A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

You are about to read the true story of Father Christmas.
It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible.
If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. It is most certainly not for you.
Because this book is FULL of impossible things.

Are you still reading?

Good.

Then let us begin . . .

A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and an eleven-year-old boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic.

Paperback, 266 pages

Published January 1, 2016

by Canongate

3/5 stars

Here we are into December with this, my first Christmas book of the year.  It is also the start of a series.

Chris Mould did a great job with the illustrated, they were rustic and totally enhanced the story. When Nikolas's father leaves on a jouney, he is left with a cranky aunt.  Taking all that he can of her, Nikolas sets off to find his father. For an 11 years old this is quite the feat.

This was a fun read that is perfect for the middle grade level. Taking place in Finland it is filled with some holiday magic, some interesting characters, and a story of how Father Christmas came to be.

I got to meet the author this past year and while he didn’t talk about this book, it was easy to get his sense of humor, which shined through here. There are three more books in this series, I’m not sure I will get them read before this Christmas, but I’ll give it a try.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge

Spotlight: The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne

The magic of Christmas—and a second shot at romance—is in the air in Shelter Springs this holiday season...

Amanda Taylor isn’t a fan of Christmas, but as the owner of a local soap shop, ignoring the holiday season isn’t an option. To forget the pain of Christmases past, Amanda focuses on making the season bright for her customers at the Shelter Springs Holiday Giving Market. But when her beloved grandmother, Birdie, starts dating the dashing new resident of the Shelter Inn retirement community, Amanda smells trouble. Fortunately, Rafe Arredondo, the grandson of Birdie’s charming suitor, is equally dubious of the match. Unfortunately, he's just as fiery as his grandfather—and Amanda has zero interest in getting burned.

As a single father, paramedic and assistant fire chief, Rafe has more than enough on his plate. Sure, he and Amanda share a common goal in keeping their grandparents apart. Still, that doesn’t mean he should allow himself to feel as drawn to her as he does. Even if she is great with his young son. Even if she does help the burden of his own painful past feel a little lighter… But when their paths keep crossing at the holiday market, it starts to feel like fate, prompting them both to wonder if taking a chance on love might gift them everything they’ve been wishing for.

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication October 8, 2024

 by Canary Street Press

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

#1 Publishers Weekly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. 

Her books have won numerous honors, including seven RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine.

 RaeAnne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.raeannethayne.com.

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

Starr Lewis reluctantly returns home for the holidays jobless, single, and not at all prepared to be dragged into her sister's wedding activities--or to witness her sister's marriage to Starr's ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve. But when her brother's charming best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, Starr begins to believe that maybe coming home isn't so bad.

As Starr endures wedding preparations, she takes comfort in Waylon's presence and finds the perfect distraction in helping him keep his late mother's Christmas shop afloat. As the spark between them grows, Starr must decide what she wants out of life--to go back to New York City or to stay and pursue a new dream.

A joyous, heartwarming, and magical holiday romance from Christy Award-winning author Toni Shiloh that will keep you cozy under the twinkling Christmas lights.

Paperback, 208 pages

Published September 5, 2023

by Bethany House Publishers

3.5/5 stars

This was a fun, cozy Christmas read.  Given the size it could even be classified as a novella.  It is also my first time reading a Toni Shiloh book.

You Make It Feel Like Christmas is a story about family and all the drama that goes with it.  Given the size (of book) it would usually be hard to garner the depth to really and truly know the characters and plot.  But I did here.  Starr is unemployed and worried about the future.  Waylon has a job but it isn't going so well. Each has some baggage to deal with.  The perfect match, right?  

This is all things Christmas, aside from the fact it takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Starr's siblings have names like Eve, Noel, Gaby (Gabriel) and Angel.  I can just envision that setting.

Definitely a Hallmark story, full of romance where faith plays a big part.

My thanks to Graf-Martin Communication for a print copy in exchange for honest review.

The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry

Just in time for Christmas, escape with a perfect love song, a perfect love story, and a perfect dose of holiday magic.

Can one song change the course of a life?

Brothers Jimmy and Jack Sullivan live a nomadic life doing what they love: touring with their band, The Unknown Souls. But Jack’s recent engagement to Kara has everyone looking forward to a Christmas destination wedding in Ireland.

Unlike his brother, Jimmy never expected to fall in love. But he feels a sense of peace and happiness whenever he’s around Kara’s best friend, Charlotte—which has him wondering what he’s missing. Over Thanksgiving, Jimmy and Charlotte write a song while sitting together on the back porch. When the band sings it at a Christmas concert the next night, Jimmy insists it’s the perfect love song—but a manager for another famous duo is adamant that it’s the perfect Christmas song. Before Jimmy knows what’s happening, he’s on tour with the hottest country band around and suddenly everyone knows his name.

But fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Jimmy finds himself far away from those he loves—especially Charlotte. Only a Christmas miracle—or two—will be able to lead Jimmy back to Ireland, to his brother, and to love. 

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published October 8th 2019

 by Thomas Nelson 

(first published October 12th 2010)

2.5/5 stars

I am a huge Patty Callahan Henry fan.  Once Upon a Wardrobe, Survivng Savanah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis are favorites. She has turned into a go-to author for me.

The Perfect Love Song, with its gorgeous cover, was my 1st Christmas read for 2022. It’s a small little book only 240 pages, I figured it would be a perfect way to spend a snowy Sunday afternoon.

Originally published in 2010 last year was the first I’ve heard of this book and whether my expectation level was high or not it just didn’t live up to what I expected by this author. Maybe because I like a bit more depth in my stories, 240 little pages doesn't leave a lot of room for depth.  Or it could be the fact that I discovered this book follows characters from a previous book, which I have not read. Maybe if I had, I could appreciate the story more.

 I am not a fan of Hallmark movies, but 'tis the season (almost) setting that aside this book lacked something that I can't quite put my finger on.  I struggled to connect and even switched over to the audiobook which helped somewhat.  While predictable I would have loved more of the backstore to feel some of the emotions floating around here.  The ending was typical Hallmarkish.

This book was part of my 2022 reading off my shelf challenge, I do have the print book but ultimately, in the end, I listen to the audiobook through my subscription from Scribd.

Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

Oy! to the world

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

Paperback, 416 pages

Published September 28, 2021 

by MIRA

3.5/5 stars

Sometimes a rom/com is what this reader needs, I read this just before Christmas while in a ‘read more holiday books’ kick. The world was still in limbo and rom/coms, when done right are a nice distraction.

The blurb for The Matzah Ball sounds fun. Rachel has a secret, she loves Christmas but given that she is Jewish and her father is a well known Rabbi complicates things. Oh, and Rachel is also the author of Christmas romance novels, that’s her big secret.

On one hand this was a fun read, the animosity between her and old time friend Jacob played out with comical situations as they are thrust together after avoiding each other for years. Working together has Rachel rethinking her life, her beliefs and the past.

Now on to the other hand. I struggled to really understand the falling out that caused this great division between Rachel and Jacob, suffice to say it didn’t really work for me. The ending wrapped things up nicely and for a Christmas rom/com that’s a good thing.

This book was part of my 2021 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas--perfect for fans of Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze and Josie Silver's One Day in December.

All they want for Christmas is a different life.

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published - October 5, 2021

 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

3.5/5 stars

I am new to reading Christmas books.  I think because I usually find them along the lines of Hallmark movies which I don't usually watch.  But just after the world blew up I read a rom/com and now find myself reading that genre and loving it.  Being a fan of Maggie Knox (aka Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley) I jumped at the chance to read The Holiday Swap.

The theme is baking, be it the bake shop or tv show, I enjoying the atmosphere.  It had me itching to get in the kitchen and bake. Told from 2 POVS showed how similar these twins are and yet how different. Of course one must suspend your belief and remember that this is Christmas time. It was a fun read, a little slow at times but with a good feel good get ready for the holidays vibe.

The Holiday Swap is somewhat a coming of age story but for adults. It's about self discovery with some comical relief and it has a dog, one can't go wrong when there are pets.

My thanks to Putnam & Sons (viua Netgalley) for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners..

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

Paperback, 307 pages

Published October 6th 2020

 by Gallery Books

4/5 stars

2020 has been a year and a half, to put it mildly.  I've found my reading habits have changed somewhat.  Where I was strictly historical fiction I am turning to suspense thrillers and recently rom/com, with this holiday season trying my hand at Christmas stories.  While I'm slowly getting back to HF I hope to continue the rom/coms and so far I've loved those read this year.

In a Holidaze has been making the rounds over social media and finally the day before Christmas I made an impulse purchase - Merry Christmas to me.

I was grabbed right away with this story.  What's not to love about a group of friends who get together to celebrate not just the holidays but their friendship as well.  Told from Mae's pov as she goes through some weird time loop thing, it's Christmastime where magic is in the air.

When I say magic I don't wan to imply that's the total make up of this book.  Yea there is a touch but this book offers much more.  It's a cry for help from Mae as she sets out to discover what her life is really about and what she wants.  It's funny, full of yuletide cheer and the realisation that your family doesn't necessarily mean connected by blood. 

Steeped in tradition In a Holidaze was a fun, feel good read that was perfect for the season.

This book was part of my 2020 Reading off my Shelf Challenge.

Review: Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah

New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah is beloved by readers around the world for her unique blend of powerful emotion and exquisite storytelling. In Comfort & Joy, she offers a modern-day fairy tale--the story of a woman who gets a miraculous chance at happiness.

Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossroads in her life; recently divorced and alone, she can't summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating. So without telling anyone, she buys a ticket and boards a plane bound for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest, Joy makes a bold decision to leave her ordinary life behind--to just walk away--and thus begins an adventure unlike any she could have imagined.

In the small town of Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O'Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, Bobby has closed himself off from the world, talking only to his invisible best friend. His father Daniel is beside himself, desperate to help his son cope. Yet when the little boy meets Joy, these two unlikely souls form a deep and powerful bond. In helping Bobby and Daniel heal, Joy finds herself again.

But not everything is as it seems in quiet Rain Valley, and in an instant, Joy's world is ripped apart, and her heart is broken. On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love--and a family--that can't possibly exist, and go in search of what she wants . . . and the new life only she can find.

Paperback, 256 pages

Published October 6th 2020

 by Ballantine Books 

(first published November 1st 2005)

4.5/5 stars

Kristin Hannah published this book in 2005, this is the first year I've heard of it - thank you Instagrammers.

It's shorter than her usually fare, but not too short, and it's different. Christmas is a time of family, of healing.  There is magic in the air, even if it's 2020.  Comfort & Joy is a magically story of relationships, discovering what matters and sadly, grief for what's been lost.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't fathom the ratings.  It's a fable and everything a Christmas story should be plus some.  There is mystery, a great setting and flawed characters that are totally connectable.  There are chuckles and a twist that I didn't see coming. An ending that was magically - yea a great Christmas read.

Definitely a book I recommend, but ya gotta read the whole thing to get the full picture.

My copy was part of my 2020 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge.

Review: The Quality Street Girls (Quality Street #1) by Penny Thorpe

The perfect book for anyone who loves chocolate and Christmas A seasonal delight, inspired by the true story of the Quality Street factory. At sixteen years old, Irene ‘Reenie’ Calder is leaving school with little in the way of qualifications. She is delighted to land a seasonal job at Mackintosh’s Quality Street factory. Reenie feels like a kid let loose in a sweet shop, but trouble seems to follow her around and it isn’t long before she falls foul of the strict rules.

Diana Moore runs the Toffee Penny line and has worked hard to secure her position. Beautiful and smart, the other girls in the factory are in awe of her, but Diana has a dark secret which if exposed, could cost her not only her job at the factory but her reputation as well.

When a terrible accident puts supply of Quality Street at risk, Reenie has a chance to prove herself. The shops are full of Quality Street lovers who have saved up all year for their must-have Christmas treat. Reenie and Diana know that everything rests on them, if they are to give everyone a Christmas to remember…

Paperback, 401 pages

Published November 15th 2018

by HarperCollins

****

My first Christmas book surprised me with a 1936 Halifax setting, I love reading Canadian HF so that was a great sign right off the bat.

This was a sweet story (pun intended) about my favorite chocolates, I learned a lot about the assembly line and business practices of the time. But really the book is about 3 young women, each struggling with their own stories. Rather than go into detail about each of (see blurb above) let’s just say this is a story that revolves around secrets, ambition, and jealousy. How they aren’t just contained to the barer but there is the ripple effect it causes. Consequences for your actions.

The Quality Street Girls is a well researched and well-written book where friendship plays a big part and it’s one I recommend not just for the season but year-round.

This book was part of my 2019 reading off my shelf challenge