Tag Archives: fun

Dec1

Cover Love: Twelve Days of Christmas

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This is my upcoming new release blurb and cover.

Just imagine…Imagine if the twelve days of Christmas weren’t about Christmas at all.  What if the Partridge in a pear tree was actually a chef named Otto Partridge who found a pear orchard to pick some fresh pears for his restaurant? Imagine the two turtle doves as a pop duo? What if the eleven pipers piping were bakers on a baking challenge show? And what if the six geese a-laying were sassy birds full of advice for a young girl looking to earn money for a prom dress?

A mixture of stories sure to appeal to a variety of readers. Some are set in historical times, some are modern, some fantasy and some romantic. All of them fun and mostly light-hearted. Something for everyone. And none of them Christmas…except for the last one, which involves the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade… the traditional kick off for Christmas festivities.

Nov29

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren, a Review

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I have been working on my NaNoWriMo novel so have not been posting any reviews this month.

I was browsing at Sam’s Club on Black Friday when I was in the store to pick up a new television for my dad and made my way to the book section, because of course I did. 🙂 I saw this one and the cover appealed to me as well as the back blurb.

This was super fun and I gobbled it down. This was the first book I have read by this writing team but it is definitely not the last. I loved the way they made the characters so appealing. A large cast of characters, but so well done that there was no issue keeping them all straight. All the characters were supportive of each other no matter the circumstances and it was great to not have even one nasty character in the story. It shows that books can be entertaining and have conflict without meanness and, in our times, I love that so much.

The heroine was very witty and the interaction between her and the guy she had a crush on was super fun. They bantered with some of the best banter I’ve read in a book. So clever and never dull at all. Creativity abounded in this story.

This was a story with elements of the movie “Groundhog Day” as well as a great tale of family and lasting friendships. It was a great read and so appropriate for the time of year. I highly recommend it.

Aug18

Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin

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This was a fun book with a cool premise.

Gigi is the owner of a romance bookstore. She has a massive crush on the narrator of an audio book, Zane. His voice makes her swoon and the book he’s reading is one her parents fell in love reading, so the book has meaning to her in addition to her lust for the narrator. For her thirtieth birthday, her friends go in on a trip to England for her. (Wish I had friends like that!) A bus trip led by a tour company the narrator’s family owns and he happens to be the guide scheduled for that ten day excursion.

And the adventure begins. There’s a wonderful cast of characters who are on the bus tour as well as the bus driver and tour guide. Each character is fully fleshed out from the estranged couple, to the two women who fell in love later in life, to the widow, the older tour guide, a YouTuber, and the man who records everything and is a font of trivia knowledge.  

When Gigi arrives at the bus depot, the narrator guide, Zane, isn’t there as he’s had a family emergency. Disappointment washed over Gigi and she thought about not going on with the trip. But she stays and finds herself having fun despite no Zane. She lives in hope that he’ll turn up, but she also makes the most of the days he’s not there. It doesn’t hurt that the bus driver is witty and up for adventuring with her when she doesn’t want to follow the itinerary. She has an aversion to churches since the death of her parents and tries to avoid entering the sacred places which is difficult since the tour is called Spires, Shires, and Shores. The bus driver figures out her reluctance to be inside the churches quickly and distracts her with other activities.

When Zane, the tour guide, eventually shows up, things get more complicated for Gigi.

This was an entertaining read with lots of humor, but also some serious moments. The message in the story is about how to move on in life when you might be stagnating or not seeing opportunities in your path by being focused on the past or some dream that really won’t bring you the satisfaction you crave. Lessons are learned by Gigi as well as other characters. For example, the bus driver learns his true calling might be the very thing he avoided, the young YouTuber learns about forgiveness and moving into acceptance, and the widow learns about starting over.

The author used a lighthearted way to inject some serious life lessons into the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Gigi’s bus tour.

Feb26

Risky Whiskey by Lucy Lakestone – review

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This was a quick read with many things to like but also many things to wonder “what the heck?” 

First, the likes:

1. quirky, fun heroine with a unique view of life and a sad nuclear family history but an aunt who is supportive.

2. Hero who is strong and a rock for the heroine.

3. Unique premise with the cocktail convention location and bartenders as the main characters as well as the side characters.

4. Witty dialogue.

5. Wide cast of interesting characters.

6. Balance of danger and humor.

7. Good sense of place in descriptions of New Orleans. I’ve been there many times and the author was able to evoke the atmosphere well. 

The dislikes:

1. This reader figured out the culprit almost as soon as the person was introduced.

2. The red herrings didn’t fool this reader.

3. This reader was thrown out of the story by thoughts of how these people were functioning with the amount of liquor they ingested. I mean, they were at a cocktail convention in New Orleans and so drinking would be expected but they were also working and it seemed they were always buzzing.

4. Too much description of what everyone was wearing. Some is good but everyone’s outfit a number of times was too much for this reader.

5. The way the culprit tried to accomplish his crime was ludicrous. It would have been physically impossible. As someone who has experience with the weapon of choice (not that I’ve tried it on a person!), there is absolutely no way for someone to run and use that weapon. Can’t be done. I was laughing so hard at how insane it was. Definitely took me straight out of the story. 

In summary, good story with some issues but fun to read for the most part. Just be prepared to suspend your beliefs in that penultimate scene. 

Feb10

Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart- A Review

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I picked this one up at our local library book sale. It’s book three in a series but it can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the main character and her quirky personality.

Bailey Ruth Raeburn is a ghost. She works for the Department of Good Intentions in Heaven. Her boss is an old railway conductor, Wiggins. In this book, he assigns her to go to her old hometown and save the life of a woman who was one of her enemies in life.

The stage is set for some drama, some humor and a murder mystery.

Bailey Ruth was an older woman when she passed away but has chosen to present herself as her twenty-seven-year-old self. With red hair and quite attractive, she’s a clothes horse who can change her wardrobe at will. The reader is treated to all the costume changes, sometimes three changes in fifteen minutes. It becomes a funny part of the tale as she is supposed to be a heavenly entity and past all the vanities of life but she’s still intent on wearing attractive ensembles.

She’s also a rule breaker and Wiggins has to make appearances to scold her over her behavior.

The relationship between her and the women she’s supposed to save was delightful. They banter a lot and the woman initially thinks she’s lost her mind when Bailey Ruth makes herself known. Eventually, they come to terms with each other and agree to work together to solve the crime that put the woman’s life in danger in the first place.

The story was fun and the mystery was well done. Lots of red herrings included in the tale.  I like it when we, as readers, have plenty of fodder to mull over as we try to solve the case along with the sleuth. I recommend this one as a fun, quick read.

Nov28

Dasher and Dancer- a Flash Fiction Piece

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Here’s a bit of flash fiction for the season. It’s called Dasher and Dancer:

Dasher and Dancer

“Dude, hurry up. Time’s a’wastin’,” Rudy said.

Slamming the locker door, the other man tossed his used towel into the hamper. “I’m ready.”

“It’s about time, Dasher. We’re going to be late.”

“Why do you insist on calling me Dasher?”

“You’re the only guy I know who can run the fifty yard dash that fast. The name fits.” Rudy clapped him on the back. “I want you to meet that girl I told you about. She’s just your type. All doe-eyed and brown hair.”

“Then let’s get to that vixen’s party.”

“You don’t like me calling you Dasher but you always call my girlfriend Vixen.”

“Like you said, it fits.” The man referred to as Dasher led the way out of the gym and to the parking lot.

Soon, they arrived at the party. The house was decorated with enough lights to illuminate a small Middle Eastern village.

“I’d hate to be the one to pay your gal’s January power bill.” Dasher rang the doorbell.

“Yeah. I’m glad it’s her nickel and not mine.”

Once they were inside, Dasher glanced around at the crowd. Spying a gorgeous girl near the punch bowl, he turned to Rudy. “Who’s that chick over there with the brown hair rocking around the Christmas tree?”

“Oh her?”

“Yeah, her.”

“We call her Dancer since she’s always boogieing. She’s the one I wanted you to meet.”

“Then lead on.” Dasher followed Rudy across the room to the table laden with cookies, fudge and other sweets. There was one plate of vegetables arranged in the shape of a wreath with lettuce in a circle with tiny tomatoes and kale arranged as holly and another with broccoli, carrots and cauliflower shaped like a Christmas tree.

Glad to see at least one or two healthy foods since he had to keep in running shape, Dasher decided to ignore the snacks for the moment and concentrate on the girl. She really was pretty.

Rudy tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned to face them, Dasher sucked in a breath.  Up close, she was absolutely stunning. And doe-eyed for sure.  He held out his hand as Rudy introduced them.

When she clasped his, hers was so cool and smooth it was all he could do not to put it to his lips and kiss it as if he were from another age or another country.

“Since you’re called Dancer, would you like to dance with me?” Dasher asked.

“I’d love to.”

He was glad the band played a slow song next. That way, he didn’t have to let go of her hand.

Leading her to the area cleared for dancing, Dasher spun Dancer around the room and stared into those beautiful eyes.

As the song, Silver Bells, continued, Dancer hummed along. They moved in unison. Dasher realized she was the perfect Christmas gift for him.

He liked to dash, she liked to dance and they fit together perfectly. Both clearly loved Christmas music. They were meant to be.

THE END… OR…THE BEGINNING…