Monday Reads: War and Christmas Stories

I love novels that take place during past wars- I find them fascinating. One I loved was the alternate history Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin, so naturally I picked up the sequel BLOOD FOR BLOOD. Like the first, this book was excellent. Moving, voicey, sad, inspiring. I loved the characters. I cried at the end, and probably a few times in the middle too. And the ending was satisfying. It was a no-brainer five stars.

Then I read SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE by Jennifer Robson. I actually haven't read many books about World War I but this one interested me immediately- a love story with a surgeon, a rich girl who leaves it all behind to help with the war effort. The book was pretty good, although there were parts that felt a little awkward (the love scene, for example- not sexy). Good read in general.

After those two, I decided to get Christmasy. First, I read A Royal Christmas Gift by Luann McLane. So. The story was cute. Nothing spectacular, but I was planning on giving it 3 stars until... it just cut off mid-story. No resolution. Not even a natural cliffhanger, just story's over. Get the second to find out what happens. I felt completely cheated and annoyed, thus the 2-star rating. (I don't usually give books below 3 stars. Honestly, if they're not at least 3, I'm probably DNF.) 

Then I read The Viscount's Christmas Temptation by Erica Ridley. This was a super cute, well-written Regency novella. Loved the story and the characters and I found it an entertaining read.

Third Christmas romance was Christmas at the Castle by Melissa McClone. This was a full-length novel, and was very similar to watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. Like those, the story was fun and cute and romantic, if not always believable. But if you're into them like I am, you tend to suspend your disbelief and just relish the sappy love parts. ;) I have one more Christmas story to read and then I think I'll be all Christmas-romanced-out and I'll need to switch it up to like, sci-fi or fantasy or something with a lot of action. (I tend to get antsy when I read the same genre back to back.)