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Ner Li
It's the holiday season and as usual Ari is feeling left out. He doesn't celebrate Christmas or even put up a tree. Generally he's fine with that, but it does mean he doesn't get to participate in all the holiday cheer happening around him. All he wants is someone to spend Hanukkah with, but so far the only company he has is his dog, which means another season of being overlooked and alone.
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2016
2 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Mell Eight
69 books279 followersWhen Mell Eight was in high school, she discovered dragons. Beautiful, wondrous creatures that took her on epic adventures both to faraway lands and on journeys of the heart. Mell wanted to create dragons of her own, so she put pen to paper. Mell Eight is now known for her own soaring dragons, as well as for other wonderful characters dancing across the pages of her books. While she mostly writes paranormal or fantasy stories, she has been seen exploring the real world once or twice.
For more information on Mell’s stories and future writing plans, visit her website.
For more information on Mell’s stories and future writing plans, visit her website.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 12, 2016
*2.5 stars*
The more I sat on this review, the less I liked the story.
I'm a HUGE fan of well done Hanukkah stories. My people deserve awesome holiday stories too, so I'm always on the look out for great Hanukkah stories that remind me of the joy, fun, and family drama that the Jewish holidays bring.
Ner Li was a fast, easy read, but it had a few glaring issues. First of all, it was way too didactic for my tastes. When I read a Christmas story, I don't get the whole history of Jesus and the manger and however that morphed into a fat man bringing presents. No, I simply get a story about the spirit of giving and community and family during Christmas, most of the time at least. When I read a Hanukkah romance, I'm expecting a story mostly about a Jewish guy (or guys or gals) during the holidays. I don't need a whole lesson about Hanukkah, especially in such a short story where I'd want more of the focus to be on relationship development.
The romance was sweet but a touch too stalkery for my taste. It had some good elements, but the length of the story was too short to do much with the two MCs.
Not the perfect Hanukkah story I was seeking.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
The more I sat on this review, the less I liked the story.
I'm a HUGE fan of well done Hanukkah stories. My people deserve awesome holiday stories too, so I'm always on the look out for great Hanukkah stories that remind me of the joy, fun, and family drama that the Jewish holidays bring.
Ner Li was a fast, easy read, but it had a few glaring issues. First of all, it was way too didactic for my tastes. When I read a Christmas story, I don't get the whole history of Jesus and the manger and however that morphed into a fat man bringing presents. No, I simply get a story about the spirit of giving and community and family during Christmas, most of the time at least. When I read a Hanukkah romance, I'm expecting a story mostly about a Jewish guy (or guys or gals) during the holidays. I don't need a whole lesson about Hanukkah, especially in such a short story where I'd want more of the focus to be on relationship development.
The romance was sweet but a touch too stalkery for my taste. It had some good elements, but the length of the story was too short to do much with the two MCs.
Not the perfect Hanukkah story I was seeking.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
February 9, 2017
If your date after a nice dinner together will ask you
"Do you want to stop by my place after dinner to light candles together?"
And he's Jewish, and it's Hanukkah, then be prepared- it's not a new seduction-technique, he really means THAT.
An educational insight into Jewish traditions, but nothing special about a romance here.
**Copy provided by Less Than Three Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
June 19, 2017
Heartwarming light read
Not everyone celebrates Christmas and this a great story to explain this and how the Jewish celebrate.
Ari is celebrating in his own way but wishes for company at Hanukkah instead of being lonely.
Sweet with low heat a nice short read.
Not everyone celebrates Christmas and this a great story to explain this and how the Jewish celebrate.
Ari is celebrating in his own way but wishes for company at Hanukkah instead of being lonely.
Sweet with low heat a nice short read.
December 16, 2016
Cute!
September 20, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this story. On one hand, I absolutely love that we get a story based on Hannukah rather than Christmas, but on the other, I don't want (or need) an entire educational background of the celebration. I'm looking for a romance, not a lesson. And I wanted an actual romance, and I don't feel like I really got that. I enjoy this author's stories, but this one was a miss for me.
December 26, 2018
3.25 stars
February 18, 2017
3.25 stars
Cute short story.
Cute short story.
January 7, 2017
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
Even after Christmas is over, I find myself turning to a few more holiday reads to keep the feel of the season with me just a little longer. I don’t know if I’ve ever really read a story that focused on Hanukkah instead of Christmas but I’m really glad I picked this one up. While there isn’t a lot to go on in the blurb, this was a really sweet story that made me smile.
Ari is fairly alone in the fact that he doesn’t celebrate Christmas and being Jewish just sets him apart in a multitude of different ways besides. His desire to not spend Hanukkah alone anymore was taken care of in a sweet, slightly sneaky fashion and I adored every bit of it. :) There was also some information about past events in regards to Jewish people that I wasn’t expecting but nevertheless enjoyed; it allowed me to understand where Ari was coming from in his desire not to conform and go along with what others were doing because they celebrate Christmas and he doesn’t.
All in all, this was a really cute story that made for a great after Christmas bonus book and I liked it a lot. If you aren’t quite ready to let go of the holidays yet or just want something that doesn’t focus on Christmas specifically, I’d recommend giving this one a look.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/01/0...
Even after Christmas is over, I find myself turning to a few more holiday reads to keep the feel of the season with me just a little longer. I don’t know if I’ve ever really read a story that focused on Hanukkah instead of Christmas but I’m really glad I picked this one up. While there isn’t a lot to go on in the blurb, this was a really sweet story that made me smile.
Ari is fairly alone in the fact that he doesn’t celebrate Christmas and being Jewish just sets him apart in a multitude of different ways besides. His desire to not spend Hanukkah alone anymore was taken care of in a sweet, slightly sneaky fashion and I adored every bit of it. :) There was also some information about past events in regards to Jewish people that I wasn’t expecting but nevertheless enjoyed; it allowed me to understand where Ari was coming from in his desire not to conform and go along with what others were doing because they celebrate Christmas and he doesn’t.
All in all, this was a really cute story that made for a great after Christmas bonus book and I liked it a lot. If you aren’t quite ready to let go of the holidays yet or just want something that doesn’t focus on Christmas specifically, I’d recommend giving this one a look.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/01/0...
January 2, 2017
Book – Ner Li
Author – Mell Eight
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 30
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, one character
Would I read it again – Maybe
Genre – LGBT, Holiday, Hanukkah, Romance
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
I'm of two minds about this one. First off, there are no chapter headings, so all thirty pages break only for a scene break, giving you no opportunity to stop and start, if you need to.
I found the subject of Hanukkah a little over done. No, I'm not Jewish, but I'm not sure I need a lesson in Hanukkah's history that lasts for three huge paragraphs in a row, as well as constant reminders throughout such a short story. Most of the history lesson could have been chopped in half, without losing the meaning or the truth of the history.
The characters were interesting and nicely explored, though a little stereotypical in places, while the romance was sweet and cute.
My main problem is the ending. It felt incomplete, like we'd been cut off a chapter or two too early, without a well rounded ending. It left me feeling a little cheated, as the couple who were the entire focus of the story had barely just met, hadn't shared so much as a kiss and it felt more like the 'search' of the story was for a friend, not a boyfriend, by the end.
Author – Mell Eight
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 30
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, one character
Would I read it again – Maybe
Genre – LGBT, Holiday, Hanukkah, Romance
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
I'm of two minds about this one. First off, there are no chapter headings, so all thirty pages break only for a scene break, giving you no opportunity to stop and start, if you need to.
I found the subject of Hanukkah a little over done. No, I'm not Jewish, but I'm not sure I need a lesson in Hanukkah's history that lasts for three huge paragraphs in a row, as well as constant reminders throughout such a short story. Most of the history lesson could have been chopped in half, without losing the meaning or the truth of the history.
The characters were interesting and nicely explored, though a little stereotypical in places, while the romance was sweet and cute.
My main problem is the ending. It felt incomplete, like we'd been cut off a chapter or two too early, without a well rounded ending. It left me feeling a little cheated, as the couple who were the entire focus of the story had barely just met, hadn't shared so much as a kiss and it felt more like the 'search' of the story was for a friend, not a boyfriend, by the end.
December 4, 2021
I got this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review. It's nice to see a story that isn't based on Christmas, though that is the time setting. Nothing really happens, yet a lot does happen. It's a short story that I wish played out longer so we could get the full effect.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews