Reviews with content warning for Cancer - A Jingle Bell Mingle

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy

16 reviews

gwenswoons's review

lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This was ok, I feel like it was nice to finish off the Christmas Notch series but oof did it feel like it went on too long for me. I actually oddly loved these main characters and enjoyed the setting and their backstories and the way the novel deals with grief, but it felt too long and both so ordinary and so exasperating in the conflicts. So much total lack of self-awareness, such consistently bad communication! Maybe I am aging out of this genre or maybe I need to just wait for Annabel Monaghan’s books to satisfy conflict and obstacles that are adult and not just like “well, too bad these people are both way too self-absorbed and not in therapy so the book has to go on for another 200 pages.” Oddly I liked the MCs maybe even more than the other CN books but it just felt endless. I love Julie Murphy’s/Sierra Simone’s sex writing and the returns of lots of familiar characters and story lines, but I guess I’m hoping this (plus the tiny digital bonus they published after it) is the end of the road for this universe, because I am clearly in that terrible completionist mindset for this story world and I NEED TO STOP bc I’m done. Finally, I would like to catalog yet another objection to these random bookends with totally separate characters/love stories — I complained in my last review about this I’m almost sure — I can only hope it means there’s one fewer book coming but jfc you can’t just have a first and last chapter with randos who we know but whose story it is NOT?? What is going on??? Scrolling back up to lower my star rating rn after this rant, thank you very much.

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kkzmyname's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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claireafterall's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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sunshinekmp's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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annahamburger's review

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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lex_is_bookish's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

best of the christmas notch series so far!

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aahrobot's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This one was my favorite of the Christmas Notch series which honestly surprised me. When I first met Sunny back in book one, she felt...too much. I'm naturally a low energy person, so she just felt like I wouldn't resonate with her character (I was a little disappointed that she was the FMC of book three).

I am beyond glad that I was proven wrong. Sunny isn't too much. She's a (sort of) misunderstood, mostly happy, secretly sad ball of fun. It took me a bit longer to get into this book (not because of the writing - just because of life), but when I did, I couldn't put it down. The love that grows naturally between Sunny and Isaac felt relatable, messy, and obsessive, but also very much like, 'whoa, wait, not this guy??' in the best way.

Isaac was settled in his grief and content to be alone. Sadness and withdraw felt easier than dealing with life and I can resonate with that sentiment. I feel we get to see every emotion, not only with Sunny, but with Sad Boy Isaac. Melancholic, witty, and funny.

Their love felt refreshing and honest. We saw the mess, we felt the pain, and we chose to love anyway (even when it is incurable and painful). Getting to know Sunny and Isaac was fun for me. I enjoyed the whole grumpy/sunshine theme because it wasn't cheesy or typical. It was a man dealing (or not dealing) with his grief and a woman who embodies sunshine not only in name, but in life (even if she doesn't always feel as happy as she looks).

This was a great read. It was perfectly Christmas-y with a dash of fun mystery and love. It was light with a little dust of raw emotions, pure spice, and plenty of <i>Twilight</i> references.

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