Question - Was Santa the Original Stalker?

 

TITLE: He Sees You When You're Sleeping

AUTHOR: Alta Hensley

PUBLISHER: Avon

PUBLISHING DATE: September 16, 2025

PAGES: 336   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: It’s the night before Christmas and I’m alone in the house… Popular jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman is steeling herself to spend another holiday on her own. Instead, she finds herself drawn to two different guys… a smoldering hot fan of her secret, seductive online persona, and a sexy fireman named Jack who looks out for her in their NYC neighborhood. 

She has no idea that I know her better than she knows herself. Her deepest secrets, her darkest desires—she's careful, but I’ve been watching, never leaving footprints in the snow outside her home. Jack was the first responder to the accident that stole a beautiful young woman's family two Christmases ago, and he's been quietly guarding her ever since. When Jack uncovers Chloe’s secret account, his obsession only grows. Both he and Chloe are drawn to the darkness that mirrors their own. 

She’s my Christmas wish come true. And I'm hers. She just doesn’t know it yet. Will Chloe’s Christmas be a tale of fiery passion...or a dangerous game with a man whose love knows no bounds?

MY THOUGHTS: Let me be honest.  I knew what I was in for when I grabbed this from my local library's "New Releases" shelf.  And I figured it would at least be a fun and entertaining ride.  I wasn't wrong but it left me with a few questions.  Especially the one I already asked - was Santa the original stalker?

Chloe is an influencer for a popular jewelry company.  It pays most of her bills and allows her to maintain the house she inherited when her parents were killed in a car accident.  She also has a side job doing photography and posts for a more edgy indie designer.  What neither know, is that on certain nights, Chloe can be found on a dark and steamy site where she is basically a "cam girl."  This side escapade can definitely cost her the more lucrative job.

Jack is a fireman who was on call the night Chloe and her parents crashed.  He held her while more help arrived and her parents died.  However, Chloe doesn't recall any of that.  Since then, Jack has been stalking Chloe, wanting to assure she is safe and doing well (yea right mister!).  He secretly hangs up Christmas lights, shovels her sidewalks, and might have taken advantage of her elderly neighbor in order to install a nanny-cam in her bedroom.  

Chloe and Jack eventually meet, and their attraction takes off.  However, worried in concerned Jack is too "vanilla" for her.  Also, Jack is worried Chloe will never want to see him again once she learns what he has been doing.  Oh, and also figures out she is the "Winter Watcher" she has been interacting with on-line.  

So, I actually liked Chloe as a MC.  I liked that she had a pretty decent back story and quite a bit of character development considering the genre of this book.  I sort of liked Jack.  I mean, he was pretty cool - for a stalker, I guess.  Jack is a nice guy and helps out the neighborhood a lot, so I suppose he has a good heart, even if it is dark and twisty. This book heads just where you think it might and if you are interested in that, then I would definitely recommend it.  I found it fun and entertaining which was just what I was looking for over Thanksgiving break, and I might have already downloaded the sequel on Kindle Unlimited.  I mean come on, I need to get my money's worth out of that subscription somehow, right?

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Buried by Books #9

 

It's time for another addition of what books, sometimes weird and out-of-norm for the blog, I've put on hold with Libby or added to my KU possibility list.  One of my resolutions in 2026 is to get my money out of KU each month so who knows, you might see some of these reviewed in the new year! Oh, and I also have a Hoopla Wish List (TBR) going of sorts so I'm going to break today's posts into three categories.

LIBBY

The Dollmakers: Lynn Buchanan - I feel like this has been on my list forever, but I am still really interested in it.

Dreams: The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac: Mark Blake - I ADORE Stevie Nicks and will get to this sometime.  I may even add the hard copy to my Christmas list.

Greenteeth: Molly O'Neill - I've seen some wonderful reviews of this one and it sound just odd enough to work for me.

HOOPLA

The Inheritance (Breach Wars #1): Ilona Andrews - I love this author duo and this one is fairly new. Doesn't hurt that there is an animal sidekick in the form of a German Shepard named Bear.

Playlist of the Damned: Edited by Jess Landry - A dark and weird anthology focusing on music and horror. Say no more.

Serial Killer Support Group: Saratoga Schaefer - I still need to read Grady Hendrix's take on this as well.

KINDLE UNLIMITED

Her Solstice Vampire: Monica Corwin - This one doesn't release until Christmas day but who knows, maybe I will want some vampires to spice up my Christmas.

The Christmas Leprechaun: Tiffany Royster - Another holiday horror.

Wormfood: Jeff Jacobson - There are no words (and apparently Goodreads agrees because they have no synopsis).

Have you read any of these?  Where would you start?

At Least There Was No Mariah Carey

 

TITLE: The Holiday Mixtape

AUTHOR: Liberty Stowe

PUBLISHER: RupertBossier

PUBLISHING DATE: October 3, 2025

PAGES: 439   

SOURCE: Netgalley

FROM GOODREADS: When a failed pitch at her Chicago ad agency leads an idealistic dreamer to the perfect Christmas town, Erika with a "K" stumbles on a holiday mixtape at a flea market that guides her path straight to the town’s most eligible bachelor. But does he want to be eligible? 

And is Blitzen, Kentucky a Christmas town? Erika’s campaign for an old-fashioned Christmas hinges on help from the bachelor basketball coach slash Volunteer Fire Department's assistant chief in need of a new firetruck, and he’s not happy about it.

MY THOUGHTS: I won't lie.  This was completely a cover grab.  It immediately caught my attention and after reading the book, I believe it couldn't be better. Maybe it's because I always wanted a VW Beetle, who knows.

Erika with a "k" leaves Chicago for the holidays to go stay at a mysterious home in Blitzen, Kentucky left for her by an even more mysterious aunt.  She immediately meets Kourt, also with a "k" who is the local basketball coach/high school teacher.  They meet with a bang when she hits him with her aunt's stick-shift Beetle.  Even though they irritate the heck out of each other, Erika learns that the town is in desperate need of a new firetruck or their insurance rates will increase devastating the town.  

Erika vows to use her marketing knowledge to help Blitzen raise the needed funds and remember how they used to enjoy celebrating the holidays.  Throw is some great grumpy/sunshine vibes, holiday cheer, a possessed mixtape (well, not really but it does play random songs at random times), and a two side characters who I know are destined to be together eventually, and you get a wonderful book perfect for the Christmas season.

I really loved the setting as well as the characters in this book.  Blitzen, Kentucky basically becomes a character of its own I loved its small-town vibe. Erika is quirky and loveable and both she and Kourt have a backstory which the author does well to share without involving flashbacks or a dual timeline.  Also, Erika's best friend Archer and Kourt's best friend Helen are two of the strangest, but also the best characters I've met in a long time.  And yes, there is a companion book coming out in October 2026 the author teased me with at the end of this one which I may NEVER forgive her for - JK.

My only real complaint with this book is that I felt it was a tad too long and the middle part tended to drag a bit.  However, the payoff is worth it, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of spicy holiday cheer!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

March 10, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to share their life with a dog knows the experience is both profound and transformative. Here, in this charming collection of essays, fifteen celebrated authors share unforgettable tales of the dogs who left their pawprints on their hearts.

With contributions from Chris Bohjalian, Roxane Gay, Emily Henry, Ann Leary, Tova Mirvis, Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Strout, Amy Tan, Adriana Trigiani, Nick Trout, and Laura Zigman, The Dog Who Changed My Life captures the full range of the canine-human connection, from the joy of welcoming a new puppy to the heartache of saying goodbye to a beloved friend.

A love letter to the loyal companions who enrich our lives and teach us about empathy, joy, and unconditional love, this anthology is the perfect gift for dog lovers everywhere, offering a blend of laughter, tears, and inspiration that will resonate with anyone who has been fur-ever touched by the love of a dog.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  Isn't it obvious???

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK????

The Eurythmics Apparently Never Read This Book!

 

TITLE: Beautiful Nightmares (Scared Sexy Collection)

AUTHOR: Katee Robert

PUBLISHER: Amazon Original Stories

PUBLISHING DATE: September 23, 2025

PAGES: 52   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: For one awkward sleep paralysis demon, scaring humans should be simple—except Gemma’s first solo haunting goes hilariously wrong in this tantalizing dream of a short story by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert. 

When Gemma’s supposed to terrify her appointed victim, she ends up captivated instead. Caleb, a romantic who believes in all things supernatural, finds her adorably pink-skinned, horned form more alluring than alarming. But as their steamy night unfolds and unexpected feelings bloom, Gemma must choose between her demonic duties and the human who makes her feel anything but monstrous. 

MY THOUGHTS: I guess this was a cute enough short story if you can use the word "cute" to describe a monster romance.  Gemma is a sleep paralysis demon who is in training and desperately failing.  She becomes fascinated with Caleb, who just happens to believe in the supernatural and has no qualms about entering a relationship with a demon.  

I've read a few books from Robert and know what to expect with her writing.  Some I have enjoyed, some I found just "meh."  This one was better than the only other one in this series I've read so far but apparently wasn't enough to inspire me to read the other four stories by other authors.  If Amazon was going to do a Halloween collection, I would have preferred tales more horror in nature. Maybe I will save the last four for Valentine's Day as I think they would be more fitting.  I'm pretty sure that is part of the reason I am not connecting with them.

MY RATING: 3 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - Winter Folk

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

July 21, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.

Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.

But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.

Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back — her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.

A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I love Appalachian horror, and I need to know more about this Deerhaven place.  

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

1 Snowstorm + 0 Snow Tires ÷ 1 Big Moose = Saw That Coming!

 

TITLE: Christmas at the Ranch

AUTHOR: Julia McKay

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons

PUBLISHING DATE: September 23, 2025

PAGES: 320   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to a run-in with my ex, two flat tires, and a miracle horse to help me find love. 

With the holidays around the corner and her father under arrest for financial fraud, journalist Emory Oakes has no idea where to turn. She’s only certain of one she needs to get away. 

Fate and her subconscious take her to Evergreen Lake, the picturesque town where she spent her happiest Christmas as a teenage girl – and fell in love for the first time. Stranded due to car trouble and a blizzard, Emory is rescued by Charlie Wilder, father of her first love, who offers her the guest house at Wilder Ranch. Tate, he promises, is out of town. 

But kismet and Christmas magic have other ideas, and when Tate comes home early and finds a half-dressed Emory in his cabin, all bets are off for what else the holidays will hold this year.

MY THOUGHTS: This book has about every romance trope I've read recently rolled into one - miscommunication, second chance romance, close proximity, yet it also has the Christmas vibes and cowboy/ranch element my dark heart apparently needs right now. Add in that I read it in less than 24 hours during our first snow of the season, and you could say it was the perfect storm - at least for me and perhaps for Emory too.

Ten years ago, Emory and her annoying, pretentious family spent three weeks at Christmas in Evergreen Lake. Emory was 18 and bored tearless when she met Tate Wilder, son of the ranch owner next door.  Emory and Tate strike up a friendship late one night and basically become inseparable for the next three weeks. However, something happened and now 10 years has passed and there has been no contact between the two.  When Emory receives news that her father has been arrested for a Ponzi scheme, something she always knew he was capable of, Emory jumps in her car and starts driving.  She doesn't stop until the snow starts making things difficult and she ends up back in Evergreen Lake.  Emory is afraid being around Tate will bring back too many unresolved feelings so after getting snow tires, she goes to leave when she is run off the road by a giant moose. Now, stuck in town for even longer, can she and Tate resolve what happened 10 years ago despite his new friend Marielle and Emory's pigheadedness?

While this book is primarily romance, I really enjoyed the other aspects of it much more. Tate and his father are trying to make the family ranch prosper despite the smalltown economy, Emory is trying to come to terms with how awful her parents have behaved, and horses, lots of cute horses. Overall, it was a tad predictable but that didn't make me enjoy it any less.  I really enjoyed Emory as a MC and all of her down-to-earth qualities.

I've seen this book compared to Gilmore Girls and Virgin River, both faves of mine and I would have to agree.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a holiday read with low-spice romance and lots of heart.  However, I am left with two questions - what happened to Mistletoe (did I miss this somewhere in the pages) and why is does the synopsis on Goodreads call Emory Everly through the entire thing?

MY RATING: 4 PAWS