Review: Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle

Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle
(Vivian Apple #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

Seventeen-year-old Vivian Apple never believed in
the evangelical Church of America, unlike her
recently devout parents. But when Vivian returns home the night after the supposed "Rapture," all that’s left of her parents are two holes in the roof. Suddenly, she doesn't know who or what to believe. With her best friend Harp and a mysterious ally, Peter, Vivian embarks on a desperate cross-country roadtrip through a paranoid and panic-stricken America to find answers. Because at the end of the world, Vivan Apple isn't looking for a savior. She's looking for the truth.

Dear Universe, I say. Make me less meek, make me less afraid.
Dear Universe, make me the hero of my own story.

  Holy crap. Vivian Apple rocked my world! I read this book in just a few hours because I couldn't put it down. One of the things that really stood out to me and drove my need to devour this book was that it could really happen. With most dystopians and post-apocalyptic novels, I can go to bed knowing that society is still far from breaking down to that length. But with Vivian Apple at the End of the World, it could happen. A religious cult catering to America's thirst for everything patriotic and religious? Half-way there right now.

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  The road trip aspect to this story was really appealing. The mash-up of so many great things--road trip, religious cult, end of the world, coming into your own skin, and a strong friendship--are what made this book so great. It's the quintessential Young Adult novel. While it has all of these things, I never felt like they over-powered each other. Everything co-existed harmoniously and were woven together in such a way that only made the book that much more amazing.

It doesn't actually matter where we came from, or where we're going, or when. The only thing that matters is what we have to do while we're here and how well we do it.

  Vivian Apple was such a great character. The way that Katie Coyle writes her is so great. Her growth is fluid and admirable, and I have so much love for her. She's strong and determined without being a Mary Sue. That's so rare in YA, y'all. The other characters are all really wonderful, too! I want to know more from Harp, Vivian's best friend. She was such a rich character, and I enjoyed her so much. There's even a hint of romance to make my sappy heart happy!

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  Katie Coyle has managed to put nearly everything I love about Young Adult in this book and tied it up with a neat little bow. It was an amazing read, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel. I need more Vivian Apple in my life! 

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
All quotations were taken from an Advanced Reader's Copy and may not be the same in the final version.

Blitz & Giveaway: Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly


They're out for your soul.
And they don't have heaven in mind...

Willow knows she's different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people's dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces and that he's one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems; least of all good and evil.





Lee Weatherly was born in 1967 and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She lives with her husband in Hampshire, England, where she writes, goes on walks, tries out new recipes and has a cat named Bernard.

L.A. Weatherly is the pseudonym for Lee Weatherly. You can follow her on Twitter at @LA_Weatherly


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Merry Christmas!


I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas!

And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season!

25 Days of Book Boyfriends: Adrian Ivashkov


  Happy Holidays, y'all! I'm so excited to be part of the 25 Days of Book Boyfriends hosted by three amazing blogs! Keep reading for a giveaway and the list of all 25 book boyfriends for you to swoon over!

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Oh, Adrian... *Swoons* From the very first time I read about Adrian, I crushed so hard on him. Most are Team Dimitri and I get it. I do. But I'll pass up Dimitri any day for Adrian. (That's an invitation for you to show up in my dreams anytime, Ivashkov!) He just has this vibe about him. *Grabby hands* He's the perfect mix of bad boy and romantic.

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Instead of boring you with my blabbering and drooling admiring, I thought I'd share my top three options for an Adrian dream cast! 

Nico Tortorella
Um, yes?! That looks so close to how I picture Adrian. Can I have him?!

Max Irons
He definitely has the charm for it. No complaints here, y'all!

Rob Pattinson
Let's just forget about that other vampire he played. I know it's not a popular idea, but I could really dig some Rob Pattinson as Adrian. He can definitely pull off the mood of Adrian!

I'm giving away this awesome Vampire Academy inspired tank top! And to get you addicted to Adrian, I'm giving away one book from the Vampire Academy series and one book from the Bloodlines series, winner's choice. The tank top is US only; books are to anywhere that The Book Depository ships to for free.

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Don't forget to visit the other blogs participating! 
Most have giveaways and all have swoon-worthy book boyfriends!


December 1:
(Madoc, Rival by Penelope Douglas)

December 2:
(Ridge, Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover)

December 3:
(Bones, Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost)

December 4:
(Perry, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi)

December 5:
(Chaol, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas)

December 6:
(Will, Damaged Goods by Nicole Williams)

December 7:
(Connor, Kiss the Sky by Krista and Becca Ritchie)

December 8:
(Warner, Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi)

December 9:
(Cade, Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh)

December 10:
(Kellan, Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens)

December 11:
(Preston, Pieces of Olivia by Melissa West)

December 12:
(Morpheus, Splintered by A.G. Howard)

December 13:
(Josh, Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins)

December 14:
(Finn, The Collectors' Society by Heather Lyons)

December 15:
(Noel, My True Love Gave To Me Anthology)

December 16:
(Prince Tristan, Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen)

December 17:
(Roth, The Dark Elements series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

December 18:
(Jackson, The Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole)

December 19:
(Titus, The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas)

December 20:
(Gansey, The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater)

December 21:
(Gideon Cross, Crossfire series by Sylvia Day)

December 22:
(Matt Finch, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord)

December 23:
(Adrian Ivashkov, Vampire Academy/Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

December 24:
(Willem, Just One Day by Gayle Forman)

December 25:
(The Darkling, Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo)

Review: Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger
(Finishing School #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk

Class is back in session...

Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.
  Okay, y'all. With the first two books in the Finishing School series, I was already sold. But Waistcoats & Weaponry absolutely just blew me away. It was so amazing. I didn't think it could get any better, but Gail Carriger has proved me wrong!

***Spoiler Warning***
  Oh my goodness. The train was such an adventure! I loved seeing everyone work together. All along I've been Team Soap, so I was so glad to see that he wound up in this book in the way that he did. Sophornia and Soap are my OTP, and the ending of this book had me on tense with tears in my eyes. I cannot believe Soap got turned! It was a crazy twist that I didn't see coming, but I loved! The dynamic will surely shift between Sophornia and Soap now, and I can't wait to see how things go from here!

  I am without a doubt addicted to these books. There is so much going for this series. The wit, the personalities, just everything! I'm already ready for book four to be in my hands. Finishing School is one of those series that you miss as soon as you finish the last page and immediately start going crazy to get the next book. I have so much love for it. I don't care what genres you usually read; branch out and read Finishing School. It's a MUST!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
(Finishing School #2)

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for
decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six
foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy--won't Mumsy be surprised? Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.
  The adventures of Sophronia and Co. continue, and I'm so glad that I got to tag along! The amount of action and information packed into Curtsies & Conspiracies was a delight! Gail Carriger delivered the perfect sequel to the first book in the series with this one. Her unrelenting wit shines through and adds another enjoyable element!

There were a few twists and turns in this book. I was wholly intrigued and sitting on the edge of my seat as Sophronia navigated the newest mysteries thrown her way. As always, Sophronia continued to develop into the one of the best heroines I've read about in years without losing an ounce of her wit, determination, and curiosity.

  For the reader who loves to be taken on an adventure packed with so many elements flawlessly woven together for an immensely immersive and fun experience, look no farther than the Finishing School series. Hook, line, and sinker, I'm sold. I adore these books and I'm forever thankful that they introduced me to all things steampunk!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
(Finishing School #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite
another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the
same time. Welcome to Finishing School.


Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.
  Etiquette & Espionage was my first foray into steampunk. It cemented my love of the genre and of Gail Carriger's writing! There were just so many cool things to discover! Airships, werewolves, mechanicals, and vampires, oh my! I still can't believe that I'd never dabbled in steampunk before.

  Sophronia is my kind of girl! She was fearless when it came to asking questions and getting answers. I admired that in her so much. In the midst of her life being turned upside down, she stayed true to herself. She makes Etiquette & Espionage such a fun read with her refreshing characteristics. All of the secondary characters were wonderful, too! I was blown away with the way that Gail Carriger wrote all of them. They were all unique individuals and I loved every single one of them. (Except Monique. She's up to no good. Guarantee it.)

  Gosh, can I just gush about how fun Etiquette & Espionage was? It was just a really good book. It was so easy to get lost in the world of Mademoiselle Geraldine's. It reminded me a lot of how it felt to get lost in the world of Harry Potter way back when. It required me to be present while reading, but it was just so fun. I know I need a new word, but that's really what this book was for me. It was an adventure!

  With just one book, Gail Carriger has converted me. I'm already crossing my fingers that Santa fills my stocking with the rest of her books. The world of Sophronia and Mademoiselle Geraldine's is a world that I loved visiting and I can't wait to visit again!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Month9Books Holiday Gift Blitz & Giveaway


Welcome to Month9Books’ gift blitz for our amazing winter titles: CROWN OF ICE by Vicki L. Weavil, PRAEFATIO by Georgia McBride, ENDLESS by Amanda Gray, A MURDER OF MAGPIES by Sarah Bromley, DEAD JED (1 & 2) by Scott Craven, and TRACY TAM by Krystalyn Drown! Are you looking for the perfect winter/holiday read? Then these are the titles for you! Oh and as a thank you to our readers we have an amazing giveaway for you!


Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil
Summary:

Thyra Winther's seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.
Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra's willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts -- to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's desire, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.
CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

Purchase Links


Praefatio by Georgia McBride

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway. After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup and her family from worry over her safety. Authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true? Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?

Purchase Links



Endless by Amanda Gray

Summary:

Jenny Kramer knows she isn’t normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them. When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumble onto an old music box with instructions for "mesmerization" and discover they may have more in common than they thought—like a past life! Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her dreams who has now appeared next door, was there, too. Jenny is forced to acknowledge that Nikolai has traveled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back. While Ben, Jenny, and Nikolai race against the clock—and the Order—Jenny and Nikolai discover a link that joins them in life and beyond death.

Purchase Links


A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley

Summary:

Winter in Black Orchard, Wisconsin, is long and dark, and sixteen-year-old Vayda Silver prays the snow will keep the truth and secrecy of the last two years buried. Hiding from the past with her father and twin brother, Vayda knows the rules: never return to the town of her mother’s murder, and never work a Mind Game where someone might see.

No one can know the toll emotions take on Vayda, how emotion becomes energy in her hands, or how she can’t control the destruction she causes. But it's not long before her powers can no longer be contained. The truth is dangerously close to being exposed, placing Vadya and her family at risk.

Until someone quiets the chaos inside her.

Unwanted. That's all Ward Ravenscroft has ever been. To cope, he numbs the pain of rejection by denying himself emotions of any kind. Yet Vayda stirs something in him. He can't explain the hold she has on him--inspiring him with both hope and fear. He claims not to scare easily, except he doesn't know what her powers can do. Yet.

Just as Vadya and Ward draw closer, she finds the past isn't so easily buried. And when it follows the Silvers to Black Orchard, it has murder in mind.

Purchase Links


Dead Jed: Adventures of a Middle School Zombie by Scott Craven

Summary:

The first part of seventh grade was rough on Jed, but things are looking up now that Christmas is almost here. As with past Christmases, Jed asks for the one thing he's always wanted--a dog--and again, his parents tell him they're not ready. But fate has a different plan when Jed sees a dog get run over by a car. Then, it happens. Jed suddenly has a pet, Tread, a zombie dog bearing his namesake--a tire tread down his back. Jed may have gained a dog, but he loses his best friend Luke, who fears the way Jed created his undead pet. When Jed returns to school, he finds a mysterious group called the No Zombies Now Network spreading rumors of the dangers the undead pose to normal people. Forced to disprove Hollywood stereotypes, Jed has his work cut out for him as stories of a zombie dog begin to circulate. Jed could be expelled if he can't expose the NZN Network as a fraud. Jed needs help from his kind of girlfriend Anna, especially after he discovers Luke has joined the shadowy group. Once again navigating the treacherous waters of middle school, Jed does his best to stay in one piece. Only this time he'll need even more duct tape and staples than usual.

Purchase Links


Dawn of the Jed (Dead Jed #2) by Scott Craven

Summary:

As the fall semester ends and kids head home for winter break, Jed and his parents gather for the annual exchanging of gift lists. Once again, Jed asks for a dog, leading to a heated argument and a firm "no." But when Jed spots a stray, he chases it until the dog darts into the street where it is struck and killed by a car. Grief stricken by what he's done, Jed cradles the dead dog in his arms. Soon, ooze from the dog mixes with teardrops from Jed, creating Tread the zombie dog. Finally getting his wish, Jed must convince his parents to let him keep the undead dog. But a zombie dog turns out to be the least of Jed's issues. It seems some parents don't want Jed attending school with their kids. Enter the mysterious NZN Network. They've been distributing anti-zombie propaganda in an effort to get Jed expelled. But Jed wonders if the creation of Tread has caused his relationship with Luke to sour. And why, just as he seems to need them the most, have his best friends abandoned him? Could they have bought in to the anti-zombie way of thinking? Was creating Tread a mistake Jed will live to regret? 

When Tread goes missing, and with his very existence at stake, Jed must rely on his instincts, team up with an old nemesis, and fight for his right to have just as miserable a middle school existence as any other student—undead or alive.

Purchase Links


Tracy Tam: Santa Command by Krystalyn Drown

Summary:

Tracy Tam doesn't really believe in Santa Claus, at least not like the rest of us do. She also doesn't believe that Santa can possibly deliver all of those presents in one night, to children around the world, without a little help from science. A flying sleigh can only be powered by jet engines, after all, and Santa's magical abilities can only be the result of altered DNA. How else could he know what every little girl and boy wants for Christmas and who has been naughty or nice? In order to test her theories, Tracy sneaks onto Santa's sleigh then ends up at Santa Command, where a team of (gasp!) humans monitor Santa's big night. When Tracy attempts to hack into their computers, she accidentally introduces a virus into the system. As a result, three states get knocked out of sync with the rest of the world (oops!). Santa won't be able to deliver all the presents in time! Now, Tracy must fix time and help Santa, but she has no idea how. How can a girl who doesn't believe help Santa and save Christmas before it's too late? With a little Christmas magic, of course!

Purchase Links


Giveaway Details:

1 Winner will receive A Taste of Christmas Gift Basket US Only.
3 Winners will receive eBook bundles of 5 Month9Books. International.




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Review: Dust by Sarah Daltry

Dust by Sarah Daltry

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Who makes YOUR choices?

"I was once the type of person who was impressed by starlight; the type of person who would dance beneath glass ceilings and let the world swim in its loveliness. The sky reminds me of the parties we used to throw - parties like the one last night. The memories bring back the trill of harps and endless ripples of satisfied laughter. Now, though, when I try to recall what I felt, all I hear is screaming."

In a world ravaged by war and oppressive forces of evil, a princess must fight to claim her bloodright and save her people.

When the princess, Alondra, falls for the beautiful, blue eyes of a hooded stranger, it awakens in her a taste for freedom and an escape from her duty.

But her parents have other plans; they have a kingdom to protect and Alondra must marry to ensure the peace between nations. Only what happens when your parents choose a cold-hearted assassin as your betrothed?

As lies, illusions, and long hidden vendettas surface, the princess has to confront a very secret history. One that makes her realize that she not only risks losing her liberty, but also everything she has known and loved.
  Y'all, I seriously cannot get enough of Sarah Daltry! She's quickly making a spot in my favorites list. Dust is so different than the first book of hers that I read, Backward Compatible. But it blew me away in just the same manner. She proved that she can hold her own in fantasy with this book. It was flawless. As a fantasy fan, I absolutely adored getting lost in Dust.

  Sarah Daltry has a knack for world building and it shows. Her writing is so rich and descriptive that you find yourself lost for hours before you remember that there's a world outside your front door. I was mesmerized by Alondra from the very first page of Dust, and I have no regrets about it. She is such a thrilling character with so many layers that you'll have to stop yourself from racing through the book to uncover everything about her and the mystery surrounding her.

  Dust is an immersive experience that will invite you in and steal you away for hours before I realize it. I cannot rave enough about Sarah Daltry's writing. With Dust under my belt, it has only solidified me as a lifelong fan of the author. You simply cannot go wrong with this one if you're a fantasy fan!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review:The Hit List by Nikki Urang

The Hit List by Nikki Urang

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

The Los Angeles Conservatory for the Arts is
supposed to be a new beginning for Sadie Bryant.
Moving across the country is exactly what she needs to escape the gossip surrounding her injury, the devastating betrayal of her ex-partner, and to rebuild her career as a solo dancer.

When the school announces that the annual Fall Showcase, a performance that secures a spot studying in London, will now require each dancer to have a partner, Sadie’s fresh start is a nightmare. Now she has to dance with Luke Morrison, the school womanizer with a big ego. Sadie doesn’t know how to trust Luke enough to dance with him after her last partner left her broken, but Luke is determined to change that.

Then, The Hit List comes out. A game of sexual conquest where guys get points for all the girls they hook up with—and it seems like every guy at the school is playing.

The girl worth the most points? Sadie.
  I was kind of on the fence while reading The Hit List. It has most of the usuals for a New Adult contemporary romance. It was inspirational and enjoyable, but with enough drama that I gave this book some side-eye more than once. The premise is unlike anything else I've read before, though. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about "The List", but I was relieved that it didn't overpower the book and there was so much more to The Hit List than that.

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  There is so much tension between Luke and Sadie. You can just feel it jumping off of the pages. But. I just didn't like Sadie that much. There's a touch of instalovelust that soured me from the beginning. But as the book progresses, she grated on my nerves instead of growing on me. She's all about that drama... and I'm just not. Though, there is plenty of character development that shows off Nikki Urang's writing skill. Her ability to draw me into the world despite my reservations is a testament to that.

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  All in all, I think The Hit List is a solid New Adult read. Devout fans will fall in love with Luke and Sadie, I'm sure. Even though it wasn't my cup of tea, I see it being a really good read for others more into New Adult books!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

My Favorite Christmas Book


  We're less than two weeks away from Christmas. The excitement in my house is palpable. This time of year is just my thing, you know? As soon as November rolls around, I'm already starting my holiday plans. One of my favorite holiday traditions? Reading Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien. It's my absolutely favorite Christmas book, and I cannot wait to share it with my future children one day.

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  Tolkien did something wonderful for his children. Each year, he would send them letters from Father Christmas. They weren't just your run of the mill letter from Santa, though. These were full of stories and drawings that you'd only expect from the creator of Middle Earth. To see his handwriting and drawings are such a sweet treat. I can't help but cry as I make my way through the book each year.

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  Everything about Letters from Father Christmas sums up Christmas for me. The childish wonder, the awe-inspiring love of a parent for their child, the reminder that family and memories shared are the greatest gift; all of it. I wouldn't trade this book and the joy it has given me for the world.

What is your favorite Christmas book? Do you have a holiday reading tradition of your own?

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