Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season, by Elisabet Der Nederlanden

Format: e-ARC, 168 pages

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

To Be Published: September 5, 2017

ISBN: 9780399580253

Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine

Back cover blurb: From Icebox Pinwheel Cookies to Red-and-White Meringue Kisses to Apple Cider Caramels, find new inspiration for the best of seasonal baking with Holiday Cookies.

This instant holiday classic is packed with 50 recipes, each gorgeously photographed and meticulously tested, along with dozens of decorating and packaging ideas. Filled with reimagined favorites like Giant Molasses Spice Cookies and Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies; confections like Peppermint Bark, Smoked Almond and Cacao Nib Brittle, and Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Fudge; and detailed instructions for gorgeous gingerbread houses, cookie place cards, and edible ornaments, this is a cookie book like no other. Because the recipes are easy to scale up or down, Holiday Cookies is perfect for cookie exchanges, gift-giving, and just enjoying throughout the season. From a veteran baker and recipe developer, each cookie in this collection is guaranteed to be a stand-out, and destined to become your new Christmas classic.

My review: This is an absolutely gorgeous little book full of cookies and other sweet treats that I will definitely be trying out. It begins with handy tips and tricks, including packaging ideas for baked gifts and the concept of a cookie exchange. The author’s Swedish heritage appealed to me, as that is where my husband’s family is from, so those recipes were automatically bookmarked, but I also fancy trying the chocolate-peanut butter brownie sandwiches, red velvet crackle cookies, apple cider caramels, and dark chocolate-hazelnut fudge, just for starters. Everything is photographed beautifully, full of colour and festive spirit.

This book, and all its treats, would make a wonderful gift, and would certainly put you in the holiday spirit at any time of year.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 5/5

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This Book Will Change Your Life, by Amanda Weaver

Format: e-ARC, 193 pages

Publisher: Entangled Embrace

Published: September 28, 2015

ISBN: 9781633754317

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Back cover blurb: Take a chance and change your life…

College is where Hannah Gregory plans to follow in her dad’s footsteps as a chemistry prodigy-except she bombs her first test. And now her future isn’t so certain. Worse, she’s not sure she wants it anymore. Salvation comes from an unlikely place-a used bookstore and the sexy Ben Fisher, the passionate college senior who works there.

Ben is trapped in a life mapped out for him. Trapped in a future career as a lawyer to make his father happy. Trapped pursuing a girl he doesn’t even like because she fits into a world he doesn’t want but can’t escape. But then he meets the beautiful and quirky Hannah. And for the first time, he knows what it means to truly want something.

So he gives in to being her friend. Then to wanting her. Then to kissing her. But freedom comes with a cost, and it isn’t long before their carefully planned lives begin to fall apart…

My review: I’m a bit sad I can’t give this sweet, easy read a full five stars. On paper, I should have liked this more. Bookstore Boy and the whole premise of falling in love in a bookshop is totally swoony, and I loved the first part of this so much as Ben recommended books to Hannah and their relationship grew. I even added some of Ben’s recommendations to my TBR list. But then Ben fell into the trap of being a stupid boy, and the thing with Alex made me suspect his motives. His issues with his father were realistic, but it became a little repetitive after a while. I wanted more Ben and Hannah and more book recommendations! Nevertheless, I enjoyed the writing and will definitely read Amanda Weaver’s other work.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 4/5

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