she has the desire—healing broken families is what she lives for. But Nadine doesn’t want to look too closely at her own past because there are whole chunks of her life that are black holes. It takes all her willpower to tamp down her recurrent claustrophobia, and her daughter, Lisa, is a runaway who has been on the streets for seven years.

When a distraught woman, Heather Simeon, is brought into the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit after a suicide attempt, Nadine gently coaxes her story out of her—and learns of some troubling parallels with her own life. Digging deeper, Nadine is forced to confront her traumatic childhood, and the damage that began when she and her brother were brought by their mother to a remote commune on Vancouver Island. What happened to Nadine? Why was their family destroyed? And why does the name Aaron Quinn, the group’s leader, bring complex feelings of terror to Nadine even today?

And then, the unthinkable happens, and Nadine realizes that danger is closer to home than she ever imagined. She has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most…and fight back.

Sometimes you can leave the past, but you can never escape.

Review:

I have now read all of Chevy Stevens books and have to say that she remains at the top of my must-read authors. Like her other books, Always Watching is set in British Columbia Canada, which I love, and delves into the crazy world of cults. Unlike most of the mystery/suspense authors I read, Chevy Stevens books deal with issues that are unique and she handles the storyline flawlessly. Each of her books, this one included, read like they are based on true stories and keep you turning the pages to find out what happened next ... I always want to google the locations and the story to read more.

While Always Watching started off a lot slower than the other Chevy Stevens books I've read, it sure picked up and WOW... Was it ever a great read.

If you enjoy books that involve "cults" and mystery... I would definitely recommend this one.

Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding

Publisher: Knopf Canada, October 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 219 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

8:45 P.M.  Realize there have been so many times in my life when have fantasized about going to a scan with Mark or Daniel: just not both at the same time.

Before motherhood, before marriage, Bridget with biological clock ticking very, very loudly, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the eleventh hour: a joyful pregnancy which is dominated, however, by a crucial but terribly awkward question – who is the father? Mark Darcy: honourable, decent, notable human rights lawyer? Or Daniel Cleaver: charming, witty, notable fuckwit?

9:45 PM  It’s like they’re two halves of the perfect man, who’ll spend the rest of their lives each wanting to outdo the other one. And now it’s all enacting itself in my stomach.

Review:

Quick, fun and simple read... exactly what I would expect for a Bridget Jones story. I have loved all of the books in this series, more so that the actual movies, and was thrilled to see a new book to continue the storyline.

For me, Bridget Jones' Baby was exactly what I was looking for... it is the type of book that you want to read when you finish a 'heavy' story. I love the fun nature of the story... the dynamic between Bridget, Mark and Daniel is just as endearing as it always is.

A great book for all the Bridget Jones lovers out there.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, November 2011

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 352 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash-fast-but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family...

ONE FALSE MOVE

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants, to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water-wanted for murder...

Review:

I've had this book on my TBR for years... like too many years to count but knowing that the series is now 23 books deep, it seemed like such a commitment to get into. When the movie came out, I bumped it up a little higher on the list because I don't like to watch movies before I read the books but even then, it took a hot minute to get it read. Thankfully, after all that time waiting, it was a really good and enjoyable book and I am really glad to now have it marked as 'read'.

Being a fan of mysteries, I found the story line of 'One for the Money' great, in that I really wasn't sure what was happening or 'who dun it?' but it was a very easy to read/chick friendly (and no, I'm not being sexist but it's not a scary novel so I instantly think Chick Lit) type of crime novel.

The characters were well developed and I found both Stephanie Plum (the main character) and Joe Morelli to be very endearing. For a tough guy, you can definitely tell that Joe is a teddy bear when it gets right down to it. Stephanie is the type of fun-loving, accident prone, only has half-a-clue character that I instantly fall in love with so I can fully understand why this series has been such a hit and is going on after all this time.

Overall, a great read and I have already added the second book to my TBR... now to find time to read it!

The Other Side by Chevy Stevens

The Other Side by Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, April 2013

Genre: Fiction, Short Story

Pages: eBook, 44 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

An original ebook short story from bestselling author Chevy Stevens featuring Psychiatrist Nadine Lavoie and Staff Sergeant Sandy McBride, from Sandy is working the biggest case of her life - the Campsite Killer, who has been hunting women for almost forty years.  She's finally close to nailing him, if she can just keep her head in the game.  But when an old friend calls with a lead about Sandy's mother's murder, Sandy is pulled into the past—a past she thought she'd closed the door on. Her life is about to get real complicated, real fast.

Review:

Even at 44 pages long, Chevy Stevens has me pulled in with her amazing writing style. I absolutely love how she weaves a story and how her characters feel like real people.

The Other Side is a short story based off the characters and plot of the book Never Knowing so I definitely recommend reading that first. There was a significant amount of overlap between the two and at least half of this story was pulled directly from Never Knowing so if you read them back-to-back, it may come off as redundant. As it was a while between the stories for me, it was a nice refresher. I did enjoy the added elements to Sandy McBride's story.

As with all of Chevy Stevens work, this was a worthwhile, and very quick, read!

Holiday Reads | Christmas Under the Stars by Karen Swan

Christmas Under the Stars by Karen Swan

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, November 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 484 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

In the snow-topped mountains of the Canadian Rockies, Meg and Mitch are living their dream. Just weeks away from their wedding, they work and play with Tuck and Lucy, their closest and oldest friends. Meg and Lucy are as close as sisters - much to Meg's sister's dismay - and Tuck and Mitch have successfully turned their passion for snowboarding into a booming business.

But when a polar storm hits, tragedy strikes. Alone in the tiny mountain log cabin she shares with Mitch, Meg desperately tries to radio for help - and it comes from the most unexpected quarter, a lone voice across the airwaves that sees what she cannot.

As the snow melts and they try to live with their loss, the friendship Meg thought was forever is buckled by tensions, rivalries and devastating secrets. Nothing is as she thought and only her radio contact understands what it is to be truly alone. As they share confidences in the dark, witnessed only by the stars, Meg feels her future begin to pull away from her past and is forced to consider a strange truth - is it her friends who are the strangers? And a stranger who really knows her best?

Review:

I said this in the last Karen Swan review, but I read her Christmas books every year and thoroughly enjoy them. Christmas Under the Stars is a bit of a mixed bag for me though... while I loved it, I don't know if I would classify this as a 'Christmas' story.

To me, a Christmas story needs to take place in December and focus on, well, Christmas. Christmas Under the Stars actually takes place from March through to the end of the year, 2017, however, it's not until page 463 (of 484) that the story even enters the month of December. Literally TWENTY pages of the book was over Christmas and on none of those pages did you get the Christmas-y feel. Oh, wait, I think someone may have said "Happy Christmas" on one of those pages. There were no trees, no Santa's, no cookie, no presents... nothing! Not even a mention of a candy cane or some Christmas lights. The cover was more Christmas-y than the story.

All that said, I really did enjoy the story. I felt like Karen Swan took a step back from what her readers have come to expect with her Christmas stories (hence the lack of Christmas) and almost delved into a bit of a suspense. Not officially a suspense, but I did find myself sitting close to the edge of the seat while I waited to find out how the story would come together. There really wasn't a point in the book that I felt the story was lacking... I enjoyed the characters very much and thought they all melded together well.

Overall, I can really only fault the story for it's lack of Christmas, hence the 4 stars but if you are just looking for a good, quick, read... this is one that I would highly recommend.

Holiday Reads | Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews

Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews

Publisher: Little Brown & Company, October 2013

Pages: Paperback, 480 pages

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.

Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children, so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her loving partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.

When millionaire Carter asks Cassie to join his family on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go . . . Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.

Review:

I'm not sure if I have started all of the Holiday Reads off this way, BUT... I read Carole Matthews each and every Christmas. It seems there are always those authors who come out with new books for the holiday season and when you find what works for you, you run with it!

First off, I have to say that I thought Calling Mrs Christmas was about an older lady, who was maybe an angel, doing amazing things for those who had lost the Christmas spirit, well, I couldn't have been further from the actual plot. In actuality, Cassie is a young woman who has been out of work for the better part of a year. Feeling depressed and in need of something to change her life, she decided to act on her favourite thing, Christmas, and sets up an event planning service for all things Christmas.

I have to say that a quarter of the way through, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book... I found the story of Cassie and Jim wonderful and heartwarming but when Carter was introduced into it, I knew that things were going to go downhill and I was already getting that sour taste in my mouth. It's the age old debate of wealth vs. love... does money really buy you everything? As far as characters go, Carter is that grease ball rich guy who wants everything and doesn't stop until it's his.. he made me feel dirty.

All in, I really enjoyed Calling Mrs Christmas and hope that there is more to her story in the future. Another great story for Christmas.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, June 1997

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 223 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Escaping his hideous Muggle guardians for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister adventure when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous, or both.

Review:

I know, I know... I must be the last person on earth who hasn't read the Harry Potter series, although I have seen the movies so I feel like I'm not 100% in the dark. My whole life, I have read the book before the movie but for some reason, I am working backwards and I believe that is why it has taken me so long to get started.

However, I am here and happy to say that I will be continuing with the journey of reading the series... I enjoyed re-learning about the characters from the very beginning and even though I have the movie characters in my mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the little bits and pieces that the book adds to the story. To me, The Philosopher's Stone was very similar to the movie and I don't feel like many of the details were vastly different from one to the other... however, I did maybe feel like the end sequence (the epic battle) was a little lacking and thus the 4-star review.

Holiday Reads | A Shoe Addict's Christmas

A Shoe Addict's Christmas by Beth Harbison

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, October 2016

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Pages: Hardcover, 160 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Noelle is not a fan of the holidays and to make matters worse, she is at a crossroads in her life when it seems that love and adventure are no longer possible. When she stays late at her job in a department store on a snowy Christmas Eve she accidentally gets locked in after closing. She isn't too concerned about the prospect of spending the night in the store.until a woman appears out of nowhere and tells Noelle that she's her guardian angel. Soon Noelle finds herself camped out in the shoe department facing several "ghosts" of Christmases past, present, and future...Will visiting the holidays of yesterday and tomorrow help Noelle see the true spirit of Christmas? And will the love she has longed for all her life be the best surprise gift of all?

Review:

It would feel wrong if I didn't first point out that this book is SHORT, under 150 pages, and I went in thinking, 'how is this possible?'... 'there can't be a full story here.' but, it was a wonderful book!

A Shoe Addict's Christmas is a very modern retelling of the classic, A Christmas Carol, with a twist and I fell in love with it almost from the get go. I mean, who wouldn't want to be stuck in a high end department store on Christmas Eve, with the snow piling up outside? Okay, maybe not everyones dream, but for someone with little else to do, it seemed perfect for Noelle.

There are really only two characters in the book and I found myself really liking both of them and rooting for the outcome of the story, without really even knowing what was possible.

Overall, a quick read that will leave you with a smile on your face and the spirit of the season in your heart.

Holiday Reads | Christmas on Primrose Hill by Karen Swan

Christmas on Primrose Hill by Karen Swan

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, November 2015

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Pages: Paperback, 480 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Christmas on Primrose Hill . . .

Twinkling lights brighten London's Primrose Hill as Christmas nears - but for Nettie Watson, it's not parties and presents that she wants.

Promises are made

For Nettie, Christmas only serves as a stark reminder of the life she used to have . . . One day she made a promise to never leave home, and so far she's stayed true to her word.

Promises are broken

Under the glaring spotlight of the world's media, Nettie is unexpectedly caught up in a 21st century storm . . . Her exploits have made her a global name and attracted the attention of one of the world's most eligible men - famous front man, Jamie Westlake. But now she has his attention, does she want to keep it?

Review:

Is it really the Christmas season if Karen Swan doesn't write a new holiday story? I have been reading her Christmas novels since 2012 and honestly, they are perfect! While I wouldn't classify myself as a romance gal, reading the cheesy, predictable stories during December is exactly what I want!

Christmas on Primrose Hill started off slow for me and I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy it as much as previous novels but about 100 pages in, I was hooked. I found the 'mystery' part of the story very intriguing and even though I felt like I knew the back story of Nettie and her Mom, it took the whole book before everything pieced together.... being a huge mystery fan, I loved this aspect.

As for the romance part of the story... predictable. However, I wasn't really expecting anything different. You can almost lay money down on how Christmas stories will end but that's totally fine in my opinion. I loved the characters and their relationships with eachother... especially Jules and Nettie as they were such a ying and yang friendship. Also, can I just say that I loooooove stories that take place in England? I am obsessed... OBSESSED!

All in, very happy with this book and already have the newest Karen Swan holiday novel on my nightstand!