After what feels like a lifetime of Christmas madness at work — cooking festive dinners for children and staff, surviving nursery Christmas parties, and running purely on caffeine and festive spirit — I finally made it.
Last day of work before Christmas: complete.
And honestly? That absolutely deserved a reward.
So naturally, I treated myself to a few early Christmas and birthday presents… to myself. Because why not? 🎄🎂
If anyone’s earned it, it’s me.
I skipped right over to The Works (obviously) and ASDA, and while it’s only a small haul, it was exactly the little boost my tired soul needed.
📖 What I Picked Up
🔥 Sky Ridge Hotshots — Book 1 & 2
Let’s address the elephant in the room immediately.
Was it the gorgeous men on the covers that pulled me in?
👉 Yes. God yes.
Did my O.H. judge me?
👉 Also yes.
But listen — he knows me well enough by now. I’m usually a discreet / pretty cover kind of gal… however… if the only option is men-on-the-cover, then so be it. I will survive. 😌
What really intrigued me is that each book in the series is written by a different author, which I actually love as a concept. Same world, different voices? Sign me up.
👻 Good Spirits — B.K. Borison
This one was found in The Works and honestly? She’s pretty.
The sprayed edges immediately caught my eye (I’m weak, I know), but what fully sold me was the paranormal angle.
He’s a ghost.
And look — I’ve done vampires.
I’ve done fae.
I’ve done werewolves.
So why not expand my supernatural horizons to ghosts? 😂
I’m genuinely excited for something a little different here.
🐺 The Wolf King — Lauren Palhreyman
Speaking of wolves…
I’ve been eyeing this up in ASDA for weeks, just casually walking past it pretending I didn’t want it (lies). It finally came home with me.
It’s a hardback, and I’m definitely more of a paperback girl — but sometimes the pull is just too strong. And when that happens, rules go out the window.
If a book calls loudly enough, I answer 📞🐺
🌿 Blackthorn — J.T. Geissinger
Now this was a shock find.
Found in ASDA of all places — and with sprayed edges?!
ASDA usually only does sprayed edges if they’re pink for breast cancer awareness, so this was a genuinely exciting spot.
Another hardback, but once I realised it leaned into fantasy / paranormal vibes, I was more than happy to forgive that. It feels very moody, very witchy, very my thing.
✨ Final Thoughts
So yes — it’s only a small little haul, but it was so needed.
After weeks of chaos, noise, and Christmas cooking madness, these books feel like:
- a reward
- a reset
- and a reminder to actually sit down and breathe
Sometimes a few new physical books are exactly what a tired soul needs 🖤
💬 Come Chat With Me
Have you read any of these?
Or do you have a paranormal romance recommendation I need to add to my ever-growing list?
Tell me:
- Ghosts… yay or nay?
- Hardback or paperback?
- And be honest — do you also buy books purely for sprayed edges sometimes? 😌
Come chat — I’m very much in cozy, end-of-year book goblin mode right now.
The Reading Nook 