sarahscupofcoffee's reviews
319 reviews

The absolute perfect winter horror or thriller to pick up when you’re in the mood for a snowy scare. I really loved the mystery aspect, the supernatural flare, and overall atmosphere. I loved the storytelling style with the different perspectives through two timelines. The audiobook was also incredible. I would recommend this book for a winterween read, if you participate in the readathon hosted by gabbyreads. I was hooked by this book and read through it in days, which is saying something since I was in a reading slump!

The first week of the new year hasn't been great reading-wise. I've picked up and put down five books, probably reading around 1,000 pages this week but not finishing a single book (I did manage a short story in there). When I saw this manga on NetGalley as a read now option, I decided to give it a shot because I needed a break from prose.

So, thank you NetGalley, Kaori Ozaki, and Kodansha Comics for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

We're following the stories of two people as they battle their pasts and find where they belong. I almost believe you should go into this as blindly as you can because you'll be just as shocked as I was throughout. There's a lot of childhood trauma, death, and talk of dying (so tread lightly).

I'm also glad that the dog aspect was light. I was nervous about just how spiritual we were going to get, but I'm glad that it was alluded.

In general, I though the characters were well fleshed-out and their backstories were captivating. The entire town was well set and the side characters were well-explored. I really enjoyed this manga and I think that it would make a terrific anime.

I truly had the best time while reading this and I kept a "journal" throughout with spoiler thoughts, which I'll copy and paste below if you're interested in following along as you read. 

READ WITH ME

30% 

This is such a weird manga, but I can't stop reading it. Basically, we're following a woman who moved back to this very small island to "watch her dad die" since he was awful to her and pushed her entire family way (not just from himself, but from each other--she hasn't seen her mom or brother since they left). She's tending to the garden at the house she grew up in, finding that she's lonely and missing her childhood dog she grew up with.

That part actually made me teary-eyed. She had to leave her drunk and abusive father, which also meant leaving her childhood dog behind with him. She realizes that he probably waited for her and died alone and neglected. Like. Fuck.

In addition to her story, we're also following a twenty year old who is infatuated with her. He works at the only convenience store on this island and we see that he's very caring. He's a nurturing human, giving bits and pieces of himself to anyone who needs it, even a dying mouse (he tries to ferry it to the mainland). We also meet his overprotective mother and his little sister, as well as a coworker that is crazy-jealous of the main character because it's obvious these two are falling for each other.

The punching bag comes into play because she's angry and has a lot pent up bullshit to deal with. Punching it out seems a lot easier than going to therapy, I suppose.

The weird part about this manga is that the MMC is often compared to her childhood dog. If it turns out that he is her childhood dog reincarnated... I don't know, that's weird. There's quite a large age difference between these two: she's almost 35 and he's in his early twenties. It's possible that's where this is going.

There was a full on comparison between herself, himself, and her childhood dog (which I actually kind of liked). Like her pet, they both don't understand the world around them fully and how it operates. They feel like outsiders.

42%

That was heartbreaking. He was a kid when that happened. He obviously thought his brother could fly (from a previous scene), so he pushed his little brother off a cliff and into the sea. His brother didn't make it, so now he's "making it up to God," by being the best possible person he can be for other people. The FMC found out and she sent him home to walk in the rain. Like... T.T

OMG AND THEN we find out what actually happened. His mom decided to read them all The Little Matchgirl (depressing as fuck) and described heaven as this wonderful place you go when you die. You'll sprout wings and fly up there. When you die. The boys were playing and his younger brother asked him to give him a push to "take a trip to heaven." The knots that formed in my stomach.

48%

The scene where his little (TWIN) brother is gripping the back of his shirt and telling him to live. Like. FUCK! T.T

66%

So much happened. FMC apparently had a full ass relationship with a married man and got played hard. He told her that he couldn't take a trip with him and she decided to take one of her own. She crossed paths with him at the airport and saw his whole family with him. She kept the ring he proposed with her with (alongside a promise to leave his wife) as a reminder of the anger she harbored for him. She cut her hair and moved back home to deal with her father when she met MMC.

She realizes that she overreacted and should've heard MMC out, but still ended up leaving. The married man texted her saying that he'd like to see her on her birthday, that he left his wife. She goes to Tokyo to meet him, calling him a liar--that she knew that he never left his wife. And he sneers at her and says something like: and you still came; you get me better than they do. Blah blah.

In walks MMC and they get into an altercation (very entertaining). FMC takes him by the hand and they leave together. Super cute.

67%

OMG. He saved her pickle bed. T.T (she broke it out of anger, even though it was the last thing she had of her mom's)

100%

How fucking cute. I actually really love that the cheating bastard gets a small redemption arc and learns something from this experience. I did find their sex scene to be a little weird, but I think it worked for them. And the last shot where she has a baby bump??? Like. How adorable.

 

 

This was so boring and slow. I got to 100 pages and I was forcing myself to read. I loved the premise and it was very interesting, but thrillers are not supposed to be slow! I was begging the pace to pick up speed and finding myself skipping sentences and paragraphs at some points. That's a sign to me that I need to put it down.

Before we get started, I just wanted to thank NetGalley and Sarah Penner for this eARC in exchange for my honest review! This is such an interesting idea and Sarah Penner did a wonderful job with exploring the magic system introduced here while folding in conflict. I did think that the wife's story was cut a bit short. I would've liked to see more of her storyline after things go down. I also forgot that it was a Christmas novella because there wasn't a lot of holiday spirit in it; I would've liked to see more festive flare.

I don't want to say too much because it's under 40 pages long, but this would be a great afternoon read if you're a fan of stage magic and foxes.

Chloe (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6983271339?book_show_action=false) has an amazing in-depth review on this book and I agree with every single thing she says here.

I know that it was mis-marketed, but it doesn't change the fact that I was promised a sapphic, feminist love story... and I got this. The first half was full of great worldbuilding and I was excited by the tension of the premise. These two best friends, who are clearly in love with each other, get separated. Aina sacrifices herself to a death goddess in order to save Siiri from the same fate. Siiri spends the rest of the plot going on an adventure in the Finnish wilderness in the winter in search of a shaman who can help her enter the underworld to rescue her best friend.

I thought that this would take me on a slow burn, friends to lovers ride... but no. I reached page 410 and it was clear that sapphic romance wasn't going to happen. I checked GR reviews to see if I should keep reading and the answer was a resounding no. I think I would've been okay with Aina and Siiri not getting together if the relationship between Aina and Tuoni wasn't so fucking weird. I was confused by their relationship and figured that maybe I was just missing something. Maybe I'm too dumb to enjoy this story for what it was intended?

I am very disappointed and sad that I splurged, paying full price for this beautiful book, to be bamboozled like this. 

I also noticed that this book was not very feminist, but I wasn't sure how Finnish folklore influenced that, so I'm going to leave that alone, but the above review I linked goes deeper into how this book is absolutely NOT feminist and disgraces indigenous people. 

I love the writing style, the world was well described, and the plot seemed amazing. I'm just not built for horror, young adult or otherwise. I got queasy a few times and decided that it'll probably get worse. I gave my copy to my mom. xD

A true Hallmark movie in novel form. If Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was a Christmas rom-com.

I had a few problems with it, but I did like the narration (audiobook) and the plot was cute. I didn’t love the banter. I thought it was very cheesy and I didn’t feel this crackling energy I think I should’ve.

I also didn’t like Lolo’s reaction and involvement in the ending. You’re in a serious relationship with this man. Her reactions were not realistic, in my opinion. But that’s what makes it Hallmark-y.

✏️ Written on the younger side of YA, even though main character is 18
📧 Multimedia snippets including emails, texts, and diagrams
✨ Even though this book features a main character with SCID, don’t look for representation (spoilers for more information)
♥️ Sweet romance, although it is a bit weird (bunt cake I’m looking at you)
📖 Loved that there were mini book reviews throughout
🎬 Didn’t love the ending (spoiler section)

I’d recommend this book to anyone wanting a flashback to the John Green and Rainbow Rowell era of YA I know it was written in 2015). I’ll be watching the movie later because I think this story has great potential in movie form.

Okay, I hated the ending for multiple reasons. The first is I think it could be damaging to those reading for the SCID rep. Other “sick kid” books I’ve read give respect to the lifestyle of the sick and make the romance work around it. Risks are taken and adolescent feelings are involved, but there’s still respect there. I had a problem with the author writing it out. Instead of making the romance work despite the SCID, the disease was removed. The big plot twist where Maddy wasn’t really sick made my heart sink because can you imagine what someone with SCID would think? I don’t have SCID so I don’t want to put words into anyone’s mouth, but if I read a book that I deeply identified with, only to have a large connecting piece be false… I’d feel cheated. Yes, it still gives representation because you see the life she lived before the twist, but I don’t like that the only way the author saw this romance working was to remove the illness. People with SCID can’t remove theirs.

Also, I think it’s lazy writing. I can picture her trying to plot this book and racking her brain for a feasible way to make this romance work, finally landing on the easiest way to go. I also hate mental illness being used as a plot device. There are plenty of grief stricken parents who don’t fake illnesses and impose them on their children.

But I do have to remember that not only was this written in 2015, but it was also her debut novel. 

Not many books can bring me to my knees, but The Christmas You Found Me had me sobbing in the middle of the night the day before my birthday.

This is by far the most depressing Christmas  romance book I’ve ever read and I need you to read it.

🎄 Sienna’s divorce finalizes and her best friend posts an ad in the paper to celebrate: Husband for Hire. Intended as a joke, she mills around town as she gathers supplies for the ranch she runs and fields offers from her long-time neighbors. What she doesn’t expect is an applicant. In walks Guy, who is new to town and in desperate need of the benefits offered in the ad. His four year old daughter Emma is sick and needs a new kidney. He’s going to get bumped from the transplant list if he doesn’t prove stability and it’s difficult to be financially stable as a single father with a very sick child. Unfortunately, the ad was a joke…🎄

My favorite Christmas books don’t depend on the holiday. If you can grab the plot and place it in the spring, I will probably love it. Sarah Morgenthaler weaves together such a powerful story and sets it with a festive backdrop for us to enjoy.

Warning: this isn’t a fluffy romance (there are content warnings to alert you of this).

I fucking cried. Hard.

This is an amazingly crafted story about a woman who is trying to find herself after a divorce, a man who is willing to do anything for his daughter, and an amazingly strong child. It’s about hope, the holiday season, being grateful for the things you have, and loving the people around you.

I always read the acknowledgments. I grabbed tissues, cleaned my face, and was ready to read some stereotypical thank yous… the first few lines had me in tears again damn it. I find Sarah Morgenthaler’s strength to write a story after losing her husband incredible. 

I’ve had writers block since losing my first husband and it’ll be seven years next month. (I’m happily remarried and loving life again, but there are always hard days.)

Anyway, I highly recommend this book if you want to read something festive, but meaningful. Just grab some tissues. 

Dual POV / narration (audiobook), sapphic young adult, holiday romance, and twelve festive dates with some Jewish representation? Yep. I liked this one.

I liked their romance arc since it didn’t hinge around the holidays, but happened to take place during them. The bigger plot surrounds a conflict that had been brewing for years and character development that was satisfying to watch. Will I read this as a part of my yearly rotation? Probably not, but I enjoyed my time reading this.

There’s just something about a well written young adult novel set in a small town that loves the holiday season. ❄️ If you liked Let it Snow, you’ll probably like this one. Similar voice and vibes.