rebeccasreadingrambles's reviews
2924 reviews

This book was wild, but also so addictive and I didn't want to put it down.  The MC was absolutely awful and pathetic and somehow enthralling.  The way nothing gets him down and even when he has hit rock bottom he keeps going and you just can't look away.  He had an amazing way of spinning everything to convince himself of whatever he needed to do what he was going to do, and to show how awful humanity is at the same time.  I was compelled to see what happened to him and uncover the secrets and I LOVED the ending.  This was an addicting read.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and at first I wasn't sure, but it was so worth it and I recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher for a free ARC and audiobook copy.

The best thing I did this year was start this series. This third book was a delight and I adooooore all these recurring characters, but ESPECIALLY Maddy and Baby.  Her drive to learn to bake/cook and keep her great aunt's bakery afloat, while also trying to solve the mystery of her death, AND other mysteries that keep fall around her is amazing.  She is hilarious and sassy and smart and I just love following her every move.  When people from her "old life" come and try to ruin her new one, she does not back down (though I can absolutely feel for her and the anxiety she has trying to trust her new relationships). I could not put this book down and was shocked by the ending! I do hope this series continues!

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic!

Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy; my thoughts are my own.

I am torn with this book.  Did I love the delightful small town holiday full of cute activities and holiday cheer? YES! Did I enjoy the writing and descriptions? YES! The queer cast of interesting characters and the forced proximity set up? Loved it!

But I am annoyed. I'm sorry but if you are unhappy with your situation or unhappy where you live.... the time to confront that is not WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE.  It's not like Brighton had cold feet. It's that she didn't even TALK to Charlotte about it and just left her at the alter to just disappear (and no the foreplay talk about it did not count)?! This tells me that you never should have been getting married at all.

I also really hated how people treated Charlotte. I'm sorry but saying "I thought I would just bug the shit out of you for yours so you would open up and you never did so now I'm mad at you"? Ummm no one asked you to???????? People need to start accepting that other people are different socially than them and stop trying to "change" them.

Also the ending made me big mad.  It's not like Brighton did any big self-growth to warranty getting back together, while Charlotte has been working hard to make her dreams come true!

Okay maybe I'm not as torn as I thought I was, but I genuinely do not think this couple should have ended up together.

Thanks to the publisher for an audiobook copy and a netgalley copy; my thoughts and review are my own.

This is my FAVORITE Christmas mystery series.  It is such a delight to return to Candy Cane Hollow every year and see Holly, Nick, and their family and friends. In this book we get to meet and learn the logistics of the extended Claus family and it was delightful.  Even the mystery was short and sweet and I love how Holly was involved and planned the reveal.  The descriptions and writing are lovely and the characters are unforgettable. Short and sweet!

I really adore this series and this book is a lovely edition. A Christmas carnival at an old, gorgeous mansion restored to a hotel, on the cliffs overlooking the water?! Yes please! I always love learning anything that Shannon Hammer has to offer from the descriptions of the gorgeous desk to the creepy gargoyles has me wanting to get back to my volunteer house reno days.  I just love Lighthouse cove and all of Shannon's friends and this cozy time of year made the book even more enjoyable.  Especially Mac and Shannon who are the best couple. What was not enjoyable (by design) were some of the snarky characters, who honestly have no right to be so rude and grumpy. But even so I was itching to find the villain and was SHOCKED by the ending! 

Note: I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it.

This was AMAZING! A short and sweet book the packed a lot of emotion, longing, and super poignant moments into this mini package. I am SO INVESTED in this couple and could continue to read on and on, but also love this quick snapshot into their past relationship with hopes for more beyond this book.  I LOVED the narration!

Meh this was okay, but nothing really happened.  It was very repetitive and lost my interest at one point. Also, Jenny was obsessed with going to Paris, but then was like ehh nvm lets have babies never mind on the whole art thing. In like a few pages?! What?  I just felt like this was a good idea, but not a great execution.

Liz Moore can truly write a dramatic and complex thriller! I had no idea what to expect going into this book and I can say it really surprised me (in a good way). This book has so many layers and the author slowly reveals them in a way where you kind of have no idea what's going on at first.  Or at least, you're introduced to a lot of people and have no idea why they're important and how the stories will connect. It is truly not until the very end that you have a lightbulb, gasp worthy clash of answers.  I really enjoy this author's style of writing and the way the stories are told in different POVs with flashbacks interspersed in the perfect order.

Note: If you are listening to the audiobook, make sure you pay attention (ESPECIALLY in the beginning) to the name and date at the start of each chapter. It gets easier as you go on, but there are a lot of jumps in the beginning that are important to setting up the story. I enjoyed the narration, though this particular narrator doesn't give much difference in inflection between characters so it can get a bit confusing at first.

Thanks to the publishers for the free audiobook copy; my thoughts and review are my own.

Is Jenny Bayliss going to make me cry every single Christmas? Yes I think the record shows that she will.

I ADORE this book. I knew from very early on in this book that it was going to be fabulous and mean a lot to me, and I was right. Harriet Smith is the most endearing character and this book had absolutely everything that I love.  One night stand turned enemies (ish) to lovers.  It had a group of misfit, written off teenagers, quirky groups of adults,  a sassy, snooty older woman making demands, lots of laughs and romance. And all this centered around taking an gross abandoned old theater and making it a community hub to bring all these unlikely people together in a found family situation WHILE THEY PUT TOGETHER A CHRISTMAS CAROL PRODUCTION. Like are you kidding me?! What more could you want?  I cried multiple times and I could not stop reading this book.

This author writes the "found family / community comes together for a good cause" trope SO WELL.  All this on top of a smashing romance with so much humor and INCREDIBLE characters.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was PERFECTION.

Thanks to the publishers for a free copy and a free audiobook; my thoughts and review are my own.

If there is anything I love than a cozy mystery, it's a cozy mystery that takes place at a MURDER MYSTERY PARTY! Yes! A double, complicated, intertwined mystery?! What is a clue and what is just a red-herring left over from the planned event? Who knows?! I loved how Krissy pieced this one together with help from her friends and other people in the town (all while trying to avoid the wrath of the police detective).  There are interesting characters, though I think some of them didn't stand out as much as I wish they had. I was shocked by the ending!

Note: I would definitely recommend starting this series from the beginning (womp womp I did not) because I think you'll get a better feel for the town, the recurring characters and their relationships. It took a bit to get a real feel for Krissy in this book just because it's later in the series.

Thanks to the publishers for a free copy; my review and my thoughts are my own.