Audiobook Review: A Very Beechwood Christmas by Danielle Garrett

Author: Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi

Title: A Very Beechwood Christmas 

(Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery)

Genre: Cozy mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, novella
Pages: Audiobook
Published: December 21, 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Christmas is coming to Beechwood Harbor, but will the manor residents be ready for his magical visit? With mischief and mystery at every turn, Holly and friends have to rally to save Christmas before it's too late!

A Very Beechwood Christmas includes four mini mysteries set around a wild and magical Christmas when the real Santa Claus comes to town!

Review: 

Stumbled upon this while looking for some short stories for Xmas season.

The story follows these friends who have to work together to save Christmas after the real Santa turns up missing. We follow Holly, Nick, Scarlett, and Flapjack the ghost cat. It is up to them to solve the mysteries and save Christmas!

This is a collection of short holiday novellas that features characters from the author's other series. These "shorts" all tie into each other to make one bigger story. Honestly it was like five parts just shared in different POVs. It was different and unique. 

I haven't read any of these series by this author. Honestly...I only read one book by this author last year. I should read more. I enjoyed that one and I enjoyed this one. This did well as a standalone, but I'm sure I would appreciate it more if I understood these character's backstories a touch more. 

The mini mysteries were great and I loved the overall mystery. Everything tied into each other and it was well done. The solutions were a little easy, but still enjoyable at the end of it. 

The narrator is a gem. I could listen to her all day. Honestly.....she may be one of my favorite female narrators. She simply brings every story alive. 

All-in-all, I did find myself enjoying this collection. I loved how it was all connected and I got to meet a lot of different characters. I'm now curious about reading more and learning about these guys. 4 stars from me. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Enjoyable

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #54

- Cloak & dagger #23

Movie Review: Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Title: Despicable Me 4

Length: 1h 34m

Released: 2024

Genre:  Comedy, Family, SciFi, Action/Adventure
Rating: PG
Where I Got It: Peacock

SUMMARY:

Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.

Trailer

REVIEW:

Yayy I love these movies. I would say guilty pleasure, but I have no shame in liking kid or family movies. *sticks tongue out*

The story continues with our beloved ex-baddie Gru and his makeshift family. The introduce a new lil baby Gru Jr who seems to hate Gru. The family is forced to go on the run after Maxime and Valentina want to kidnap Gru Jr and ruin Gru's life. 

I was watching this while baking. Weeee so fun. I didn't realize this was on Peacock yet. I was waiting for this to show up. I'm bad and I hate going to the cinema lately. So expensive. Too many people. Gross. 

This was so entertaining! So funny! So adorable! 

I loved the scene with the honey badger. I hope he shows up more in the future. What a cutie pootie!!!!!!!!!!!

The side story of the minions was fantastic. The references were hilarious and great. 

I do recommend watching the past movies first to truly appreciate it, however, this was A-OK to watch on its own. Hubby sat down halfway through this and had no issues understanding things. I explained a thing or two, but he got it. Heck, he even chuckled at some parts. 

You know what? I'm give this 5 stars. This was enjoyable and if you need a good laugh....watch these movies. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Hilarious

Audiobook Review: Lucky in Love by Carolyn Brown

Author: Carolyn Brown
Narrator: Brian Hutchinson

Title: Lucky in Love
(Lucky #1)

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Western
Pages: Audiobook
Published: January 1st 2009
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Beau hasn't got a lick of sense when it comes to women

Everything hunky rancher -Lucky- Beau Luckadeau touches turns to gold--except relationships. He's gone and lost track of the woman of his dreams, and now he's got himself tied up with a gold-digger...

Milli can mend a fence, pull a calf, or shoot a rattlesnake between the eyes

When spitfire Milli Torres shows up to help out at the Lazy Z ranch, she's horrified to find that her nearest neighbor is Beau Luckadeau--the very man she'd hoped never to lay eyes on again. And if Beau ever figures out what really happened on that steamy Louisiana night when they first met, there'll be the devil to pay...

Review: 

This one was voted for our DNF Second Chance. Finally got myself to reopen the book and start over. 

Beau and Milli are our couple here. Beau has a lot of luck in a lot of things, but love? Nope. One day in Louisiana he had found the woman of his dreams, but he woke up from a drunk night and questioned if she even existed. That woman was Milli. It was a one night stand after a terrible break up. There was something about Beau but she had to leave. Time went on and the two are reunited when fighting over a cow.  

This 2nd go around I actually did finish the book. *pats back* So proud. I pushed through even with the dumb-dumbs. 

Let's be fair. I'm not mad at Beau. He's dumb, but harmless. 

I'm still mad at Milli. They say she is stubborn but I call her a fool and selfish. A selfish little girl. I forgave her for not looking for Beau. She didn't know too much about him. But after they ran into each other? When she realized he was the papa to her baby? She should've been honest with him especially when he broke up with that gold-digger. I get keeping it to herself while he was engaged. Sure....maybe. But the moment he was free....you gotta tell him. Honestly she should've told him as soon as possible even when he was taken, but I get the hestitation....kinda.....

I won't forgive her for her selfish, "but she's MY child" attitude. You kept that baby from him and would've kept that lie until it was forced open. SELFISH. She wasn't thinking of her kid. Just herself. GAH. Millie is the worst. 

But yes, I did finish it. When Millie wasn't being a child, I did enjoy myself. Especially the last quarter of the book. 

The narrator is amazing. Perfect voices. 

All-in-all, I'm glad this was voted for a re-do, but I still had some major issues. Everyone was still dumb, but I could forgive them all. I just can't get over how selfish and foolish Millie was though. Gah. I'll give this 2 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Frustrating

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #53

Book Review: Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

Author: Karen Schaler

Title: Finding Christmas

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit

Format: ebook

Pages: 382

Published: October 15, 2019

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

With all the glittering decorations, twinkling lights, snow angels, gingerbread men and mistletoe, Christmas is Emmie’s first love.

This year, she can’t wait to share her favorite Christmas traditions with her boyfriend, Grant. She thinks he’s “the one.” So when Grant’s hectic work schedule has him more “Bah Humbug” than “Ho, Ho, Ho,” Emmie creates a holiday-themed scavenger hunt to help him find his Christmas spirit. At the end of the journey, Grant will arrive at the charming town of Christmas Point where she’s planned a romantic weekend filled with holiday activities.

But Emmie’s plan backfires when a mix-up has the wrong guy following her clues! Sam, a best-selling mystery writer, thinks Emmie’s clever Christmas riddles are from his agent, who is trying to help him get over his epic writer’s block.

When he arrives at Christmas Point and finds the stunned Emmie, he immediately feels she’s someone special, but she can’t see beyond the fact that the wrong guy has shown up. Inspired by the small, charming town, Sam decides to stay and convinces Emmie to join him in a little holiday fun while she waits for Grant.

When Grant finally shows up, Emmie is disappointed to discover he’s not enjoying the activities she planned and can’t help wonder if he’s really the one for her. She also can’t get Sam out of her mind and all the great times they had together. With Christmas coming fast, Emmie will need the magic of the season to help steer her in the direction of true love…

Review:

The cover....the title....Christmas love! And the writer is the writer of "A Christmas Prince". SIGN ME UP!!

Emmie LOVES Christmas. She wants to share that love with her boyfriend, Grant, but he is too busy with work. To help him find his Christmas joy, she creates a scavenger hunt for him. Her plan backfires when the wrong man follows her clues. Enter in Sam. Sam is a writer and he is suffering from writer's block. He thinks the clues are from his agent trying to help him, so he follows the clues. It leads him to a Christmas Point....a small town obsessed with Christmas....and to Emmie. Emmie, still waiting on Grant, teams up with Sam to have some holiday merriment! When Grant arrives...she starts to realize that maybe Grant isn't the one she was meant to be with.....

Grant is an IDIOT. Poor Emmie. She does adore him, but he is an idiot. Yes, I get work is important but you can be away from your phone for two flipping minutes. 

Sam is a gem. 

Dasher is a good boi. 

Loved Ruby. 

LOVED Christmas Point. Does this place exist? I wanna gooooo!

This was a lot of fun. Yes, small amounts of cheese, but the author did a good job making this believable. It wasn't love at first sight with Emmie and Sam. Attraction? Sure. But they became friends celebrating Christmas together first. It was sweet. 

I loved the final blow (no spoiler here you know she and Grant will break up). I felt for Emmie, but it all tied in nicely together. Kuddos author. I didn't expect that. 

If you love Christmas romances you'll love this one. It was very sweet and fun. That cover is simply the prettiest!

5 stars from me because I needed a read like this. I've been struggling the last couple of months. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Adorable

Reading Challenges: 

- Library Love #33