A heartwarming Christmas story filled with the magic and miracles of the holiday season by USA Today Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle.
About Christmas Angels
Growing up, Liz Westmoreland dreamed of taking over her grandparents inn located in the small mountain town of Antler Creek only for it to be sold before she ever got the chance. While browsing the internet, she stumbles upon a listing for what looks to be the picturesque inn and it’s set to go to auction. Liz places a bid, and by a miracle, wins the auction. But when she gets there she finds the property in significant disrepair.
When Matt Hardy narrowly lost the inn and property that butted his land, he just hoped it wasn’t another city slicker coming to make matters worse after the previous owners gutted the place for an art gallery. But the minute he recognized the sweet, freckle-faced girl from his childhood and heard her plans to reopen the inn, he jumps at the chance to help his childhood crush restore a place where he made so many fond memories.
While working on repairs, Liz and Matt discover her grandmother’s collection of angels in one of the cabins. When the angels start mysteriously showing up all over the inn, she begins to look at them as reassurance—that restoring the inn is what she’s meant to do. But when an accident leaves Liz feeling like she made a mistake, will Matt—and the residents of Antler Creek—be able to show Liz that she’s found a home? And possibly true love as well?
My Thoughts
Liz did not have the typical childhood that you would expect and this has influenced the way she lives her life. She loves her parents but it was her grandparents that instilled the importance of family and what a family really means. Her best memories from her childhood were centered around her grandparents and the inn that they ran in their small town.
When she finds that the inn is up for auction, she bids for it and is successful. She does this against the advice of her friends, colleagues and even her own parents. There is something about the property that makes her feel at peace and at home. Nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to see. The previous owners gutted and tore out so many features of the home that she loved. She is devastated and unsure if she can accomplish everything that needs to be done.
When all seems impossible enter Matt – sweet, kind and thoughtful (he melted my heart!). He had a huge crush on Liz as a child and is more than happy to help her with her new project (and you can see how much he still cares for her even if Liz has blinders on). He wants her to remember her family, the good in people (you can rely on others) and the joy in the simple moments.
This is an absolute beautiful novel that makes you laugh, cry and hope for the best. Family is so important and this novel reminds you of all those cherished memories from years ago. You are rooting for Liz and Matt – you want her to find her happiness and dreams, even if she is stubborn to see it right in front of her. It is a beautiful story of starting over, finding happiness and peace in the storm of life. It not only makes a great holiday read but a fantastic year round read.
USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. Some of her other titles include The Secret Ingredient, Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa, and Recipe for Romance.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
In his first novel, Chris Riker conducts an opus in voce giocoso that grins at the inevitable, but reminds us of the heart that all life shares.
About Come the Eventide
A century has passed since the fall of humanity changed the natural landscape. The oceans are poison, and a fraction of Earth’s magnificent creatures remain. The only surviving humans squabble over limited resources as they cling to a fragile peace. Yet in this bleak landscape hope lives on in Earth’s other intelligent life. It all begins when Septielle, a seven-armed octopod, has a vision of a world restored—a world she will not live to see. Inspired by her vision, a dolphin named Muriel shoulders her mission and enlists any humans who will listen—including Anadare, a young islander with an ax to grind against the oppressive ruling class of tourists turned bureaucrats. An invasion of cannibalistic pirates complicates things as they declare war on a world that rejects them.
As tensions rise to a crescendo, islanders, tourists, and pirates alike must put aside their differences to send Muriel on her greatest journey yet—beyond the sea, beyond form, beyond time itself.
My Thoughts
Come the Eventide is an interesting book set in the future – where mankind has destroyed our home (plant Earth) and are struggling to survive in a landscape that is hard to imagine. This is a topic that hits home especially now as we see our planet suffer from our actions. All of the ways that humans destroyed our planet are still alive and present after the catastrophic events – greed, jealousy and inequity, as it seems we tend not to learn from our past mistakes. The story is told from two viewpoints – humans and animals.
The children in this story take centre stage as they are charged with the important task of uncovering the pirates and their plans by the cruel ruling class. They meet a few dolphins who they can communicate with in such a unique manner. It is almost as if the dolphin becomes one with their minds and can speak and see their thoughts and feelings. The dolphins assist them on their task but I did not see the pirates plot coming at all and how it would impact their lives.
We learn of a bleak history for the humans (starvation, turning on each other, water that has been so polluted that fish no longer swim there) and a plan from the pirates that can be hard to read at times. The pirates are not for the faint of heart – my stomach turned at some of their acts (reader beware!).
While I really enjoyed the plot and idea behind the story, it was a bit hard to follow at times and I found I had to back track a bit to ensure I remembered the names of the characters and how they were connected. It was a busy plot so this was important, I am not sure if a character list may have helped in the beginning of the novel so that you could refer back to it if you became lost.
Chris Riker is a writer, father, and journalist. He grew up in Rhode Island and now makes his home in Georgia with his wife, Ping. He has always loved books, from science-fiction and fantasy to historical novels and biographies. Building on a background in broadcast news, including a stint at CNN, he is now focused on telling stories with strong characters and moral resonance. His premiere effort blends a love for our beautiful Earth and her myriad life-forms with a sense of wonder at our shared purpose and fate. Connect with Chris on his website, Facebook.
Popular children’s book author-illustrator Ruby Roth gives us the heartening story of a little boy who’s had a very bad day and just needs some quiet space to work out his feelings in his own way, on his own time.
About Bad Day
What do you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
In Bad Day, things are not going well for Hennie. Small things loom large, going from bad to worse as the day-that-never-ends goes on. But with a deep breath and some quiet reflection, Hennie begins to make sense of his feelings and discovers the power of turning inward. Affirming and funny at wonderfully relatable moments, this timely mindfulness resource helps children process their inner lives, guiding them toward self-empowerment and resilience.
Our Thoughts
I think as parents we can relate to a bad day. Those days where we can’t say why we are feeling so down and frustrated but everything upsets us and everything seems wrong. I have had so many of those and even when I try to remind myself to be rational, it can be hard to control those feelings of hurt and frustration.
Now imagine those feelings in a child. A child can find it hard sometimes to express exactly how they are feeling or why they are upset. Sometimes they are just to young to even understand these feelings or even to know the words to describe those feelings. So instead they act out, they may yell, they may cry and they may say things that are not the nicest. As parents, we need to teach them to listen to those feelings, learn how to express themselves and understand that it will get better – all while keeping our own cool, not the easiest task!
This beautiful book is cleverly written so that your child will relate very easily to our main character, Hennie. He is just having the most awful day and all he wants is for everyone to ignore him. I could actually see my own kids in him (and maybe even a bit of myself if I am honest because how many times do we just want to hide some days?). It takes a bit of time but Hennie, after spending some time reflecting, realizes that even bad days have good lessons for us and that we can overcome the worst days by looking at the positive.
I loved how this book gets you talking with your child – use the book to identify some similarities, how we react when things don’t go quite our way or when something hurts us and how can we face these feelings and turn our day around. It is that excellent reminder to young children (as well as older children who may need that reminder) that we have the power to turn our bad days into good ones by using positivity and seeing the good in every situation. This is a great tool to start those important discussions with children around feelings, sharing how we feel and how we overcome disappointment.
Featured on Today, FOX, CNN, and other major media, Ruby Roth is a Los Angeles-based artist, author-illustrator, activist, and former teacher whose groundbreaking children’s books have received international attention and have been translated into multiple languages. She holds degrees in art and American studies and speaks at conferences nationwide. Weaving art together with health, wellness, the environment, and society at large, Roth’s work connects the dots between our personal choices and the public realm, showing how our habits can change our lives—and the world we live in. Bad Day is Roth’s fifth picture book and her first on issues of emotions and neuro-diversity. For more info, visit http://rubyroth.co.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review.
Halloween is by far the best holiday of the year (in my humble opinion). I love decorating our home, work and making themed crafts and treats with my kids. Not to mention all of the scary stories we read together! I love every day of this month.
If you are looking for new spooky stories to read, Raincoast Books has a fantastic line up that covers all age groups, from young children to tweens to teens. Each book has the perfect amount of scare value for every age.
So what is on the top five reading list for this spooktacular holiday? Read on to find out!
Trick or Treat in Canada
In Trick or Treat in Canada an unexpected visitor arrives in town! But who is he? What is he? Where did he come from? Readers will learn the answers to all these questions as they watch the mysterious visitor travel through places they know and love in Canada. Come along and celebrate an unforgettable Halloween night!
Canada receives the cutest little surprise visitor (I know he is supposed to be scary but I found him adorable!) and in true Canadian fashion, he is welcomed throughout our beautiful country. He visits famous landmarks (how many can you recognize and have been to?) and learns all about Halloween. He even gets caught up in all the Halloween fun – although at first he may have been a bit scared. This is a lovely children’s book that has a great story of acceptance, a bit of scary fun but also has beautiful illustrations and highlights what makes Canada such a great country to live in.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters.
The Halloween Tree
A charming, funny, and warm-hearted picture book that will help to start a new tradition. Everyone knows most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees. But one grumpy, old tree who doesn’t like lights, decorations, or people is determined to be different. Get ready to meet The Halloween Tree!
I fell in love with this adorable grumpy little tree. From day one, he is not like the other trees. He doesn’t like decorations, lights or even people! His dislike for everything cheery makes his branches turn crooked and ensures no leaves grow on his branches. When he becomes the only tree left and houses start to be built around him, he begins to grow even more grumpy. That is until the children began to play with him – he goes on adventures and his heart begins to warm up little by little (much to his denial and surprise). The children come up with a very special idea for him and decorate him for Halloween! He soon discovers he likes lights, decorations and even people. This is a beautiful story with lovely illustrations that we couldn’t help but fall in love with. We even decided that we may just be decorating our front tree this Halloween (she looks a bit lonely too come fall!).
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters.
A Box of Bones
In A Box of Bones twelve-year-old Kallie despises nonsense. She believes there’s a rational explanation for everything, despite the good-natured prodding of her Grandpa Jess, who takes her to frivolous wastes of time like their town’s local Festival of Fools.
There, Kallie meets a faceless man (must be some kind of mask) who gives her a strange wooden puzzle box (must be some kind of gimmick). Intrigued despite herself, Kallie sets to work on unlocking its secrets and lets something out. From here Kallie’s life begins to entangle with another world, a world where Liah, a young bone carver, journeys with her master to sell wares to a wicked Queen.
The sights, sounds, smells, and spells of Liah’s world are beginning to leak into Kallie’s, and if Kallie can’t decipher the meaning of her own story, the end might be far from happy.
Kallie is very much like her Father – rational and thoughtful. She doesn’t believe in the supernatural or the unexplained. Everything has a purpose and an explanation. Her Grandpa is funny, warm and a breath of fresh air. He takes her to the Festival of Fools where she meets a faceless man who gives her a box. This isn’t some ordinary box, Kallie must work to open it. Once she uncovers the pattern, something really weird happens and Kallie is worried that something may have escaped the box. We begin to dive into the world of Liah and Kallie and watch how they intertwine. Kallie’s once ordered life is thrown off balance and she must face these challenges head on in order to protect those she loves. This novel I felt is a bit of a cross between mystery and horror and great for young readers. The plot flowed nicely and developed at a good speed for young readers.
Christian McKay Heidicker draws inspiration from Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe for his debut middle-grade novel, a thrilling portrait of survival and an unforgettable tale of friendship.
The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe.
When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.
Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen hauntingly beautiful illustrations,Scary Stories for Young Foxescontains the kinds of adventures and thrills you love to listen to beside a campfire in the dark of night. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Auxier, and R. L. Stine have found their next favorite book
This was an excellent novel for those young readers just starting to read chapter books. We have eight short stories intertwined with seven foxes who are on the hunt for scary stories. They find their way to the story teller who gathers them around for some frightening stories, each one a bit scarier then the last. I loved how we had the break in between each story to hear more from these brave little kits (can they be brave throughout each story? Or will they return home?). I loved the personality given to each kit and the teachings behind each story. Each story relates to the animal kingdom (death, hunting, illness, etc..) but also to the real world – kindness, compassion, love and fear. While it can be a bit scary, many children will be familiar with some of the concepts from watching animal shows. It is well written (full of personality) and a great read for young readers from start to finish.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters.
Guest
When her adorable baby brother is replaced by an ugly, ill-tempered changeling, Mollie is determined to find the so-called Kinde Folke who took baby Thomas, return the changeling she calls Guest, and make them give Thomas back. Natural and magical obstacles and her own reckless temperament make her journey arduous and full of dangers, and a plot rich in surprises and twists makes this book a must-read for Mary Downing Hahn’s fans.
I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. I love learning about history and this book gives readers a look at some of the folk stories that people believed in so many years ago. In this case, this story surrounds a changeling child. One family loses their beautiful baby boy and in his place they are given a changeling – a sickly, mean child that does nothing but scream and make life miserable. We learn that children believed to be a changeling are left at a crossroad to die due to fear from the fairy folk (this makes my heart sore to think of this actually happening) but in this story Thomas’ Mother cares for the changeling child in the hopes that her real son will be returned to her. Mollie feels that this is all her fault (and rightfully so due to her jealousy and reacting versus thinking her thoughts through) and will do whatever it takes to get her brother back and save her family that was torn apart by this event. She embarks on a dangerous journey and will stop at nothing to save her brother Thomas. I did not expect all of the twists that this novel takes but it is an incredible read. It is full of excitement, challenges, forgiveness and a bit of karma. This is a definite must read for tweens, teens and adults that love all books (just like me).
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters.
How do you and your children celebrate the Halloween season? Do you have a favourite story that you like to read each year?
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Diana Biller’s debut novel is a gorgeous piece of prose, with a decidedly dark Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers everywhere.
About the Widow of Rose House
It’s 1875, and New York’s Gilded Age is in full swing. After fleeing her abusive husband, Alva Webster spent three years being pilloried in the newspapers of two continents. Now he’s dead, and she’s returned to New York to start over, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion for her new home decoration book and hopefully her reputation in the process. So when the eccentric and brilliant Professor Samuel Moore appears, threatening her fresh start with stories of a haunting at her house, she refuses to give him access. Alva doesn’t believe in ghosts.
A pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, Sam’s latest obsession is ghosts. When he learns about a house with a surprising number of ghost stories, he’s desperate to convince its beautiful owner to let him study it. Can he find his way into her house and her heart?
My Thoughts
The Widow of Rose House is a fantastic five out five stars. I loved the characters, the plot and how different this story was.
First we have the amazing Alva, a strong independent woman who has gone through so much. She grew up in a privileged lifestyle that many would have desired but it had its own downfall – two parents who did not care nor show affection for her. They were cold and mean to her, which has had disastrous long term effects on her ability to trust others and build relationships. On top of this, she married a man she thought loved her but instead abused her both emotionally and physically. When she tried to escape, he made her life (for lack of better words), hell. You would think this would break her, but Alva keeps on fighting back and coming back stronger. She buys a rumored haunted house and lands a promising book deal. While financially she is making it, emotionally she is suffering.
Enter in Professor Samuel, who is everything she has always wanted in her own life. He comes from a family full of love and support, he has two parents that love each other very much and he has never felt the pain of disappointment in the people who should love him the most. He is also a brilliant scientist who has an obsession with the paranormal. In this case, he would do anything to study the house that Alva has purchased. What he doesn’t expect is Alva and his strong feelings for her.
I loved the way the plot develops in this story – I wasn’t expecting a ghost story (I don’t want to give too much away but I thought it would play out to be a trick not a real ghost) tied in with a beautiful story of forgiveness, healing and learning to trust. Alva wants to love and be loved, she just doesn’t know how to. Samuel wants nothing more then to show her how special she is. You keep rooting for the pair to be able to make it but never really know if they can. Is Alva too damaged from her past experiences in order to love Samuel the way he deserves? Can Samuel learn to ignore the pain when she pushes away and keep fighting for the two of them? Will they be able to survive the home that Alva purchased? Will her past continue to blackmail her and keep her hostage?
On a side note – I loved how she explored how women were treated during this time period. They had very little rights, were used as property, physically and mentally abused with the majority of society turning a blind eye. Even her own deceased husband and ex-brother in law did not even know their own Mother’s name (this is probably extreme but to them she was just someone who came from a good family name and married into an even better family name). I think this is a good reminder for all readers of how far we have come and why we need to continue to fight for women’s rights.
This was an excellent book from start to finish that I could not put down. I loved every aspect of this well written novel.
You can purchase a copy of this book here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Diana Biller lives in Los Angeles with her husband their very good dog. The Widow of Rose House is her debut nvoel.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
