Winter Stroll - Elin Hilderband

Title: Winter Stroll (Winter #2)
Author: Elin Hilderband
Pages: 263
Published: 2015
Genre: Christmas, Romance
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description:  Another Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn reflecting on the past year as he writes a holiday letter to friends and family. Though the year has had its share of misfortune and worry, the Quinns have much to celebrate. Kelley, now single, at least is on better terms with his first wife Margaret, who is using her celebrity to lure customers to the inn in record numbers. Their son Kevin has a beautiful new baby, Genevieve, with the Inn's French housekeeper, Isabelle; and their daughter, Ava, is finally dating a nice guy--her devoted colleague, Scott.

Now the Quinns are looking forward to celebrating Genevieve's baptism, welcoming Isabelle to the family, and enjoying the cheer of Nantucket's traditional Christmas Stroll. But just when a peaceful family gathering seems within reach, Kelley's estranged second wife, Mitzi, shows up on the island after souring on her relationship with the inn's former Santa Claus. Soon Kelley isn't the only Quinn entertaining a surprise guest from Christmases past as lovers old and new gather beneath the mistletoe. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it's going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns--and the inn--through the holidays intact. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I actually enjoyed this one a little more than Winter Street, which I thought was a little too schmaltzy, especially on a second read.   I think what I liked about is that it came off as being a little more real than the first book in the series and felt a little more enjoyable.  I liked that it was a fairly light read on a day that I was recovering from the festivities of New Years and a fairly long day.

I liked that the book moved the story of the Quinn family nicely along and was a nice and fairly easy read for me.

Bottom Line: A fairly light read and would appeal to those who need something a little lighter to read during the holiday season.  Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Title: A Christmas Carol
Author: Charles Dickens
File size (Pages): 939 KB (104)
Published: 2010 (originally published 1843)
Challenges: e-book, Reading England, The Classics Club
Genre: Christmas, Classics, Fiction
Edition: E-book
Source: Personal

Description: The beloved holiday classic with illustrations by John Leech. A Christmas Carol is Dickens' haunting cautionary tale about Ebenezer Scrooge a miserly businessman who dismisses charity and holiday cheer with an icy "bah humbug!" One night Scrooge finds himself visited by the ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley returned from the dead with a trio of spirits and a plea for his old friend Ebenezer to change his ways and open his heart to the true meaning of Christmas... before it's too late. (via kobobooks.com)

Thoughts: Probably due to the fact that I was reading other books, I wasn't as engaged with the book this time around as I was back in December 2013.  Nonetheless, the book was worth re-reading.

I did find that some of the book was a bit dry at times, but the words that Dickens uses does help with portraying 1843 London as a place that was not exactly a place a person would want to be.

Dickens also was able to show how man can become easily enamoured with the trappings of the world rather than focusing on helping those less fortunate out and that the lesson that Scrooge is forced to learn, that material wealth isn't all it is cracked up to be.  I also liked how the book is still very applicable to us 170 years after the book was published.

Bottom line: Even though I was distracted with other books and wasn't able to appreciate the book as I did a little over a year ago, it is a book that has application to us now.  Highly Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages in 2015: 2,439

Mr. Miracle - Debbie Macomber

Title: Mr. Miracle
Author: Debbie Macomber
Pages: 256
Published: 2014
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Readers to the Rescue, Snagged @ the Library
Genre: Christmas, Romance
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Public Library

Description: Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four-year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track—and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store.

After trying to make it on her own, Addie has returned home to Tacoma for the holidays, but this time she plans to stay for good, enrolling in the local community college to earn her degree. What she doesn’t plan to do is run into Erich Simmons.

Addie and her next-door neighbor, Erich, are like night and day. Growing up, he was popular and outgoing while she was rebellious and headstrong, and he never missed an opportunity to tease her. Now she intends to avoid him entirely, yet when they’re suddenly forced to spend Christmas together, Addie braces for trouble.

Perhaps it’s the spirit of the season or the magic of mistletoe, but Addie and Erich soon find they have more in common than they thought—and that two people who seem so wrong for each other may actually be just right. With a little prompting from a certain angelic teacher, the two are in for a holiday miracle they’ll never forget.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I read this book for the Christmas season, fully intending to read it before the Christmas break, but due to other book commitments I had at the time, I had to set it aside as a result.

I thought that the book was okay and was a pretty standard Christmas romance book.  It was pretty easy to pick up the story after not reading the book for a bit. I know that these books appeal to a specific segment of the reading public, but honestly I wish that authors that write this stuff would realize that maybe readers would like something a little meatier and something that isn't so easily tied up in the end.

Bottom line: It was a nice, light Christmas read that didn't require a lot of thought to read the book.  Recommended, but with reservations.

Rating: 2/5

Pages for 2015: 1,153

The Mistletoe Promise - Richard Paul Evans

Title: The Mistletoe Promise
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Pages: 272
Published: 2014
Challenges: Christmas Spirit, I Love Library Books
Genre: Christmas
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Elise Dutton dreads the arrival of another holiday season. Three years earlier, her husband cheated on her with her best friend, resulting in a bitter divorce that left her alone, broken, and distrustful.

Then, one November day, a stranger approaches Elise in the mall food court. Though she recognizes the man from her building, Elise has never formally met him. Tired of spending the holidays alone, the man offers her a proposition. For the next eight weeks—until the evening of December 24—he suggests that they pretend to be a couple. He draws up a contract with four rules:

1. No deep, probing personal questions
2. No drama
3. No telling anyone the truth about the relationship
4. The contract is void on Christmas Day

The lonely Elise surprises herself by agreeing to the idea. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  Picked up this book from the library because I have read a couple of his of other Christmas themed books in the past so I thought I would enjoy this selection.  And to a degree I enjoyed the read, as it was a nice break from the rather heavy reading between my regular reads and the Harry Potter Re-Readalong that I am engaged with.

Bottom line: It was a quick and enjoyable and romantic read that could be easily read amongst the hustle and bustle of the Christmas/Winter holiday season.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2014: 27,199

A New York Christmas - Anne Perry

Title: A New York Christmas (Christmas Stories #12)
Author: Anne Perry
Pages: 176
Published: 2014
Challenges: Christmas Spirit, I Love Library Books
Genre: Mystery
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: December, 1904. Jemima Pitt, now twenty-two, agrees to act as a “suitable companion” to her friend Delphinia, who is traveling to New York to be married to Brent Albright, toast of New York high society. Jemima is excited about the prospect of a Christmas adventure in a strange big city, but little does she expect to be enlisted on a top secret mission by Brent’s brother Harley, to track down Delphinia’s estranged mother. After some detective work and a little luck, they manage to locate her lodgings—but to their horror, they find Maria dead. Truly her parents’ daughter, Jemima is determined to unmask the killer, and enlists the aid of handsome young police officer Patrick Flannery to do it. And along the way she comes to learn an important lesson about staying true to oneself, no matter the cost. Once again, as only she can, Perry delivers a darkly suspenseful, ultimately heart-warming novel that truly captures the essence of the holiday spirit. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: Felt that the book was okay, but also a bit simplistic and was able to finish within a couple of reads.  

Bottom line: It was a nice, light holiday read that required little or no thought.  Recommended.

Rating: 2.75/5

Pages for 2014: 26,927

Christmas Bliss - Mary Kay Andrews

Title: Christmas Bliss
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Pages: 294
Published: 2013
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Outdo Yourself
Genre: Fiction, Christmas, Romance
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Christmas is coming, but Savannah antique dealer Weezie Foley is doubly distracted both by her upcoming wedding to her longtime love, chef Daniel Stipanek and also by the fact that her best friend and maid-of-honor BeBe Loudermilk is due to give birth any day and is still adamantly refusing to marry her live-in-love Harry. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I saw this book reviewed by another blogger that I read on a regular basis and thought I would give this a try.  Not being able to get to this before Christmas, I was able to start it on New Years Day.   

It was clear from the outset that I had missed quite a bit of the back story of the two main characters, even though there is enough information given throughout the book that you don't really feel like you have to read the previous books to get the drift of the story.

It was a pretty decent read and quick to get through.  Its good for those times during the Christmas holiday season when you need to read something that will take a few days without much thought.

Bottom line: If you enjoy light-hearted romance books or just need something to get through a busy holiday season of parties and family gatherings, this is a perfect read.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2014: 990

Starry Night - Debbie Macomber

Title: Starry Night
Author: Debbie Macomber
Pages: 256
Published: 2013
Challenges: Christmas Spirit, Outdo Yourself,  I Love Library Books
Genre: Christmas, Fiction, Romance
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author. 

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega-bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.
  Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart. (via Goodreads)

Description: I picked this book basically based on the cover that I saw while roaming my library's OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog, if you wish to know what it means) and because it was a Christmas book that would qualify for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.  I was just coming off reading Ms. Macomber's book Call Me Mrs. Miracle and I thought I would give the author another chance.

For at least the first half of the book, the writing was pretty decent and the storyline was intriguing and had me flipping through the book at a pretty quick pace.  But as the story went along, the story got into a somewhat predictable storyline.  It was a pretty easy read and something that could be easily consumed in the couple of months prior to Christmas, as the story is light and not too heavy-handed.  I could have probably finished this book in a day, but if read in a short spurts, one could easily finish it in a few days.

Bottom line: If you are looking for something for next year's Christmas holiday season, this is something that you should possibly consider or something of a similar ilk.  Also if you are a fan of Ms. Macomber's other books, I would possibly recommend this to you as well.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Rating 2014: 256

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Title: A Christmas Carol
Author: Charles Dickens
File size (Pages): 939 KB (104)
Published: 2010 (originally published 1843)
Challenges: Christmas Spirit, e-book, The Classics Club
Genre: Christmas, Classics, Fiction
Edition: E-book
Source: Personal

Description: The beloved holiday classic with illustrations by John Leech. A Christmas Carol is Dickens' haunting cautionary tale about Ebenezer Scrooge a miserly businessman who dismisses charity and holiday cheer with an icy "bah humbug!" One night Scrooge finds himself visited by the ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley returned from the dead with a trio of spirits and a plea for his old friend Ebenezer to change his ways and open his heart to the true meaning of Christmas... before it's too late. (via kobobooks.com)

Thoughts: This is my second time reading this short Christmas novel.  And reading it the second time, I had new appreciation for the book.  Even though it is quite simple, it is also quite complex, in that I suppose we all have a bit of Scrooge in us and all need to be reminded from time to time we could easily become like him, due to our fallen nature.  And I suppose it is always a good reminder that being bitter and miserly does nobody any good.

While I did feel that the chapters were a little on the long side, Dickens did a masterful job in showing how we as humans beings can easily become like Mr. Scrooge and that bitterness from a number of events can leave us in a similar position.  It is truly a book that should be read by most people at some point.

Bottom line: It is a book that I would recommend that people read at least once in their lifetime, but I think fans of either novellas or Dickens would probably appreciate this book a bit more.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.75/5

Pages for 2013: 19, 559

The Dogs of Christmas - W. Bruce Cameron

Title: The Dogs of Christmas
Author: W. Bruce Cameron
Pages: 233
Published: 2013
Challenges: Christmas Spirit
Genre: Fiction, Christmas
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh’s Colorado home. But Josh can’t resist Lucy’s soulful brown eyes, and though he’s never had a dog before, he’s determined to do the best he can for Lucy—and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies. 

Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy’s tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter’s “Dogs of Christmas” program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her.

But he’s fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh’s life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody’s strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family.

With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn’t willing to lose her, but doesn’t know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man’s life? (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I really quire enjoyed this book, even though I am not a dog person myself.   Its the sort of read that one can easily get through in a day or two, but for some reason it took me about 2 weeks to get through.  But that is besides the point.  Even though the book is a easy read, it isn't overly sappy; it has the right amount of sappiness that allows one to quickly get through the book.

Bottom line:  It's a nice light story that allows the reader to be engaged with the story through out the book and is appropriate for readers that wish to get some reading during the busy and chaotic holiday season.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2013: 19, 263

Call Me Mrs. Miracle - Debbie Macomber

Title: Call Me Mrs. Miracle
Author: Debbie Macomber
File Size (Pages): 329 KB (257)
Published: 2010
Challenges: Ebook
Genre: Fiction, Christmas, Romance
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: This Christmas, Emily Merkle (call her Mrs. Miracle ) is working in the toy department at Finley's, the last family-owned department store in New York City. And her boss is none other than...Jake Finley, the owner's son.

For Jake, holiday memories of brightly wrapped gifts, decorated trees and family were destroyed in a Christmas Eve tragedy years before. Now Christmas means just one thing to him--and to his father. Profit. Because they need a Christmas miracle to keep the business afloat.

Holly Larson needs a miracle, too. She wants to give her eight-year-old nephew, Gabe, the holiday he deserves. Holly's widowed brother is in the army and won't be home for Christmas, but at least she can get Gabe that toy robot from Finley's, the one gift he desperately wants. If she can figure out how to afford it...

Fortunately, it's Mrs. Miracle to the rescue. Next to making children happy, she likes nothing better than helping others--and that includes doing a bit of matchmaking (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:I had wanted to read this book a few years ago and when I was browsing through the e-book selections available through my public library, I thought why not.  It wasn't great, but then it wasn't particularly bad either.  It was basically so-so. I wasn't exactly expecting a great masterpiece, but I think I was expecting a little more than I ended up getting.  I also didn't expect that the story would be as short as it was, as it was about half of the e-copy that I had borrowed and the other half were two other stories that I didn't really expect.  Maybe I should have read the other stories included in the e-copy to get a better idea, but since I had only wanted the main story of the book, I felt that I had basically done my duty.

Bottom line: Its a good Christmas story and if you are looking for something that will be fairly easy to read during the upcoming holiday season, I would recommend the book, especially if you are needing something to occupy your time for an afternoon.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2013: 17, 377

A Winter Dream - Richard Paul Evans

Title: A Winter Dream
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Pages: 266
Published: 2012
Genre: Christmas
Challenges: Support Your Library, Christmas Spirit
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: The author of the bestselling phenomenon The Christmas Box presents a new holiday novel about family, fate and forgiveness.

Joseph Jacobson is the twelfth of thirteen siblings, all of whom are employed by their father’s successful Colorado advertising company. But underneath the success runs a poisonous undercurrent of jealousy; Joseph is his father’s favorite and the focus of his brothers’ envy and hatred. When the father seems ready to anoint Joseph as his heir, the brothers make their move, forcing Joseph from the company and his Denver home, severing his ties to his parents and ending his relationship with his soon-to-be fianceé. Alone and lonely, Joseph must start a new life. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I read this book a couple of weeks ago and so my thoughts about the book have been somewhat forgotten, but I can tell you that I thought the book was pretty good up until the final few chapters.  The story seemed to be fairly realistic, but it seemed that once I got into the final chapters, it got into the stereotypical way of making sure that a story wrapped up nicely and quickly.  But other than that, I enjoyed it.

Bottom line: If you have read the others books, you will probably enjoy this one as well.  Its a nice light read for those that don't have a lot of time to read, but would like something to read during the Christmas season.

Rating: 3.725/5

Pages for 2012: 22022

The Gift - Cecelia Ahern

Title: The Gift
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Pages: 305
Published: 2009 (first published 2008)
Challenges: 2012 Support Your Library
Genre: Christmas fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating: 3/5


Description: Lou Suffern is practised in the art of concealment. He is, also, always overstretched, trying to do too many things at once. His overburdened schedule gives him few moments of peace, even in his sleep. And when he spends time at home with his wife and family, he is always distracted, and, mentally, somewhere else. 

On a cold winter morning, Lou is on his way to work when he encounters Gabe, a homeless street dweller, sitting outside an office building. Lou is intrigued by him, and contrives to get him a job in the post room. But this act of charity rebounds on him, and Gabe’s presence begins to grate on Lou -- particularly when he discovers that the latter seems capable of being in two places at the same time. Christmas is drawing near, and before the season is over, Lou’s life will be irrevocably change by the casual act of kindness he has performed. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: It was cute and for the most part the story went over my head and wasn't really engaged with it.  Felt it was a little mundane and by the point I finished it this evening, I just wanted to finish the book.  It wasn't badly written, its just it was something that wasn't really that memorable nor was I that engaged with the book.   The story seemed to be ho-hum through out the book and I suppose it didn't help that it took me about 2 months to complete the book.  Maybe if I had just sat down one afternoon during Christmas, this would have been done sooner.

Bottom line:  This book is meant to be read quickly and not over the course of two months.    Its also clearly a book that isn't hard-hitting, but has a decent storyline and if you want a decent Christmas story that ends a little differently than you expect, this would be a story for you.  A decent read, but nothing to write home about.

Pages read for 2012: 3592

The Christmas Wedding - James Paterson and Richard DiLallo

Title: The Christmas Wedding
Author: James Patterson and Richard Dilallo
Pages: 266
Published: 2011
Genre: Christmas Fiction
Rating: 2.5/5

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married--and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day--she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.

But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise--she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever.

Thoughts: After reading a number of reviews on this book and seeing that it has had mediocre reviews, I thought I would still give this book a chance and see if the book was better than what was being reported in regards to the book.  Honestly,  I like the stories of Gaby's children better than that of Gaby herself, who I thought was a bit odd in that she wouldn't reveal who she was marrying to anybody.  I honestly would have liked to see more of the journey's of her children to the wedding itself.  Did Claire have a conversation with Gus about his behaviour?  What was the conversation between Gaby's lawyer daughter and her husband as they came from New York?  I felt that the story was a bit disjointed and felt that the hype for the book was just that: hype. If you need to find something that you can quickly read during the Christmas/Holiday season, this book definitely fits that mold; I finished this book in a couple of sittings and found it okay.

The Quiet Little Woman - Louisa May Alcott

Title: The Quiet Little Woman : a Christmas story
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Pages: 122
Published: 1999
Genre: Short stories, Fiction, Christmas
Rating: 3/5

Everything about The Quiet Little Woman: A Christmas Story by Louisa May Alcott is heartwarming, starting with the extraordinary tale of its origin. Alcott wrote the story for three girls who emulated Little Women's March sisters by founding their own literary publication, but the magazine was lost for many years; this story is now being published in book form for the first time. The Quiet Little Woman tells the story of Patty, a young girl living hopelessly in an orphanage, who is rescued at Christmas time by a kindly woman named Aunt Jane. Also collected in this small, beautiful (and not coincidentally, Christmas stocking-size) volume are two of Alcott's other holiday stories; one of them, "Rosa's Tale," is a really lovely fable about a horse who speaks at midnight on Christmas Eve. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: It was a nice light read.  Granted the book was very short and the book only took me less than 12 hours of reading time to complete, but it was still a nice diversion from the heavier books that are awaiting me.  I find it interesting that these three stories were only discovered quite recently and that Ms. Alcott took the time to pen these stories for the Lukens girls and their little publication, which was inspired by the paper that the March girls made in Little Women, even though she was a well-known author at the time of these stories and was in the midst of her own busy writing career.  The stories are quite simple and while the first two stories in the collection were more entertaining, the last story was a little confusing for the most part.  Overall it was enjoyable and a nice read.

Recommended for fans of Little Women and Alcott's other work.

Lost December - Richard Paul Evans

Title: Lost December: a novel
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Pages: 346
Published: 2011
Genre: Christmas, Fiction
Rating: 4/5

When Luke Crisp graduates from business school, his father, CEO and co-founder of Fortune 500 Crisp's Copy Centers, is ready to share some good news: he wants to turn the family business over to his son. But Luke has other plans. Taking control of his trust fund, Luke leaves home to pursue a life of reckless indulgence.

But when his funds run out, so do his friends. Humbled, alone, and too ashamed to ask his father for help, Luke secretly takes a lowly job at one his father's copy centers. There he falls in love with a struggling single mother and begins to understand the greatest source of personal joy. (via jacket flap)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one.  The story takes the story of the prodigal son and gives it a modern twist.  I found it to be a little too simplistic and a little too straightforward, but I guess if somebody is basing a fictional story on a biblical tale, it usually is a little more straightforward than if one is developing one's own storyline, but for some reason I never found East of Eden to be that straightforward, even though it is also based on the biblical story of Cain and Able.  But I digress.

One thing that I thought that could have been improved upon was that there could have been a little more conflict between Luke and Rachael and more time spent on it; felt that it was rather rushed and it felt as though they resolved whatever issues they had rather quickly and probably a little too quickly for my liking.  I realize that its supposed to be a book that is meant to be read fairly quickly and therefore doesn't go into much depth, but I felt that issues that they had was dealt with fairly quickly, even though it felt like it was a huge betrayal for Rachael to discover; just felt that he could have added a few more pages and dealt with the conflict in regards to the text message a little more and have them discuss it a little more than they did at the end, not that I didn't understand where the author was coming from.

If you have read the other Christmas books by Evans, you will enjoy this one and even if you haven't read his other books, you will also like this warm-hearted tale.

The Christmas Scrapbook: A Harmony Story - Philip Gulley

Title: The Christmas Scrapbook: A Harmony Story
Author: Philip Gulley
Pages: 96
Published: 2005
Genre: Christmas fiction
Rating: 3/5

Sam Gardner admits that his history as a gift giver is abysmal. Determined to redeem himself, he has enrolled in a scrapbooking class. His artistic enterprise, however, ends in disaster. Meanwhile, wife Barbara sees through his lame ruse of a Wednesday night "men's group," but suspecting the worst, she begins to search for a romantic rival.Sam Gardner admits that his history as a gift giver is abysmal. Determined to redeem himself, he has enrolled in a scrapbooking class. His artistic enterprise, however, ends in disaster. Meanwhile, wife Barbara sees through his lame ruse of a Wednesday night "men's group," but suspecting the worst, she begins to search for a romantic rival.

Thoughts: Nice enjoyable read for Christmas.  Thought that the story was a little too quick for my liking and that the story could have been fleshed out a little more.

The Gift - Richard Paul Evans

Title: The Gift
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Pages: 335
Published: 2007
Genre: Christmas
Rating: 4/5

Nathan Hurst hated Christmas.  For the rest of the world it was a day of joy and celebration; for Nathan it was simply a reminder of the event that destroyed his childhood until a snowstorm, a cancelled flight, and an unexpected meeting with a young mother and her very special son would show him that Christmas is indeed the season of miracles.

Reason that I read this book: For the 2010 Holiday Reading Challenge and the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge. 


Thoughts: It was a nice diversion from the heavier material that I had been reading and took me a couple of days to finish.  I really enjoyed the book and was one of the better ones of his that I have read this Christmas season.  It was an interesting premise and I quite liked it.

Bottom line: Not disappointed by the book, in fact I was impressed more than I expected.  A lovely book.

A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth - Charles Dickens

Title: A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth
Author: Charles Dickens
Pages: 304 pages
Published: 2004
Genre: Classic, Christmas
Rating: 4/5

Generations of readers have been enchanted by Dickens’s A Christmas Carol—the most cheerful ghost story ever written, and the unforgettable tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s moral regeneration. Written in just a few weeks, A Christmas Carol famously recounts the plight of Bob Cratchit, whose family finds joy even in poverty, and the transformation of his miserly boss Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

From Scrooge’s “Bah!” and “Humbug!” to Tiny Tim’s “God bless us every one!” A Christmas Carol shines with warmth, decency, kindness, humility, and the value of the holidays. But beneath its sentimental surface, A Christmas Carol offers another of Dickens’s sharply critical portraits of a brutal society, and an inspiring celebration of the possibility of spiritual, psychological, and social change.

This new volume collects Dickens’s three most renowned “Christmas Books,” including The Chimes, a New Year’s tale, and The Cricket on the Hearth, whose eponymous creature remains silent during sorrow and chirps amid happiness.

Reason that I read this book: I read it for a couple of Christmas reading challenges and for a reading challenge on Goodreads.  I also read it because it was the Christmas season and I wanted to read something with a Christmas theme.

Thoughts:  Overall, it is a very good collection of three of the five Christmas stories that Dickens wrote over a 5 or 6 year period in the 1840s.  I really enjoyed the first and the final stories, but for some reason the middle story didn't really capture my imagination.  Not that it is a wonderful story, but I just felt that The Chimes dragged a little bit and didn't seem to have the same sort of vibe that A Christmas Carol had.  I suppose it doesn't help that The Chimes isn't as well known as A Christmas Carol and the expectations were probably higher than I had for The Cricket on the Hearth.


Bottom Line: Overall, it is a good overview of 3 of the 5 Christmas stories and while it does include A Christmas Carol, which is important, I just felt that the expectations of the final stories were probably a little too high and that the writing for the second Christmas story wasn't exactly what I was expecting and the final story was nice and light and shorter than the previous two stories.

Grace - Richard Paul Evans

Title: Grace
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Published: 2008
Pages: 316
Genre: Christmas
Rating: 4/5

She was my first kiss. My first love. She was a little match girl who could see the future in the flame of a candle. She was a runaway who taught me more about life than anyone has before or since. And when she was gone my innocence left with her.

As I begin to write, a part of me feels as if I am awakening something best left dead and buried, or at least buried. We can bury the past, but it never really dies. The experience of that winter has grown on my soul like ivy climbing the outside of a home, growing until it begins to tear and tug at the brick and mortar.

I pray I can still get the story right. My memory, like my eyesight, has waned with age. Still, there are things that become clearer to me as I grow older. This much I know: too many things were kept secret in those days. Things that never should have been hidden. And things that should have.

Reason that I read this book: For the 2010 Holiday Reading Challenge and the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge. 

Thoughts:  I actually had started reading the book about a year ago and then quit.  I picked it up this Christmas and was floored by the powerfulness of the book.  Excellent read.

Bottom line: Probably one of the better books that I have read by Evans and only hope that I am not disappointed with my next read of his. 

Finding Noel - Richard Paul Evans

Title: Finding Noel
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Published: 2006
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Fiction, Christmas
Rating: 3/5

The Christmas season is supposed to be full of joy, but not for Mark Smart. Life had dealt him one blow after another until one snowy November night, when he finds a beautiful young woman who will change his life forever. Macy Wood has little memory of her birth parents, and memories she'd rather forget of her adopted home. A Christmas ornament inscribed with the word "Noel" is the only clue to the little sister she only vaguely remembers, a clue that will send her and Mark on a journey to reclaim her past, and her family.

Reason I read this book: For the 2010 Holiday Reading Challenge and the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge. 


Thoughts: I had read this book about 4 years ago and actually liked it.  Now, I don't know if I like it as much.  I still enjoyed the story and read things I hadn't realized had happened in the book.  Still was an enjoyable read.


Bottom Line:  A lot like what the previous two books that I have read within the last few weeks of Evans and even though I read it a few years ago, I still enjoyed the book.  Nice departure from my regular fare.