Short Story Saturday

It's almost Christmas and almost everyone that I know, including myself, is incredibly busy. There's no snow where I live yet, so combine being incredibly busy with there being no snow on the ground, and I'm looking for ways to get in to the holiday spirit! That's where short stories come in for me. I love being able to sit down with a cup of tea by the Christmas tree and enjoying a bite-sized story, which I can devour in one sitting. Two of my favourite authors have released holiday stories this season, and it's not too late to enjoy both of them! So, treat yourself this season to one of the following stories and enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Christmas at Cranberry Cottage by Talli Roland

It's not a secret that I love Talli Roland's novels and short stories and I'm pleased to say that I have devoured each and every one as soon as they are released! Christmas at Cranberry Cottage is a sweet and uplifting story about Jess and her grandmother. When Jess returns home for Christmas she discovers that her grandmother's house is going to be demolished in order to make way for a new railway that will speeding its way through town. Jess is appalled- where will she come for Christmas if her childhood home isn't there? Jess is determined to fight to stop the demolition, but no one in the town, including her grandmother, seem to be that upset. Can Jess stop things in time?

I sat down with a cup of tea and I finished Christmas at Cranberry Cottage in one session, and I loved it! It definitely got me into the Christmas mood! I loved reading about the relationship between Jess and her grandmother and the introduction of Tom Cleary into the mix was definitely fun! I loved all of these characters so much that I would love to read a full-length novel about them! This is a short, sweet, fun read and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to take a few minutes to read it.

The Curvy Girls Baby Club by Michele Gorman

I really enjoyed reading The Curvy Girls Club when it released in 2014, and I was definitely looking forward to the release of book 2, The Curvy Girls Baby Club, which is a short story at about 146 (print) pages long. It was great to catch up with some of the original characters, Ellie, Katie and Jane, and- surprise!- they are all pregnant! The rest of the story follows these women as they experience the joys and frustrations of pregnancy and impending motherhood.

I loved the fact that author Gorman chose to write about the great and the not-so-great aspects of pregnancy, rather than just presenting it in one glowing light. Pregnancy and motherhood can be amazing, but they can also be incredibly confusing and frightening! The story is quite far-fetched at times, so you'll have to be willing to suspend your disbelief while reading, but all together it was a light and fun read. I would have loved to have seen this one become a full-length novel- there were lots of topics worth exploring! My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review.