Yours for the Season by Emily Stone - Book Review

Publication Date: 07th Oct 2025 

Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance 

3.5 Stars 

One Liner: Hopeful, though it has a couple of heavy themes 

Melanie (Mel) is not having a great year. Her best friend moved across the world, the love of her life dumped her six months ago, and her business, though going well, was draining her energy. 

However, Finn (the love) shows up at her doorstep asking for help. She would have to act as if they had gotten back together to please his mother, who planned an entire week of Christmas events with Mel included. Mel agrees reluctantly, on the condition that she would get to dump him in public, for him to realize how she felt. 

As they spend more time together, they have to figure out what happened and what they want. 

The story comes in Mel’s third-person POV in the current timeline (present tense) and Finn’s third-person POV in the past timeline. 

My Thoughts: 

This is my first book by the author who is famous for stories set in and around Christmas. I like that the writing is easy to read. The pace is neither slow nor fast. It is steady. 

I won’t talk about the premise since I requested the book knowing what it is. I was curious to see how it would be executed. Been reading second-chance romance more lately (professional research purposes). 

The chapters dealing with the past come from the MMC’s POV, which is a good idea. The timeline is very clear, so we can see the progress in their relationships and know the undercurrents as well. 

The side characters are interesting and add quite a bit to the plot. After all, it is a story about spending a week with the family. 

The book deals with themes like parental decisions, pressure, and how their actions/ words have a long-lasting impact on the kids. Even when things are done with good intentions, they can have negative repercussions. In fact, this is worse since we can’t blame anyone either. 

I wasn’t expecting a health issue as well, but okay. It’s there, so I can’t do anything. At least, the book ends on a positive note, so all is good. 

Miscommunication or lack of proper communication is the conflict, but I think it was handled decently. It felt realistic enough for the characters to think and do what they did. 

My main reason for a relatively low rating is my expectations. I wanted more from the main couple. They did have the required conversations (eventually and in instalments), but I hoped for a bit more banter and tension rather than monologues. 

A little something was missing, which made me reluctant to give it a higher rating (though I am rounding it up since I enjoyed the book). 

To summarize, Yours for the Season is a cozy romance with strong family vibes. It’s a nice read that can leave you with some thoughts and a smile on your face. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan - Book Review

Publication Date: 30th Sep 2025

Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Fun! 

Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang never celebrated her birthday on the actual day, 4th April, since 4 is an unlucky number according to Chinese. Her mother is clear about it. She is also very clear about art being a waste of time. 

This year, Eugenia is determined to do things her way. She applies for the art camp and plans to have a party on her actual birthday (and invite her crush to it). However, when Eugenia is hit on the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts to see visions of impending doom. Is it her anxiety or the universe sending her messages about something? What if her mother is actually right? 

Can Eugenia figure things out before it’s too late? 

My Thoughts: 

This is a tween book suitable for young YA readers (11-15+). Some of the content can be a wee bit scary for young readers who are not yet used to dark stuff like fire and mentions of death. 

The blurb pretty much sets the stage for the book. A stereotyped Asian mom who is almost always frowning and overbearing, an annoying little brother, a cheerful bestie, a good-looking love interest, and a cutesy pug (my favorite part of the book). And of course, our little MC, art-loving, awkward girl who has only one friend at school, is a nerdy girl. 

There’s a bit of diversity and inclusivity with the characters, which I like. It is seamlessly incorporated into the plot rather than being an item on the checklist. 

We could say this has a comic-in-a-comic model since the MC draws comics, and we get to see them (some of which are a result of her recurring nightmares). 

Artwork and presentation are key for a graphic novel, and that’s where this book scores high points. The illustrations are not ‘perfect’ with straight lines and sharp angles. They are softer and rounder with a bit of smudginess that works wonderfully. 

I also like how the nightmares appear in orangey-red, making it easy for kids to separate them from the main plot. Moreover, the text comes in two colors – black for dialogues and red for Eugenia’s thoughts. 

I read the ARC on my computer. It worked well in the default setting. I didn’t have to zoom in and out constantly, so the whole reading experience was enjoyable. 

There’s some crushing and a kissy kissy frame (PG-13). I’m not a fan of crushes and tingling for kids, so I won’t say anything about this. 

The pacing is pretty decent. It starts a bit slow (understandable), but picks up momentum over time. The changes in the characters’ actions towards the end are a bit abrupt despite the leads and foreshadowing we get. After so much stress and tension for the MC, the change could have been slowed or phased. 

Still, the book ends on a hopeful note. There’s a note and a little glossary for the non-English words. Then, we get a sneak peek into the author’s illustration process. This is again my favorite. I love it when illustrators show us a bit of their creative methods. Young artists might find it very interesting! 

To summarize, The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is an entertaining graphic novel about family, being a tween, parent-child dynamics, and learning to figure things out.  

Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing), for the eARC. 

#NetGalley