Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I loved the artwork, but even more than that, I loved the story. I was able to relate to the author's experiences growing up and am excited to share this book with others. I thought it was a great way to share the important issue of gender non-conformity in a non-preachy way.

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DiSemblance by Shanae Branham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is action-packed! There is a serial killer on the loose and it is somehow connected to a new, SUPERSECRET invention developed by Jason Tanner's dad Lloyd. It is up to Jason to protect the invention as well as the lives of his dad and younger brother. Meanwhile, he accidentally involves his new friend Boston who lives across the street.

I honestly did not like any of the characters, except for maybe Detective Bruce Durante, and I thought most of the character interactions were awkward. I think that goes to show how fun the plot was though, because I usually go for a strong connection to the characters to be able to enjoy a book and want to read on through a series.

Finally, I liked the idea of the "holodeck" machine and I'm looking forward to how it will be manipulated in the next book.

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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Better: How I Let Go of Control, Held On to Hope, and Found Joy in My Darkest Hour by Amy Robach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly have never heard of Amy Robach and didn't know anything about her story. However, I love memoirs and was interested in finding out about this woman's journey to overcome breast cancer.

I was drawn in immediately--the story moved quickly and her writing style was easy to read. Some parts seemed repetitive, and some parts seemed cheesy, but I thought it was a worthy story to experience. It definitely gave me better insight into the lives of people battling cancer.

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Ink by Amanda Sun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Katie Greene grew up in New York with her mom, but ends up having to move to Japan to live with her aunt after her mom passes away. It is a difficult transition, but Katie meets a mysterious boy who seems to have powers over the drawings he creates.

My favorite part of the book was getting to experience the Japanese culture/words throughout the book. And the descriptions of all the food! The mythology of the Kami was also interesting, although I don't know how much and what parts of it were made up by the author.

I was provided a free ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe by Cindy Roland Anderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed 4 out of 6 of the stories.

Below are my individual reviews for each story:

Forgotten Kisses by Cindy Roland Anderson
Cute story about the romance between a costume designer and actor on a TV show. I ended up liking both of the characters, which is rare for me.

The Last Christmas by Annette Lyon
This one was okay, about an older couple with grown children going through a divorce. I found the main character to be annoying and it was difficult getting through this one. I was trying to be sympathetic, but she was so negative!

Truth or Dare by Julie Coulter Bellon
A soldier comes home from Afghanistan with a prosthetic foot and feels very self-conscious about it. He meets up with an old friend from high school. This one felt rushed and unnatural.

Holiday Bucket List by Sarah M. Eden
This one was cute! Two next-door-neighbor widows secretly like each other but are afraid to take it to the next level. The characters were so cute and cheesy working on an '80s-themed holiday bucket list.

Christmas Every Day by Heather B. Moore
This one is might be my favorite. An estranged son comes back home after many years and falls in love with the woman who is taking over his parents store. Both are going through rough, but hopeful times in their lives.

First (and Last) Christmas Date by Jennifer Griffith
I liked the characters of this one, but the events were so crazy! It was still cute though, and a little more spicy than the other stories.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was the second time I've read this book, the first time being maybe 15 years ago? I thought it was a great sequel--it was fun meeting some new characters like Gilderoy Lockehart and learning more about Hagrid and Voldemort. You also witness how Harry is growing more confident and sure of himself. I'm about to re-read book 3, and I really don't remember ANYTHING from reading these books the first time, but I definitely want to learn more about Dumbledore please!

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Storm by Kate Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think I would, as it is a romance-y type novel that takes place on a ranch (which isn't really my genre). However, I ended up connecting with the main character, Storm, as she struggles to overcome health problems, death, financial hardship, and finding new love. It seems like a lot to cram into one little book, and to be honest I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning. Anyway, I stuck with it and now I find myself looking up other books written by this author :)

I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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