Snowbound Regency Christmas by Carla Kelly, Joanna Johnson, and Samantha Hastings

 

Have you ever been stranded by a snowstorm?  I was once stranded at Detroit Metro airport for three days during a blizzard.

Snowbound Regency Christmas is three novellas including:

“A Christmas Houseguest” by Carla Kelly

Sailing Master Andrew Hadfield is back in England after two years being held captive by the French.  He is searching for the widow of a comrade to tell her the details of her husband’s death.  When his mail coach is caught in a snowstorm, fellow passenger, Rosie, takes him back to her family farm to stay and recover.  Will love find a way for two people who have given up on love?

“Their Yuletide Reunion” by Joanna Johnson

In the past, Jane had to say no to a proposal from Lt. Duncan Fitzjames due to family obligations.  Her feeling for him have not changed.  Now that her Great Aunt Deborah has passed away, her future is uncertain.  With Duncan back in town, will there be a second chance for love?

“The Christmas Husband” Charade by Samantha Hastings

On a mail coach, Devin finds himself traveling with a woman he despises. Julia jilted his brother years before.  Julia has been punished and sent away as a governess.  When they are snowed in and trapped at an inn, they must pretend to be married in order to have a safe place to stay and to protect Julia’s reputation.  Will the forced proximity cause them to come to a better understanding and perhaps find love?

My thoughts on these novellas:

·       I loved all three of these stories.  They were cozy and great escapism reading.

·       All three stories were forced proximity romances.  I also enjoyed the second chance romance and shades of Persuasion by Jane Austen in “Their Yuletide Reunion.”

·       This was a clean read.

·       Each story was unique and kept me engaged throughout!

·       The first story also have a PTSD storyline.

·       I read this book quickly. 

Overall, Snowbound Regency Christmas has three great Regency romance novellas that were a perfect comfort read on a cold winter’s night.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

 

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen

 

If you could travel to a different time period to experience a holiday, which time period and holiday would you chose?  I would chose either a Regency or Victorian Christmas.  A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen is set during the Regency time period. 

Sarah Summers was attracted to widower Callum Henshall on his previous visit to the family’s guest house.  She discouraged his attentions because she felt it was her duty to help her family maintain their living through running the guest house.  Callum lives in Scotland, nowhere close to her family in Sidmouth.  Now it’s Christmas and Callum and his daughter are back for a visit.  Will the two finally be able to find the romance and happiness that alluded them in the past?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a novella and a quick read set during the Regency era from October 1820 to January 1821.

·       I loved that Sarah made the first move by going with her sister Claire on her wedding trip to Edinburgh.  They tried to visit Callum only to discover that he was away.

·       The youngest sister, Georgiana gets a start of a romance of her own, which I enjoyed.  I really want this developed in a book of her own.

·       I loved that Georgiana requested a very festive Christmas and Sarah goes all in to make it so.  I enjoyed the descriptions of the decorations and the twelve days of Christmas festivities.  Great historical detail was included.

·       I also enjoyed the descriptions of the English country dances in the novella.  My husband and I just danced the dances mentioned at Jane Austen’s birthday party put on by JASNA Wisconsin in Milwaukee in December.

·       I have grown to love the Summers family and people of Sidmouth as I have read this series.  I love them all and they are like old friends.

·       I recommend reading the entire series “On Devonshire Shores.”

·       The afterward said this is the last “On Devonshire Shores” or Sea View novel.  NOOOO!!  I was hoping for Georgiana’s story next.  I love these characters.

·       “Reddup” was used in this novel.  We said this in my family growing up all of the time when it’s time to clean up after a meal.  My husband had never heard this term when we got married and had no idea what we were talking about.  I ended up looking it up and it’s an old English term. 

·       This novella is a clean read.

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen is a quick, sweet romance with wonderful characters and great Christmas spirit.  I highly recommend this entire series!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @julie.k.klassen, @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review Copy from NetGalley as part of the Happy Holidays Instagram Book Blast & Giveaway tour through #greatreadsbookpromo.

 

The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol

 

Do you have a favorite book that you like to reread at the holidays?  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is just such a book for me.

The Night Before Christmas by Nikolia Gogol is the story of Vakula, a blacksmith and his fight against the devil who has stolen the moon and is causing all sorts of trouble in his village to win the most beautiful maiden.  This story was the December pick for the Classic Buddy Read hosted by @Dees.Reads.  This story was written in 1831 and is a traditional story read on Christmas Eve to children in Ukraine and Russia.  It is a short novella and I spent most of the time thinking – what the heck am I reading?  It was a strange tale and pretty much the opposite of The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore.  I guess I was expecting more of the Moore version, and this really threw me off.  It will not be a classic I reread at the holidays of the future.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Under the Netherfield Mistletoe by Abigail Reynolds

 

Do you hang up a mistletoe in your home?  My kids make sure ours is up over our staircase every Christmas.

Elizabeth Bennet is searching for mistletoe at Netherfield when she meets Georgiana Darcy who has come with her brother to Netherfield to escape from the Christmas season and mend her broken heart.  As Elizabeth and Georgiana’s friendship grows, Darcy and Elizabeth find that their feelings and chemistry does as well.  Will these two end up together for Christmas?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I love Regency Christmas stories and must enjoy at least one every year!

·       This is a cute Pride and Prejudice variation.

·       It’s a short novella length which is perfect for the holidays.

·       I loved the Gardiners and their children in London.  It was a fun family and wonderful to see the Darcys get to know them.  I also enjoyed that Darcy had been childhood friends with Mrs. Gardiner’s brother.

·       Georgiana’s growth throughout the story was a joy to read about.  I was happy that she was able to finally stand up for herself.

·       I loved the sparks and chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth – especially under the mistletoe!

·       This was a clean romance.

Overall, Under the Netherfield Mistletoe by Abigail Reynolds was a sweet Pride and Prejudice Christmas variation and romance.  It was a fun read for the holidays!

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

What classic have you always meant to read, but you haven’t quite gotten to it yet?

My son Daniel and I read most of Animal Farm by George Orwell together years ago (he was in middle school at the time. He is now a senior in high school.)  For some reason, we never read the last chapter.  I finally finished it up last month.  I had never read this book in my time in K-12 or in college, but I have always heard about it.  Unfortunately, it seems very relevant to the times we live in.

In this classic novella, animals on a farm in England rise up against their cruel master, Mr. Jones, and take over the farm to run it for themselves.  Things seem to go well until a pig named Napoleon and other pigs take over.  They change rules to help themselves and a pig named Squealer has the job to convince the other animals that their memory is faulty, “Comrade Napoleon is always right.”  Will the animals ever find the equality that they seek?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is a quick read and short book.

·       This story is written in the style of fable.

·       It is a dystopian story. 

·       We read the illustrated classic and liked the drawings in this version.

·       This book is on the banned book list.

·       I loathed Napoleon.

·       The different animals are supposed to represent different people in the history of the USSR.  For example, a pig called Snowball represent Leon Trotsky and is driven off the farm.

·       As the food rations smaller, pigs say that its is better than life under Farmer Jones.  Rules change slowly and no one is sure what is true. 

·       The story shows how a pure idea of freedom that is supposed to benefit all is corrupted by powerful people who take advantage of the uneducated masses to go along with things that do not benefit them.  The eventual dictator/leader turns to capitalism.

·       It seems like this book would be a better high school read rather than a middle school read where you could really dig into the history of the USSR and also current topics.

·       This book seemed heavy handed at times but did get the point across.  I got a lot more out of 1984 by George Orwell. 

Favorite Quote: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

 

Title:  Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Author:  Truman Capote

Narrated by:  Michael C. Hall

Publisher: Audible Studios

Length: Approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible

What is your favorite breakfast?  I love omelets, but oatmeal is the breakfast I eat the most.

 Young writer is trying to get his start in New York City when he meets his eccentric neighbor, Holly Golightly.  Holly is a young woman in her late teens who “socializes” with older rich men to make her living.  As the author gets to know her more, he finds surprising depth.  Who is she and what will she become? 

My thoughts on this book:

·       Michael C. Hall was a great narrator of the audiobook.

·       I read this in September for the What the Dickens Book Club on Facebook.  I hadn’t read this for over 20 years ago for a classics book club I was in while I lived in Milwaukee.  It was great to read it again.  Unfortunately, the What the Dickens Book Club was paused, and we did not discuss this book.

·       This was a novella and a short read.

·       I was not sure if I liked Holly Golightly.  Is she a prostitute?  She seemed like a manic pixy girl to me.  She was very unique and different which drew men to her.

·       There was some rough language in this novella about those of different ethnicities and sexuality.

·       This story was set in the WWII era.  Holly’s brother Fred serves overseas.

·       Holly was a child bride after her parents died and she and her brother Fred were put with abusive relatives.  They ran away and made their own way in the world.

·       The story was sanitized for the 1960s movie starting Audrey Hepburn.  I need to rewatch it – it’s been a while since I’ve seen it!

·       I couldn’t hardly stand it when Holly throws her cat out and kicks it to make it run away before she leaves the country.  The cat in a way seemed to symbolize Holly.  She was “kicked” in life, but always lands on her feet.

·       The story was well written and had true observations on life.

·       I can understand Holly’s yearning for a better life.

·       This was first published in 1958.

Overall, Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote is a unique story and a great snapshot in time of New York City in the 1940s.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

 

What book adaptation are you looking forward to this summer?  I am looking forward to watching the adaption of this book, All Systems Red by Martha Wells, on Apple TV.

A group of scientists are working on a planet doing research.  They have a self-ware Sec Unit (android with human parts) that is the security for the mission.  The Sec Unit calls itself “Murderbot” in secret.  It has hacked its government module and is running his life the way, he wants to which includes watching reruns of his favorite soap opera.  When the scientists face peril, will Murderbot choose to help the scientist?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the start of a series, and I can’t wait to read more.

·       Murderbot is very factual and has a dry sense of humor.  I loved it!

·       This was a novella and a very fast read.

·       The story was action packed.

Favorite Quote: “As a heartless killing machine, I was a horrible failure.”

Overall, All Systems Red by Martha Wells was a quick, fun read that left me wanting more.

 Book Source:  I bought this for my husband for a gift after reading about it on @readingbeagle on Instagram.  He greatly enjoyed it.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

 

What's a book that you've recommended to everyone?

In 1901 New York City, Howard and Adelaide are excited to spend their first Christmas together as husband and wife.  Adelaide is trying to learn how to be a middle-class wife after being raised in great wealth.  Adelaide discovers a young boy, Jack, who says he’s not really an orphan, but that his mother died and, his father is away at sea, and his sister is missing.  He is sure his father will return for Christmas.  Howard and Adelaide help Jack out.  Will his father return for Christmas?

My thoughts on this novella:

·       I love an Edwardian Christmas. 

·       The sections were split to correlate with the advent calendar.  I liked this unique storytelling and the deep faith elements.

·       I have not read the first book in this series, but it was fine reading this as a standalone.  I do want to go back and read the first novel.

·       I enjoyed reading about Adelaide’s work for the suffrage movement.

·       The cover of this novella was striking. 

·       This was a sweet and clean read.

·       I loved how the story included the true meaning of Christmas.  I especially loved when Adelaide brought home the family nativity and explains it to the kids.

·       Adelaide must ponder what to do with her inherited fortune and how best to help others and the suffrage movement.

·       The ending was heartwarming.

Overall, Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin is a wonderful historical fiction Christmas novel that encompasses the true meaning of Christmas.  I loved it.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber

 

Do you enjoy Christmas music?  Do you have any favorite songs?  I love Christmas music and especially older songs.  My daughter gets annoyed about not updating the Christmas music list, so I’ve been adding in newer albums as time goes on.

Hailey Morgan decides to accept her friends offer to stay at a family cabin over Christmas break to have time to focus on her music.  She also doesn’t want to return home as her mother has invited her ex-boyfriend for Christmas in an attempt to get them back together.  While in the small town of Podunk, Washington, she asks for help removing the wild animals in resident.  The mayor/general store owner sends her son Jethro (Jay). As Hailey and Jay get to know each other, will Haily be able to have her Christmas dreams of love and music come true?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I always enjoy reading Debbie Macomber’s Christmas novels and novellas every year at Christmas time. They really put me in the Christmas mood.

·       This novel was the December pick for the 2024 Brenda Novak Reading Challenge.

·       This was a nice, short cozy read for the holiday season.

·       I enjoyed that Hailey was able to take control of her life and do what she wanted to do.

·       I loved the romance between Hailey and Jay as they both seemed to really understand one another.

·       I also enjoyed the secondary characters such as Hailey’s sister Daisy and Jay’s Mom.  Hailey’s mom drove me crazy.

·       This was a clean read.

Overall, A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber was a sweet, cozy Christmas novella that will get you into the Christmas spirit.

Book Source:  E-book review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh

 

Do you like to read short or long books during the holiday season?  I definitely prefer short during the busy holiday season!

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is a collection of five different Regency Novellas as follows:

·       A Family Christmas – This story had it all, an arranged and estranged marriage, snobby mother-in-law, and Christmas traditions.  I loved this story of the couple finding true love with each other.

·       The Star of Bethlehem – This story also featured an unhappy couple at Christmas and a missing engagement ring.  A chimney sweep helps to bring the couple together. 

·       The Best Gift – This story had Jane Eyre vibes.  What if when Jane Eyre was a teacher that was invited to the home of a pupil and able to experience Christmas for the first time?

·       Playing House – A trio of siblings is about to be separated after the holidays due to the death of their parents and a lack of funds.  At their last Christmas together, an old sweetheart comes back to town and may change their lot in life.

·       No Room at the Inn – Numerous travelers are stranded together at an inn and unable to make their Christmas destinations.  The birth of a child has them all realize the true joys of Christmas.

My overall thoughts:

·       I loved all five of the Regency novellas.

·       This collection was recommended to me by my friend Barb who enjoys Regency Christmas romance novels as much as I do.  It was a great recommendation!

·       I loved the romance in each story and how they found out the true meaning of Christmas.

Overall, Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is an enjoyable Christmas Regency Romance collection.

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, Barbara Ross

 

Do you like to read holiday themed books?  I read this delightful collection of Easter mysteries in the week leading up to Easter.  I’m trying to catch up on my reviews and am just now posting my review on the third Sunday of Easter.  At least I’m still in the Easter season? 

This book had three easter mystery themed novellas in it.  I loved their short length.  It kept the action moving without getting bored.  I enjoyed all three stories, and they were a perfect read in the week before Easter.  The stories were as follows:

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier

Tinker Cove’s chamber of commerce has put together an Easter themed promotion to help local businesses.  If you get stamps from all of the businesses on a card, you have a chance to win a fabulous Easter basket which contains a one-of-a-kind Easter egg by a famous and reclusive artist.  When the egg is stolen, and a murder occurs, will reporter Lucy Stone be able to crack the case? 

Death by Easter Egg by Leslie Hollis

After the Easter bunny is found dead after eating a peanut butter egg that he is allergic to from her grandson’s easter basket, Hayley Powell is determined to clear her young grandson’s name.  Will she discover who really murdered the Easter bunny and why?

Hopped Along by Barbara Ross

On a remote island in Maine, Julie Snowden has been rehabbing a mansion that will soon open as a resort.  She is startled to find a dead body in the garden, that soon disappears.  Is this an April Fool’s Day joke or is something else afoot?

I enjoyed all three stories equally, which is rare to find in a collection.  They were all amusing mysteries that caused me to laugh out loud at times. They also made me feel old when I realized that Hayley Powell, the grandmother detective in Death by Easter Egg is my age.  My oldest is just graduating from high school and I hadn’t thought of myself in a grandmotherly way yet.  The mystery plot in all three novellas was interesting and had great conclusions.  I loved the three main heroines.  I have not read any of these authors before, but I think I need to investigate more cozy mysteries by all three as I enjoyed these so much.

Overall, Easter Basket Murder is a great collection of Easter themed cozy mystery novellas that I highly recommend if you are looking for a holiday read and intriguing cozy mysteries.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

 

Title:  The Christmas Guest

Author:  Peter Swanson

Narrated by:  Esther Wane

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 2 hours and 48 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Do you like to read novellas or short stories?  I do, especially during the busy holiday season.  I have enjoyed Peter Swanson’s thrillers in the past and was excited to see what he would craft with a Christmas story.

Ashley Smith is an American Art student studying in London in the 1980s.  She is excited to be invited to spend the Christmas season with a fellow student Emma Chapman at her family’s country estate.  Ashley is intrigued and smitten by Emma’s brother Adam.  There is also a sinister stranger lurking in the woods between the manor house and the local pub the young people like to hang out at.  Has Ashley stumbled into a romance, a gothic story, or something else at this picturesque estate over the Christmas season?

I don’t want to get too much more into the story as I appreciated all the twists and turns.  As with other Peter Swanson novels, things are not what they seem at first glance and the characters are much more than they first appear.  I liked how this story was told through Ashley’s diary entries from the 1980’s and the second half was Ashley filling in the rest of the story in the present day.  This is definitely NOT a Hallmark Christmas story, but I loved the English manor atmosphere, the mystery, and the psychological thriller aspect.  It was a good Christmas story and definitely had me thinking at the end.

Esther Wane was a good narrator and was the voice of Ashley through the novel for me.

 

Jack Frost by Debbie Macomber

 

Title:  Jack Frost

Author:  Debbie Macomber

Narrated by:  Lisa Negron

Publisher: Debbie Macomber Inc.

Length: Approximately 1 hours and 44 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com on Audible

 

Have you ever met anyone who seemed cranky at first but was really a wonderful person once you got to know them?  I worked at my local Dime Store in high school with an older woman named Ann.  She seemed very cranky when I first started working at the Dime Store, but as I got to know her, she turned out to be a wonderful person who has a reason to be cranky (her beloved husband died young). 

Jack Frost is this type of story.  Lindsay Calhoun’s family is on a cruise, and she will be spending Christmas alone.  She volunteers to organize the office Christmas party.  The office scrooge, Jack, is not happy about an office Christmas party and always seems grumpy.  When the power goes out as the two are tying up things at the end of the party, they find themselves trapped together in the office.  As they get to know each other better, they begin to really understand one another.  Will love blossom between these two?

Jack Frost was the November pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group, but I didn’t get to it until December.  It was a perfect light and uplifting Christmas book, perfect for the season.  I think this one would make a great Hallmark movie.  Lisa Negron was a good narrator.

Five and Dime Christmas: Four Historical Novellas by Cynthia Hickey, Susanne Dietze, Patty Smith Hall, and Christina Lorenzen

 

Do you have a favorite job or place your worked?  One of my favorite jobs was working for the local dime store in my hometown as a teenager.  It was a great place to work with a great boss, the late Mr. Soncrant.   Mr. Soncrant and the dime store were immortalized in the children’s book Something About Hensley’s by Patricia Polacco.  It’s neat to have a past job immortalized.

I was very excited to read a collection of four Christmas novellas set in in a five and dime store called Five and Dime Christmas.  All four stories were set in 1881 in a Woolworth’s store in Scranton Pennsylvania.  Each story is about a different young woman that works at the store and her finding a true love.  Different characters also find the true meaning of Christmas as well. I’m not going to break down a summary of each story, but I will say I loved each and every one of these four stories.  I loved the historic setting, the characters, and the plot.  There is just something about historic Christmas stories that I enjoy.  They were clean, Christian romances.  I would highly recommend this collection.

This is my last Christmas book for this year . . . although depending on the weather, I may yet read another one this winter.

Review Copy from Netgalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

O Little Town by Amanda Wen, Janyre Tromp, and Deborah Raney

 

Do you like to read about big cities or small towns?  I enjoy both.

O Little Town is a collection of three novellas set in the fictional town of Mapleview, Michigan during the Christmas season.  “Hopes and Fears” by Amanda Wen is set in 1912 and is the story of a young school teacher, Emma, and her plans to bring a new Christmas pageant to her school.  Her plans may be derailed when a new principal, Frederick, arrives who doesn’t think a new pageant is required and is also Emma’s crush from her childhood.  I loved their relationship which went from enemies to lovers. This story was delightful.

“While Mortals Sleep” by Janyre Tromp is set in 1944.  Lennie has returned to her small hometown in Michigan after her sister’s death.  She is the guardian of her six year old niece and she is using her investigative skills to figure out what exactly happened in her sister’s mysterious death. Sparks also fly with Gideon, a friend from her past that also cares for her niece.  I liked the intrigue of this story and how it was set during World War II.  I thought it was fascinating to learn about balloon bombs that were sent by the Japanese military against the United States that did make it all of the way to Michigan.  I had never heard of this before.  The mystery, history, and suspense were great, but the best part of this story was the relationship between Gideon, Lennie, and six-year old Enid.

“The Wondrous Gift” by Deborah Raney is set in present day. Music teacher Rachel is shocked to learn that the school she teaches at will be closing in ten days.  High school football coach Caleb and Rachel bond over losing their jobs.  How will they move forward and make a living?  This story reminded me of a present day O. Henry story.  It was a good story.

I loved this collection.  All three stories were unique and interesting with great characters.  I loved that they were clean, Christian romance stories and perfect for the Christmas and winter season.

Review Copy from Kregel Publications.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the O Little Town Book Tour (I posted about the book when it first came out.) Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.