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.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Publisher: Bloomsbury, July 1998

Genre: Fiction, Children

Pages: Hardcover, 384 pages

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors - and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone . Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.

Review:

As this is my first-time reading the Harry Potter series (I've seen the movies) I think I need to get into the later books before really enjoying them as much as others seem to. For some reason, Chamber of Secrets just seemed meh to me... a little to kiddie maybe.

At this point, I can't say that I will 100% continue with the series because it's just not hitting that high note for me and because I don't re-read books and generally try to read a book before watching the movie, I find the element of 'surprise' isn't there. I know this story... I know what's coming and I am finding it a little hard to get through.

I'm a sad panda.

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!

Holiday Reads | The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, November 2014

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Pages: eBook, 203 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Elise Dutton dreads the arrival of another holiday season. Three years earlier, her husband cheated on her with her best friend, resulting in a bitter divorce that left her alone, broken, and distrustful.

Then, one November day, a stranger approaches Elise in the mall food court. Though she recognizes the man from her building, Elise has never formally met him. Tired of spending the holidays alone, the man offers her a proposition. For the next eight weeks—until the evening of December 24—he suggests that they pretend to be a couple. He draws up a contract with four rules:

1. No deep, probing personal questions
2. No drama
3. No telling anyone the truth about the relationship
4. The contract is void on Christmas Day

The lonely Elise surprises herself by agreeing to the idea. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.

Review:

Richard Paul Evans was one of those go-to Christmas authors that I read back when I was reviewing books... now that I am back at it, I feel it's only fitting that in the first Christmas season back, I revisit his work.

The Mistletoe Promise is the first book in a trilogy and it adds the romance and happiness that you expect in a Christmas story but it also has an element of mystery and suspense that I wasn't expecting. As mystery/suspense/thriller is my favourite genre, it was a very welcome surprise.

The story centres around Elise, a depressed, divorced woman with a past that haunts her and Nicholas, a man who seems too good to be true but you know there is something beneath the surface... it's just a matter of when and where their stories will come out and how much it will affect the relationship they are working to build. I really enjoyed these characters and found myself wanting to learn more and more about them and while I don't know that their story continues through books 2 and 3, I am hoping they at least make an appearance.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already requested The Mistletoe Inn from the library... hoping I can get it in before Christmas. Such a good read!

Holiday Reads | Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand

Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Little Brown & Company, October 2016

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Pages: Hardcover, 256 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn's old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there's hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan.

That doesn't mean there aren't a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can't quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can't decide between the two lovers that she's been juggling with limited success. However, if there's one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it's Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle's wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place - and the people - they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.

Review:

This is the third and final book of the Winter series by Elin Hilderbrand and as an avid reader of her summer series, I hope that she continues to write stories that are based in Nantucket throughout the winter because I have fallen in love with the island.

I remember when I first read Winter Street (book 1), I didn't know that it was part of a series and when it ended, I had that "WTF?" feeling and rated the book accordingly. I have since gone back and amended my review because, as a series, it was a perfect cliff-hanger ending.Looking back at the series as a whole, I loved it. It evoked all the feelings I get from Elin's summer books but upped the ante by adding in my love for all things Christmas.

As this is the third book, I already have a love-affair with the characters and the Inn and was very happy to see all of the stories wrap up, whether it was the outcome I wanted or not. I can't 100% recall how many characters are narrators in the previous books but it seems that in Winter Storms, each of the characters gets their own turn at telling the story. At first it seemed a little much and the story jumped but knowing it was wrapping everything up (with a pretty bow), I was okay with it. My preference for that type of writing style is 'fewer is better' because it gets a little confusing and hard to follow.

Overall, a perfect ending to a great series. I recommend whole-heartedly. As I said, I am in love with all things Nantucket and actually feel that Elin Hilderbrand has set up an unrealistic expectation so I will never be able to go there and love it like I do on the pages of her books.