Book Review: Midnight in Everwood

Remember when I had Covid a few weeks ago? Well I get to deal with an awful stomach bug now, courtesy of my adorable younger daughters bringing the worst of germs home from school. Though that's totally bad enough, my bougie self can't just let it be that, oh no. I kicked that illness off by kneeling on the floor of a Walmart bathroom for a half hour, throwing up literally every thing I had ever eaten.  

It was a low moment in my life. Matt still believes I need to burn my clothes because that floor was foul. 

Midnight in Everwood - M.A. Kuzniar

A spell-binding retelling of The Nutcracker, filled with enchanted toys, decadent balls, fierce feminine friendships and a forbidden romance. For fans of The Toymakers, Caraval and The Bear and the Nightingale.

There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.

When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses, miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.

But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.

Do you know what I really, really love? A re-telling of a classic story. I will read anything if you tell me it is a re-telling and I really don't know why. I'm all in, and this one is a gorgeous re-telling of The Nutcracker and it was worth me staying up to finish this despite being totally too tired to be staying up. 

I loved this so much and I got House of Salt and Sorrow vibes because it's dark and moody, but mythical and magical at the same time. You don't really know what's going on, but you kind of think you do, and then at the end it takes a quick turn. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and there is so much detail that I feel like I need to do another read through because there were some things towards the end that I kind of remembered being noted earlier in the book, so I have to see if I missed some clues. I also never read the original Nutcracker stories, so now I kind of want to go back to see what similarities (and differences) there are. Also, this villain??? WHOA BOY.  

If I have to give a critique, it would be the sex scenes... which aren't really sex scenes. Honestly this feels more new adult than young adult, and though I did like the romance overall, some of these scenes were just so off that it would have been better to leave them out all together and let readers assume what happened. 

Even with that, I loved this and have to give it four stars, no question. Thank you to TLC Book Tours and HQ for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review!

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Book Review: The Sweetheart Deal

Well, I've been hit with Covid. It really is as awful as everyone thinks. Right now the worst that I am dealing with is the exhaustion, I literally sleep all day, and then the coughing. The coughing is SO awful and the fact I haven't coughed up a lung yet is a miracle. 

The Sweetheart Deal - Miranda Liasson

Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in the teeny town of Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is until Tessa’s mortal enemy—deliciously handsome (if arrogant) chef Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door—proposes a business plan…to get married.

Leo knows that the Castorinis and the Montgomerys hate each other, but a marriage might just force these stubborn families to work together and blend their businesses for success. The deal is simple: Tessa and Leo marry, live together for six months, and then go their separate ways. Easy peasy.

It’s a sweetheart deal where everyone gets what they want—until feelings between the faux newlyweds start seriously complicating the mix. Have they discovered the perfect recipe for success…or is disaster on the way?

I don't know if you know this, but Entangled Publishing is amazing and I have yet to read something from them that I didn't like. I'm not even kidding. If you are a fan of romcoms, or maybe just a good enemies to lovers trope, this book should be your next read! I had to look but this was my first read from Miranda Liasson, but it definitely won't be my last. Her characters were fun, the story was funny at the right times, and the relationship was adorable to watch it roll out. 

There is also a line about Gnomeland Security and that completely sold me. I am a fan of gnomes and if a story features gnomes, I am sold and in love. 

The only ding I have to give it is that it is pretty low steam. Of course there are tons of readers who specifically want low steam, but I'm a fan of inferno level. With that though, this story was adorable, and a definite pick me up in a rather low week for me. If you need something to get you through the doldrums of winter, I highly recommend this one. You can also pick up the other two in this series, but if you don't, it's OK because they are all stand alones, so you'll be fine. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review! 

Book Review: On A Night Like This

Folks.... I need the weekend. I need to nap all day, I need popsicles. I'm not even rational at this point.  

On A Night Like This - Lindsey Kelk

Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous.

When she – quite literally – bumps into a handsome American called Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins.

Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again – unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever…

You GUYS. I was already a Lindsey Kelk fan, but this one has sealed the deal for me! I love a re-telling, and while this isn't really a re-telling, it kind of follows a Cinderella storyline but it injects humor throughout and is so much fun. I could identify with Frankie and her self talk because man... if someone could record the things I say to myself throughout the day.. ha! I keep saying it's probably best that we have masks because I am constantly muttering things. 

Although this isn't my favorite trope in a romance (a woman out of her 20's that is with the absolute wrong loser), I liked that our characters weren't living in the clouds, so I was more invested in this one. That aside, the romance isn't the main part of this book and I think that really helped me enjoy this one so much. The ending was predictable, but also kind of not, if that makes sense (it will when you read it), but if you are looking for something to quickly get through, maybe a mid-winter vacation read, add this to your list. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins for sending me a copy for review, I'm really looking forward to Lindsey's next read!

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Book Review: Fierce Love

I don't know what it's like where you are, but it is absolutely freezing where I am. I hate even complaining because honestly, it could be (and has been) worse, but woo- it's a nippy one. 

Fierce Love - Susan Scott

Often in our romantic relationships, we long for deep connection, but we don't know how to communicate well and sometimes withhold what we're really thinking and feeling. This can lead to fighting, resentment, or, worse, complacency--where you are just going through the motions, more like roommates than two people in love. As Susan writes, "It's as if we've pulled off our own wings." As couples, we don't stop to think how important our conversations are. And we certainly don't understand that what we talk about and how we talk about it determine whether our relationships will thrive, flatline, or fail.

In Fierce Love, New York Times bestselling author Susan Scott guides couples through eight must-have conversations that lead to deep connection and lasting commitment. Through the use of true stories and hands-on exercises, Susan helps us understand that the conversation is the relationship;

identify and dispel five relationship myths that mislead and derail us;

learn eight conversations that are critical to enriching relationships; and

stop fighting or ignoring issues and start connecting in a deep and meaningful way.

After a season where many relationships were tested and tried, where some relationships thrived and others have exposed cracks couples didn't even realize were there, or realized but didn't acknowledge, now is the best time to learn to communicate well. By having honest, compelling conversations with our partners, we can foster true connection and a fierce love that will withstand the test of time and grow stronger over the years.

I've read a lot of articles about celebrities breaking up and divorcing since the pandemic started, and in real life, I know of a lot of couples who I thought were solid were actually in the middle of a divorce. Many blame the pandemic and basically too much together time, and that feels like an excuse. It's not the pandemic or the time, it's the issues that have been there all along, but were easy to ignore in the day to day life that keeps us all busy. 

Marriage, and relationships, are hard. I heard a song the other day by Spencer Crandall called "Made" and in it he says that soul mates aren't found, they're made, and I thought that was so spot on. I always thought the idea of us finding our soul mate was so impossibly daunting in a world as big as ours, but so was the idea of us really deciding that THIS was the person because what if... what if we're wrong? Well of course that's the basis of most reality TV shows, right? But I really believe the song, our soul mate is made, we make it by putting the work in. We have really great days, really bad days, everything in between days, and we always wonder if we made the right choice, sometimes we wish that person would change instead of us reevaluating our expectations. If there is one thing Matt and I can say about our marriage, its that we have literally gone through every one of our vows. Sickness and health? Yup. Good times and bad? For sure. Death? Um, yeah, we've actually been there and done that. I will say there was a time that I was convinced we were going to get divorced. I had a plan going forward and figured I was young enough, things would work out for me. Of course, life happens and things change. Fast forward 13 years and we've been through even harder things, things that would shake any couple, and I've finally come to a space where I know Matt is it. He's my one. I know that no matter what, Matt has my back and he's going to be there as my rock, and vice versa. I feel my safest with him, I feel like I am home with him. 

Oh but what a road to get there. 

In Fierce Love, author Susan Scott talks about communication and how your communication actually is the relationship. If it's shallow, so is your relationship. If you can get deep into it, so does your relationship. I also love that she gets into the conversation we all need to have (and should) but we know that it could change everything, and really think about that, what is something you need to talk about with your partner but you know that if the answer isn't great, it's going to change the relationship for sure, but maybe even the trajectory of your life? 

My absolute FAVORITE part of this book is part 2 and she goes into the five myths that basically sabotage us. Honestly, look at your social media and you can find a handful of friends who have "met their soul mate" or "the love of their life" a few times now, and truly, you need to throw this entire book at them with this entire section highlighted! To sum all five myths up: nobody else can complete you, true love isn't unconditional, nobody will fulfill your list/meet every requirement, they love you and probably don't know, and love isn't all you need. I was literally screaming at this entire section because it is all so very true. 

No book on love and relationships could end without giving you something to work on or to do, and this one is no different. The last sections are eight conversations you really need to have. It's important going into them knowing you both have to be truthful, and you both have to accept the results of the conversations. I guarantee your partner is going to say something that might hurt, or might sting, but it doesn't mean everything is going to hell and you pack their stuff, it means you've got a springboard to getting into deep communication, and that's what every relationship needs. 

Whether you're already married, or maybe thinking about getting married, this is definitely a worthwhile read. Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson Publishers for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review! 

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Book Review: Euphoric

Happy Monday, lambs! I hope you had a good weekend, and have at least a semi-decent week lined up. I have a ton of little things going up, but that all leads to feeling like I am super busy, which stresses me out. I need to get better at focusing at one day at a time and not looking at the entire week.  

I have a really great non-fiction book for you today and it may be relevant to people who have a goal for 2022 to drinking less, or not at all. Maybe you are someone who has thought about it but you're just not there yet, either way, you might gain something from this one. 

Eupohoric - Karolina Rzakowolska

Euphoric is your eight-week plan for an alcohol-free lifestyle that can lead to more happiness, well-being, and self-love. It's the modern woman's guide to relax without alcohol, find freedom from cravings and fitting in, and create the life you want - along with the audacity to go after it.

Imagine a program that makes the benefits of "Dry January" last all year. That's Euphoric!

Alcohol is everywhere in our society, and it's hard to resist. The pressures to fit in and have "just one drink"--that turns into several - whether at a party or on a casual Friday night, can lead to an imbalanced life that's plagued with unhealthy habits, low self-esteem, and decreased productivity.

How can you change your relationship with alcohol without feeling deprived or like a social outcast? First, decide you want a change and then pick up Euphoric, from certified alcohol-free life coach Karolina Rzadkowolska.

Karolina has helped thousands of casual drinkers transform their relationship with alcohol, including herself. In Euphoric, she shares a proven strategy to make alcohol insignificant in your life.

If you don't know me in real life, you likely don't know that I am someone who doesn't drink alcohol at all. I don't abstain because of a bad experience or anything like that, I've just literally never been a drinker. In my whole life (and I'll be 40 in March), I can count on one hand how many sips I've had: once sip of champaigne at my wedding reception, a sip of a wine cooler and a Mike's Hard Lemonade at my reception, and.... I think that's it? Not only did they all taste terrible anyways, and the smell of all alcohol makes me a bit nauseous, just the general idea of not being in control of my body and mind makes me nervous. Not to mention alcoholism runs through my family and that isn't something I want to play chicken with, so I made the decision as a teen that I just wasn't going to drink. 

So I haven't. 

I won't lie and say it's been a breeze because every social situation is pretty much centered around alcohol in some way. It doesn't bother me at all but if I were someone in alcohol recovery, I can fully understand why being in a lot of social situations is just really hard and it's easier to just avoid them, which leads to feeling left out. If you've ever been at a bar, maybe it's a birthday party for a good friend or something, and say, "Oh, no thanks, I don't drink.", you're going to hear the proverbial record scratch. Suddenly you've made everyone uncomfortable around you and now nobody knows what to do, can they drink? Can they even be near you? It's really quite silly and honestly I don't really get it. I do know that that awkwardness makes it hard for people to turn down a drink and makes it easier to turn down invitations, which leads to loneliness for sure, but also leaves you wondering where you fit in now? 

Enter Karolina Rzadkowolska's book Euphoric, Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, a relatively quick read that ties together your body with your mind and soul, but also a realistic eight week plan on how to ditch alcohol but also put you on a path leading you to a better version of you. I really enjoyed that the author includes "journaling homework" throughout the book because anytime you are reading a "self help" book, it really is meaningless unless you're really looking at how it applies to your life, right? These prompts really help with that. 

Week four focuses on your social life and I love how the author comes right out and names the emotion we feel when we say we don't drink, and it's embarrassment. I don't know why, even now, I sometimes feel embarrassed to say that. Probably because almost immediately someone will ask you why not, and suddenly you're on the spot. Nevermind the fact that when says no, it needs to be no and dropped. We teach our young people that when you say no, it means no, but somehow as adults that's lost and we feel like we deserve an answer. 

Whether you drink or not isn't a measure of your personality or worth, and it doesn't mean you're the life of the party, or not. I love so much the author suggests a perfect one liner retort to that dreaded question by replying with, "why do you drink?". 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Though I've already made the decision to not drink, I have many friends who are in stages of recovery, some who are considering cutting back or maybe made quitting all together their goal for the year, and I think this would be a beneficial read for anyone, no matter where you are on the pendulum. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Harper Horizon for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review! 

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Book Review: I Just Want To Pee Alone

You know what I did last week? I ran errands and got to go out to lunch and read.... alone. It was as glorious as you think it was. 

I Just Want to Pee Alone

Motherhood is the toughest – and funniest – job you'll ever love. Raising kids is hard work. The pay sucks, your boss is a tyrant, and the working conditions are pitiful – you can't even take a bathroom break without being interrupted with another outrageous demand. Hasn't every mother said it before? “I just want to pee alone!” I Just Want to Pee Alone is a collection of hilarious essays from 37 of the most kick ass mom bloggers on the web. Including: People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Insane in the Mom-Brain, The Divine Secrets of a Domestic Diva, Baby Sideburns, and Rants From Mommyland. Read hysterical essays like: Embarrassment, Thy Name is Motherhood A Pinterest-Perfect Mom, I am Not And Then There was that Time a Priest Called Me a Terrible Mother So She Thought She Could Cut Off My Stroller.

You guys... this book is funny. It was a good way to fill some kid-free time and didn't require my brain to do any work. Not only did I finish this book in one hour, but I was smiling or laughing the entire time and almost choked on a french fry. What a way to go, lambs. Early on there is an essay about Disney World and honest to God, it is so spot on, I had to call my friend who is planning a first trip... she's worried. HA! Also there is an essay about her husband getting a vasectomy in lieu of her being on birth control the rest of her life, which is something I see on mom blogs and forums all the time. Frankly, stand your ground, ladies. On page 34, 

Physician: [mouthing vaginal shrapnel] "So, are you interested in an IUD?"

Me: "I find it best never to owe people money. Especially family. IOUs can be so tricky."

Physician: "I have a feeling you may not be ready to discuss any vaginal procedures."

Me: "Hasn't my vagina done enough for my family?"

and further down the page: 

"I was pouring a glass of red when this commandment was spoken. 'Catholics don't do that. You can use the rhythm method.' As he said, 'rhythm method', I pointed to baby number four. Any other pearls of wisdom, Father? The conversation soured as I glared at my husband over loudly chewed bites of steak. Looking at my knife, I pondered if Googling DIY vasectomy instruction would initiate any red flags or calls to the local authorities. 

My husband, not necessarily a believer in the actual tenet of no vasectomy, yet, thankful for an argument against it tried to proceed cautiously. 

Husband: "Did you hear what Father said about ahem the surgery?"

Me: "I did."

Husband: "And?"

Me: "Are priests still unable to get married? Unless you plan on marrying him, I think you should consider keeping your appointment."

Husband: "Honey, please put down the steak knife."

I mean, absolutely spot on. I remember after I had Lucy, who shouldn't exist because birth control was used, and I died giving birth to her, I was adamant that I was not going on birth control. Frankly, I've done my duty. If I can die while giving birth, and deal with the awful aftermath for the rest of my life, the very least you can do is get a snip snip and go back to work. Oh yes, ladies, I made him go back to work. Again, if I can push a watermelon out of a small hole and have to start walking around right after, you can go to work. No sympathy will be given here. 

Is this book hysterical? No, but will it make you smile? Will you find yourself relating to at least a couple of the essays? You bet. Each one is rather short and read more like blog posts, which makes sense since they are from mom bloggers, some of which I've read before, but not regularly. I feel like the book also highlights each mom's style so if you wanted more from any of them, you at least know what you're kind of getting into as far as content. 

Overall, a fun little book. It would definitely be a cute one to throw into a new mom gift because I think any of us could have used something funny to read as we're stuck on the couch with a sleeping baby who you know damn well is going to scream for hours if you wake them up now. Been there, done that. 

If you saw on Instagram the other day, this was one of the books Matt got me for Christmas. If you want to see some of the others, head over there and let me know what you think I should read next!

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Getting Crafty With It..

Do you set any goals for yourself for the year? Not really resolutions, but a goal that you're really going to try to accomplish?  

One of my goals was to get back into crafty things. I've kind of slacked off the last few years, and I think part of it is just my brain isn't as creative as it was. Give me something to copy or follow directions and I can kind of do it, or at least turn my mistakes into an OK result, you know? But the last couple of weeks I decided I'm going to give it a try. 

Sure, it was kind of out of necessity, I needed two birthday cards and a thank you card and I had none. Out of principle, I just refuse to spend $5 on a card at Target that we all know is going to get tossed. I just can't, but also, it's not in my budget and that's that. 

Yes, the argument of "these are more than $5 in supplies" and while that is true, I think the time I put into them adds a little extra to it. Like I cared enough to make this for you. Anyways. Over the course of three days I ended up making 18 cards, so not bad. I'm going to try to make one set (of 5 or 6) each week. 

The other thing I really want to learn this year? 

Embroidery! I bought my first easy pattern (I just have to print it out), and since I have absolutely no embroidery experience, I need to learn how. Of course, literally no place has classes, so I have seen this book heavily recommended on tons of forums and websites so I'm going for it. 

I also picked this one up because again, it was recommended by so many, and I've paged through it and it seems pretty helpful. It might be more helpful once I get going and a basic idea of what the heck I'm doing. So... cross your fingers this doesn't end up a complete disaster. HA! 

I won't even mention that I've fallen hard through the TikTok crafty hole but yeah... I'm there. Stay tuned.