Family | Book Chatter

Christmas on Cape Cod
By Nan Rossiter
Zebra, ASIN, B079KTR5ZP, 67 pp.

The Short of It:

A heartwarming story about family, love, and creating new traditions during the Christmas season.

The Rest of It:

I am no stranger to Nan Rossiter’s work. I think I’ve read nearly everything she’s published. Whenever I hear about something she’s written, I’m always eager to read it because it’s guaranteed to make you feel good. Christmas on Cape Cod can now be added to that feel-good list.

Christmas on Cape Cod includes some notable characters from Rossiter’s novel, The Gin and Chowder Club. which I also reviewed on this blog. That said, I don’t think you have to read the books in any kind of order. This story centers around Christmas so now is the perfect time to read it.

Asa and his son Noah head up to see his parents on the Cape for Christmas. As a single parent, Asa has his challenges but his good friend Maddie comes along for the ride and the three of them learn what Christmas means as they figure out this new life together.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s short but so full of good. Christmas stories (and movies) can be a little sappy in the telling but not here. Christmas on Cape Cod is all about family, and traditions and food and drink. It’s about letting go of what you know, in order to create something wonderful and new.

If you want to feel good, pick it up, start a fire and drink a mug of Glug, which is proudly featured in the book.

You can get Christmas on Cape Cod as a stand-alone ebook here.

Or, you can get Making Spirits Bright which is a Christmas anthology including Christmas on Cape Cod. Click here for that.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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Baby Teeth
By Zoje Stage
St. Martin’s Press, 9781250170750, July 2018, 320pp.

The Short of It:

Impossible to put down.

The Rest of It:

Hanna is seven-years old and has not said a word to anyone. Ever. Concerned, her parents take her for testing but there is no physical reason for her lack of speech. When it’s suggested to Hanna’s mother Suzette that perhaps it’s a behavioral issue, Alex, Hanna’s father doesn’t want to believe it. Suddenly, out of the blue, Hanna says something to Suzette but instead of excitement, Suzette feels dread because the words that come out of Hanna’s mouth are quite disturbing.

Oh! There is so much going on in this one. Hanna is fiercely attached to her father which makes it all the more difficult when Suzette realizes that her daughter needs help. Alex only sees the good. He’s at work all day but Suzette is the one who home schools Hanna. Suzette is the one who sees her act out in unimaginable ways. Suzette is the one Hanna targets when her jealousy rears its head. No school will take her. Suzette begins to feel like she’s trapped with this kid who does horrible things but she’s still her mother, so what can she do? What can be done?

That is the question. That and trying to figure out what is wrong with this kid! The entire time I was reading this book my mind jumped all over the place. Is this kid possessed? Is she playing games? Is there something really wrong with her? A brain tumor? Something? This is the type of book that will drive you crazy but is also incredibly fun to read. Suzette is weaker than I would have liked her to be but as a mother myself, I’m not sure how I would handle a similar situation.

Baby Teeth is listed as a must-read by many for good reason. It’s thoroughly entertaining and impossible to put down. It made me second-guess myself a few times and had me questioning what the “right” decision would be for a parent in the same situation. I really enjoyed it.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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