Contemporary

Nutcracked

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If there are two things that Georgie loves, it’s Christmastime and Ballet and this year is even more amazing as she is finally playing the part she was born to play in The Nutcracker as Clara. Her life long dream has come true as every time she dances with The Nutcracker, she enters a magical world where everything around her is larger than life. It’s so magical and amazing that Georgie can’t wait to return but what happens when the magic starts seeping into the real world and threatens to destroy Christmas for Georgie and her friends.

This was a cute book for the holiday season, I usually try and read books dedicated to the holiday as it’s always fun. Obviously, this is a middle grade book and I did like the characters, I found Georgie fun and adorable and enjoyed her relationship with her friends and The Nutcracker. The problem that I had with the book is that it started too slow and ended too fast. I felt like things were super slow and then all of a sudden everything got solved in such a short time that I actually had to reread the last few chapters to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I felt like it could’ve been fleshed out a little more with a few developments because that’s my big pet peeve with books. I’m not a fan of rushing things as it makes me feel like there I’m missing something but if you’re looking for a fun, cute, and quick read and you love retellings, then this is just for you!

No Exit by Taylor Adams

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“Don’t fear the pros. The pros know what they’re doing, and do it cleanly. Fear the amateurs.”

On her way home, Darby Thorne gets stuck in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of her mother’s home in Colorado. With the roads impassible, Darby has no choice but to wait it out at a rest stop where inside are four strangers, vending machines, and a coffee maker. Desperate to get home, she heads back to her car where she makes a horrifying discovery, a young girl is locked in an animal cage in the van next to her car. There are more questions than answers as she finds no cell phone reception to call for help, one of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper, and not only find a way to save herself but the little girl before it’s too late.

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time! From beginning to end, I was hooked and turning the page in anticipation. I’ve been getting into thrillers more and more in the last year or so and it can be hard sometimes to find a great thriller as some can be cliche and predictable. But, this is not one of those books and I was glad that I decided to read it. From the writing, characters, plot development etc., I really enjoyed how they all fleshed together for a really good thriller with smartly creative plot twists that weren’t predictable and they also made sense. This will have you on the edge of your seat begging for more so if you’re in the mood for a good thriller, I would highly recommend this!

Middle Grade Halloween Round Up

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Here is the next middle grade round up!

Having survived sinister scarecrows and malevolent smiling man in small spaces, newly minted best friends, Ollie, Brian, & Coco are looking forward to a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Ski Resort. But when a snowstorm hits the resort and strange things begin to happen, the three best friends soon find themselves thrust into a terrifying new adventure. The three along with Mr. Voland, a ghost hunter who arrived at the resort to investigate the haunting. The four of them must reach out to the dead voices and discover that not all dead voices can or should be trusted.

If Katherine Arden wrote a phone book, I would buy it. Her writing is truly magnificent and feels so real. What I love about this particular series is that it’s season themed. Small Spaces had autumn vibes where this book has winter vibes and she does a fantastic job adding that touch to it. You can feel the wintery vibe and I loved every minute of it. I love seeing Ollie and her friends on a new journey and I’ll be reading the third installment for this coming month. A truly great and fun series!!!

Tessa Woodward isn’t thrilled about moving to her new home in Chicago. She already knows she’s not going to like the rainy days and gloomy skies especially compared to her home in Florida. But soon a longing for home turns into fear and anxiety as mysterious events start happening in the house. Tessa’s not sure what is going on but when her brother’s doll starts crying real tears, she’s determined to find out what is really going on. With the help of her new friends, Tessa begins to uncover that not only is something or someone trying to speak to her but what it has to do with her.

What a spooky, creepy, and entertaining read! This is the second book that I’ve read by Currie and I really enjoy her writing as it really sets up the atmosphere and makes you hooked from the beginning.I really enjoyed Tessa as I thought she was a likable character and I loved the relationship she had with her parents and brother. It was very heartwarming and you could tell how much they love each other. This book was a lot of spooky fun that all ages will love!

The Ex Hex

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“I like how my job is the only one with any real threat of danger,” Gwyn said, but off Vivi’s look, she lifted her hands in defeat. “Okay, okay, Operation Soothe the Muggles, I’m on it.”

Nine years ago, Vivi Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would do. Bubble baths, crying, vodka, weepy music, and a curse on the terrible boyfriend and while Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way but with only an orchard hayride scented candle on hand, she isn’t too worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day. That is until Rhys Pennhallow, descendant of the town’s ancestors breaker of hearts, and just annoyingly gorgeous as he was always was returns to Groves Glen, Georgia. But when strange things begin happening whenever Rhys is around, Vivi realizes that her ex-hex may not have been so harmless at all.

This book was so much fun!!! I absolutely loved every minute of it. I had originally picked this for a readathon I’m in and wasn’t going to read until closer to the end of the month but changed my mind when another friend started reading it. It really reminds me of Bewitched and I think that’s part of the reason why I loved it so much. Bewitched was one of my favorite shows when I was little. But, Rhys and Vivi were my favorite part of the book. I really enjoyed the dynamics within their relationship and growth throughout the book. The aftermath of the break up was handled well with exploring the different emotions that both Rhys and Vivi were experiencing especially with being reunited with each other after nine years. Vivi and Rhys were very fun and interesting characters and I like how different yet similar they were.

Overall, this was a super fun and entertaining read with a strong plot and interesting characters so check it out!

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

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Deja, I don’t want October to be over. Because October means you.”


This was a pretty fun and easy read. I’ve read a few of Rowell’s books and enjoyed them so I decided to check read this for my TBR. The story follows, Deja and Joshia who are seasonable best friends as every autumn throughout high school, they work together at the same pumpkin patch. But this time, it will be different as this is their last year working together before they graduate high school and go their separate ways. The two had different ideas for how their last shift should end but both believe that it should end with an adventure.

The characters especially Deja were fun, interesting, and relatable and I loved the relationship between Deja and Joshia as it felt real. The plot was cute and the ending was super cute and I liked how things developed throughout the story. I found the romance pretty cute and believable and I’m glad that it wasn’t rushed. Super cute and fun story so if you’re looking for a short and easy read, this is for you!

Reality Check

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The word crazy had never meant more to me than any other word in the English language. It wasn’t a curse, and it wasn’t derogatory in my mind. That was before my diagnosis. Now, the word felt dirty, cruel, and everything I was trying my hardest not to be.

In ten seconds Priya watched her lover, Dimitri get fatally wounded yet while she watched his life slip through her fingers. Except there’s only one thing: Dimitri never existed and was created by Priya in her mind as she has been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. While Priya is still mourning her loss and coming to terms with her diagnosis, her clinical team decides that she needs to learn how to be a normal teenage to find her footing in reality. They give her a checklist and with the help of her best friend Eli, she is able to discover that being a teenager can be fun and exciting. But as she finds success with checking things off the list, she also struggles with her own mind and being able to live life to the fullest with the good and bad. Will Priya be able to stay grounded in the real world or will she fall back into the one inside her mind?

This book really is a reality check and I was very impressed and glad to see Schizophrenia in YA book handled the way it was. I was a little nervous especially since I think Schizophrenia is misunderstood as a mental illness and sadly not done the way it should be. I found myself learning more about the disorder and that was something that I appreciated the author for including in the book. I think it’s important to provide readers with accurate information about mental disorders as it can help lessen the stigma and create a bigger conversation. But, it was interesting to see it in a YA book and while there is heavy subject matter in the book in addition to mental illness, there are also heartwarming, emotional, and light-hearted moments that help drive the plot. Priya is a very real and relatable character and you find yourself rooting for her to find a peace of mind while coming to terms with her diagnosis. She’s witty, funny, strong, and is passionate about what she wants to do with her life and not be defined by her diagnosis. Singh did a fantastic job as it showed that the things discussed in the book were detailed and thought out to be portrayed in a way that felt raw and very real. I highly recommend this book!

Fade Into White

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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

On the outside, Thea Fenton’s looks perfect but looks can be deceiving as her life is falling apart and she’s struggling to pick up the pieces. The young girl is wracked with anxiety that no one around her seems to care about or understand so she resorts to self-harm to deflect the pain inside. But, when a local teen commits suicide, Thea’s world completely unravels as her anxiety skyrocket’s and things beginning happening that she can’t explain leaving her trapped in her own chaotic mind. The lines between reality and another world are starting to blur leaving Thea to feel like the world is caving in on her. That is until she meets Khi, a mysterious new boy from a coffee shop that seems to know Thea better than anyone does even herself. She finds herself drawn to him and is able to tell him how she really feels and he listens and tries to help her sort through her own thoughts to make sense of them.

Well this is probably one of the best novels about Mental Health in particular anxiety that is very accurate which made me super happy as it’s hard to find good rep with mental health. Sometimes, I feel like the authors don’t do the research or portray it correctly and it’s more romanticized than it needs to be. As someone who was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I found Thea extremely relatable and felt for her as she developed throughout the book with character growth. I felt like the author did a very good job at portraying anxiety and how it differs from feeling anxious and how that anxiety can be so exhausting and draining that you don’t even know how to explain it. It was truly well written and I loved the end result of where Thea ended up on her journey with finally coming to accept who she is. She never thought she would get there and she does and I think it was really well done and I enjoyed the book from beginning to end.

His and Hers

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“Tell a person they’re wrong, and they’ll cover their ears. Tell a person they’re right, and they’ll listen to you all day long.”

This is the story that is told from three pov’s: His, Hers, and Truth. When a young woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, everyone is on high alert. The case begins to unfold as Jack London, a detective covering the case is suspicious of Anna Andrews, a newsreader who is reluctantly covering the case. But before Jack can make any movements, he becomes a suspect is his own murder investigation. Danger lurks in the shadows as someone isn’t telling the truth and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

What a fascinating murder mystery as I found myself deeply immersed into the characters, the plot, and how the story was told. This the first book by Feeney that I’ve read and I will reading more of her books as this was truly enjoyable and a true thriller. Anna, works as a BBC Commentator and Jack is a chief police officer who find themselves tangled in web of lies, seduction and murder. Anna tells her story while Jack tells his and we also get a POV from the killer! The way the POV’s are told really makes you turn the page in anticipation to find what out what will happen next and I really enjoyed how Feeney wrote the POV’s and the way she set up the atmosphere, it really felt like I was there. There are just some books that reel you in and you can’t set it down because you want more and yo don’t want to wait to find out. Well, that’s how I felt with this book as it really felt like a thriller and didn’t have silly plot points but the development of the characters, the plot, and eventually the ending made this story truly satisfying and enjoyable. I highly recommend it especially if you’re into thrillers and mysteries!

Five Feet Apart

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“How long will I live my life afraid of what-ifs?”

Stella Grant loves to be in control except when it comes to her health, she has no control over her lungs that keep her in and out of hospitals for the majority of her life. The only thing Stella needs is to stay away from anything and anyone who may jeopardize her chance to get a lung transplant so she can be free do what she wants. That means staying six feet apart at all costs, no exceptions. Will Newman is exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. The only thing Will is concerned about is getting out of the hospital, he could care less about treatments, transplants, and anything medical related. Once, he turns eighteen he’ll be able to get out and experience the world and start a life of his own. They are exactly what the other needs to stay away from, if they get close to each other they could run the risk of death. But, six feet away doesn’t feel like safety but more like punishment.

I’m a sucker for love stories but this is one love story that I wish I didn’t read. There’s a lot to unpack here so let’s get started. First, let’s talk about the characters which Stella and Will who were one dimensional and stereotyped. Stella is a type A personality who has to be in control of everything and Will is the rebel and the two completely disregard their illness and risk everything over one chance meeting. They were so focused on getting better and staying healthy so they wouldn’t run the risk of something happening.Which is problematic in itself and doesn’t send a very good message to readers in particular those who are living with a life threatening illness. It’s also a dangerous message to send to readers that if you’re not able bodied then you can’t live the life that you want and that is utterly wrong. It’s a message that is portrayed over and over and I wish writers would stop doing it.

Please quit killing off POC/LGBTQ leads just for the sake of the story. It’s so overdone, this book was hot mess in my opinion. There was a lot of aspects that could’ve been handled in a much better way and maybe I would’ve liked it more.