Sunday, July 25, 2021

Missing at Christmas by K.D. Richards

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Earlier this year I read Pursuit of the Truth by K. D. Richards and was happy to learn there would be more books this year in the West Investigations series. This series is apart of Harlequin Intrigue. What separates Harlequin Intrigue from Harlequin Suspense is that the stories from Intrigue are high action thrillers with some romance while Suspense are romances with a thriller element but the romance is at the forefront. I give that explanation to set the expectation that this story is more thriller than romance. I received an arc from  K.D. Richards in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start with the cover. It's not a good one. I need Harlequin to get it together and stop recycling the same imagery over and over and over again for their suspense stories. I've seen both these pictures on other books and laid out much better. Plus neither match the description of the characters. Get it together, Harlequin! Let's getting new more appealing covers out there.

This is set during Christmas time but it's okay if you don't like the holidays. There's no holiday celebrations in this story. No mentions of jolly old St. Nick or Christmas caroling. Just some mentions of cold weather and stray tinsel.

Addy Williams is searching for her little sister, Cassie who was interning in a small town during her gap year for a major tech company. As in real life the police don't care about a missing Black woman and try to convince Addy that her sister just ran out. Addy knows her little sister though and knows she wouldn't run off without telling her. So she decides to take matters into her own hands and track her down. While she is walking around town questioning locals she is attacked by a stranger.

Shawn West is a PI in town investigating a major software company for manufacturing counterfeit chips when he witnesses a stranger being attacked. He discovers that stranger is Addy, the woman he had a one night stand with at his brother's wedding several months earlier. While he is quick to offer her help he discovers her missing sister may have a connection to the case he's investigating.

The romance is warm so the sex scene in off page. But Addy and Shawn still have chemistry that's present in their heart to heart moments. They also work well as a team. Addy can hold her own! She's no damsel in need of rescue. She has a gun and knows how to use it. She also saves their asses more than once which Shawn acknowledges. He has genuine admiration for Addy and believes her even though no one else does.

One of the common themes in this story is working through grief as Addy and her sister have experienced loss of several important family members in their lives. After the loss of their dad both are still working through how to move forward. 

Ryan from Pursuit of the Truth does make an appearance in this though his storyline is unconnected so reading that story first or not won't have an effect on your enjoyment of this one. Also he was a little overbearing here with his constant reminds to Shawn about getting distracted.

If you want a fast-paced and easy to read thriller this is a good one to pick up. Both main characters are strong, there's no overly graphic violence, it's under 300 pages, and it's affordable. If you like procedural show it reads like one. 

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The Good Luck Girls was a book that pulled me in from the prologue and a very enjoyable 2019 read so I was glad to see the series continue in the sequel. Not a huge fan of the switch to illustrated covers with the sequel. It really doesn't match the tone of this series which is quite heavy.  Diving back into this unique world we got to know some of the groups a little better which painted a more vivid and complete image in my mind. I received an arc from Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.

In the sequel to The Good Luck Girls Aster has been living with The Lady Ghosts for over a year helping them free Good Luck Girls from Welcome Houses. But their methods are too slow and not effective enough for Aster who wants a much faster resolution. Unfortunately an illegal risk just isn't one the women are willing to take. After hearing about a new Welcome House opening up that will be starting the girl's lucky nights at age 13, Aster makes a rash decision to burn it to the ground which ignites a reckoning of sorts. 

Aster, Clementine, Zee, Tansy, Mallow and some new allies team up to try and force the hand of the landmasters by kidnapping them and destroying their businesses. The plan is to force change without turning into the types of people they're fighting.

Just as I was sucked in the the first book early this one also drew me in. When the reveal came about the Welcome House in Northrock lowering the lucky night age to 13 I gasped right along with Aster. While this book plays it safe in the language it uses to describe certain events you still feel the impact of what's happened. 

This book is the same length as the previous book though it felt longer. There were some points in the middle that felt very repetitive. And while Aster was just as much of the lead as she was in the last book there was a much larger cast of steady characters. So sometimes it felt as if characters were barely featured. Especially with all the goings and comings as they moved within the different groups and made journeys across the country. And Aster's rash decision making despite having adequate time to form a plan always resulted in worse conditions for everyone else. Yet that didn't stop her from again jumping into things without considering the consequences. 

As with the previous book there are allegories and allusions to slavery and they were further expanded upon here. There's one point in the story where Eli is lamenting on the scorpions attitude towards the Good Luck Girls calling them traitors. He explains it's easier for the men to believe the girls had it better off than them than admit they couldn't protect them from the landmasters. That parallels Black men being unable to protect Black women from slavery. There's also another passage that talks about about a massive revolution and how the government started recruiting dustbloods to the military to prevent further revolts. 

I really like the relationship with Aster and Eli and was actually shipping them together. So it was shocking when Aster ended up with another character. One because I didn't feel that chemistry between her and that character due to how they frequently popped in and out. And two because much of the book Aster was getting over her fear of seeing men in a good light. She was still battling ptsd from her time at the Welcome House so just a man's presence could rattle her. 

The ending also felt a little abrupt to me but despite the issues with the pacing this was still a very well done sequel.

Monday, July 19, 2021

Christmas in July:Upcoming Releases You Need to Pre-Order or Library Request

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Everyone knows I love Christmas and that I'm always on the hunt for Christmas themed books by Black authors. And while ebooks are great and backlist and indie are a blessing I have followers who want books they go into the bookstore or library and grab. I saw some new titles this year which is exciting.

Just as much as I want you to buy books I also want those of you who are in the US to support your local library by putting in requests. People don't realize it but a library request can turn into a purchase which in turn is a sale for the author. And it's also good for your community because an accessible place where anyone can go and get free books it's always a win. Even if you want to buy a physical copy for your shelves request the ebook or audiobook.

And if you plan on buying through Amazon please support my blog by using my affiliate links. Also I've made an Amazon idea with all my Christmas book picks . There's even backlist books on there too. So you can use it to shop for yourself or pass it along to friends. That's accessible here.


No Ordinary Christmas (Black Romance)

Mistletoe, Maine, is buzzing and not just because Christmas is around the corner! Dante West, local cutie-turned-Hollywood hunk, is returning home to make his next movie. Everyone in town is excited . . . except librarian Lucy Marshall. When Dante took off for LA without warning—or even a goodbye—he broke Lucy’s heart. She swore not to spend one more minute thinking about her ex, but Dante makes an offer Lucy’s struggling library can’t refuse: a major donation to film on-site.




Christmas in Rose Bend (Interracial Romance)

Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother’s deathbed confession: Nessa’s dad wasn’t really her dad. Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids. But then she meets the innkeeper’s ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison.

Wolf’s big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. Nessa has too much weighing on her to feel like she fits—even though the heat between her and Wolf is undeniable. And the merriment bringing an overdue smile to Ivy’s face is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?




Missing at Christmas (Black Romance)

Private investigator Shawn West is stunned when the attack victim he rescues is Addy Williams—the one woman he never forgot. She’s turning a quiet upstate New York town inside out to bring her missing sister home by Christmas. Shawn offers to help if she'll provide a cover for his own investigation into a suspicious company in town, but can they work together to find Addy's sister…or are they already too late?




A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo (Black Romance)

Rodeo superstar Geoff Burris is adored by legions of female fans, but life on the road makes him shun commitment. During a rare hometown visit to Bronco for a holiday competition, he’s sidelined by an injury—and meets Stephanie Brandt. She’s a local nurse who is not dazzled by his fame—and prefers to keep out of the spotlight! Geoff is captivated by the no-nonsense introvert. He’d never planned to put down roots, but when Stephanie is in his arms, all this cowboy can think about is forever…




Christmas Data Breach (Black Romance)

Security specialist Gideon Wright knows Mya Rochon’s cancer research is groundbreaking. But when an arsonist destroys his ex-wife’s lab and puts her at risk, he discovers it’s dangerous, too. With Gideon’s protection, Mya’s determined to finish her project—no matter the risk to her life…or Gideon's heart. But will their rekindled partnership face its most deadly adversary yet?




Claiming His Christmas Inheritance (Black Romance)

In her last matchmaking attempt, Zed Evans’s late aunt stipulated he must find a wife—or lose his childhood home. Fortunately, the resolute bachelor needs to be married for only three months. Now he just has to convince Tasha Jenkins to be his holiday wife in exchange for funds to get her dream business started. It’s the perfect plan…until love makes an unexpected appearance.


   


And don't forget the kids!

Santa in the City (Picture Book)

It's two weeks before Christmas, and Deja is worried that Santa might not be able to visit her--after all, as a city kid, she doesn't have a chimney for him to come down and none of the parking spots on her block could fit a sleigh, let alone eight reindeer! But with a little help from her family, community, and Santa himself, Deja discovers that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in her city.


Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Interview with Author Shakirah Bourne


Welcome Back, Booklovers! I read Josephine Against the Sea in the month of June and knew immediately while reading that I needed to get Shakirah Bourne on here for an interview. This Bajan author is making her mark both in and outside of the Caribbean. If she's not already on your watch list, she needs to be!


What was the inspiration behind Josephine Against the Sea?

I grew up hearing stories about Anansi the spider, Bajan folklore characters like the Heartman and Ossie Moore, but apart from a few Anansi tales, I rarely read books with Caribbean folklore. Instead, I consumed Greek mythology–I am a Medusa stan–and was drawn to mythology around life underwater.

When I decided to write a book for the CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Literature competition, the first idea that came to mind was a story I read in English class about a fisherman who became obsessed with a mermaid. It stuck with me all these years because it’s the first time I’d read about a Caribbean mermaid.

In the story, though the villagers warned the fisherman to stay away, he’d visit her daily to watch her comb her hair by the river; he stopped caring for his family and himself, and one day, villagers found his clothing on the riverbank, and neither he nor the mermaid were ever seen again.

I always wondered what could have happened to them. Who was that mermaid? Did his family try to find him? I’ve been haunted by those questions since then and Josephine Against the Sea became my answer to those questions. It was my chance to write a fantastical book set in Barbados, exploring our traditions and stories, a book I wish I read as a kid.



What was your publishing journey like and how did the story change from when you originally published with Blue Banyan Books?

My publishing journey was very circuitous, mainly because I didn’t intend to write for kids as a career, and I certainly didn’t expect that four months later, I would have signed with my US agent, and also be selected as a finalist for Burt competition at the same time. I was not prepared, and “learned on the job.”

Blue Banyan Books acquired the rights to publish the manuscript in the Caribbean, and I was able to revise that initial 28,000 word draft with both my agent and Caribbean editor. Thankfully, they had a similar vision and it was a smooth process. On completion the book was 45,000 words, and was published as My Fishy Stepmom in the Caribbean region. I then went on submission to US editors and we got a Revise and Resubmit request from my editor at Scholastic.

In the My Fishy Stepmom version of the story, Josephine knows her Dad’s new girlfriend isn’t human, and spends the majority of the novel trying to figure out the identity.

In Josephine Against the Sea, Josephine has figured out her identity by the middle of the book, and spends the second half trying to figure out how to stop her. The characters and events are mainly the same, however, the book was rewritten to look at the scenes through a different perspective and motivation. There is more plot development in the US edition, and the final version is 61,000 words.

Thanks to some advance reviewers who read both editions, I realized that there are some elements of the Caribbean setting that aren’t included in the US edition, and because of the further story development, the US edition would be like having bonus scenes if you only read the Caribbean one. I encourage people to read both of them if they can!


One thing I loved about this book was how authentic to Caribbean culture it was with the creole on page without translation or explanation. Do you ever worry about losing some of the authentic Caribbean aspects in your stories when working with the US publishers?

No I didn’t. It’s a Barbadian story, set in Barbados, starring Barbadian characters and we have many internationally successful Caribbean writers who write in dialect. Over the years, I’ve written adult short fiction using Barbadian dialect in both the dialogue and narration, and I spent a long time being worried that foreign editors would think I didn’t know basic grammar, and may not recognize the spelling and sentence structure was deliberate to capture the rhythm of the language. I actually blogged about an encounter with Scottish author, Irvine Welsh, at BocasLitFest in Trinidad, and how it inadvertently boosted my confidence to use dialect in my stories. https://www.shakirahbourne.com/post/on-dialect-how-caribbean-people-supposed-tuh-talk-in-a-story-eh

I try to use contextual cues to help non-Caribbean people decipher meaning if necessary, and if I need to clarify something, I try to make sure the information is aligned with character development or written in an interesting way to educate and not over-explain.

My US editor was wonderful in highlighting any areas that may need more clarification for US audiences, but changing the dialect was never an issue.


Do you have different writing processes depending on what age category or genre you’re writing in?

The brainstorming/drafting process is similar for all of them, whether I start with a character, or a theme or a situation. I do need to outline and flesh out the idea to see if it would make a viable story. The writing process would only then vary according to the structure, e.g. if I’m writing fiction (Scrivener), a play (Celtx) or a film (Final Draft).


You're also a filmmaker. How does your writing process differ when it comes to film?

Writing for film actually made it possible for me to write books. I was a pantster when writing short stories, and I could not fathom writing so many words to complete a book, but when I transitioned to film, I had to learn the story structure theory to develop feature films.

I was able to apply the same Syd Field Three-Act Structure, or Save the Cat story structure to writing books. I like to know the beginning, turning point one & two, midpoint and ending of a story before I start writing, though this outline is just a guide. I still leave room for characters to surprise me and I am flexible enough to include new scenes or other plot elements that appear during the writing process.

With film, you have to visualize the story in images, and learn to move the narrative along without relying on dialogue. I use this same method when writing kidlit–using the dialogue to show character or add subtext.

Of course, with fiction there is more flexibility as you don’t have to worry about budget and run time, and you can get to describe inner thoughts.


 If you were on Master Chef what would your signature dish be?

I make a mean lemon cake, but that doesn’t seem fancy enough for Master Chef, unless we call it “Artisan lemon gateaux, drizzled with a tart citrus-vanilla bean syrup.” :D


If you could attend a writer’s retreat anywhere in the world, where would it be held?

Either in a castle in the Scottish Highlands, or a cabin in Iceland.


Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to talk about?

Right now I’m working on an MG Horror called Duppy Island, where a young filmmaker follows her family to a silent retreat, only to find the island haunted by faceless children. It’s also inspired by Caribbean folklore, in particular, a creature called a douen, which is a child that dies before they’re baptized.

I also co-edited a non-fiction YA anthology called Allies: Real Talk about Showing up, Screwing and Trying Again where 17 YA authors share their experiences about being and wanting an ally. I wrote a personal essay about my experiences with casual racism during my travels. That’s coming out with DK Books in July (UK) and September in the US.


You can follow Shakirah Bourne on Twitter and Instagram at @shakirahwrites


Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

 Welcome Back, Booklovers! July is going by so fast it's hard to keep up. And I'm going to have less free time soon but I'm still trying to keep reading. Audiobooks continue to be a god-send! What I've been enjoying about audiobooks is I can listen on breaks, while doing chores around the house, or just when I feel too lazy to do look at text. I received an audiobook from Simon & Schuster Audio for review. 

Made in Korea follows Valerie Kwon who runs a business at school with her cousin Charlie called V&C K-Beauty. Valerie has goals of raising enough money to afford a trip to Paris for her and her beloved grandmother(halmeoni). Business is going well until one day her sales are low and she hears through the grapevine a new Korean student is selling lip balms from a beauty collab from a popular K-pop group. 

Wes Jung didn't expect to get into the business of selling K-Beauty products but after some classmates decided to buy his mother's sample products off him he sees an opportunity. He has dreams of going to school for his music and since his parents don't support his dreams he plans on raising the money himself.

Well, Valerie is convinced their can only be one student run K-Beauty business at school and challenges Wes to a friendly competition to see who can sell the most. Winner takes the losers earnings. 

One of the things I liked about this story was that it actually felt like a story for teens. These are teens who will be going off to college soon and are dealing with feeling like they don't measure up to their parents expectations. With Valerie she is closer to Halmeoni because her mother often criticizes her and compares her to her sister. And I've been there where I felt I didn't measure up to my mother's expectations and I know many teens that have. Sometimes parents don't realize how much pressure they put on you.

With Wes his mother is so busy with work they don't have time to communicate and he believes her views are the same as his father's without even talking to her. Since his dad wants him to go into what he considers a respectable career he jumps just to having to make it on his own to prove them wrong.

I wanted a little more from the romance because sparks didn't start showing between them until more than halfway through the book but I did like how Valerie and Wes became friends. And Sarah did a good job exploring those new feelings teens feel in a first relationship. I liked them bonding over their Korean culture and feeling like they were caught between two worlds. That's something many children of immigrants face. There's this feeling of not being enough of either culture.

Even the ending wasn't the picture perfect ending but felt true to life. Everyone's issues were not resolved. They didn't suddenly become super close to their parents and have super successful businesses. So I appreciated the ending that said you may not always get what you expected but you can make things work for you.

This was a quick listen and I think teens will be able to enjoy it. Plus their wasn't a white gaze in sight or any white characters I felt played a prominent role so that was also much appreciated. Nor did I feel like this book tried to sell me any heavy handed messages on social justice or teen activism. Sometimes teens just need books where they can just be teens going through teen experiences.


Saturday, July 10, 2021

Elemental: Shadows of the Otherside by Whitney Hill

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I don't normally read urban fantasy even though I like the idea of mixing magic into the modern world. Since there's not much Black and brown fantasy in trade publishing and I want to read more indie I wanted to check some out. And I'd heard good things about this series. Plus the covers are stunning.

Arden Finch is a private investigator in North Carolina who is hiding that she is a sylph. As a sylph she has elemental magic though she spends most of her time pretending to be human so she doesn't really know how to use her powers  to their full capacity. In between her investigator jobs she's basically an errand runner for her adoptive mother of sorts, Callista. All her life she's been taught to steer clear of elves however when when one hires her to investigate the disappearance of their elder she finds herself deep into the dangerous world of the Otherside. 

Arden isn't an easy to love character. She's snarky and can be fun sometimes but she also frustrated me. Especially with her refusal to actually use her powers in a world where vamps, weres, elves, and djinn are all trying to stake their claim. She let's herself be too many people's punching bags and doesn't want to intervene with her powers. And she would just jump into situations sometimes without thinking. But then there were moments that I really felt for her. I was glad to see her finally start to take charge towards the end and do what's best for her upon realizing everyone wanted to use her as a pawn for their own gain.

One thing I thought Whitney Hill did well was actually have her react realistically to traumatic situations. Most of the fantasies I read the characters don't have time to react to the violence towards and around them. After a near death experience Arden is jumpy when anyone comes near here. 

There's some romance in here with Roman, a werewolf from a notable family who can't fully transform so he's been cast out of his pack. They have what they describe as an ass and cash relationship. They hook up on an off and she pays him to help her with cases. She keeps him at a distance but he starts to gain feelings and I love when the man is the one who falls in love first. Those parts were well done but unlike in some fantasies didn't take over the story.

Even though we got introduced to many magical creatures I don't feel like the magic system was overly complicated. I didn't have to sit down and take notes to keep everything straight and was still able to follow along. Vampires and werewolves have a presence in this story but they aren't the most powerful beings. It got a little rocky for me in the middle but it picked back up. I would actually check out the rest of the series because I want to know what was the meaning was of that pendant Arden's father gave her and hear more about her parents. And where are the rest of the elementals? Plus book 2 sounds like it's very messy.

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Interview with Author Ryan Douglass

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The Taking of Jake Livingston releases July 13, 2021. You can check out my early review here. I follow Ryan on Twitter and he's hilarious, witty, and his hot takes are on point. And with horror on the rise and his book getting plenty of early buzz I was glad to get an interview with him. 


What was the inspiration for The Taking of Jake Livingston?

I started writing it when I was getting more into horror reads in college. I’d already been a ghost story fan but hadn’t read a lot of horror, so I was reading horror novels and realizing how much the genre spoke to me, how it resonated differently in written form. When I gave it a try, it felt effortless. The genre made it easier for me to address personal traumas. I started thinking about what I needed to work through from my teen years, in addition to things I wanted to meditate on about the world, and how I could do all of that through a fun, scary story. 


What would you like readers to take away from The Taking of Jake Livingston?

That toxic cycles can be broken, and that there is light to be found even when you feel like you’re in the pits of hell. But I also want readers to take whatever they feel the book supplies to them and not overthink those personal conclusions. 



What made you decide to become a writer?

I started writing as a kid because I wasn’t much of a talker and it was a hobby I used to express myself. It also satisfied my need to space out and daydream, which I did a lot of in school. When I was a teen and started thinking about my future career, I knew I didn’t want to get into the corporate world, and that it would stifle my creativity. So I had no choice but to work hard enough to turn writing into a career.  

Have you always been drawn to horror and the paranormal?

As a kid it used to freak me out because I was prone to nightmares. But I was as traumatized as I was fascinated. Fear and uncertainty was a big part of my internal world growing up, so seeing characters in fear made me feel understood. When I was really young I couldn’t handle seeing good characters face devastating fates, so stuff like Monster House and Coraline really spoke to me because they were scary but the good guys won.

What would you call your brand of storytelling?

My editor says it’s “utterly unapologetic” and I like that description because the style is very direct. I like using non-linear narratives that switch between the past and the present, and I like a combination of poetic and prosaic styles. There’s also a heavy emotional pulse to the writing and it’s very sensory. 


Is it hard balancing writing, working, and having a social life?

Yes, and I usually choose writing at the expense of the other two things, which is probably why I don’t stay at day jobs for very long, and why it can be hard for family and friends to reach me. Novel writing is such an intellectually demanding exercise and the industry feels like it’s moving faster than my brain, so I have to make sacrifices so I can sustain my career. 

What types of stories would you like to see more of on the shelves?

I want more stories that encompass current realities of Black life, including realistic examination of how ideological differences in the Black community stunt our capacity for liberation. Specifically how homophobia and transphobia work in our own communities and how differences between Black radicals and Black liberals show up today. I’m dying for stories that don’t focus on racism, and ones that aren’t concerned with convincing white people how Black people are human too. That always feels pretty shallow to me, conceiving of a Black story through a white voyeur. 

What’s the last 5 star book you’ve read?

Luster by Raven Leilani. I always talk about it because it’s so daring, and it feels so radical. It’s exactly what I want more of in fiction. 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Montreal, Canada has been one of my favorite places to visit so probably there if not L.A.

Are there any upcoming projects that you’re able to discuss?

I’m working on a romantic comedy currently, and I’m enjoying the lightness and humor of that after working on Jake. I also have a series opener that’s similar to Jake in that it’s about kids who have unique powers, but it’s more of a science fantasy with grimdark infusions than horror. I probably shouldn’t reveal more than that, but I’m excited to continue writing about young people with powers who take down evil. 


You can follow Ryan on Twitter and Instagram  and of course got order his book!


Tuesday, July 6, 2021

My Only Christmas Wish by J. M. Jefferies

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're celebrating Christmas in July all month long. And what better way to celebrate than with a glass of frozen hot chocolate and a Christmas themed-romance? 

Eli Austin has just acquired Bennetts, a beloved luxury department store. He's ready to get his revenge on the Bennett family who he believe almost drove his father out of business. The goal is to come in and pretty much shut down the store by making drastic changes.

Despite her mother selling off her store behind her back, Darcy Bennett refuses to go down quietly. She just has to win Eli over and show him that her store is a force to be reckoned with. Unlike his chain Dollar Bin, Bennetts cares about their employees and many have worked with them for years as well as having had family members work from them. This store is her family legacy and she's willing to fight for it. With Christmas fast approaching she'll need to do her best to keep with the store's holiday traditions.

Christmas romance set at a department store is not a new angle but I enjoyed how it was handled here. This enemies to loves romance had plenty of charm and while reading it I was taken by to my days of working the holiday season at a department store. Dollar Bin sounds like Walmart with worse customer service. While Bennetts sounds like the department store of dreams. The department store I worked at was never that nice. If only all retail jobs could include great benefits despite the low pay. If only we all had charitable bosses who cared about all employees and not just the bottom line.

Darcy is one of those characters who can charm anyone and she is well loved by so many people in Atlanta. While her superwoman like attributes could be a little over the top at times I enjoyed such a strong character. She was allowed to be the boss without having to shrink herself for a man which tends to happen in these Christmas romances. And she not only tries to make work better for her employees by offering cafeteria with healthy food choices, affordable insurance, and a day care center but she also sits on several committees and works with multiple charities. 

Eli is stubborn and his banter with Darcy was one of the things that kept me reading. Every time it seemed like they were making progress he found some way to ruin it with his ego. He's all about the bottom line and making the most money but fails to see how it effects him employees until he sees how well Bennetts runs. I also liked his relationship with his daughter Sophia, who he adores. Like many children in these types of stories she's a precocious child who wants her widower father to be happy. 

This was published in 2012 but it still holds up almost 10 yrs later. Holiday cheer is timeless and the brief mentions of a bad economy continue to ring true.This is a sweet romance that brings that much needed Christmas magic.

It's not in print right now so you can't get a physical copy unless you buy it used but you can get the ebook here for the price of a latte. 

Monday, July 5, 2021

**CLOSED** Christmas in July Giveaway!

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're celebrating Christmas in July here at WOC Reads! And what better way to celebrate than with a Christmas gift?


This giveaway is open international wherever Book Depository ships! There will be one winner and the winner will receive a Jan-July 2021 release of their choice.


To enter: Must be following me on Twitter @mswocreader or Instagram @mswocreader. Anyone following me on both platforms gets 2 entries. Comment down below with your handle to be counted.

This giveaway will close July 12th at 11:59pm, Winner will be announced July 13th!


Saturday, July 3, 2021

What the Hex by Alexis Daria

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I've been loving audiobooks recently for those days I don't feel like turning digital or physical pages. Listening to romance is interesting because it could be sizzling or  cringe or flat. And Audible Originals are more miss than hit but this one was a winner.



Catalina Cartagena has been away from Isla Bruja, the secret magical isle off the coast of Miami where her family of Puerto Rican Brujos resides along with several other families. Invisible to humans this vibrant isle is home to some of the most powerful witches in the world. She's taking a break from the NYC fashion industry where she's been thriving and is back for her sister's wedding that's essentially a merger to unite her family with another powerful family. But when she returns to her family's estate she realizes things aren't as they seem. Everyone seems to be under a spell and somehow it's connected to these interview cameras she must avoid.

The only other person aware something is going on is Diego Paz, her high school rival. Diego is no longer the nerdy boy she remembers. He's a lot hotter and confident now. And Catalina is ready to ride his broomstick. But that will have to wait as they figure out a plan to vanquish the demon holding their families hostage. And then there's her little problem about not being able to tap into her magic anymore. 

Alexis Daria comes through with another winner in the form of a witchy rom-com.  I've been saying since I saw paranormal romance making a resurgence that I hope to see some more diversity among them.  So when I got her newsletter and she revealed the cover I was excited. Puerto-Rican brujos? Yes, please!  And I liked that all the conflict in this story was non-romantic. Just our main couple exploring their feelings while saving their families from a demon. This had everything I want in a romance novella. The narrator was good, the plot was interesting, and the couple had sizzling chemistry. I look forward to my next Alexis Daria read. Seriously this book had easy to understand lore, great narration, corny witchy puns, magical sex, spell-casting, and Puerto Rican food. What more could you ask for?




Friday, July 2, 2021

When The Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was provided an arc courtesy of Harper Perennial and Harper Audio for an honest review. This story touches on the very relevant discussion of holding weddings at plantations and does so in less than 300 pages


Mira fled her small and segregated North Carolina town over a decade ago and never looked back. One day she receives an wedding invitation from a white friend she long grew apart from.  The venue is the newly renovated Woodsman plantation. Mira still holds memories from an excursion gone awry on the those old grounds that almost cost her friend Jesse his freedom.

Mira knows it's a bad idea to stay on these lands that are rumored to be occupied by the ghosts of a slave revolt, but the prospect of seeing Jesse again and seeing what could've been fuels her return. It doesn't hurt that her friend Celine is completely funding this trip. As she find herself sipping antebellum themed cocktails by the bar and watching performances by slave reenactors she can't help but notice how privileged she is compared to the other workers. She's very aware of her presence as the sole Black guest among white guests who can blissfully overlook the memories this place holds. 

Haunting visions of cruel and horrifying acts blend with present day reality and flashbacks of past memories Mira tries is trying to grapple with. There's the shame she felt growing up in a poor Black neighborhood in the part of town that white folks dare not visit. Memories of a mother who saw herself as better than the other Black people held white perception in high regard while drilling that "Good Negro" mindset into Mira. 

This novel was not what I expected. Going in I just expected the white people to get their comeuppance courtesy of the ghosts that still haunt the land. Which this does deliver on to an extent. But this is also a story about a woman confronting her own anti-Blackness. It's a novel that tackles revisionist history in the US; a reminder to never forget the past and brush aside the true horrors of slavery in all it's gory details. Sometimes it's downplayed just how barbaric it was and how Black people never get justice. Even the ending is quite bittersweet. 

Not too long ago I used to see the word slavery attached to a story and run in the opposite direction. And like Mira I had to stop disregarding the past because it made me feel uncomfortable. While we can't go back in time and give those people the justice they deserved we can recover what we can of their stories and respect the sacrifices they made to survive.

While this story touched on many modern issues that stem from slavery another standout was Mira's relationship with Jesse. Mira's mother is so anti-Black she despises Jesse even when he's just a child for being a Black boy who will grow into a Black man. Because a Black man hurt her she hates them and believes one will end up hurting her daughter. And we don't address that mindset enough though people use it to justify their interracial relationships while not holding white people hurting them in the past in the same regard. 

LaTanya McQueen is a skilled writer. I'm not someone who usually has a running picture going throughout my head while reading but there were many times throughout the text I could clearly picture the plantain grounds. And I think reading the words on page while listening to the audio helped me become fully immersed into this story. The interstitial passages in this story were some of the most haunting of all. And the most horrific parts of this story come from the memories of long erased history. 


Thursday, July 1, 2021

Christmas in July

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Christmas is my favorite time of year and even thoughts it's months away I can't help but be excited. So between browsing QVC for early Christmas gifts and watching Christmas TV movies I plan on squeezing in a holiday themed read. So I wanted to make a list of accessible reads for Christmas in July. My goal is to squeeze in at least two of these during the month.

 

Married & Bright



For pop star Bianca Esposito, superstardom is right around the corner. In two weeks she and her chart-topping Christmas hit will be on a world tour. For now, she wants to (try to) enjoy being home for the holidays. If the creepy but, sort of cute, Rideo driver staring at her in the rearview mirror actually takes her there.
There isn't much Jaden Brooks wouldn't do for his family, including picking up a rideshare shift to help with his brother's medical bills and delivering his tipsy cousin home safely from a bar. He's the guy who always does the right thing. Never abandons his family or steps out of line, which is why he doesn't flirt with passengers or engage in awkward conversations—or ask the beautiful woman in the backseat for her number.
When Bianca and her friends end up at the same bar where Jaden picks up his cousin, it seems too coincidental. As Bianca accuses Jaden of stalking her, their heated conversation sets off sparks--and the attention of her fans. Soon, a getaway Rideo drive turns into a perfect night beneath the neon lights where hot chocolate shots and winter wonderland kisses blur into midnight marriage vows. After a media storm erupts, the pair must decide: is it possible to follow both your dreams and your heart?






Just for the Holidays by Nana Malone

Justin Morrison would do anything to make his ailing grandmother happy. Even if that means inventing a fake girlfriend to take home for the holidays. His best friend, Alex Winters, reluctantly agrees, but it’s not easy to keep her long-buried feelings for Justin under wraps when they’re sharing a room…a bed…a kiss. Christmas in Catalina is turning out to be hotter than anyone expected, but is theirs a love for all seasons?

His Holiday Gift by Reese Ryan

Pleasure Cove’s prodigal son just got the ultimate Christmas surprise—Madison, his five-year-old daughter he knew nothing about. Maddie’s aunt, Mikayla Mitchell, was once one of Dash Williams’s best friends…and his secret admirer. Now, seeing the sexy, ambitious lawyer with his little girl, Mikayla’s more smitten than ever. And Dash is starting to realize Mikayla’s the only one who could make his days merry and bright, and fill his nights with bliss…





Taylor’s architectural firm enters her in a contest to build life-sized gingerbread houses. After the contest, she’s likely to get a promotion to a position in another city. But it’s a team competition, and Taylor’s temperamental partner soon backs out. Taylor needs a replacement—fast.
When she meets Adam, a baker and single dad, she convinces him to be her partner in the contest. After all, winning would give his bakery much-needed exposure.
For years, Taylor has avoided thinking of anywhere as “home.” When she was a kid, her family was always on the move. But the time she spends with Adam and his daughter Brooke, decorating for Christmas and enjoying Philadelphia’s holiday traditions, has her questioning everything. Could she have found a place to call her own?





Greg Wong hates when things don’t go according to plan, so he definitely doesn’t appreciate it when his mother insists he drive Tasha Edwards back to Mosquito Bay for the Christmas holidays. He likes peace and quiet when he’s in the car, and that’s the opposite of what he’ll get with Tasha, his high school sweetheart. The first woman he ever loved.







All Darcy Bennett wants for Christmas is for her family's upscale Atlanta department store to stay in the family. No man, especially a stubborn—and deliciously sexy—Scrooge is going to edge her out without a fight. Bent on vengeance, new store owner Eli Austin has no problem using power to get his way. But is Darcy's feminine charm and a dash of holiday cheer enough to convince Eli to let her keep her legacy?

In a world full of mergers and takeovers, Eli does what it takes to stay in control. However, he doesn't count on the irresistible urge to unwrap Darcy like a holiday surprise. And he definitely isn't prepared to compromise with a woman whose family destroyed his own. With the magic of Christmas surrounding them, will Darcy and Eli be able to put aside their differences and realize that love is the only gift worth wishing for?






Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through.

Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle.

With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.






Gabby Garrett's life never goes the way she envisions. She once pictured owning an interior decorating firm and marrying a successful, intelligent gift of the gods. In reality, she has stable (but boring) job and is about to marry the “perfect” man until he surprises Gabby seconds before her Christmas wedding is set to begin. Two years later, Black Friday holds a whole new meaning. In this midst of her holiday funk, she receives two unexpected gifts—a visit from her sister and a misdirected but intriguing text message from some guy named Dave.
After weeks of texting and old-fashioned phone calls (no exchange of personal information), she and Dave believe they’re made for one another—except Dave is hiding three big secrets that may change everything. On the day they’re slated to meet, Murphy’s law strikes, and they’re left with no way to find one another.
With only two possible clues, a real estate agent for a sister, and a heart full of determination, Gabby sets on a mission to find the man of her dreams. She’s 12 Daves and 8 days away from Christmas--and the clock is ticking. But is Gabby ready for the answer to her Christmas wish…even if he comes with a package she never pictured?






A decade after leaving home, culinary magazine editor Symone Farris is heading back to Kiawah Island for the holidays. She’s escaping New York and a failed engagement to reconnect with her grandmother’s storied restaurant and speakeasy, The Haint. But before she can say “Merry Christmas,” she’s fighting her mother’s campaign to sell the beloved establishment to the local real estate developer and love she left behind without notice ten years ago.

Rhue Baines loves three things, Christmas, family, and the Lowcountry sea islands he calls home. He understands the needs of his island community because he’s never left. When his ex, Symone blows back into town demanding he stop the planned redevelopment of her family’s land, he’s determined to get his way.

As Christmas approaches they both begin to remember what made them fall in love all those years ago. But when the past finally catches up with them, can their hearts survive the crash?


About Me

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Lover of food and lore. I'm always looking to get lost in my next adventure between the pages. https://ko-fi.com/mswocreader