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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2496 KP) rated Christmas Cocoa Murder in Books
Sep 26, 2019
Snuggle Up for this Christmas Novella Collection
Kensington has released another Christmas novella collection, this time featuring three authors that haven’t been featured before. All three stories feature hot cocoa is some capacity. Up first is “Christmas Cocoa Murder” by Carlene O’Connor, which takes place in an Irish village leading up to Christmas. Her series main character, Siobhan O’Sullivan, is just a couple of weeks away from joining the police force, but she gets pulled in early when the village’s Santa’s stunt at the annual panto goes horribly wrong and he’s found floating in a dunk tank filled with hot cocoa. Next, we get “Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse” by Maddie Day. Robbie Jordan, the star of the Country Store Mysteries, is looking forward to a quiet Christmas, but first she must figure out what happened to Jed Greenburg who was found dead while out walking a dog and drinking some of Robbie’s special hot chocolate mix. Finally, comes “Death by Hot Cocoa” by Alex Erickson. Krissy Hancock, his main character, has been talked into doing a Christmas themed escape room, but when she and the rest of the participants finish the first part, they find themselves locked in a second room with the body of their host next to a puddle of hot chocolate.
All three of these stories are fun. The only series I read regularly is Maddie Day’s, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying all of them. The plots are all wonderfully constructed and perfect for the shorter novella format. I did feel a little lost with some of the series regular characters in the first story, but that’s to be expected since I haven’t read the series before. However, it didn’t hamper my overall enjoyment at all. The main characters all come to life in the stories, and the suspects are just as vivid. Each story is filled with Christmas detail that will put you in the holiday spirit no matter what time of year you read them. A couple of the stories even feature some recipes, including two different versions of hot chocolate. So, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate (or maybe not given the theme of this book) and snuggle up and enjoy.
All three of these stories are fun. The only series I read regularly is Maddie Day’s, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying all of them. The plots are all wonderfully constructed and perfect for the shorter novella format. I did feel a little lost with some of the series regular characters in the first story, but that’s to be expected since I haven’t read the series before. However, it didn’t hamper my overall enjoyment at all. The main characters all come to life in the stories, and the suspects are just as vivid. Each story is filled with Christmas detail that will put you in the holiday spirit no matter what time of year you read them. A couple of the stories even feature some recipes, including two different versions of hot chocolate. So, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate (or maybe not given the theme of this book) and snuggle up and enjoy.
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Author’s Note: This is a novella supplement to the All the King’s Men series. It is highly...
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I'll Be Seeing You: An emotionally gripping and thoroughly engrossing WW2 historical novel
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Sheffield,1939: In the heart of the industrial north, amidst the looming shadows of war, Frances, an...
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A three man team of soldiers is sent behind enemy lines to find and retrieve an elite corporate son, who should have been protected by his 'Ironclad' armour. It's fast moving (it's a novella, so the action has to come hard and fast), and jam packed with science fiction goodies.
The Conglomerates, originating in the USA, are 'annexing' other countries and eliminating socialism or anything that isn't capitalism. They are currently fighting against the Nord forces (Scandinavia) and not having an easy time of it - largely because of the Finns and their penchant for some serious biological tweaking.
I have to admit that I wasn't completely sure whether I'd enjoy this. It is essentially a war story. How wrong could I be though?The main character, Ted Regan, narrates the story, and we see everything from his perspective. They're all great, well written characters (except for the British one - why are they always the unlikeable ones?).
There isn't as much detail as there would be in a full length novel, but that's the nature of a novella, and to be honest I'm a fan of filling in the information yourself.
This has 'Movie Deal' written all over it, and I know plenty of people who would love to watch it! I'm going to have to get cracking on my other Tchaikovsky books on my bookshelf now that I've had a taste!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book to read!
The Conglomerates, originating in the USA, are 'annexing' other countries and eliminating socialism or anything that isn't capitalism. They are currently fighting against the Nord forces (Scandinavia) and not having an easy time of it - largely because of the Finns and their penchant for some serious biological tweaking.
I have to admit that I wasn't completely sure whether I'd enjoy this. It is essentially a war story. How wrong could I be though?The main character, Ted Regan, narrates the story, and we see everything from his perspective. They're all great, well written characters (except for the British one - why are they always the unlikeable ones?).
There isn't as much detail as there would be in a full length novel, but that's the nature of a novella, and to be honest I'm a fan of filling in the information yourself.
This has 'Movie Deal' written all over it, and I know plenty of people who would love to watch it! I'm going to have to get cracking on my other Tchaikovsky books on my bookshelf now that I've had a taste!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book to read!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Christmas Prayer in Books
Feb 27, 2019
It's Fall. It's time for all things Fall-y, Halloween-y and best of all? Christmas-y! So, when I saw that Ms. Brunstetter was releasing The Christmas Prayer, I jumped on the chance! I love a good novella that's filled with snow, history and best of all? Wanda Brunstetter's addictive characters. This book had it all and so much more, for such a small, quick read.
Sitting down to read this, we are taken to history, during the 1850's, and introduced to some amazing, fun loving characters. Each character has something different for the story, each of their journeys for a different reason, but with God, prayer and unforgettable messages, these characters make being snowed in, a fun treat!
Ms. Brunstetter is the type of author who can write 5 star books across the genre grid. From Amish fiction to historical romance, she can bring the reader to the heart of the story instantly, and keep them their til the very last page is turned. Once you're finished, you want more. She's that good. Ms. Brunstetter is my top author when it comes to historical and Amish romances. If you are looking for a 5 star, winter-y read to set the mood for Christmas this year, look no further than this amazing, soul moving novella! Well done, Ms. Brunstetter! Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Sitting down to read this, we are taken to history, during the 1850's, and introduced to some amazing, fun loving characters. Each character has something different for the story, each of their journeys for a different reason, but with God, prayer and unforgettable messages, these characters make being snowed in, a fun treat!
Ms. Brunstetter is the type of author who can write 5 star books across the genre grid. From Amish fiction to historical romance, she can bring the reader to the heart of the story instantly, and keep them their til the very last page is turned. Once you're finished, you want more. She's that good. Ms. Brunstetter is my top author when it comes to historical and Amish romances. If you are looking for a 5 star, winter-y read to set the mood for Christmas this year, look no further than this amazing, soul moving novella! Well done, Ms. Brunstetter! Well done!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Demon Next Door in Books
Apr 19, 2019
Informative but no depth
When audible originals offered this book up as part of their two free originals a month program, I just had to snag it. One of the weird quirks I have is that I hate mysteries, but I LOVE true crime. This 2 hour and 45-minute novella was right up my alley. When I was looking for something short to listen to, I decided that this something different than the romance books that I'm currently reading.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
Merissa (13816 KP) rated Hexed (Paranormal Tales from Firefly Island) in Books
Nov 2, 2018
Hexed (Paranormal Tales from Firefly Island) by Alyssa Drake
Hexed is the first novella in the Paranormal Tales from Firefly Island series, and it tells the story of Remy - an undeveloped Witch who just wants to be normal. And by normal, she means being able to do spells like the rest of her family and friends. She doesn't have a very good time of it, and leaves home for pastures new when she is eighteen. However, that doesn't go quite according to plan either, so she ends up returning to Firefly Island to spend some time with her sister. One of the first people she bumps into is Sebastian, and things move quickly onward from there.
This is a fast-paced novella, with some steamy scenes in it. You will learn more about Remy's past, and the reason things were done in the way they were. Remy and Sebastian have their HFN ending, but it does leave it wide open for at least three more stories!
All in all, this was a very enjoyable, quick read, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading. A nice introduction to Firefly Island, and I look forward to getting better acquainted in future books. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a fast-paced novella, with some steamy scenes in it. You will learn more about Remy's past, and the reason things were done in the way they were. Remy and Sebastian have their HFN ending, but it does leave it wide open for at least three more stories!
All in all, this was a very enjoyable, quick read, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading. A nice introduction to Firefly Island, and I look forward to getting better acquainted in future books. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!