Book Review: Eight Perfect Hours

December 20, 2022 | piperreads

If you’re looking for a cute, fluffy, and heartwarming book to dive into while curling up on the sofa, this book is for you! The book follows Nicole Butterby and Sam Attwood who find themselves in the same place at the same time after being stuck in a snowstorm on the highway. The more and more they bump into each other, the more they’re starting to realize that fate has other plans for them and while they don’t know where it’s going to take them, they’re more than willing to give it a try.

While I did enjoy the plot and how it developed, I did feel like the characters were a little under developed and some of the things they did annoyed me. Both Nicole and Sam are very flawed and complicated characters but the romance between the two wasn’t as real or believable so it was hard for me to completely invest into their romantic relationship. But, I did enjoy the story itself as was heartwarming and real with two people who are trying find out what life has in store for them so check it out if you want!

Kiss Her Once For Me

December 3, 2022 | piperreads

It’s not always something I love when it comes to one night stands that lead to misunderstandings but that is exactly what happened with this book. It follows Ellie Oliver who is at her wits end after losing her job a few weeks after having a one night stand with a mysterious woman named Jack at a Christmas party at the local book store. Everything was perfect until the next morning that left Ellie feeling hurt and rejected. That all changes or so she thinks when Ellie, finds herself a new job where she meets Andrew who is dealing with his own problems. The two strike a deal with Ellie pretending to be his girlfriend for the holidays in order to secure his inheritance and Ellie thinks this will get her back on easy street except for when they arrive at his parents house and she finds herself face to face with Jack.

The dynamics between the characters especially Ellie, Jack and Andrew were fleshed out and felt real. The author does a good job with balancing the comedy and drama throughout the book and sometimes that can be tricky to do especially with how it’s written. The beginning of the book shows how Ellie’s mother walks all over her and she can’t say no to her giving her the last dollar she has and while I found that frustrating, I do wish the author would’ve spent more time with adding more to the relationship. I found myself connecting to both Jack and Ellie and I was glad to see Ellie’s growth from beginning to the end to see her taking more chances with her own personal happiness and learning to put herself first. It’s a cliche message but it’s always a good reminder to take care of yourself in every possible way.

Things that Should STay Buried

December 24, 2021 | piperreads

“As above, so below. Trouble a star, watch it explode. The harbinger soars, the earth is bowed. There is chaos in the heavens, there is chaos in the soil.”

Clawing their way from their long-forgotten tomb, the Zodia are emerging ravenous to claim everyone born under the star signs. They are plotting to resurrect kingdoms no human knew existed, they are driven by a hunger for vengeance against the one who buried them: Aries. Larken is a natural born sprinter, but even she can’t outrun the darkness closing in. As time passes, they find themselves in a shelter in place order where some are following it and others acting like nothing is happening. Left with no other option, Larken”s brother calls for Aries in order to save his sister’s life.

I had actually planned to read this book a few months back but didn’t get to it before the end of the month. I’m glad that I decided to pick up for this month cause I really enjoyed it. I love anything astrology so I was super into the premise of the book and found it engaging until the end. I found the concept truly unique and interesting and while I did find it a little slow, it did pick up so I was happy about that because there’s nothing worse than a cool and interesting concept and the rest of the book is a dud. Another thing that made me love the book were the characters especially Larken as she very relatable throughout the entire book and I loved seeing the character development. This book was truly enjoyable so if you’re into fantasy and astrology, I highly recommend this book.

Cytonic

December 17, 2021 | piperreads

“I’m not exactly a “there are nuances to this situation” type of girl. I’m more of an “if it’s still moving, you didn’t use enough ammunition” type of girl.”

Cytonic continues with the adventurous and brave, Spensa who has proved herself as one of the best star fighter pilots for the Defiant Defense Force in the human enclave of Detritus and she saved her people from death at the hand of the Krell, a mysterious alien species that has been holding them hostage for decades. Not only that, she has traveled light years as an undercover spy to infiltrate the superiority, where she learned of the galaxy beyond her small, desolate planet home.

But, now the superiority, the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating human life has started a galaxy wide war. And Spensa knows the weapons that they plan to use: The Delvers which are an ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. But there is one thing that could saved them and it is Spensa herself, as she is cytonic and has faced and defeated a delver. She knows it’s not going to be easy but she is willing to do whatever is needed to keep her people from harm even if she risks losing her own life.

This was a truly enjoying book and I am looking forward to more even though it’s gonna be a long wai One of the best aspects of the book was the setting and character development as it was really well written as he really knows how to reel you in and make you beg for more. I have really enjoyed seeing the character development of Spensa because I think she’s a really great protagonist with relatable flaws and traits.This is a perfect set up for Defiant as it’s really the lull before the storm and while it had it’s downsides being slow paced at times, I think it does a good job of setting up what will happen. Go check it out if you haven’t!

Nutcracked

December 13, 2021 | piperreads

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!

December TBR

December 5, 2021 | piperreads

Wow, I can’t believe the year is already up! This year has flown by so quick and I am ready for it to be done. I am excited for the books that I’ll be reading this month and I can’t wait to share them with you.