Novellas: Scrooged Over and All I Want for Christmas...Is No Christmas

All I Want for Christmas...Is No Christmas by Colton Aalto

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Buy from Amazon (amazon associates link)

Official Summary: Visit Goodreads 

Review: Alec is in Aspen for the holidays, earning money by having sex with people. He's been doing this since he was kicked out by his parents. It isn't what he wants, but it allows him to pay for college. However, he ends up being arrested in Aspen and he thinks his job has finally been found out. What is worse is that his best friend's cousin, Hayden, is the one interrogating him. This was a fun read. It wasn't quite what I expected, and I think it could have made a better novel as there were aspects of the book that weren't quite resolved. I'm also not sure I can totally get behind the sudden romance, but it's not terrible!

Scrooged Over by David Connor

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Buy from Amazon (amazon associates link)

Official Summary: Visit Goodreads 

Review: Deke and Dudley have their own radio show. Deke hates the holidays and Dudley loves them. They make a bet to see how many people they can get to call in or create videos saying if they love/hate Christmas. If Deke wins (more people hate it), he gets to set Dudley up on a blind date, and if Dudley wins (more people love Christmas), he gets to set Deke up on a blind date.

This was a cute read. I felt really bad for Dudley though, because a lot of his Christmas plans go wrong and you can tell how frustrated how he gets. Christmas can be stressful but nothing seems to work out for Dudley and he loves it so much, it's a bit disheartening. Of course, the book does end well. This novella has some fun humor in it though, as Deke and Dudley spar a lot on the radio. I love humor in books!

Holiday Novellas: Traditions, Simple After All, The Stockings Were Hung

I know Christmas has passed, but that doesn't mean you can't still read holiday themed reads! I'm back with a few more novella reviews!

Traditions by Ann Anderson

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher - all opinions are my own

Buy on Amazon (amazon associates link)

Official Summary: Visit Goodreads

Review: Traditions was a cute read, but it was definitely a predictable one. Mark and James have been dating for years, but after being overwhelmed during Christmas at Jame's parent's house, Mark hasn't been since their first year. This year, he surprises James by attending the big celebration. It's obviously a sweet gesture on Mark's part and you could tell the two made a good couple. They could easily read each other. Like I said, the overall story is pretty easy to guess, but I still won't ruin it for you if you want to read.

Simple After All by Yolande Kleinn

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher - all opinions are my own

Buy on Amazon (amazon associates link)

Official Summary: Visit Goodreads

Review: This is one of the longer novellas and I really loved it. It's about Noah, a fairly grumpy man, who attends his family's huge Christmas gathering every year because he loves them. His sister often brings along a friend every year, and this time, she brings along Riley. Despite Noah's outward nature, Riley believes there is more to the man than meets the eye and slowly they start to get to know each other over the holiday week. It's a relatively quick romance, but I really did love these two together. It's the whole "opposites attract" idea and it works!

The Stockings Were Hung by Cassie Sweet

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher- all opinions are my own

Buy on Amazon (amazon associates link) 

Official Summary: Visit Goodreads

Review: This was a nice read, but I have to say that the reasoning for Drew moving away, and subsequently breaking Hill's heart, just didn't work for me. I think he should have talked to Hill about things and be more honest. Regardless, second chance romances are a guilty pleasure of mine, if you will, so it was nice to see the two start to open up a bit. It ended in a good spot too, I thought. Nothing too unrealistic. All in all, a good story.

Novella Reviews: Resolutions and Krampus Hates Christmas

I'm back with a couple more novella reviews from the Bah Humbug Advent Calendar, courtesy of Dreamspinner Press.

Resolutions by Emma Keene

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: As an advertising executive, it’s Logan’s job to sell people holiday cheer, and he’s good at what he does. But deep down, Logan hates everything about Christmas, so he worries that his crush on the hot baker who loves the holidays is a recipe for disaster.

Last year, Logan saw Ryan at a holiday party Ryan was catering, and the attraction was instant. In a drunken moment, Logan made it his New Year’s Resolution to ask the pastry chef out. But another year has slipped away, time is running out, and Logan’s assistant demands he collect on his resolution. Can Logan find the confidence that usually comes so easily to him? And if he does, will Ryan have any interest in spending the holidays with a man who doesn’t share his enthusiasm for the season?

Review: While I enjoyed this one, it definitely wasn't my favorite. The basic idea is that Logan makes a drunken New Year's Resolution to ask out caterer Ryan, when he meets him at a holiday party. The book starts almost a full year later and Logan still hasn't done it. His office secretary pushes him to do it, telling him that he needs to at least try, even if Ryan says no. I understand the reluctance to ask out a near-stranger. Logan doesn't want to be let down. However, there is an aspect of this story that just didn't ring true to me. I can't see it happening in real life - but then again, maybe it could? Like I said, it 's a good read, but more of the short and sweet variety than anything truly amazing.

Want to read Resolutions? Get it from Amazon for $1.99

Krampus Hates Christmas by Andi Van

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: Karl Kringle hates the modern-day Christmas. He was born to be Krampus, but the Holiday Council refuses to let him help his brother Nick—aka Santa Claus—with the Naughty List until he finds his holiday spirit. To meet that challenge, he’s turned human and dumped in a strange apartment.

Lewis Weatherby loves the holidays and always has. Not only do his parents own a pumpkin patch and tree farm, he’s also inherited a Christmas-themed shop. All he wants from Santa is the man of his dreams, and the Big Guy might’ve just delivered. Lewis’s new neighbor Karl is gorgeous, sweet, and has a fantastic sense of humor—if his jokes about being Krampus are any indication.

Soon getting home is less important to Karl than what will happen when Lewis inevitably realizes the truth behind his jokes. He’s finally starting to understand the real joy of the season—now he just has to figure out how to hold on to it. 

Review: This is one of the longer novellas and for that, I was really happy, because it benefits from a slightly fuller story and it's definitely one of my favorites in the collection. I highly recommend it!

Karl Kringle looks a bit like an animal, fur and hooves to match. He's Nick Kringle's twin brother - Santa Claus to most people - and he's supposed to help Nick every Christmas by taking care of the naughty children. The council won't let him though. So Nick's husband sends Karl to live in the apartment building he owns until Krampus Day, disguising him as a human, in hopes that he will find his Christmas spirit.

It's here that Karl meets his neighbor, Lewis, and they soon start a friendship that leads to more. It's easy to feel concerned about this relationship though, since Lewis doesn't know Karl's full story and Karl is unsure if Lewis will stay with him when he once again takes on his "animal-esque" appearance. 

I loved these two together though! Lewis loves Christmas and it's nice to see Karl slowly develop more of a love for it, helping out with Lewis' shop and decorating a Christmas tree. Family plays a big part in this novella and I thought it was done really well. I'd love to read more about Karl and Lewis in the future! It was a fun, imaginative story!

Want to read Krampus Hates Christmas? Get it from Amazon for $3.99

Novella Reviews: Iced and #ChristmasHatesYouToo

Bah Humbug is the Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar. You can buy the whole calendar, or you can buy the individual novellas. I'm here today to share a couple novella reviews; not all the titles have their own cover, but if they do, I'll share it!

Iced by Jon Keys

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: Keith Walker, a mall bookstore employee, is struggling to get through another miserable holiday season while trying to preserve a crumbling long-term relationship. One of his few comforts is his morning coffee made by a good-looking, younger barista. Austin Novak felt an attraction when Keith started frequenting the coffee shop, but he doesn’t think the older man has any interest in him or his graphic novel collection.

A Christmas week snowstorm buries the city and locks Keith’s car into its parking spot. Keith decides to show Austin his gratitude for helping free the car from the ice with a dinner invitation. The meal becomes complicated when Austin meets Keith’s boyfriend, Shawn, and things go downhill from there when Shawn announces he’s heading to Cancún with his coworkers. Keith is caught between keeping his boyfriend happy and keeping his job. But Keith might not need a plane ticket to find the happiness that’s been missing from his life.

Review: I really enjoyed Iced. It's a simple story, with Keith having a crush on the barista, Austin. One night it gets so cold and icy, his car is stuck in the mall parking lot, and Austin comes to his rescue. As a thanks, he invites him over to dinner, where they find Keith's boyfriend Shawn with his best friend. It's obvious the two are a little flirtatious and Austin is angry on Keith's behalf.

I thought Keith was a really good guy, but he definitely lets people walk over him. Austin is more outspoken and he does care for Keith, but ultimately, he just wishes that Keith wasn't with Shawn - who is obviously bad for him. As it's a novella, you don't get a ton of character growth, but when it comes to Austin and Keith, there isn't much they need to change. Keith just needs to stand up for himself more. It's a good, quick read!

Want to buy Iced? Get it from Amazon for $1.99

#ChristmasHatesYouToo by E.F. Mulder

Review by Lauren

source: copy from publisher; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: Born December 25, Noel Beebe is tired of having his birthday overshadowed by all things Christmas. While looking for love on social media, he comes across a prospective new beau just in time to celebrate the Big 3-0, someone who encourages him to take back his day and say thumbs down to Christmas! On a trip to the Big Apple, Noel does just that, flipping off the Rockefeller Center tree and demanding his coffee in a nondecorative paper cup as a fun birthday prank. His act of defiance is caught on video and soon goes viral, leading to a backlash all over the Twitterverse, Internet, and TV. Suddenly what Noel thought would be his best birthday—and even Christmas—yet is shaping up to be his worst. Can his family and his potential boyfriend prove to the world that Noel isn’t the Scrooge he’s been labeled?

Review: I really loved this novella! Noel (rhymes with Joel, not No-El) isn't a big fan of being born on December 25th. It just means that his birthday gets mixed in with Christmas and it's not really celebrated all on its own. When he ends up going out on a date with someone he met via Twitter, they persuade him to have a little fun and pronounce his hatred of Christmas wherever they go. For example, when visiting a coffee shop, Noel will loudly say how he hates Christmas and he doesn't want a holiday cup, he wants a regular cup! The man he's out with video tapes most of these interactions and puts some up on his Twitter feed. Unfortunately, Noel's videos go viral.

Suddenly, he's all over the news. The hashtag "#ChristmasHatesYouToo" is used over and over. Everyone in the world seems to think that Noel is an awful person who hates Christmas and somehow, America. It's ridiculous, but it's definitely upsetting and Noel doesn't know what to do to show that he really doesn't hate all these things. It was just for fun.

It's ultimately up to Noel's potential boyfriend, friends, and family to "clear" Noel's name. All in all, it's a really cute read. I thought the premise was kind of fun - I could definitely see someone doing something similar to Noel all in good fun and having it blown way out of proportion.

Want to read #ChristmasHatesYouToo? Buy it from Amazon for $3.99