An Everlasting Christmas by Mandy M. Roth

Hello everyone.

I hope you are having a good week. In the US we are getting ready for Thanksgiving which is next Thursday. It seems impossible to be at the end of November already. Am I the only person that is experiencing time moving way too quickly? Not only do I have family commitments but I have a huge stack of untouched books I swore I would get to this year. I need to read much faster or borrow that time-turner gizmo from Hermione Granger!

I recently read An Everlasting Christmas by Mandy M. Roth.  This is book seven in a seven book Everlasting series, written by several authors.  I have not read any of the others and had no problem enjoying this novel, in fact the series promotes that it can be read in any order.  I am guessing that each books take place in the town of Everlasting, Maine. Perhaps each story follows a different person, in this case an antique store owner. This short little "cozy" is part mystery, part romance, with a bit of paranormal and Christmas thrown in, to hit all the bases. There is a secret admirer, a second chance romance and, of course, holiday cheer. I don't want to tell you much, the book is around one hundred and fifty pages long so I kind of feel like I need to leave any description very open so that you'll have lots to discover while reading. This fun, cute, book provides plenty of entertainment.

If you like serious nonfiction or intense thrillers, this book may not be for you. If you like cozy mysteries, this quick holiday title may be the relief your cookie baking stress is begging for.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Hello everyone.

I hope you have been having a good week. If you are in the US you are likely braving some really cold weather. Usually cold for this time of year. We've even had snow in coastal North Carolina.. At least we made it until November before turning on the heat. Yes, I know, I am a miser, but hey I need book buying money! Did you see the clouds in the sky part earlier this week? See rays of angelic light shine down in my direction? No, well you missed it! Our hurricane Dorian damage is finally fixed and first floor roofs are complete. Naturally, we are supposed to have a nor'easter today with hurricane force winds again but I'm ignoring it and basking in the end of construction! I was nervous about the whole thing, I can tell because when I am nervous I read more. This week I received and read (in three days, fast for me) a great book.

I just read The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. I really loved it. I've read several books by this author and have enjoyed them all but this is my favorite, by far. If you read the jacket description, you'll be easily drawn in. This book takes place in three settings and, of course, they all become tied together. A woman, Libby, inherits a house from her birth parents. She knows nothing about them or her early beginnings but is shocked when the house is very valuable despite being in disrepair. At the same time, the reader follows Lucy and her small children, who are all homeless. We learn that Lucy also has ties to the same house. Hmmmm, unusual, an empty mansion and someone that is homeless. Odd.  Lastly, the story travels to more than twenty-five years in the past, told from the perspective of Henry, one of the boys living in the mansion. As the timelines and people move toward each other, mysteries abound.

This book grabs you from the beginning. It features short chapters, which I love. If one area of the story is slower, building details, another will be rocketing forward to leave you on a cliff hanger, a writing trick that keeps me reading. While I would not really consider this a high action thriller, it is very much a page turner. I think you will find it a very quick read. The characters are interesting, likable and are able to really carry this story although The Family Upstairs is chock full of atmosphere. Every time I had a question, thinking I caught the author with a problem, that question was immediately answered as Lisa Jewell well anticipated my concerns. In addition, each time I thought I had the whole novel figured out I was quickly proven wrong. I declared my theory so many times to hubby, holding the book high in the air, he thinks I'm playing King Arthur wielding my sword. I was wrong, pleasantly so. I was left guessing until the last page. I love that, it makes me feel like I am squeezing every penny from my reading dollar.

If you want an action packed thriller, this may not be for you. If you like mysteries or just generally interesting stories this does not disappoint. While nothing like it, this book is so rich in atmosphere it kind of reminds me of Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway. If you are not a Ruth Ware fan, rest assured these books are not even similar in writing style or tale, just creepy vibe.

As a friendly reminder, the holidays are coming and books are super easy to wrap. The Family Upstairs would make a great gift, unless you're about to inherit a boarded up creepy mansion, in that case...happy shopping.

Secret Santa and All He Wants For Christmas by Kati Wilde

Hello everyone.

I have to give you an update on the housewife front. We are still dealing with damage from hurricane Dorian. We finally have a contractor, but he is also re-shingling our four porch roofs at the same time. In this small town, getting a contractor to work on your house is like hitting a huge vein of gold in your front yard. Next to impossible. We have a shortage of plumbers, roofers, siding experts, electricians, and general contractors. I hope these are not becoming dying arts. Despite being near the beach and a huge metropolitan area, we have very few of these talented people. So, when you get someone, you have to put up with a lot, jump through some hoops. Our contractor is in the middle of doing the first floor roofs, two are over porches, two are over bump-outs. First it starts to rain, and the water comes in.  ARRRGH.  Now he is sick and it poured again!  We are supposed to have terrible wind, quite possibly tearing off more of the siding, which was our original damage from the hurricane that remains unfixed.  To say this is frustrating is an understatement!

Lest this get too depressing, I have something positive to report. When I talk about housewife stuff I often discuss my beloved dishwasher that cleaned perfectly but kept breaking. I fought to save it but eventually had to replace my pal since it was fourteen years old. I am happy to say the new dishwasher cleans just as well. It only uses a couple of gallons of water and is some type of super energy saver. Unlike any other dishwasher I've ever had this one is silent. Honestly, you could sleep next to it....or read.  Given the roof and hurricane damage, I've been doing a lot of reading these days, obviously my form of escape.

I recently read two books by the same author, Kati Wilde. I read All He Wants For Christmas and Secret Santa. I had never heard of this author but suddenly kept seeing her name everywhere. Maybe everybody has roof trouble. These books are short, quick hit, romance novels. They certainly follow the romance formula; a couple meet, fall in love, find trouble in paradise, then work things out for a happy ending. Who doesn't like a happy ending? Okay, I admit, I kind of like an evil ending in thrillers but that is just the kind of chicken baking, vacuum avoiding, book reading person I am, consider yourself warned.

Secret Santa is about a wood working company, a poor girl and well off man. All He Wants for Christmas is about a well off girl and a policeman assigned to watch out for her. One thing these books both have in common is sex. I don't mean a sex act within a larger story. That doesn't sound right, these books have a clearly defined story. If you want an elaborate plot, you won't find it here. These books are pretty straight forward. The sex, instead of being a passing part of the story, takes center stage. There are many sexual acts and they are very graphic. If you are shy, these books will make you blush. If you take these on a plane fully expect the person sitting next to you to be reading over your shoulder. Still these novels are light and fun. They are a unique break from heavier reads.

A few things in both these stories got on my nerves. First, the man always has a pet name for the woman and uses it endlessly, baby or angel. It was so prevalent it made me think of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry couldn't remember his girlfriend's name. Also, both women were virgins and men were well endowed. Kati Wilde has written several books, maybe I just happen to pick up books that featured these topics. Perhaps more "research" is necessary.

I think I'll leave these books sitting out, Red Ryder BB gun style, and see what Santa delivers this Christmas.