I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, May 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 384 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

On a rainy afternoon, a mother's life is shattered as her son slips from her grip and runs into the street…

I Let You Go follows Jenna Gray as she moves to a ramshackle cottage on the remote Welsh coast, trying to escape the memory of the car accident that plays again and again in her mind, desperate to heal from the loss of her child and the rest of her painful past.

At the same time, the novel tracks the pair of Bristol police investigators trying to get to the bottom of this hit-and-run. As they chase down one hopeless lead after another, they find themselves as drawn to each other as they are to the frustrating, twist-filled case before them.

Review:

Yet another book review that I am starting with a giant WOW! What an amazing debut novel for Clare Mackintosh... a story that grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing right up to the last page.  You know the type of book that leaves you hungry for more?  That is exactly what I Let You Go does!!

While I found the start of the story insane, it slowed off just a little to the point that I started thinking that this book wasn't going to live up to it's hype.  However, I hit the halfway point and  the book took a sudden turn that made you go from thinking it's 'just okay' to 'this book is crazy good'.  It became that page turner that I was expecting and I fell in love with Clare's ability to build a story.  Her characters were lovable and relateable ... people who made mistakes and now have to spend a lifetime dealing with the consequences.

I am so excited to read Clare's next book because if this is any indication... I will be a forever fan!

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 | Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Publisher: Random House, October 2016

Pages: Hardcover, 240 pages

Genre: Fiction, Christmas

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Friendly and bubbly, Julia Padden likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor, Cain Maddox, presents a particular challenge. No matter how hard she’s tried to be nice, Cain rudely rebuffs her at every turn, preferring to keep to himself. But when Julia catches Cain stealing her newspaper from the lobby of their apartment building, that’s the last straw. She’s going to break through Cain’s Scrooge-like exterior the only way she knows how: by killing him with kindness.

To track her progress, Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas. Her first attempts to humanize Cain are far from successful. Julia brings him homemade Christmas treats and the disagreeable Grinch won’t even accept them. Meanwhile, Julie’s blog becomes an online sensation, as an astonishing number of people start following her adventures. Julia continues to find ways to express kindness and, little by little, chips away at Cain’s gruff façade to reveal the caring man underneath. Unbelievably, Julia feels herself falling for Cain - and she suspects that he may be falling for her as well. But as the popularity of her blog continues to grow, Julia must decide if telling Cain the truth about having chronicled their relationship to the rest of the world is worth risking their chance at love.

Review:

Short and sweet story that follows the typical pattern of books that are centered around the Christmas season. Have you ever watched the shows 'Extreme Couponing' or 'House MD' and can pretty much say how the episodes will break down? Well, I find that Christmas stories are the same way. Two unlikely people find themselves together and quickly and unexpectedly fall in love, only to be torn apart by some random/horrible situation. Then, either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, they come to their senses and end up realizing that they are destined for happiness together. However, knowing that, I still reach for all things holiday novel in the month of December EVERY SINGLE YEAR!

Twelve Days of Christmas is just that... your typical Christmas story but when you remove the anticipated story-line it breaks down to some pretty annoying characters who I found myself in a love/hate relationship with. Julia was so sweet she made my teeth hurt and yet, I found her somewhat charming and perhaps even a girl after my own heart. Cain, on the other hand, was a jerk... through and through and I found myself disliking him, and his bi-polar personality, more as the book went on. Honestly, the only character that I truly liked was Bernie, the kinda-creepy, grandfather... and he was barely in the story so not sure what that's saying.

 As a lifetime blogger/vlogger, I found some of Julia's super-stardom to be a little too much for my liking but knowing that it was the purpose of the whole story, I was able to forgive it... to a point. 

Overall, I found the story fun and enjoyable, even with the dodgy characters and crazy blog stats, and it still brought a smile to my face as I read the last page. Basically, it did as I would like any December Christmas novel want... got me in the holiday spirit.

Paper & Glam Book Club | 2017

As we are in the last month of 2016, it's time to start thinking of plans for the new year and as I have decided that reading will be my new, born-again, passion, I thought joining a book club would be a fantastic idea.   While I love to socialize, I am still, what I would classify as an introvert (with an A-type personality... does that even exist?) so I prefer the online type of community as opposed to an actual meeting, at someones house with real people.  With all that in mind, I decided to join the Paper & Glam Book Club run by Lisamarie (YouTube/Goodreads).

Thankfully, Lisamarie makes it super easy to see if you will be interested in the club's book picks by releasing a dedicated video, showcasing each of the books.

What I love about her list for 2017 is that it is a good mix of fiction, non-fiction and classics.  Being a huge fan of fiction, I think that this will be the perfect way for me to get into reading more non-fiction and even pick up some of the classics... I always want to but just never seem to 'find the time'.

So, if you are interested in joining a book club for the upcoming year, but weren't sure where to go, consider the Paper & Glam Book Club... we can read together and discuss books online!

Paper & Glam Book Club Goodreads page: here
Paper & Glam YouTube channel: here
Paper & Glam Facebook page: here

While you clicking links, add me as a friend on Goodreads as well... click here!

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!