August Read: The Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

 

I'm not going to lie: I've been in a whirl of new books lately. As in, trying to read a whole lot of ARCS, library books, and um...the bags of books I bought over the past few weeks. I had a book frenzy moment and now, in the aftermath, I'm trying to catch up. 

I gulped this novel down in just a few days (in between working and reading another book). If nothing else puts me in the mood for Fall, this book certainly did, and that's part of what made me enjoy it so much. 

Set in Virginia, this novel is about three sisters and their Aunt. The Flores sisters: Sage, Teal, and Sky all have gifts: Sage is the "plant whisperer"; Teal can summon up a thunderstorm or the sunniest of days, depending on her mood; and Sky has the gift of communicating with animals. It's been eight years since Sage was home, but now she's returning after losing her job. Returning home to her Aunt Nadia's house also means living with Teal and facing the grief from losing Sky eight years before. Only Sky is still around, haunting Sage every time she cries. Sky doesn't know why she's sticking around. 

Sage returns to her previous job at the Cranberry Rose Company, growing herbs and nurturing plants as only she can do. And unfortunately for her, Tennessee Reyes also works there--the very object of her love years ago in their teen years. Dang it all if he isn't even more handsome as a grown man! Tennessee sure likes the look of Sage, and has no idea all those years ago his AOL messenger pal was Sage. 

Sage has her work cut out for her: dealing with her feelings for Tennessee, trying to connect with her sister Teal, and figuring out why exactly Sky keeps hanging around, acting very un-ghostly. It's a homecoming that is an opportunity for healing, growth, and a happily ever after, if only Sage can hang on and see it all through. 

I loved Sage's gift with plants and Mother Earth. The best gift to have, in my opinion! I'll say Sky's story is a bit odd, and did throw me for a loop. Just keep reading and let the magic of the novel make you a believer. Teal is a pill and dang she is frosty as hell. Themes in the novel are embracing your gifts, not letting men push you around, and, of course, family. There's a couple of steamy sex scenes but otherwise it's pretty mild. 

Thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group for the ARC. This paperback will be out in the U.S. on September 12th. Also will be available as an e-book. Cover art is fantastic! 

Rating: 5/6 for an entertaining novel about a family of witches who struggle with everyday problems just like the rest of us. A magical novel about finding love again, healing old wounds, and accepting your own badass self. 

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August Read: The Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

The Universe Sent Me a Romance Novel to Read: The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

I was cataloging new materials at the library last week and this came across my desk. At first I didn't pay any attention to what it was about, but something made me pause and take a second look. Aha! After realizing I didn't have anything romantic at all on my reading list for February, the universe decided to hand me something to read. Thank you, Universe. 

The Hygge Holiday is a novel that will, quite simply, make you want to light candles and cozy up with your favorite blanket and something warm to drink. It's a delightful tale about Clara, a Danish woman traveling around England, who finds herself in the small town of Yulethorpe shortly before Christmas. Yulethorpe was, just a few short years before, a bustling, delightful town full of quaint shops, lovely restaurants, and a steady stream of folks from all around. Yet now the last shop, a toy store, is closing down, and the only remaining pub is a bit bare bones. Yulethorpe has lost it's mojo. Clara befriends Louisa, the owner of Alden's Toys, as she announces she's giving up, closing the shop and flying off to Spain. Clara offers to flat sit for her, and asks if she can keep the shop open, since Christmas is coming soon and folks need to buy gifts. With Louisa's blessing, Clara settles into the flat, and soon has the toy store open, creating amazing window scenes that draw crowds and generate positive buzz in Yulethorpe. 

Joe Alden, Louisa's son, is a high-flyer in London, always working, never taking a day off, and he's frustrated he can't get a hold of his mother. He drives down to Yulethorpe to see what's going on, and he clashes with Clara. Clara herself practices  hygge--which is a Danish concept of slowing down, enjoying life, and making simple changes that keep you happy and content. Yes, it means having candles, making supper, creating a cozy home, taking the time to enjoy the scenery on a walk. Can Clara work her magic on Joe, and get him to put his phone away, slow down and rediscover the simple pleasures of life?

There is a romance between Joe and Clara, but it's pretty minimal and slow paced. The main focus of this novel is really about becoming aware of the simple pleasures in life, and how they can create a sense of contentment and peace in all of us. Simply slowing down, puttering at home, and shutting off the phone can help us destress and enjoy life. It's fun to watch Joe slowly let go of his frantic London life and discover that he really doesn't enjoy his job, his cold apartment, and all those take out meals. The physical toll it is taking on him becomes more and more apparent as he spends more time around Clara. 

This was a sweet, fun read; just what I needed this week. I would definitely read more Rosie Blake novels in the future! I can guarantee you'll want to buy candles and comfy throws after you've turned the last page. If you already practice hygge, congratulations! You've learned the art of de-stressing. 

Rating: 3/6 for a sweet tale of turning off, tuning out, and enjoying the simple joys of life. I would love to read more tales set in Yulethorpe. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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The Universe Sent Me a Romance Novel to Read: The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal

Iowa has been dead center in the middle of this horrible "polar vortex" the past few days. It's been so cold that pretty much everything was shut down, and people stayed home. Crazy, crazy cold--the kind that hurts your face the second you step out. Add to that a lovely snow storm today (it was only supposed to be an inch, but we're at about 4 with horrible roads and many, many accidents), and we're all ready for a balmy 32 degrees (coming in a few days). January has certainly been an interesting month.

I was doing a great job on reading lots of books, and then hit a wall. I've got all sorts of books started, but can't seem to get through any of them. I decided to reach for a book I've had sitting on my bookcase for a few years and get a head start on reading for a book group later in February. I also needed to read something a bit lighter. 

How to Bake a Perfect Life is a mixed bag of chick lit, family drama, and bread. Oh, I loved the bread! I've never made my own bread, but this certainly has me thinking I should try.  At the heart of this plot is Ramona Gallagher, a forty-year old woman who owns her own bakery in Colorado Springs, CO. Her daughter Sophia is married to a solider who's been severely injured while on active duty, and is in Germany at a hospital. Sophia must go, but Sophia is currently 8 months pregnant, and her stepdaughter Katie comes to stay with Ramona in her rambling Victorian home/bakery. Katie's mother is a drug addict in rehab, and Katie has nowhere to go. 

There are a lot of moving parts to this story, and they unfold little by little, so you get to know Ramona, Sophia and Katie as the story moves along. Ramona was a young mother-fifteen--and her accidental pregnancy created tension within her family--a prosperous large family that owns and operates many restaurants in the area. She inherited her grandmother's home, and decided to finally take her talent for baking bread and turn it into her own bakery, with no ties to her family's businesses. This also has created tension. But of course her money and her plan have gone awry with unexpected building issues that are keeping Ramona close to ruin. Can she keep going and make the bakery a success? 

There's a whole lot to this novel, and I can't possibly tell you all of it, and I wouldn't want to anyway! The bread is a big part of it, and there are recipes included throughout. There are many themes, too: mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness, veteran issues, drug addiction, home, and second chances. There's also a delightful dog named Merlin who is a very wise old soul, and an elderly woman who sits in the back garden and talks to Katie about the family. Multiple points of view help you understand what each character is thinking, and gives the plot a lot more depth. I was expecting a fun, lighthearted novel, but got more than that--and I happily dove right in and couldn't put it down. 

This novel helped me get back on track with some reading to finish out January. I'll post my February reads list this weekend--there are so many I want to read, I'm not sure what to start with first. 

Rating: 4/6 for a read-off-the-shelf novel that has me yearning for a warm crusty loaf of sourdough bread, guitar music, and a beautiful garden to soothe my soul.   Lots of characters have me hoping there are more novels ahead with the Gallagher family. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal

Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox

Holiday reads have begun!  If you follow the Bookalicious Babe on Facebook, you've seen my previews of some of the holiday books I'll be reading this month. Who can resist dogs on a book cover? Not me. This may be my favorite holiday book cover.

Charlie lives in London, and just broke up with her cheating boyfriend. She plans on spending the week of Christmas hunkered down in her apartment watching her favorite movies and drinking wine. Her plans are drastically changed when a neighbor has a gas explosion; Charlie's apartment is damaged, and she has a concussion. Jez, Charlie's cousin, arrives to whisk her away to the countryside, to stay at Cozy Canine Cottages for a few days, watching over Charlie while she mends. 

Charlie is not a fan of dogs. Or the countryside. And horrors, Jez doesn't have a T.V. Jez's long distance budding relationship with a scientist stationed in Lapland revs up with an opportunity to spend two weeks together. When help to run the doggy daycare falls through, Jez begs Charlie to do it. With just a few dogs to take care of, it will be a snap. Charlie gives in, and decides to stay and be in charge. After all, how hard can it be? Dogs just eat, sleep, and poop, right?

Charlie is charmingly awkward. She's got no clothes with her, so she has to continuously raid her cousin's closet. She's ordered a TV to be delivered so she can watch her planned movies, and stocked the kitchen with frozen pizza and chardonnay. But there is that pesky problem of annoying the local vet Cal (who Charlie calls Bovine Cal), who has blazing blue eyes and really sexy forearms. Charlie just can't seem to get anything right with Cal, who appears randomly at Cozy Canine Cottages and always seems to catch Charlie at her worst moments. 

Jez flies off, and after only one day alone with the dogs Charlie's already taking on more than she should, with sometimes disastrous results. But she's also figuring out that her London life isn't so grand and maybe, just maybe, dogs aren't so bad to be around. 

The dogs in this novel are darling, and all with distinct personalities. I don't want to tell you about them, because I want you to have the delight of discovering these dogs and let them worm their way into your heart like they did mine. I'm a dog lover, and even though I haven't had a dog since my teen years, I hope some day to have one again.  

This is a delightful quick read, with a cast of characters that are charming, and a setting that is not your typical Christmas setting. Sometimes it takes removing yourself from the usual to reveal what really makes you happy. Charlie, Cal, and the doggies of Cozy Canine Cottage get a thumbs up from me!

Rating: 4/6 for a charming holiday novel about being out of your element and finding that's exactly where you want to be. Full of quirky, sweet dogs with personalities ready to melt your heart.You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy this holiday novel. 

Available in paperback and ebook

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Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin by Stephanie Knipper

Well.  I'm a few days late getting this read and reviewed for my September reads, but better late than never!  I had a friend recommend this to me.  She knows I love Sara Addison Allen and that wonderful genre of magical realism.  And she was right about this one, too.

Lily and Rose Martin are two sisters who grew up on the family flower farm in Kentucky.  Rose's daughter Antoinette is ten years old and on the severe end of the autism spectrum.  She also has an amazing ability to heal.  As in, putting her hands into dirt and making flowers bloom, touching birds and healing broken wings.  She can hear the music of the earth and every living creature.  She can't talk, but her mind is as clear as a bell.  Her body doesn't obey her mind, and what others see as a profoundly challenged child screaming and biting is in actuality a frustrated child limited by the physical prison of a body that won't obey her commands. The only problem is that when Antoinette really goes in deep with her healing, it causes severe seizures that are in danger of killing her. 

Rose takes care of the flower farm, and finally calls Lily home after years of exile.  Rose is dying.  She's had a heart condition since the day she gave birth to Antoinette, and her time is running out.  Lily must come home to take care of Antoinette and the flower farm.  Rose is not willing to put her daughter in harm's way by trying to cure her heart condition.  It's time to say goodbye.  

Seth, Lily's childhood love, continues to live next door, and has taken part ownership in the flower farm to help Rose.  He's got a connection to Antoinette that helps keep her anchored and calm.  When Lily arrives, Antoinette is angry, frustrated, and definitely not a fan of Lily.  

Geez, this sounds like an incredibly sad story.  It is sad, but it's also pretty wonderful.  It's all about family, friends, love, sacrifice, and understanding.  I for one loved peeking into Antoinette's personality, and seeing the person she really is inside that physical body.  Rose and Lily love each other, but have lots of issues.  And Lily's love for Seth has never faded, but she's afraid to trust him again.  

I haven't even mentioned Will...the doctor who lives next door to Lily and is competition for Seth.  Oh, he'll break your heart.  

Flowers, magic, flower lore, healing, love.  The sister bond.  What a lovely little gem of a book.  

Rating:  7/10 for a novel that has many compelling characters; a story line that may require tissues, and a cover that was hard to resist.  

Available in hardcover and e-book.    

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The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin by Stephanie Knipper

The Longest Date: Life as a Wife by Cindy Chupack

There are still people out there that think it's the finding someone and falling in love part that is hard.  Marriage is the easy part, right?

Cindy Chupack writes about marriage in her new book, The Longest Date: Life as a Wife.  Cindy finds herself meeting Ian in her late 30's and falling in love and marrying at the age of 40.  Ian sounds like a heck of a catch--funny, smart, romantic, and enough bad boy to make a woman want to run in the opposite direction.  But the two are a great match and soon Ian is moving to California and into Cindy's beach house.  Periods of adjustment are expected in a new marriage--especially when you get married a bit later in life.  Cindy writes about all of these things with a comic flair that I think anyone can relate to and understand completely.  Cindy's marriage undergoes a bit more stress and heartbreak as she and Ian struggle to have a child and go through all the endless tests and options open to people wanting to add to their family.  And especially moving is Ian's chapter on his feelings about a particularly stressful  time in their marriage that shows just how much he loves his wife and is affected by this bump in the road.  I don't want to give anything away, so you'll just have to read this to the end and find out if Ian and Cindy are successful in their quest to have a child.

In the meantime, if you're just getting married, or even thinking about it, this is a great book to read.  Cindy is funny--and yet she manages to bring across the mixed emotions that accompany such a huge change in life--that of marrying the person you love most, and then having to blend two lives. And pick up dirty clothes off the floor.  And rise to the challenge of keeping it all interesting through even the most mundane days.  And being okay with not having things just so anymore.  

Rating:  7/10 for a refreshing and honest look at marriage and all the joys and challenges that come with sharing life and home with your spouse.

Available in hardcover and e-book.
Thanks to Penguin Books for a preview copy!

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The Longest Date: Life as a Wife by Cindy Chupack