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Word Revel

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December 24, 2018

CHRISTMAS CAKES AND MISTLETOE NIGHTS by Carole Matthews

December 24, 2018

Book cover & 3.5-star rating - CHRISTMAS CAKES AND MISTLETOE NIGHTS by Carole MatthewsTechnically, Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights is a sequel to Cake Shop in the Garden but it stands quite well on its own. I actually only realised that it’s a sequel due to the summarised info dump during the first couple of chapters — think throwback highlight reel at the start of new seasons of TV shows. Once that’s done and dusted, it’s back to regular writing and storytelling.

· Categories: Fiction Keywords: baking, british authors, cafes, cheating, christmas, food and drink, friendship, half-siblings, hardship, holidays, illnesses, inheritance, poverty, pregnancy, survival, weddings, winter, work life

December 19, 2017

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS edited by Ruth Bennett

December 19, 2017

Book cover & rating - I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS edited by Ruth BennettHome means so many different things to different people, and I’ll Be Home For Christmas definitely captured that through the various short stories. Although, anthologies usually leave me with mixed feelings. I’ll Be Home For Christmas was no different. While I adored most short stories and the poem at the beginning, there were a few that I didn’t enjoy, and a couple of which that even left me confused.

· Categories: Fiction Keywords: abuse, anthologies, british authors, christmas, culture, diverse books, divorce, family, family problems, friendship, hardship, identity, lgbtq characters, multiculturalism, on love, orphans, poc characters, poverty, realistic fiction, romance, sense-of-belonging, short-stories, winter

December 22, 2016

THE TWELVE DAYS OF DASH AND LILY by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

December 22, 2016

Book cover & rating -THE TWELVE DAYS OF DASH AND LILY by Rachel Cohn & David LevithanThis book does not live up to the preceding Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. I’ve listened to the audiobook, and reread the paperback. I’m sure I’ll reread it again in future. The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily, however, is a book I most likely won’t revisit. It’s neither quirky nor charming — the very reasons I enjoy Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. These elements went completely missing in this long-awaited sequel.

· Categories: Fiction Keywords: accidents, alternative perspectives, american authors, baking, christmas, diversity, divorce, drugs, family life, family problems, friendship, grandparents, hospital, lgbtq characters, on love, realistic fiction, relationships, siblinghood, stress, winter

December 24, 2015

THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY by Jostein Gaarder

December 24, 2015

Book cover & rating - The Christmas Mystery by Jostein GaarderIt’s Christmas Eve and so the Advent season is practically over. The same goes for The Christmas Mystery. While I’ve owned it for about ten years (probably more), I’ve never actually read it. This year I finally picked it up and used it as an Advent calendar. I must say, I’m glad I did. While I forgot my chocolates half-way through last year, there’s no way I could forget a book.

· Categories: Fiction Keywords: advent, christmas, family life, history, metafiction, mystery, philosophy, pilgrimage, time travel

December 24, 2014

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME edited by Stephanie Perkins

December 24, 2014

Audiobook cover of MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME edited by Stephanie PerkinsAs a whole I liked the concept of a collection of short holiday stories. Where My True Love Gave to Me shines is the multiplicity of views. There are stories for Christmas, Hanukkah and Winter Solstice. There are stories about people who subvert heteronormativity. There are stories about people from multicultural and non-White backgrounds.

· Categories: Fiction Keywords: anthologies, audiobooks, christmas, holidays, novellas, winter

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About

Joséphine. Word reveller. Loves books. Reads books. Talks about books. Photographs books. When she’s not blogging, she can be found on Instagram under @wordrevel.

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