bookonthebrightside30's reviews
1543 reviews

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews is perfect for a cozy winter night with a blanket and hot cocoa by the fire.  It's a lovely story about romance but also about family and finding your way when you're down.  The characters are likeable for the most part.  The only exception was the brother and in a longer book I would have liked to see him have some growth.  I have been a fan of MKA for many years and will continue to pick up everything she writes.  

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews in exchange for an honest review.

In "My Latest Grievance," we meet the Hatch family, professors Aviva and David, and their 16-year-old daughter Frederica. Frederica was born and raised in a dormitory on the campus of the all-girls college, Dewing College. She's feeling a bit stagnant with her life and then enters the new houseparent, Laura lee who is also her Dad's ex-wife.  She is instantly curious about her and actively seeks her out.  She begins to spend time with her and enjoys Laura's carefree style.  That is until she sees the consequences of Laura Lee's ways.

When I started this book, I did not realize it was a re-release of a 2007 novel. I found it to be a bit slow in some parts and overly dramatic in others.  Frederica was a likeable character but I thought all the adults were a bit much.  I did not enjoy the way the book ended too easily. Overall, I thought it was a good coming of age story with enjoyable Lipman humor.
 

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.  I appreciate the opportunity. 

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I finished this book this past week while in the midst of a terrible virus that had me couch bound most of the day for a week.  I enjoyed the escape to the 1700’s with Ariel Lawhon’s storytelling magic.  In The Frozen Rive, we meet a real-life heroine in this fascinating story based on the life of Midwife Martha Ballard. She was a midwife in the years following the American Revolution. The Kennebec River freezes over and leaves a man entombed in the ice. When he is found, Martha is called to investigate medically. When she rules that the man found was a murder victim, she comes against some strong opposition.  In the story that follows, we get to know Martha through her work as a midwife, her relationship with her husband of 35 years and adult children as well as her relationships with people of town.  This was an absolute gem of a historical fiction novel.  And do not miss the author’s note at the end where Ariel Lawhon describes how she came to write about Martha, the research and journal entries she used, and more.  Also, her previous novel Code Name Helene is another great read if you can’t get your hands on this one right away.  
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