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  "PageContent": "<h3>HOOK of a BOOK! | Author, Editor, Journalist</h3>by Erin Al-Mehairi Over the years, I’ve read quite a few Christmas books in the fiction genres of historical fiction, thriller, mystery, fantasy, and feel good and romance that I really enjoyed. I’m sharing 10 of my favorite holiday reads, and my past book reviews of them, in case readers have some downtime coming and plan to run out to their library or bookstore to gather up some reads for some well-deserved, cozy reading hours. It’s an eclectic list of Christmas books with all types of themes, so there is something for almost any type of reader.Also, as a bonus at the end, I’ve included three Christmas mystery books I hope to read over my own holiday break and vacation time!What are you reading for the holidays? Any perk your interest from this list? If you’re all set and organized, you can bookmark this for next year! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Christmas BellsbyJennifer ChiaveriniJennifer Chiaverini’s Christmas Bells is the perfect way to properly step into the Christmas season. I like to write poetry and study it, so with it being set partially in 1860 and featuring Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his famous Christmas poem, I couldn’t help but love it. I think it was a beautiful book, and very well-written and researched, featuring a story of several people in modern times juxtaposed with the historic Longfellow story plot line, which all tied up nicely together at the end in a way that brought tears to my eyes. It’s a lovely book for cozy read or a gift.Christmas Bells, About –New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini celebrates Christmas, past and present, with a wondrous novel inspired by the classic poem “Christmas Bells,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.I heard the bells on Christmas Day / Their old familiar carols play / And wild and sweet / The words repeat / Of peace on earth, good-will to men!In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The publication of Longfellow’s classic Revolutionary War poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” was less than a month hence, and the country’s grave political unrest weighed heavily on his mind. Yet with his beloved wife, Fanny, and their five adored children at his side, the delights of the season prevailed.In present-day Boston, a dedicated teacher in the Watertown public school system is stunned by somber holiday tidings. Sophia’s music program has been sacrificed to budget cuts, and she worries not only about her impending unemployment but also about the consequences to her underprivileged students. At the church where she volunteers as music director, Sophia tries to forget her cares as she leads the children’s choir in rehearsal for a Christmas Eve concert. Inspired to honor a local artist, Sophia has chosen a carol set to a poem by Longfellow, moved by the glorious words he penned one Christmas Day long ago, even as he suffered great loss.Christmas Bells chronicles the events of 1863, when the peace and contentment of Longfellow’s family circle was suddenly, tragically broken, cutting even deeper than the privations of wartime. Through the pain of profound loss and hardship, Longfellow’s patriotism never failed, nor did the power of his language. “Christmas Bells,” the poem he wrote that holiday, lives on, spoken as verse and sung as a hymn. Jennifer Chiaverini’s resonant and heartfelt novel for the season reminds us why we must continue to hear glad tidings, even as we are tested by strife. Reading Christmas Bells evokes the resplendent joy of a chorus of voices raised in reverent song.Look it up at the library! Bookshop (proceeds go to indie bookstores!)AmazonThe Further Adventures of Ebenezer Scrooge by Charlie LovettIf you love The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens as I do, then The Further Adventures of Ebenezer Scrooge, by bestselling author Charlie Lovett, is a very wonderful companion piece that gives a look at what might have happened had Scrooge continued to spread his joy every day of the year and not just after that first reformative Christmas.I REALLY loved this adorable, quaint book and also, it reminded me of what’s important at Christmas time … and carrying that all year through. It’s a keepsake! I did write a review for that one and you can read that HERE.This one is hard to find now for purchase, sadly. You can find it used online. I bought it in hardback upon release and it’s a great keepsake. I think this one needs to still be published. You can also grab from a library, as I am sure some still have copies. AmazonThe Big Book of Christmas Mysteries, edited by Otto PenzlerA really excellent read full of 60 short stories for mystery lovers like me that I’ve picked up several years in the past is The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries, edited by award-winning Otto Penzler.Form the book marketing copy:This collection touches on all aspects of the holiday season, and all types of mysteries. They are suspenseful, funny, frightening, and poignant. Included are puzzles by Mary Higgins Clark, Isaac Asimov, and Ngaio Marsh; uncanny tales in the tradition of A Christmas Carol by Peter Lovesey and Max Allan Collins; O. Henry-like stories by Stanley Ellin and Joseph Shearing, stories by pulp icons John D. MacDonald and Damon Runyon; comic gems from Donald E. Westlake and John Mortimer; and many, many more. Almost any kind of mystery you’re in the mood for–suspense, pure detection, humor, cozy, private eye, or police procedural—can be found in these pages. FEATURING:• Unscrupulous Santas• Crimes of Christmases Past and Present• Festive felonies• Deadly puddings• Misdemeanors under the mistletoe• Christmas cases for classic characters including Sherlock Holmes, Brother Cadfael, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse, Inspector Ghote, A.J. Raffles, and Nero WolfeAs for me, the best stories I’ve enjoyed reading were by AGATHA CHRISTIE, such as “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding” showcasing Hercule Poirot, which was published in 1960 as the title story of her collection The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and a Selection of Entrees (London, Collins). I also really liked “A Christmas Tragedy,” which she wrote in The Thirteen Problems (London, Collins, 1932). Interesting enough, I can see a difference in her writing between the two. I really liked the old school feeling of the latter, yet the first one was so humorous.I own this for the Kindle, but some years I just check the chonky book out from the library! I recommend both of these methods. BookshopAmazonThe Kingdom of Sweets by Erika JohansenI really enjoyed The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen. It’s a beautiful, fantastical fairytale read. I have always loved The Nutcracker and anything nutcracker in general! That’s what caught my eye about this book. It was even better than I imagined. Not a retelling, but a loosely based tale that utilizes different parts of The Nutcracker and its characters. She plays with elements of illusion, light and dark, duality, guilt, social caste system issues of the early 1900s that, somehow, still extend in ways today, and with patriarchal and feminist issues. Her writing is beyond delicious, detailed, descriptive, and intelligent. The sentences flow and the scenes make me feel as if I was there watching through a window. It was beautiful, but also gothic in all the right places. The character development was excellent even if dark. They were so flawed but that made it all the more interesting. I also loved the description of the nutcracker and other toys, which are almost characters themselves. I loved the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy (both the sugary sweet side as well as the culmination to dark) and Drosselmeyer’s gothic castle. I can tell she put so much effort into writing this book. It’s elegant and her world building is grand and I love her use of higher vocabulary. I’d recommend this read to anyone, whether Christmas or not. It’s for adults but YA dark fantasy readers will most likely enjoy as well. The Kingdom of Sweets, About –Twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against one another on a fateful Christmas EveLight and dark—this is the cursed birthright placed upon Clara and Natasha by their godfather, Drosselmeyer, whose power and greed hold an entire city in his sway. Charming Clara, the favorite, grows into a life of beauty and ease, while ignored and unloved Natasha is relegated to her sister’s shadow.But the opportunity for revenge announces itself one Christmas Eve, when Drosselmeyer arrives at their family gala with the Nutcracker, an enchanted gift that offers entry into an alternate world: the Kingdom of Sweets.Following Clara into the glittering land of snow and sugar, Natasha discovers a source of power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who offers her own wondrous gifts . . . and deadly bargains. But as Natasha unspools the truth about a dark destiny crafted long before her birth, she must reckon with forces both earthly and magical, human and diabolical, and decide to which world she truly belongs.I read this book from the library last year, but it’s definitely one I want to own now!BookshopAmazon The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter was a different, refreshing read for me and a lot of fun! It was a Christmas rom-com and mystery rolled into one by the writer of Netflix’s film, A Castle for Christmas, which I thought was a fun watch. I don’t often read romance but I throw one in a time or two, especially with this type with humor. They always lift my spirits. Maggie, a bestselling mystery author, is invited to spend Christmas at the sprawling mansion home in the UK of legendary, eighty-something year old author, Eleanor, of whom is also published by her publishing house. As well, Ethan Wyatt, another popular author and her nemesis, and another author Sir Jasper, both of her book’s publishing house, are invited, and family, too. Eleanor has invited them for Christmas, but within the day of their arrival has disappeared. There are clues that point to someone having potentially murdered her, and attempts of murder of the other authors, too. As Ethan and Maggie inadvertently start teaming to learn how to solve this disappearance and stay alive, they also discover a love for each other that’s very sweet. Inspired you can tell from the real life occurrence of Agatha Christie’s time period when she was missing for a time and was later found, this is a cleverly-plotted tale that had me both rolling my eyes (in fun!) at times but also smiling at their love story and turning the pages to find out where she had disappeared to and who was trying to kill everyone! The storyline also has a great undercurrent for gaslighting, and people who do so to others in relationships, that  brings about good awareness for that issue as well as a shining example overcoming that type of abuse.The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, About – Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Timesbestselling author Ally Carter.The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.She hates his guts.He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. Assuming they don’t kill each other first.If you like the plots of online holiday rom-coms, and suspend disbelief to watch their story lines, then I’d pick this one up and read it. I read it from the library and that’s probably a good way to read this one unless you’re a romance cover collector. BookshopAmazonChristmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather WebbChristmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb: LOVED IT! What a special book. I was crying happy tears at the end. The was such a heartwarming and touching read. I definitely fell in love with each of these characters – Olive, Jack, and the Queen herself. What a treat to be transported back to when Queen Elizabeth II first took over the throne and offered her Christmas address. Budding BBC reporter Olive is able to inch into the man’s world of reporting when the normal male correspondent is taken ill by the intense London fog. She has a new take, she as a woman can report on the Queen as a mother, fashionista, and young woman ruling the masses. It’s not a woman’s world in the early 1950s but Olive, a young single mother, takes on Christmas at Sandringham by storm earning the Queen’s ear with her advice for the first address. And the Queen, as a woman, takes on a man’s world as well with her unique calm and grace. Here, at Sandringham, she’s reunited with an old friend she met on VE Day, Jack, from whom she now has an important secret. He’s an American chef, and working for the royal family’s kitchen staff as he works on his New Orleans recipes and hopes to open his own restaurant one day. The food descriptions took me away to the sights and sounds and smells of food. This is a book for foodies and I’m not surprised! The descriptions of this, plus the grounds and atmosphere at Sandringham at Christmas, are delightful. Further, descriptors of London streets and shopping districts at Christmas transport me to time and place. Each Christmas brings Olive and Jack both back to meet again. Sometimes at Sandringham and sometimes overseas during the royal tour. The romantic chemistry and tension is clean but high, and we can only wish for them to see what we see as readers! It’s such a lovely story brimming with love and hope. We also see the budding Queen and her love as they were in the 50s and new to the Crown, and their own love story. We find their impeccable humor and wit – falling in love with hers again, and rolling our eyes at his. We see her compassion and empathy. In the few chapters we were given written in the Queen’s voice, we hear her clearly. I could hear her voice in my head! It truly felt as if she’d written them herself and it brought her back to life. I would highly recommend this book! I chose to read this following right after Christmas last year and it kept the season close to me and offered me hope and joy in this new year of chaos. I’d go as far as to say, there’s no reason you can’t read it in February if you miss reading it by Christmas! It’s a love story. The spirit of Christmas must remain with us all year, as Charles Dickens wrote. And in these times, that’s more than true. Christmas with the Queen, About – Tis the season! The Crown meets When Harry Met Sally in the latest heartwarming historical novel from Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, bestselling authors of Last Christmas in Paris, Meet Me in Monaco, and Three Words for Goodbye.December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change. As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously. Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition. As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything. Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, there is one final gift for the Christmas season to deliver… This is a book you’ll want to treasure in your collection so I highly recommend purchasing, but your library will definitely have it for a quick read. BookshopAmazonThe Christmas Guest by Peter SwansonI’m really loving Christmas novellas, perfect for quick reading around everything else at the holidays. I always seem to also have a penchant for reading holiday thriller or mysteries as well and wish more authors/publishers would offer them. Since I love gothic thrillers, I was excited to learn about The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson. I had to wait forever for my hold to come in from the library as it seemed very popular, but it came just in time. I read it in two sittings before bed, which was interesting since the book was written in two parts: the diary, and the after, from two different protagonists both involved in the plot. I don’t always love a book being told by a dairy, and at first I wasn’t sure if all my excitement would be a let down, but once I learned to read in her character’s head voice I could relate a bit better. Sometimes diaries don’t allow you to connect with a character enough, surprisingly, and it’s a lot of telling right at you as opposed to the reader being an observer, but by the the second half of the book, when it stopped, I understood why it was used. The rest of the book had a couple twists none of which I saw coming, but especially the ending. And now I can’t stop thinking about it. I have all kinds of questions as I’m thinking through it. I mean a serial killer novella is creepy but somehow haunting at this festive time of year. Or is it a ghost story? Either way. The setting and descriptions certainly lend to this modern day gothic. The maniacal that is so subtle. The obsession that is just underlying enough I think other readers aren’t even getting it at its core. It’s definitely a dark read, but the first half is as cheery as the diarist Ashley is so that keeps it uplifted and the second half is the reader having a lot of OH NO moments. Ha!I’d like to say it was a fun read for the holidays as it was entertaining but that also sounds terrible because of the book’s dark content haha! But certainly, enjoyable storytelling and I hope for more novellas in this vein in the future; however, beware a bit based on your preferences! You can read it from the library as I did, of course. Do not advise paying that hefty Kindle price, but you can read on Kindle Unlimited if you have that.  Or a paperback is a better investment if you need tangible and can’t get to the library. The Christmas Guest, About – New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson pens a spectacularly spine-chilling novella in which an American art student in London is invited to join a classmate for the holidays at Starvewood Hall, her family’s Cotswold manor house. But behind the holly and pine boughs, secrets are about to unravel, revealing this seemingly charming English village’s grim history.Ashley Smith, an American art student in London for her junior year, was planning on spending Christmas alone, but a last-minute invitation from fellow student Emma Chapman brings her to Starvewood Hall, country residence of the Chapman family. The Cotswold manor house, festooned in pine boughs and crammed with guests for Christmas week, is a dream come true for Ashley. She is mesmerized by the cozy, firelit house, the large family, and the charming village of Clevemoor, but also by Adam Chapman, Emma’s aloof and handsome brother.But Adam is being investigated by the local police over the recent brutal slaying of a girl from the village, and there is a mysterious stranger who haunts the woodland path between Starvewood Hall and the local pub. Ashley begins to wonder what kind of story she is actually inhabiting. Is she in a grand romance? A gothic tale? Or has she wandered into something far more sinister and terrifying than she’d ever imagined?Over thirty years later the events of that horrific week are revisited, along with a diary from that time. What began in a small English village in 1989 reaches its ghostly conclusion in modern-day New York, many Christmas seasons later.BookshopAmazonChristmas Presents by Lisa Unger Believe it or not, thriller lover that I am, I haven’t read any Lisa Unger! Christmas Presents is a perfect little novella to start off with at this festive time of year. It has a fitting title for several reasons and is perfect for thriller, horror, crime, mystery, and dark fiction readers. It’s darker than a cozy mystery of course, but doesn’t tread into unsettling descriptions or the like. It rather tells the story through survivor and bookstore owner Madeline, when she helps re-open a cold case, and solve some new crimes with possible links to the old, with a famous true crime podcaster who comes to town. Her best friend, Badger, and her dad (who was the Sheriff but has suffered a stroke and is unable to speak, walk, or help) through his office files, also assists in ways. I liked how she wove the business of the bookstore during the holiday season, the merits of long-lasting friendships, having family you love and then family you choose as family. I loved the hope on many levels that this novella brings as well as the positives and negatives of people running true crime podcasts. I loved the idea of the presents which created tension throughout. It was a really seamless read with lots of Christmas references and twinkling lights but woven around a quick, dark mystery. Recommend for holiday reading! I’ll pick up more of Lisa Unger – she’s a really good writer. Oh, and can people write more Christmas thriller novellas please? Thank you! Christmas Presents, Lisa Unger Instead of presents this Christmas, a true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case…Madeline Martin has built a life for herself as the young owner of a thriving business, The Next Chapter Bookshop, despite her tragic childhood and now needing to care for her infirm father. When Harley Granger, a failed novelist turned true crime podcaster, drifts into her shop in the days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that Madeline would much rather forget. She’s the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, the man who was convicted of murdering her best friend Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also good friends of Madeline’s, who have been missing for nearly a decade. It’s an investigation that has obsessed her father Sheriff James Martin right up until his stroke took his faculties.Harley Granger has a gift for seeing things that others miss. He wasn’t much of a novelist, but his work as a true crime author and podcaster has earned him fame and wealth—and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Still, visiting Little Valley to be closer to his dying father has caused him to look into a case that many people think is closed—and some want reopened. And he has a lot of questions about the night Stephanie Cramer was killed, Ainsley and Sam Wallace disappeared, and Madeline Martin was left for dead, bleeding out on a riverbank.Since Evan Handy went to jail, three other young women have gone missing, most recently a young college dropout named Lolly. Five young women missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there some else there that night? Someone who is still satisfying his dark appetites?As Christmas approaches and a blizzard bears down, Madeline and her childhood friend Badger return to a past they both hoped was dead—to find the missing Lolly and to answer questions that have haunted them both, discovering that the truth is more terrible and much closer to home than they think.Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling suspenseful plot, Christmas Presents is a chilling seasonal novella that can be enjoyed all year long.I read this from the library, also! You can, too. BookshopAmazon I also saw she has a 70-page story for the season on Amazon Originals as well. I’ve purchased to check out this year! You can too, here. A Lighthouse Christmas by Jenny HaleA Lighthouse Christmas by Jenny Hale is a warm, festive read for lighthouse lovers. One year I was looking for Christmas reads and bought this one because I’m obsessed with lighthouses. It turned out to be a lovely, quick read for the holidays about finding oneself and starting over! I loved all the lighthouse details inside and out, you can tell the research that went into it, too. I loved the Christmas decoration details as well as the bakery descriptions. I loved being able to see and smell everything in this book. The characters were genuine and kind. The romance was clean and subtle and had a great build. I needed a feel good, escape read with a happy ending and this really fit that need! The family theme was also endearing. I’ve found myself more in the holiday seasons coming round to adding happy, joyful books to add to my reading rather than just my usual dark horror, mysteries, suspense, or historical fiction. The world has been so bleak enough on its own, so I’ve been sitting watching feel good movies and seeking out hopeful books as an escape. This book fits that cozy, feel good theme if that’s what you love to read! A Lighthouse Christmas, About – A heartwarming page-turner about the beauty of being at home with family, second chances, and the magic of Christmas, when anything is possible… A gorgeous festive treat for fans of Debbie Macomber, Pamela Kelley, and Sheila Roberts.When her beloved grandmother passes away, Mia Broadhurst returns to the snow-covered seaside village of Winsted Cape, where Grandma Ruth ran the lighthouse overlooking the golden beach.This will be Mia’s first Christmas without her, and she can’t bear to part with the lighthouse that has been in their family for generations. As she steps into it, childhood memories rush back to her. She can almost hear them playing tag on the steps… But her life is back in New York, dedicated to a busy PR firm, and she has no choice but to sell.With the snow falling, turning the grounds into a winter wonderland, Mia works with real estate agent Will Thacker. As they restore the historical building, she tries not to notice how handsome he is. After all, she’s only home for Christmas… And Will’s deep blue eyes, as stormy as the Atlantic Ocean, tells her he has his own heartbreak to contend with.Warmed by a crackling fire, Mia packs up Grandma Ruth’s belongings with the help of her mother and sister. But waiting for them is a black-and-white photograph with a faded inscription. The mysterious message is the key to a family secret that has been hidden for decades––one that changes everything.When Mia finds out the truth, will it save the precious lighthouse and show Mia where her heart belongs? Or will it tear her from Winsted Cape––and Will––for ever?I purchased this for the Kindle several years ago and read it that way! It’s pretty well priced in that format, but you can get in paperback cheaply or from the library as well. BookshopAmazonA Not So Quiet Christmas by Suzie Tullett Nothing beats the quaint village feel and humor of British writers for me. A Not So Quiet Christmas was wonderful. I had read a book by Suzie Tullett many years ago and loved it, as well as following her updates on social media. I always enjoy her endless positivity, so I had no problem purchasing this for Kindle as one of my holiday reads a few years ago. I’m glad I did! Whereas yes, the plot is simple and straightforward, it’s the characters we love to get to know. They felt like family once I was done reading it and I’ll want to know what they’re up to (so a sequel would be great! SUZIE!?). She arranged a cast of characters her London city girl meets when she has to go to the countryside that is just perfect. Speaking of her protagonist, she’s quite awkward and funny and quirky and I loved watching her come around to her next stage of life and letting people into her circle. Watching her finally have a “home” and people to care for was touching. She showcased her huge heart which was endearing (but yet, the character didn’t even know that about herself, which was also sweet). And her problem solving skills were on point as well! She makes the best of every mishap or situation. It’s a very light-hearted read culminating in Christmas Day festivities. On top of there being a sweet little boy and his single mom, a farmer and his mentally challenged brother who gives us a wealth of international Christmas facts (speaking of which, this part was written so well), and a cantankerous old man, there is also a slow paced, beautiful, light romance that runs behind everything else. I liked how it was a female-led, the blossoming, and the man polite, kind, and loving.I feel like I was able to view this village and countryside, maybe even step inside it, from her descriptions! The humor of country life had me in stitches. I’d love to visit here and take in the tavern, shops, even the mountain!Also, as she dawns in her possible career choice of “reclamation specialist,” I found it perfect for her and what a fun entrepreneurial idea she gave her leading lady. I’d like to see how that plays out if she stays on living the rural life. Also, I had no idea it was illegal to take someone’s curb trash in England! Ha! Here, people drive by and pick up your items all the time.Anyway, the whole book worked for me from the characters to the setting to the humor. A person can read it in a night or two, it’s a quick read, but it lasts in the mind! Posting this I remembered all over again how much I loved it. A Not So Quiet Christmas, About – A solo getaway at an English country cottage is a pleasant way to spend the holiday—but it takes two to really make things merry . . .Antonia prefers a quiet Christmas. She’s happy to spend it on her own, watching Hallmark holiday movies in her pyjamas, eating what she wants, when she wants.Antonia’s friend Jules, on the other hand, loves a big Christmas celebration and plans on travelling to the Yorkshire Dales for a festive break. But when Jules breaks her leg, she persuades Antonia to make the trip on her behalf. Arriving at the little cottage, Antonia meets the handsome property agent Oliver. But she can’t escape the weird locals—or avoid embarrassing situations like mistaking a cow for a burglar.As Christmas approaches, the attraction between Oliver and Antonia grows. She could choose to return to the bustling city and spend it alone. Or she could choose love and have a not so quiet Christmas . . .It’s worth buying the Kindle or paperback copy. I’m not sure it would be available in a library here. BookshopAmazonBooks I Plan to Read this Holiday Season –Of course, since it’s the Christmas season, I thought I’d talk about what I plan to read this year and the week between Christmas and New Year! I hope to have a good amount of reading time and my mind feels like diving into some Christmas mysteries. There’s lots of good ones out! The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict A locked-room Christmas mystery where riddles reveal deadly family secrets… and the only escape is through the truth.Fans of Agatha Christie and Lucy Foley will savor its locked-room twists, interactive puzzles, and chilling emotional stakes. Play along, uncover the truth, and beware: at Endgame House, the most dangerous gift is buried in the past.Lily Armitage never wanted to return to Endgame House. The grand estate holds too many painful memories―including the unsolved murder of her mother, twenty-one Christmases ago.But when a cryptic invitation arrives, Lily can’t ignore it. Her aunt has resurrected the family’s infamous holiday tradition: twelve days of riddles, one each day until Twelfth Night. The prize? The keys to Endgame House―and a promise to reveal her mother’s killer.Snowed in with her estranged, scheming cousins and a deadly game underway, Lily must confront the ghosts of her past, decipher riddles that cut to the bone, and survive a chilling race for the truth.Because at Endgame House, everyone has something to hide. And this Christmas, the truth is worth killing for.You can get this at the library or the bookstore or online for decent prices. BookshopAmazonMiss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. The challenge seems simple but exciting: Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote but wonderfully atmospheric village in north Yorkshire to win a prize that will change your fortunes for good.Six members of staff from the shadowy Trust are there to make sure everyone plays fair. The contestants have been meticulously vetted but you can never be too careful. And with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, everyone needs to be extra vigilant. Midwinter can play tricks on people’s minds.The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.You can get this at the library or the bookstore or online for decent prices. BookshopAmazonMurder at Holly House by Denzil MeyrickA village of secrets.Yorkshire, 1952. Christmas is fast approaching when a dead stranger is found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the snow-covered village of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer?A mystery that can’t be solved.Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. But as is often the way for him, things don’t go according to plan.A Christmas to remember.When the local doctor’s husband is murdered, Grasby begins to realize that everyone in Elderby is hiding something. And if he can’t uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price…I bought this one on sale at Barnes and Noble! Each month in the cafe, you can get a select book for five dollars only when you buy a coffee! You can get this at the library or the bookstore or online for decent prices, too! I love its cover. BookshopAmazonIn Finality Christmas time seems just right for murder and romance and visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads. I love reading this time of year. We usually are snowed in quite a few days at the end of the year, which makes for perfect tea and reading (and movie watching) days for us all. If I don’t leave book reviews for my reads this holiday season here, you can head to my GoodReads for them!",
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