I‘m starting to think Freida McFadden might not be for me. Her stories aren‘t bad, there‘s just ok. I really enjoyed The Boyfriend but the rest have been predictable. This is no different. I kept waiting for the big shocks, and there was one toward the end, but by that point I didn‘t care. I found the main characters annoying and kind of dumb and was kind of disappointed when it was over. Will that keep me from reading more? Probably not 🤣 🌟🌟🌟

One thing I know when reading a C.J. Cooke novel is that it‘s going to be unique and it‘s going to be mysterious. This is no exception, weaving together two timelines of motherly love and devotion, magic and witchcraft, and finding your place in a world that doesn‘t always make room for you. Definitely recommend!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

If I had to describe this book in 3 words it would be: devastating, horrifying, and important. Using time travel to show slavery through the eyes of a modern (for the time at least - I believe this was written in the 70‘s) black woman really drove home just how strong the characters had to be to simply survive in the past and kept me hanging on to see if Dana would be able to do it and somehow settle back into her life in the present. I can‘t ⬇️

When I think of middle of the road mystery/thrillers Freida McFadden books come to mind. Why, then, can I not stop reading them?! Molly, the protagonist of the Housemaid stories, is somehow both resourceful and incredibly trusting and flighty (to her downfall). The twists are EPIC and really bonkers and while not very realistic they are oh so juicy and exciting! Just fun popcorn thrillers! Nothing revolutionary here but entertaining! 🌟🌟🌟

This was quite the story! Somewhat hard to follow as an audiobook given all the characters and the back and forth timelines, nevertheless it kept my attention and made me need to know what really happened with all these characters. You‘ve got two children, years apart, going missing at the same camp…what could have happened? I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My February TBR is ready to go!! I‘ve done great this month so I‘m really going to try to keep up the momentum. Here‘s to trying!! #bookspinbingo

I loved this story! The way it handled not only how the individual characters dealt with who had a short string vs. a long string but how society as a whole and politics were shaped by the revelations felt very real and very timely given the world we live in 😳. There are a lot of characters to keep up with but I didn‘t even care - I just couldn‘t stop listening! So good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I‘ve never read a Kate Quinn book I didn‘t like! This was a unique setting and time period to her other books and I enjoyed reading more about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. I also enjoyed how Quinn and Chang wrote two different perspectives, better filling out the multiple facets of this time and place. Definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was sooo much fun! It‘s a choose-your-own-adventure horror book!! I wasn‘t sure how this would work as an ebook but it was perfect. You get links when it‘s time to choose the next move and, if you choose incorrectly and die (which I did A LOT 🤣), it just tells you to go back and try again and gives you the link. The writing is just ok but I didn‘t care…I was having too much fun! I‘ll definitely read more of these as it‘s a series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

This has all the trademark Feeney vagueness, twists, and misdirection that I, personally, have come to love. I never truly know what is happening when reading her books and just love going along for the ride until all the pennies drop. This isn‘t my favorite of her books (Rock, Paper, Scissors holds that spot) but I did enjoy the ride. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Ahhh this was so good! A sweet, short tale of a man working hard to take care of his family and trying to pay it forward when others want him to look the other way. I know they‘ve made a movie based on this and now I really want to watch it! Might be my favorite of the month so far! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I know social media can be scary but this takes it to a whole new level! Just imagine if a psychopath became a big social media influencer and utilized that power to manipulate and ruin people? Well here ya go! Sadly I‘m sure this is already happening but hopefully not to THIS level 😳. Thrilling pace, great characters, and a new spin on horror for a modern audience. Definitely recommend it was a great listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was short but oh so scary to me! An old woman obsessively locks her doors and windows every night to keep out the mysterious thing that tries to get in every night, tempting her to open the door in her dead husband‘s voice. She‘s diligent, until her mind begins to go and she can‘t quite remember why she‘s been doing this ritual every night. So good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Creeper is the perfect name for this story because it…is…CREEPY! Is it just superstition or is the “monster” real? I will say the audiobook didn‘t hold my attention as much as I would have liked - it didn‘t feel like a thrilling page-turner sort of story - but I did find it unsettling and worth a read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love the idea of reading a made up book mentioned within another novel! This is meant to be the paranormal history of the manor written by a character and mentioned in the 1st book in the series. It gives a great background for the 1st story and I assume future installments as well. It‘s quick and interesting and I definitely recommend it if you decide to read the series, which I‘m definitely continuing! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book almost gave me whiplash! The twists, the turns, the shocks…I just held on and enjoyed every minute of the ride. Yes, there are some plot points that seem a little too easy and some revelations were pretty obvious but I don‘t even care! Just a fun time! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was TERRIFYING!! The narrator did such a good job at keeping the tension taut and the fear at the forefront. The concept of someone basically mimicking the voices of people you know - or yourself! - really just gets under my skin. Ending was a little 🤷🏼‍♀️ but still liked it overall. This also fits the #tbrtarot for January!

@Ddzmini I…AM…SPEECHLESS!! I teared up when I opened your #littlechristmasswap package 😭!! I just kept finding new treasures! The way you wrapped the books was so pretty I almost didn‘t want to open them. And all the snacks and stickers and bookmarks! And the BookBeau!! I can‘t even express how much I love it all and thank you so much!! And thank you @bookish_wookish for hosting!! I will definitely do it again next year!

I‘ve heard such good things about this series and am happy to say the first installment was great! Yes, there are a few things I found annoying - mainly the fact that the sisters call each other “sis” constantly, who actually does that?! - but all in all there were some truly terrifying moments and the ending had me instantly wanting to continue the series. Great start! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Ahh this was so good!! Kind of heartbreaking but hopeful, I listened to the whole story while out shopping. I couldn‘t stop! And the fact that this is autobiographical made it mean so much more! Definitely recommend if you want a quick, heartfelt story. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a very soft pick for me. While I enjoyed watching the craziness unfold and figuring out how various characters actually knew each other, I also think the plot was sometimes hard to follow, especially as an audiobook. At the end of the day I enjoyed the story overall but didn‘t really care about any of it after I was through (if that makes sense). 🌟🌟🌟💫

I never get bingos and I got 5 last month! FIVE!! Hopefully I can continue this kind of streak in 2025!

One more in before the end of the year!! I really loved this one! It has a great gothic feel and was a slow burn mystery leading to some epic revelations. I don‘t believe I‘ve read anything by this author before but I will definitely read more! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

While this was still plenty twisty I didn‘t enjoy it quite as much as The Boyfriend. The main couple were annoying for much of the book - the guy was a gaslighter and the girl acted pretty dumb. The last 1/3 was much better and saved it overall for me. This author definitely knows how to shock!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was so good!! Talk about twisted! I was convinced I had our culprit until about 2/3 of the way through and then something clicked and I realized I was completely wrong. I love that! I enjoyed this much more than The Housemaid. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I can‘t believe it‘s time for a 2025 TBR list! Here‘s my 1st #bookspinbingo lineup for the year!

So another Barnes and Noble after Christmas book sale in the books!

I found this as a freebie on Audible and ended up really liking it! After something horrible happened when a group of college friends had a party years ago they are finally coming back together to face what really happened. It didn‘t reinvent the wheel and it wasn‘t hard to guess where it was going but it was interesting and kept me listening. I‘ll definitely read more by this author! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Oh my gosh @OndinetheSea I love my #JolabokaflodSwap24 gifts!! I‘ll definitely be enjoying them tonight!

Is it even Christmas without a Jenny Colgan holiday story?! I‘m a little sad it was only a short story but I loved it nonetheless. This one was so touching and is the perfect story for every book lover out there. It‘s funny and it‘s sweet and just a little bit sad too. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really enjoyed this audiobook! Yes, the main character is a curmudgeon and says and does some really nasty things at times throughout her life, but you also get to learn the reasons why (not that it excuses anything) and see her work and grow to be better. The murder mystery aspect was ok at best but overall I really did enjoy it. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was my final story in the collection and it was nice! Not my favorite but definitely not the worst…a solid middle of the collection. Not too much to say about it other than the main couple seemed cute together. 🌟🌟🌟💫

This was really cute! It was probably my favorite of these short stories and I enjoyed that our main characters were a little older than average, intellectuals, and the main female wasn‘t stick thin. I also appreciated that it wasn‘t quite as graphic as the other ones. I would have enjoyed a little more development and would have happily read a full length novel with these characters. But as it is it was good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My parent have come into town to celebrate the holidays and my mom gave me this adorable book gnome! She comes with little books and even a book worm! I can‘t wait to find the perfect little spot for her ones we take down all the Christmas decorations !

This is EXACTLY what I want in a Christmas story!! History, friendship, good times, hard times, and a dash of romance to give you the warm fuzzies. The characters were realistic and multifaceted and the backdrop to their lives - mostly London and Sandringham - was so lovely. I loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a sweet, funny holiday time romance that was not always very realistic but was always entertaining. The romance wasn‘t graphic, or instantaneous, and the character development was pretty good considering how short the story is. Again, there are a lot of points that are so far fetched that you kind of have to just go with it, but all in all it was really cute. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My #JolabokaflodSwap package arrived! Thank you so much @OndinetheSea , I‘m so excited!!!!

@Ddzmini my #LittleChristmasSwap present came in today and OH MY GOD I‘M SO EXCITED!! Thank you so much, I cannot WAIT to open it!!

Like a lot of short story collections some stories were good and some…not so much. A few were quite unique but to be honest most of them just didn‘t really capture my attention. It definitely counts as something different for Christmas reading so that‘s a plus in my book! 🌟🌟🌟

My #jolabokaflodSwap24 package will go out in the next few days (as soon as I can get over to UPS)! I‘m so excited to participate this year, thank you @MaleficentBookDragon

I love Christmas time!! So happy to be participating in the #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS this year and will have my packages out in the mail in the next few days (as soon as I can get to UPS). The outside package is a used Amazon box - I hope that‘s ok, I‘ve never participated in a swap before - but the inside should be pretty 🤣. I‘m not sure if I‘m supposed to tag the recipient @bookish_wookish so let me know and I can add them! Thanks!

Now THIS was a cute Christmas story! Yes, there‘s some romance but it‘s not explicit and it‘s not a main focus of the story. There‘s a literary mystery and a great central plot of renovating an old Paris hotel and opening back up by Christmas that I loved. It‘s a bibliophile‘s dream! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Why do authors write characters that say things that are so uncomfortably weird and unrealistic that I have to physically roll my eyes?! Is it just romance stories? I was enjoying the story until the two characters - who are nearly strangers - just couldn‘t keep their hands off of each other (do none of these characters have will power?) and the woman calls this almost stranger “daddy” along with some other choice words🤢. ⬇️

This was a much sweeter story than the last one I listened to in this series. Two childhood friends get snowed in together and are forced to face their past and the love that‘s always been there. Short, sweet, and funny at times. Not the best character development since it‘s so short but I still enjoyed it. 🌟🌟🌟

This was not for me at..all! At first I thought it seemed like a sweet little short story and then it got sexually GRAPHIC! It felt so unnecessary. This girl just meets a guy, tells him she‘s not looking for anything casual, and then instantly jumps into bed with him and has unprotected sex?! Described in great detail…why?? It completely ruined it for me. I‘m hoping the rest of the stories in this series aren‘t so bad.

So I‘m pulling the plug on this one! I made it 38% of the way through and so far it‘s just boring. Three women go away together to escape the stress of pre-Christmas and volunteer to run a bed and breakfast? And one of the women‘s husbands is a huge jerk and I‘m just sick of reading his perspective. So maybe I‘ll pick it up in the future, but, for now, I‘ve got more interesting books calling to me.

This was devastatingly sad 😭!! If something bad could happen to this kid it did! And the kid was the author himself! Just heartbreaking, but it did have a sweetness to the ending as well. It‘s a beautiful holiday story but it‘s ROUGH to get through. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a solid if predictable Christmas story. It has the large group - some family, some friends, and some unexpected guests - all forced together in close proximity. They fight and make up and all come together to celebrate the holidays by the end. It has most of the usual tropes but did include a few more modern touches; an older female character and a younger love interest, a character with IBS, childhood trauma not often dealt with. ⬇️

Solid enough murder mystery that happens to take place around Christmas. All the characters are unreliable and selfish and hiding something and I enjoyed trying to maneuver through all the lies and misinformation to figure out what was actually going on. I don‘t think I‘ve read anything by this author before but I definitely would! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

So…this was somehow a mystery with absolutely no mystery to it. Its easy to figure out what Molly, our main character, is missing from the very beginning and it ended up just being another simple Christmas romance, which wasn‘t what I was expecting or necessarily wanting from the story. Where was the murder?! That being said it wasn‘t bad, I still enjoyed seeing Molly‘s interpretation of the world. In general just 🤷🏼‍♀️. 🌟🌟🌟