Review | The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

November 27, 2021November 27, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Oy! to the world

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

Let me preface this review by saying that I cannot speak to the Jewish representation in this book, or some of the finer nuances referenced in this book. I know there are some things referenced/talked about that are not the most sensitive to current events and that is affecting a lot of people’s enjoyment of this book. That being said I went into this looking for a fun rom com feel and second chances/hate to love holiday romance and for me it totally met that brief.

I enjoyed the story itself and the relationship between Rachel and Jacob. Yes there were misunderstandings and messy bits, but seeing them both working through their issues and their relationship. I did feel that the talk about Rachel’s illness and the representation there (as someone who has chronic illness/invisible illnesses) was well done. As a rom com with a holiday touch I did really enjoy the story and found it to be a fun read.

Author Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch, and served as creative director at Tapestry International, garnering numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. Like her protagonist, Jean is also a chronically-ill and disabled Jewish woman. She is an outspoken advocate for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), has attended visibility actions in Washington DC, meeting with members of Senate and Congress to raise funds for ME/CFS. She inspires 9,000 followers on WW Connect to live their best life, come out of the chronic illness closet, and embrace the hashtag #chronicallyfabulous. Also, while she was raised in what would be considered a secular home, she grew up kosher and attended Hebrew School. She spent five years in Rabbinical School.

Social Links | Author Website | Facebook: @JeanMeltzerAuthor | Instagram: @JeanMeltzer | Goodreads

Happy reading!

Review | The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery

November 24, 2021November 24, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

The last thing Reggie Sommerville wants is to come back home for Christmas. It’s only been a year and a half since her boyfriend, Jake, proposed and then broke up with her, all in one weekend, and the prospect of facing the entire town is humiliating. But when her parents reveal that they’re renewing their vows in the lavish wedding they always wanted and her mother asks her to be a bridesmaid, Reggie knows she can’t say no. No matter how much she wants to. She expected the town would be gossiping about her relationship with Jake, but she never expected to run into Toby, her first love that broke her heart all those years ago, living in town and raising his son. She always thought things between them were long over…but this Christmas is full of surprises.

Dena Sommerville has only ever wanted one thing: to have a child. But motherhood has been alluding her because she never met the right man…until she took the bull by the horns and decided to have a baby as a single mom. She knew it would be difficult and the morning sickness alone is knocking her down for the count, but she’s determined to do this on her own. So when a handsome musician checks into the inn where she works, Dena is surprised when a friendship develops. He has his own issues to work through—that much is clear. But she can’t deny there’s something between them

This Christmas, guilted into being bridesmaids at their parents’ vow renewal ceremony, Reggie and Dena Sommerville just might find the most unexpected gift of all—love.

I was definitely ready to pick up a book to get me in the Christmas spirit and this one absolutely fit the bill. I loved the small town setting that Mallery created for this series, it felt like a place I would love to visit and enjoy. I was a little worried with dual romances happening that one would far overshadow the other but I was pleasantly surprised at the balance between the two and how the stories wove together. Each relationship had real issues and believable scenes and just felt very organic. I also really enjoyed the characters themselves and how they balanced off of each other, there were unique personalities with depth, especially with the sisters. All in all a great holiday book to kick off the season.

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.

Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.

Happy reading!

Review | Things I Learned in the Night by Emily Byrnes

November 21, 2021November 21, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Things I Learned in the Night is a beautifully illustrated tribute to young love in a society that so often tries to invalidate it. Many of the poems in this book are exquisitely woven with nature imagery; a subtle reminder that through our struggles and joys we must all remember to take deep breaths and run in the rain every now and then.

I did enjoy this poetry collection as it was in the same vein as some that I have recently liked, but a lot of it felt too similar to other poets that I read from. There were a few poems that definitely felt poignant and new, but many were very similar to those using the same subjects. The language used is definitely beautiful and there is a good development of imagery in the poems themselves. For a poetry collection it was good and enjoyable, but again was too similar to other collections I have read to be a stand out for me personally.

Happy reading!

Review | Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

November 17, 2021November 17, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a gorgeously creepy haunted house tale, steeped in Japanese folklore and full of devastating twists.

A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company.

It’s the perfect wedding venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends.

But a night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare. For lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart.

And she gets lonely down there in the dirt.

I absolutely loved the premise of this story, I’m always up for a haunted house story, but I was a little disappointed by the final product. This was one of those novellas that left me wanting more. I wanted more backstory on the relationships between the five main characters as well as on the house itself. We are given the bones of the story behind the mansion and little tidbits here and there but I definitely wanted more.

I did really enjoy the writing style and all the details about the house itself. The descriptions of the house as it changed over time and the things that happened were suitably creepy and easy to imagine in the mind’s eye.

Overall I did enjoy the story as it was, but I would have loved to have so much more.

Happy reading!

Review | All My Friends are Ghosts by S.M. Vidaurri

November 15, 2021November 15, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Effie is lost and only feels like a ghost – till she discovers an actual ghost school in the nearby woods and begins an unforgettable journey of self-discovery.

Effie is lost, and feels like a ghost. She skips school because she doesn’t think anyone will notice, and doesn’t feel like she belongs, or that school offers her anything that she wants. Simply, she has stopped trying. One day, when she realizes no one will notice, she escapes from her every day life… and discovers a ghost school in the nearby woods. But just as she’s beginning to learn all about the amazing things that ghosts can do – like possession, poltergeist-ing, demon magic and more – Effie is asked by her new friends to help track down a mysterious spirit that’s been spotted. But if Effie’s going to succeed, she’ll not only have to show her friends that she’s got something special,but also learn to believe she’s got it too.

This is a cute middle grade graphic novel about Effie, who is very awkward and a bit of an outcast among her peers. She feels out of place at school so one day she skips and discovers a world that exists within the nearby forest, making friends with an odd group of ghosts and deciding to try out their school. She’s sure she will fit in there, but learns some hard lessons along the way. This is great for younger audiences, especially if they are having a hard time figuring out where they fit in. Effie learns a lot about interacting with others and what friendship really is. It also teaches the lesson that sometimes you have to work to make friends and that it’s give and take and not always easy.

Happy reading!

Cover Reveal | Midnight Rendezvous by Anya Summers

November 12, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Midnight Rendezvous
Anya Summers
(Dungeon Singles Night, #5)
Publication date: December 21st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She is untouchable. Forbidden.

His best friend’s stunning, maddening, and deeply stirring younger sister has always been completely off limits. Asher has been fighting the clawing desire to touch her for years.

But when Emilia unexpectedly appears at his office with danger stalking her, he can’t say no.
She chose to ask him for help. For protection. Asher will shield her with both his body and his badge and suffer in agony as he keeps his hands to himself.

Yearning for her surrender, craving her passion, is wrong. He made a vow to her brother never to touch her, and he is a man of his word. A man of honor.

Emilia made no such promise. She craves Asher’s touch.

Even if the heat they generate incinerates them both.

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks

Author Bio:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

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Blitz | Cambion’s Law by Erin Fulmer

November 11, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Cambion’s Law
Erin Fulmer
(Cambion, #1)
Publication date: November 9th 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Lawyer. Demon. Lily Knight is both—half-human, half-succubus, and utterly dangerous.

Lily protects her secret and the safety of those around her by abstaining from the skin-to-skin contact that would grant her superhuman powers. An ambitious criminal prosecutor, she’s all work and no play, determined to prove herself in the courtroom to atone for the ex-lovers she’s left for dead in her past.

But after a fellow succubus turns up murdered and the police arrest an innocent man, Lily discovers evidence of a supernatural killer stalking the foggy San Francisco streets. And when human justice falls short, she launches an unsanctioned investigation to find the real culprit. To stop the killer, she must embrace the full power of her heritage and risk the soul of the handsome suspect she can’t help but fall for. Can Lily face her true nature without losing her humanity—or will she become the monster she fears most of all?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

I stole a glance at the two humans waiting with me at the coffee kiosk and stifled a groan. If I had my way, I’d make PDAs before six a.m. a first-degree misdemeanor.

Quite a hill to die on, huh? Of course, I’d have to leave the D.A.’s office and run for Congress first, but the pithy single-platform campaign slogans wrote themselves: Elect Lillian Knight and Make Singles Jogging Safe Again. Stop Criminal Canoodling. Think of the children—and have mercy on the celibate-by-choice cambion lurking uncomfortably behind you in the coffee line.

Alas, even a half-demon like me didn’t have that kind of power. And my powers of glaring didn’t stop the middle-aged couple in the cafe’s outdoor waiting area from mooning over each other.

I wrapped my arms around myself and set my jaw. This early on a dreary weekday morning, I should have had the park to myself, free from lovestruck tourists and their sloppy, tantalizing energy. And yet, here stood these two grown adults in their puffy jackets, snuggling together like teenagers and harshing the living hell out of my happy place.

Maybe I didn’t need a caffeine fix before my run. Never mind the biting Pacific gusts blowing off the choppy gray waves of the strait, the thick fog blanketing the rust-orange span of the Golden Gate Bridge, or the gritty haze that clouded my brain after another sleepless night.

I could live with all of that. San Francisco’s fog couldn’t rival the Pennsylvania winters I’d grown up with, even after eight years of acclimation. Insomnia and I had an intimate, long-term relationship. And the cold didn’t get under my demon-tough skin like the two walking heart-eye emojis in front of me.

I licked my lips and slapped my change on the counter. Oblivious to my jonesing, the lovebirds entwined their hands and leaned into each other, a bulwark of two against the chill. I turned away, but their mutual desire thrummed in the air around me like a pair of plucked guitar strings tuned to one another. Its sweetness settled, thick and cloying, at the back of my throat.

Damn my succubus senses. They didn’t help anything, and they never knew when to quit.

The synesthetic song of the human couple’s desiderata—the energy of their deep-seated needs and desires—didn’t hold any secrets simple human perception would have missed. Still, their two-part harmony tugged at me. I’d have given a limb, maybe two, to turn it off at will, but no one was buying. Swallowing hard, I grasped at straws: stocks, sports, anything unsexy and boring. The Giants had done well this season, right?

No good. The desiderata behind me hummed all the louder, a tangible vibration running up my spine like a live wire. I risked another peek over my shoulder and winced. The man had bent toward the woman, the breeze ruffling his salt-and-pepper hair. She tilted her head up, lips parted, face aglow, ready for his kiss.

“Screw this,” I muttered, and broke into a run.

The barista’s call floated after me. “Quad cappuccino for Lily?”

I didn’t stop. Bye bye, six hard-earned dollars I paid for the abandoned drink. Too bad, so sad for my wallet, but it wasn’t worth the cost to my peace of mind and my succubus sobriety.

The rhythm of my sneakers on the hard-packed earth of the upper trail beat out a staccato counterpoint to the hiss of the surf and the blood pounding in my ears. About halfway into the grove of cypress and eucalyptus that lined the trail, I hit my stride. The trees blurred into a gray-green smear on either side of me, and the siren call of human desiderata faded away.

And then I tripped over something heavy and dense that lay across the trail and went sprawling face-first into the dirt.

The wind knocked out of me, I lay still for a few seconds, tonguing my split and swelling lip. It leaked a coppery tang tainted with bitter earth into my mouth. My palms stung where I’d flung them out to catch my fall.

I rolled over and the gray sky wheeled above me in a dizzy lurch. Damn it, had I hit my head? A concussion would make this a real banner week. I could heal faster than humans did, but to recover from a serious injury, I would need more than strong coffee. I would have to break a vow I’d made to myself and take kether—human life force, the fuel my powers depended on, transferred by touch and emotional connection from their bodies to mine.

Author Bio:

Erin Fulmer is a life-long writer, real-life social justice warrior (i.e. legal services lawyer), politics junkie, and general bookworm. She lives in sunny California with her husband and two demanding cat daughters. She is currently at work on the sequel to her forthcoming debut urban fantasy, CAMBION’S LAW (11/9/2021, City Owl Press).

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Blitz | Blood of the Lily by S.D. Huston

November 10, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Blood of the Lily
S.D. Huston
(Clash of Goddesses, #1)
Publication date: November 1st 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

This debut novel from S.D. Huston is a partial fairytale retelling of Snow White & Rose Red mashed up with Irish mythologies!

Triplet sisters, one dead, one kidnapped. A vengeful leprechaun and a scheming goddess. Can Lily save her last sister?

When sixteen-year-old sisters Lily and Rose take it upon themselves to aid a tiny man with a long beard in distress, he curses them into a world of trouble. Lily contends with the grief that lies behind her while trapped in a suffocating silent world of her own design, and she must now face the threat of what might lie ahead.

Whether she believes it or not, leprechauns are real, and in Lugh she has made an unfortunate enemy. Now the race is on to save Rose from the deranged whims of an unscrupulous faery and find out what, or who, is behind this mysterious turn of events. To find the answers, Lily must face the darkness that plagues her: both inside and out. On the grand stage of this world and the Otherworld, an adventure bursts forth so chaotic perhaps even Lily can’t silence it.

Weaving lore, light, and the lush beauty of the Irish language into the wintery landscape of a mystical Ireland around its 3rd century, Blood of the Lily brings to life a world where even the most fantastical places and creatures can be corrupted by the realities of life. This first book in the Clash of Goddesses series transports you into the enchanting and masterfully crafted Otherworld of Éire as one may only see in dreams. Start your journey today!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“That’s a leprechaun!”

Lily raised a skeptical eyebrow at her sister Rose and her wild theory. Then she peered back through the interweaving branches of a blackthorn shrub. A leprechaun? No, just a very small man. But what was he doing in the middle of An Caorthann Coill, the Rowan Woods?

“It’s because of Samhain.” Rose’s voice was barely above a whisper, but excitement laced each word. She bounced on her heels where she crouched among the lower branches of a fern tree. “The veil between worlds must be open.”

A mid-morning sun sifted through the canopy of rowanberry trees, highlighting the small man in the clearing. Probably no more than two or three feet in height, he hopped up and down, back and forth.

What was wrong with him?

The sun did little to dispel the gathering cold, which had strengthened over the last few days. A couple of leaves, still untouched by the season’s cool breeze, tickled Lily’s nose, and she swiped at her face before sneezing.

Samhain, huh.

The celebration to welcome in the harvest and usher in the dark half of the year. Lily smirked. Some believed faeries existed and other nonsense, too. She blew hair out of her eyes.

Once, it had been her favorite time of year, but that was before . . .

She shook her head. She didn’t need the distraction.

“C’mon, Lil, you have to believe.”

In what? The stories their mother often told them about the Otherworld. Lily waved a hand and rolled her eyes. Just stories. That’s all they were, and since they were both sixteen years old, they should have grown past believing in such tales.

She knew from experience.

No good folk had saved Marigold, their other sister who had completed them as triplets. Now there was just the two of them.

Drawing in a breath and closing her eyes, she barely held back a grimace. When she opened them, Rose jutted her head toward the diminutive man, a crease deepening between her eyebrows.

His dark red coat glinted, finely embroidered in more gold than Lily had ever seen in her life. He yanked his head back, showing his beard stuck fast in the tree crevice of a fallen log. He muttered a string of curses as he pulled against the rough bark. His gray beard would have probably dragged on the ground, it was so long.

But what was the small man doing alone in the forest? For that matter, where did he come from? Lily heard of no one so small in any of the surrounding ráths or settlements.

These unanswered questions put her on guard. She didn’t like strange things with no answers. Her hands tensed into balled fists.

Rose continued to vibrate with excitement, the emotion bright in her blue eyes. “Can you communicate with him?”

Really? He’s a man. Not an animal.

“No, probably not,” Rose said. “Even if he’s a leprechaun, he’s still not a land animal.” She shrugged her shoulders without looking at her. “We should help him.”

Author Bio:

S.D. Huston grew up in several places across the United States, but now lives in Florida’s panhandle with her husband, her youngest son who is autistic, four cats, and one special Siberian Husky. Her oldest son is off serving the country in the U.S. Army.

She’s always had a love for the written word, asking for her first typewriter when she was nine years old (yes, a typewriter!). However, her multiple career paths meandered through seven years in the military, then working in administration, before completing her masters in Writing. She spent the next seven years teaching college English and Literature while also running her own business as a Writing Coach, helping students and writers all over the world.

Today she concentrates solely on her writing career and her family: human, furry, and faery!

S.D. Huston loves connecting with fans! Find her on her website (sdhuston.com) or YouTube (https://bit.ly/346WVpf).

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Blog Tour | You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith | Review

November 9, 2021November 9, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

A sweetly charming love story that leaves the reader with a lasting sense of hope.” —Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star

“The perfect novel to snuggle up with.” —Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read

No one ever said love would be easy…but did they mention it would be freezing?

Adam Stillwater is in over his head. At least, that’s what his best friend would say. And his mom. And the guy who runs the hardware store down the street. But this pinball arcade is the only piece of his dad that Adam has left, and he’s determined to protect it from Philadelphia’s newest tech mogul, who wants to turn it into another one of his cold, lifeless gaming cafés.

Whitney Mitchell doesn’t know how she got here. Her parents split up. Her boyfriend dumped her. Her friends seem to have changed overnight. And now she’s spending her senior year running social media for her dad’s chain of super successful gaming cafés—which mostly consists of trading insults with that decrepit old pinball arcade across town.

But when a huge snowstorm hits, Adam and Whitney suddenly find themselves trapped inside the arcade. Cut off from their families, their worlds, and their responsibilities, the tension between them seems to melt away, leaving something else in its place. But what happens when the storm stops?

I won’t lie, since Eric’s previous book Don’t Read the Comments was my favorite book of last year I’ve wanted to get my hands on pretty much anything he has a hand in writing. His writing style and the depth of his storytelling is something I really enjoy. There are no flat characters, everyone has a distinct personality to them. Adam and Whitney do have a couple well known tropes thrown at them (enemies to lovers and forced proximity) but it’s not done in a predictable way. They each have their own issues they need to deal with whether it be with family, grief or other complex issues – then they have their own relationship to work through.

In fact, this book has a huge emphasis on family, whether it be Adam still working through his grief for his father, or Whitney striving for any kind of attention from her father. Just like in Don’t Read the Comments, there are strong conversations on different family dynamics and roles.

At this point I will likely reach for anything Eric writes as I’ve loved everything so far. His writing and characters especially make the stories come to life and make you genuinely care about the outcome.

ERIC SMITH is an author and literary agent from Elizabeth, New Jersey. When he isn’t working on other people’s books, sometimes he tries to write his own. He enjoys pop punk, video games, and crying during every movie. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and best friend, Nena, and their son, Langston. WWW.ERICSMITHROCKS.COM

Social Links | Author website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Happy reading!

November | TBR and Reading Plans

November 7, 2021November 7, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Hey everyone! How is it already a week into November. Nanowrimo is in full swing, so there’s that. I’m already behind there but I have been writing every day, so there’s that. When it came to picking this month’s cards I was very much trying to go easy on myself, not just because of Nano but also because I would really like to make some progress on catching up on a number of things this month. Let’s get to the picks!

Two of Hearts – Fantasy
Five of Diamonds – YA
Jack of Spades – Under 300 pages
Two of Diamonds – Middle Grade
Three of Diamonds – Random Letter/Title (I)
Eight of Hearts – Random Letter/Author (T)

So like I said I went into this wanting to be kind to myself, so I took that theme seriously. For a fantasy I chose the seventh volume of the Buffy reboot comics. To be fair I’m kind of hate reading these right now, I want to give them a chance of course, but to me Buffy canon is the ultimate. I’m sure newcomers to the series would enjoy these new comics, but for me I keep hoping they redeem themselves.

For YA and under 300 pages I went with the next two volumes of Kamisama Kiss (19 and 20). Yes part of this was to go easy on myself, but this is also one of the series I want to finish this year and I’m so close (there are 25 volumes total) so I need to get through them.

For middle grade I chose the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series. It’s been a while since I read the first one and I definitely want to continue on with this series, so this was a good opportunity to do so.

I had a hard time finding a book that I wanted to read that started with an I, so this was an adventure. I finally settled on If Walls Could Talk, a cozy mystery I barely started a while ago when it was gifted to me. It ended up getting put down for no reason, so I’m glad to be getting to it.

I then got the shock of another random letter selection, this time for author name. Thankfully this can be either first or last name, so I selected Odsburg by Matt Tompkins.

So those are the picks for November! I know I’ll be able to get through the manga and graphic novel pretty quickly, but we’ll see what happens with the rest as well as the catching up I need to do! What is on everyone else’s TBRs?

Happy reading!