Fat Stack Friday October 30, 2026

Got some fun goodies this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss/Booktrovert:

Alma Vampires (Icarus University #2) by Elena Armas

it's gonna be a close call to get this one read sine it comes out in two weeks and I have a bunch of others to read, but I'm gonna try my hardest.

The Twelve Days of You by Ellie K. Wilde

I didn't even know Wilde was putting out a book. I really like her writing so I'm excited for this Christmasy feel book. I got it in audio, so I'll be listening to it next week.

Too Cold for Comfort by Nisha J. Tuli

I have a kindle copy of this but I love me some immersion reading, as I'm sure you know. So now I have this.It's out soon! I hope I like it as I read another book by this authorI wasn't thrilled with.

Kindle:

Mortal Things by Marie Lu

I love me some Marie Lu. Excited to jump into this new one by her!

Crash Course (Ashford Academy #1) by Piper Lawson

I'm continuing with my love of F1 by getting this one. I hope it's good. I don't know this author.

What did you get?

 

ARC Review: All I Want For Christmas Collection by Various Authors

Description

Say “I do” to this collection of short stories and escape to a

wonderland of winter weddings. From grand mountain lodges

to a snowbound Irish pub, love is in the frosty air. Swoon along

as old friends, smitten strangers, and even new enemies get

their chance to ring in the holidays with a happy-ever-after.

Just Say I Do

She’s meant to be getting married tomorrow, not stranded in a snowdrift tonight. In this irresistible short story, Amazon Charts bestselling author Catherine Walsh serves up a Christmas Eve that changes everything.

Chloe is getting married tomorrow, and everyone is thrilled. Everyone except Chloe and her fiancé, Robbie. Somewhere between the castle and the ice sculptures, their dream Christmas wedding became a three-hundred-guest circus neither of them recognizes. Tonight’s task is straightforward: Collect their beloved celebrant and drive back to the hotel. But a snowstorm, a mountain road, and a deeply unreliable car have other plans. Now they’re stranded on Christmas Eve with nothing but a tiny Irish pub glowing in the distance. But what if a little Christmas magic is exactly what they need?

Catherine Walsh’s Just Say I Do is part of All I Want for Christmas, holiday stories of winter wonderland weddings to warm the heart. Curl up and read or listen to each in a single dreamy sitting.

Just for the Camera

When a cautiously grumpy girl is thrust into the arms of a pop star, keeping her cool isn’t an option in a funny and wildly romantic short story by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Adams.

Uptight ER nurse Felicity “Fizzy” Callahan is yanked out of her comfort zone when she’s asked to join tattooed superstar Silas Ford in a holiday music video. Her bride to his hunky groom in a powder-blue tuxedo. Act smitten. Swoon. And have fun. Fizzy is finally loosening up, letting go, and getting swept away by feelings she’s never had before. It’s just for the camera, right?

Sarah Adams’s Just for the Camera is part of All I Want for Christmas, holiday stories of winter wonderland weddings to warm the heart. Curl up and read or listen to each in a single dreamy sitting.

White Water Wedding

Nightmare nuptials in the Pacific Northwest. A December wedding planner on the edge. And a football star making a playful connection in a swoony grumpy-meets-sunshine short story by Elizabeth Stephens.

Just as wedding planner Emery Pettis is challenged by the most insufferable couple who ever threatened to tie the knot, the groom’s cousin, NFL wide receiver Elkin Walker, dares to cross the threshold into her kitchen. He’s not a player making moves. He’s coming to the rescue. Between battling the bridezilla and groomzillo and navigating Category 4 rapids, Emery is finding six feet seven inches of calm amid the chaos she never planned on.

Elizabeth Stephens’s White Water Wedding is part of All I Want for Christmas, holiday stories of winter wonderland weddings to warm the heart. Curl up and read or listen to each in a single dreamy sitting.

A Scottish Christmas

Mistaken identities, secrets, and holiday romance collide at a Scottish Highlands wedding in this bittersweet and sharply witty enemies-to-lovers short story by Lorraine Brown.

When uptight book critic Ali Hale meets a mysterious American at her sister’s snow-covered wedding on Loch Lomond, sparks fly. He calls himself William Dickens. He’s actually an author driven into hiding by a savage review of his latest novel—which Ali wrote. If they only knew. As their connection deepens over roaring fires and Highlands walks, will they risk their carefully guarded hearts and reputations for love?

Lorraine Brown’s A Scottish Christmas is part of All I Want for Christmas, holiday stories of winter wonderland weddings to warm the heart. Curl up and read or listen to each in a single dreamy sitting.

The Plus-One Pact

A weekend fauxmance at a destination ski-resort wedding becomes a swoony challenge to keep the ruse going in a spicy-sweet short story by USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson.

There’s no way Emma is showing up at her sister’s over-the-top winter wedding without a hot plus-one—especially when her ex is one of the groomsmen. The first person she turns to when she needs backup is always her best friend from college, Cole. And he’s game to fake it. After all, what are friends for? But one hotel room (and one bed) could turn a simple stunt to save face into something much more complicated.

Lana Ferguson’s The Plus-One Pact is part of All I Want for Christmas, holiday stories of winter wonderland weddings to warm the heart. Curl up and read or listen to each in a single dreamy sitting.

Title: All I Want For Christmas Collection

Author: Various

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Expected Publication Date: November 10, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for providing me with copies of these stories to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I swear Ferguson can do no wrong. This was really quite cute. I love the fake dating and best friends to lovers trope and Ferguson pulled this one off in a short time. The dual POV with him as the present and her as the past was great to give some good perspective of their attraction to each other. This one had more spice than any of the others, as well. The only thing that bothered me is the lack of a festive feel. While the holidays are mentioned by date, there's nothing that truly made me feel like it was a Christmas themed story. This was, however, my favorite story of all the ones in this collection.

This is my first time reading this author. I love anything set in Scotland, so that's a big draw for me. Enemies to lovers is also a fun trope and this one includes a bit of "mistaken identity" as well. Not sure I really felt the chemistry as intended here but the characters were well fleshed out for the length of this story. The actual plot line seemed a little far fetched given the writer/reviewer relationship. This one would have been better done as a full length story giving the characters time to get to know one another and have their break up and then reunion.

This is another author I've not read before. I loved the Irish setting for this one. The pub atmosphere was so fun. I didn't know they got so much snow in Ireland! Child best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I do wish there was a bit more build up for this relationship. We are kind of just told that it is what it is. I know that's hard to do in a short story, though. I'd definitely read more from this author.

This was my least favorite of the stories. I just didn't love the relationship between the FMC and MMC. Culturally, I think I may not have understood some of the interactions. They left me with a bit of the ick. There was a lot of inner monologue that was annoying for me. I did love how thoughtful the MMC was, you could see how much he started to care for the FMC. But even that relationship was not truly believable given the timeline. I just needed more.

I really enjoy Sarah Adams and this short story was fun. I loved the connection between the FMC and MMC even if it did seem a bit fast. Their chemistry was pretty well done given the short length of the story. I didn't see the Christmas connection in this one, though, so that was a bummer. Overall the celebrity versus lay person trope hooked me and I could see this as a full length book.

Authors:

 

ARC Review: The Love Operation By Melissa R Collings

 

A brilliant spine surgeon gains the power to perfectly recall her past—only to discover that some memories are better left undisturbed. A witty, emotional story about the intersection of medicine, memory, and the messy reality of loving imperfectly.

Dr. Cordelia Wren has always been in control—of her surgical career, her emotions, and especially her memories. But when she joins a cutting-edge memory enhancement study at her hospital, she gains an unexpected the power to vividly relive any moment from her past. It seems like the perfect opportunity to analyze her failed relationships and finally understand why every man she’s ever loved has walked away.

There’s just one problem. Actually, three:

1.   She may have…borrowed…access to the highly restricted memory study.
2.   She’s secretly dating the hospital’s new COO while competing for chief of surgery—a relationship that could destroy both their careers if discovered.
3.   Her first love has just reappeared in her life, stirring up feelings she thought she’d buried.

As Cordelia dives deeper into her past, the lines between memory and reality begin to blur. The truth she uncovers forces her to question everything she thought she knew about love, ambition, and what it means to be “in control.”

With her career hanging in the balance and her heart pulled in two directions, Cordelia must decide: Should she trust the memories that have shaped her life, or finally let go of the past to embrace an uncertain future?

The Love Operation is a witty, emotional story about the intersection of medicine, memory, and the messy reality of loving imperfectly.

Title: The Love Operation

Author: Melissa R. Collings

Publisher: Mindy's Book Studio

Expected Publication Date: November 1,2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my won.

I really love a book that explores gender inequality, race inequality, and independent FMCs. So the blurb for this one was quite promising and I could not help but hit that read now button to see what it was all about. Unfortunately, this one did not meet the expectations I set for it.

I'll start with the good.

The cover is so pretty. It definitely drew me and was the reason I clicked on the blurb to see what it was all about.

Being backed by Mindy Kaling, who I have always found to be hilarious, was another plus. 

The blurb! A woman in STEM fighting her way to a top position at a hospital and letting nothing stand in her way? Sign me up because not only am I in the medical field and have seen the inequality that can happen, I wanted to watch her win her battles.

The book has a bit of a speculative element to it with the memory enhancement study. I liked the way this was handled. It gave the reader information about the FMC's past.

Collings writing has bones, I'll give her that. I could see it in the story telling and I can tell with more tweaking she could be an author I grow to like.

Do you watch DOC? This book totally gave me those vibes. The main character of that show has memory flashbacks related to a traumatic brain injury, her best friend is the resident neuropsychiatrist in the hospital where she works, she has a relationship with another doctor she keeps under wraps, and she has a past relationship with one of the executive doctors at the hospital who she can't seem to stay away from. And, honestly, while I did feel like it took a bit too much from that show, I was all in to see how Collings would handle it. And until about 40% I was excited to see how it would play out. Unfortunately, this is where the book lost me.

The bad is not horrible, just not what I would have expected.

There are a few themes explored throughout the book: the push and pull of trying to balance a tough career with wanting personal fulfillment in a relationship which might lead to a family; exploring your past to see how it ultimately affected your present and possibly your future; showing women can be powerful but also gentle and loving; and how important family bonds can be. These are important but I didn't feel like they were explored deeper than a surface level. Perhaps because there were just so many of them. This story would have been better suited to take one or two and expand upon them rather than keep throwing new ones into the mix. If you throw a ton of plotlines at me, I cannot find enough in me to care about them all and that makes being invested in any them terribly hard for me. And the themes were repetitively told to us by the FMC but never shown. The growth for these areas did not meet my expectations.

I just didn't like the main character, Cordelia. She was so immature given her age and her position at the hospital. She makes dumb decisions given how smart she is supposed to be: participating in a study when not authorized, keeping so many things secret, putting her job at risk with each new secret she keeps. She was just not believable to me nor did I find her relatable. I wanted to like her so badly because she has some great qualities but her bad ones outweighed that for me. She was stuck on her own issues without ever seeing the forest for the trees. She was very selfish in the choices she made, rarely exploring why those choices may be wrong. And, given the fact that I felt like the book was set in that area for her to grow, it never happened. She was smart in the medical field but nowhere else. And she never got smarter in family, friends, or relationships.

There is a cheating aspect in this book. it's set up as a sort of love triangle; just another sub plot thrown into a story that already has too many of them. It is definitely emotionally driven but given what the MMC tells Cordelia about his past, I found her dive into this completely selfish. She treated her relationship with the MMC on such a surface level, I didn't really understand why she was bothering when she was going to just do what she wanted no matter who it hurt. It just added to the deception the character already had going (secret relationship, going against the rules of the study set out for her by her best friend, keeping her feelings about her parents retirement to herself, it was too much).

The romance was meh. I really did not feel the chemistry because we are only told of it being there rather than truly shown. The FMC and MMC have a past filled with flirting and sexual tension but the reader doesn't ever see this. Flashbacks to these times would have helped cement the attraction of the two rather than the FMC just telling us about how much chemistry they have.

The repetitiveness of the themes was annoying for me. We are told over and over how hard it is to be a woman in her position, especially a woman of color. I respect this but it is brought up over and over again throughout the narration including Cordelia telling us about her Grandmother who paved the way. But I just didn't see it and rather than this theme making me root for the FMC, I got bored of it being thrown in my face over and over again. This was the same with her wanting a relationship but saying how difficult it would be. Yes, I get it, your job is hard, you want to be the best and get everything you want, but I just didn't care how that affected her having a relationship, a partner, or a family.

Finally, I wasn't a fan of the character profiles. I get this was how Cordelia organized her thoughts on people but I would have much rather seen these character traits than her telling us all about them. These profiles pulled me out of the story, especially given that many of them were right in the middle of a chapter when the character was introduced.  It really messed with the pacing of the story.

What I did feel about this story is that it was very messy. I would not suggest this to either Emily Henry or Ali Hazelwood fans because I think they would be highly disappointed. By the end, I found myself skimming more than reading to absorb what was being told to me on the page. I do think there will be readers who may connect better with this story than me. If you like a surface level brush at plotlines and are not worried about too much development happening, give this one a try.

2.5 stars rounded to 3

Author:

As Melissa R. Collings, I write humorous, heartwarming women’s fiction and romantic stories about the messy, beautiful ways we love and grow.

My books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional depth, exploring friendship, second chances, self-discovery, and what it really takes to heal.

A former spine-surgery Physician Associate turned novelist, I bring a deep understanding of human resilience to every page. My stories shine a light on ordinary people facing extraordinary emotional crossroads, always with compassion, joy, and a belief that we can overcome anything.

If you’re looking for stories that make you giggle, cry a little, and finish with your heart stitched back together, you’re in the right place.

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday October 27, 2026

 

Check out these titles that release this week.

A Court of Splintered Harmoy (A Court of Thorn and Roses #6) by Sarah J. Maas

I've only read the first book in this series and I didn't even like it. But I did hear it gets better as you go so I'm excited she is finally publishing more books in the series.

Mortal Things by Marie Lu

I love Marie Lu. I really wanted to read this early but no go. So I'll grab a copy or get it from the library.

What Rough Beast by Mindy McGinnis

Have you read McGinnis? I love her writing and stories. I don't even need to read a blurb to know I want to read whatever it is she's publishing!

The Santa Claus Con by Lauren Kung Jessen

If you're looking for a cute romantic holiday mystery, check this one out. I got to read it early and it's really cute. Check out my thoughts HERE.

What are you excited about?

ARC Review: The Santa Con Claus by Lauren Kung Jessen

 

A swoonworthy and suspenseful holiday rom-com that will make fans of Ally Carter and Carlie Walker laugh out loud and fall completely in love this Christmas season.

It’s the hap-happiest con of the year …

Scarlett Payne and Nathan Lambros agree on exactly one thing: they both despise Christmas. But when Scarlett receives a cryptic letter—from someone claiming to be Santa and threatening to sabotage New York’s Santa Claus Con—they’re the only two FBI agents who can stop the holiday spectacle from turning into a national disaster. Unfortunately, the last time Scarlett saw her former rival, he was breaking her heart. So she’s not exactly eager to ask the grumpiest agent she knows for help, but he’s sadly great at going undercover.

After years of deep cover, Nathan was ready to hand over his badge ... until Scarlett pulls him into one last operation. He’s not sure which is worse—pretending to be Santa or working with the woman he loves but had to push away.

Beneath fake beards and forced cheer, old feelings refuse to stay buried. With one day, one Con, and one mysterious enemy closing in, these two self-proclaimed Grinches are about to find out what’s more difficult: saving Christmas … or risking their hearts all over again.

Title: The Santa Claus Con

Author: Lauren Kung Jessen

Publisher: Forever

Expected Publication Date: October 27, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'm slowly rolling into Christmas season and my pile of fun books is mounting. I was excited to dive into this one. A mystery/romance is always a fun time. Plus, dual POV is my jam! This is my first book by Jessen and it won't be my last!

This one was so much fun. I loved the idea of these two having a past and solving crimes together. The flashbacks really solidified their relationship so it didn't seem like it was insta-love given the timeline of the story. Their chemistry was great. I loved their bickering and the enemies to lovers trope it brought. Plus, there's some grumpy/grumpy with a bit of them turning to sunshine at the end. Jessen did a great job of developing the characters and their relationship.

The mystery was a great twist. I loved that Jessen used an actual Santa Claus competition as the background of the tension and suspense. And I never saw the twist coming of who the villain was. Of course I cannot say much because I don't want to ruin it. Jessen paces the build up really well without ever giving away the who done it. There are some Easter eggs, now that I think back on it, but nothing that was glaring enough for me not to want to push on and find out exactly who the Sadistic Santa was.

If you are a fan of Lucy Score's Riley Thorn series, you're going to enjoy Scarlett and Nathan and their push and pull romance. This holiday romance with it's mystery twist delivers the perfect amount of Christmas charm and will set you on the track to enjoying your holiday season for sure!

3.75 stars rounded to 4

Author:

Lauren Kung Jessen is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of Lunar Love, Red String Theory, Yin Yang Love Song, The Fortune Flip, and The Santa Claus Con. Her rom-coms are filled with big feelings and lots of food. Lauren’s books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, People, NPR, The Seattle Times, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, and New York Post. She writes the Substack Important Nothings and lives in New York City.

Fat Stack Friday October 23, 2026

Check out my haul this week.

Kindle:

Mothsblood by Lynn D. Jung

I'll be honest, I just thought this one was pretty and I'd love to have an actual physical copy. But I did end up reading the blurb and it sounds good!

Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus

I loved Garmus's Lessons In Chemistry. I tried my hardest to get an early copy of this but was unsuccessful so I grabbed a Kindle copy. I hear good things!

A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez

Another one I sent in a wish for but it was never granted so I got a Kindle copy but ALSO my hold from the library for the audio came through (see below) so this may be an immersive read! It's novellas so I'll be reading one at a time.

Hollowed Bones (Sons of Salem #1) by Lucy Smoke

I've not read this author before and grabbed this because it was so pretty. But now I see it's a why choose and that's not necessarily my wheelhouse so we shall see if I enjoy it.

Snow This is Love by Various Authors

Love me an anthology! Throw Christimas in the mix and I'm sold. Definitely tried my hardest to get a copy of this early but it was a no go. 

NetGalley/Edelweiss/Booktrovert:

All I Want for Christmas Collection by Various Authors

I love short stories. I'm going to work one in a day so I can make sure to review this by it's due date.

Sparks Collide by Ashely Muñoz

This was read now and I liked the sound of it. Plus FIREFIGHTER! I love stories with firefighters!

The Hollow King (The Gravewood #2) by Kelly Andrew

I adored the first book in this series. I plan to listen to it again, so I can remind myself of all the things, before I read this. This is one of my most anticipated books of 2027 and it was read now so I jumped right on that!

The Sidekick by Laura Hankin

Another read now which is magical realism/speculative fiction based. I love that genre. I fell like I have a book by this author or have read one by her so I need to go back and look through my books and reviews to see.

Feast of Hearts by Teri Dederer

Read now and it is comparing itself to Fourth Wing meets Divine Rivals, so that sold me. I hope it lives up to those books!

Libby/Hoopla:

Empire (Heir #2) by Sabaa Tahir

So, I somehow completely forgot what happened in the first book. I started reading this one on Kindle as an early read and was lost. Now I have the audio but I really need to listen to book #1 again before I do this so I may return it and listen another time or read on my Kindle.

Thank You For Remembering by Emily Harding

When it rains it pours. All my holds for audio came through at once. I'm not sure I'll be able to listen to them all. I loved the last book I read by this author. I have an early kindle copy of this but didn't get to it. Maybe an immersive read!

The Wretched Divine (The Wretched Divine #1) by Adalyn Grace

I won a copy of this early on Booktrovert but just did not have time to read it. I hope I can get to this before I have to return it.

In The Mail:

My Fairyloot monthly subscription came and the books are freaking GORGEOUS! I happen to have Kindle copies but also have the first one on hold for audio.

Reap & Sow (Reap & Sow #1) by Charlotte B. Plumb

Tempest (The Lyrian Sea #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Bad Intentions by Iliana Xander

I won this on Goodreads. It took a while for it to come but I really love the way it looks on the side! So pretty!

Twisted Vows (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #0.5) by I.V. Marie

I freaking love this series so much. I got to read this one early (see my review HERE) but had to have a hard copy as I have hard copies of the first two books. This one was fabulous. It's short so I finished it in just a few hours.

What did you get?