Merry Christmas everyone

For whatever reason, every year at Christmas I feel compelled to talk about how Christmas isn't necessarily a happy time, but rather a hopeful one.

Of course I love the "happy stuff" too. I love Christmas romances, cheery music, tasty food. But Christmas carries with it the end of the year. For half the world, it takes place in winter--the darker longer colder days. And because time marches on with no respect to what is happening in our lives, terrible things can happen around the holidays. There's a heavy emphasis on consumerism and spending time with family and love in general and for some of us, there are times when none of those things are relevant.

But despite all of that, Christmas is a time of hope. It's a time where we are encouraged to remember. For people of faith, like myself, we are encouraged to remember that we are not alone, that God remembered us and in the darkest of days sent his Son wrapped in flesh. For all of us, though, we are encouraged to remember that goodness exits. That hope is alive. That what seems impossible and hard and heart breaking right now doesn't have to be forever. That better days might lie ahead. That Someday at Christmas, me will be free. Maybe not in time for you and me...but someday.

2016 was a hard year in many ways for many people, but good things still happened. Progress has still been made. And will continue to be made.

Enjoy your families, cherish your freedoms, soak in warmth, cheer, kindness, and togetherness this Christmas. Have a good one. Take the rest that is meant for your soul at this time and fortify yourself for the very great work of building towards a "Someday at Christmastime" that lies ahead.

Christmas Reads #2

And I continued strong with the Christmas reads, this batch features more older titles, but also gems. I did not receive review copies of any of these.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell (St. Martin's Press, 2014)

This is not technically classified as a Christmas book, but it's a book with magical elements that takes place at Christmastime and pretty much features one of Hallmark's favorite plotlines...woman is too into her work, neglects husband/family, comes to find what really matters.

I enjoyed it a lot. Rowell is the kind of author that immediately draws me in and her observations on emotional life and love speak to me. The books just felt like a classic Christmas romcom and I enjoyed the plotline of her speaking to her husband from many years ago and rediscovering what that kind of love felt like. It went by quickly. That said, I just didn't like Georgie's husband at all. He seemed rather humorless and there was no point where I felt like "Oh okay that's why she loves him so much." But honestly, my feelings about him are pretty irrelevant, she loved him a lot so that's what matters! Definitely a charming, cute book that should be made into a holiday movie!

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber (Ballantine Books, 2015)

I've come to realize that Hallmark is the worst at adapting books. I sort of watched this movie when it was on, but found it silly. In book form, though, it just works. It's cute and funny and romantic. Ashley is mistakenly put on the no-fly list which prevents her from getting a last minute flight to surprise her mother for Christmas. She ends up sharing a rental car with an eligible bachelor and while their personalities clash at first, the sparks fly as well. The adoption of a puppy also happens! But meanwhile there's the FBI are chasing her down. It's just goofy, but fun.

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans (Simon & Schuster, 2014)

This is the perfect Christmas romance. Elise is dreading the upcoming holidays when a handsome stranger proposes they spend the holiday together...doing all their events together. They draw up an agreement called the Mistletoe Promise. But as they spend time together pretending a relationship, genuine feelings emerge. (naturally) What makes this story stand out as both a Christmas story and romance from what is in some ways a tired plot is the pasts of both characters that unite them in a special way. The story breathes hope and romance and new beginnings and I loved it a lot.

The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans (Simon & Schuster, 2015)

Kimberly Rossi is an aspiring author who attends a writers conference in the hopes of seeing one of her favorite authors who has been in seclusion for years. Her father, recently diagnosed with cancer, has paid for the trip. Lo and behold she meets a handsome stranger! They spend time together and he helps her rework some scenes of her book. They fall in love, but due to some issues in her past, Kimberly has a hard time trusting him. He has secrets of his own.

I enjoyed this one as well! Not as much as The Mistletoe Promise, but it was still a fun engaging holiday romance. Kind of light on the holiday aspect, heavier on writing. Still good.

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts (St Martin's Press, 2011)

Ambrose is on his ninth life which is miraculously saved by hunky fireman Zach. Ambrose feels he needs to return the favor by helping Zach with something in his life. And Ambrose soon decides that something is matching him up with Merilee a shy animal lover in the community. What makes this book so fun is the part of the story told from Ambrose's point of view. It's just adorable. It's otherwise a pretty standard romance, but very cute, funny, and charming and very different from the Hallmark adaptation. Sigh.

A Shoe Addict's Christmas by Beth Harbison (St. Martin's Press, 2016)

This is a cute story where a faithful employee (Noelle) is trapped in her store due to a snowstorm. Lo and behold, a fairy godmother, or guaridan angel visits her and revisits different period periods of her life with her, showing her what could have been if she'd made different choices. Very cute, super short, lots of fun with an encouraging message to take risks and live life.

Hope you all had some fun holiday reads to enjoy this season!

Christmas Book Giveaway!

Just in time for Christmas, we have a great opportunity to win six Christmas books by six bestselling authors! There's enough here to keep some for yourself and to share the love by gifting some to your friends and family! Enter to win A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe, Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews, The Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber, Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand, Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes, and A Shoe Addict's Christmas by Beth Harbison.

I reviewed three of these yesterday (I enjoyed them all!) and look forward to hopefully getting a chance to read the others. I just love Christmas books so much and am happy to offer this giveaway. You can enter by filling out the form below and the winner will be chosen on December 20th and notified via email. US entries only, please.

Be sure the like the author's facebook pages as well so you can keep updated on what is going on with them as well as see any festive things they might post!

MARY ALICE MONROE
MARY KAY ANDREWS
DEBBIE MACOMBER
ELIN HILDERBRAND
ANITA HUGHES
BETH HARBISON

Christmas Reads #1

Tis the Season! Where I indulge in Christmas reads galore!

I've already read a bunch by this point, and am happy to share my first batch of reads with you. I received digital review copies of a few of these and it is so noted.

Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber (Ballantine Books, 2016)

Christmas romances are perhaps the most popular/common subgenre of holiday reads and Debbie Macomber is always reliable to produce a fun one. I especially enjoyed this one because it's about a girl writing a blog as a sort of experiment, but also to try to get a job. She is determined to kill her Scroogey neighbor with kindness. But she soon learns that kindness can have a profound affect on all involved. This little novella is full of Christmas cheer! There are all sorts of levels to Christmas books, and this one is decidedly Christmasy full of all the wonderful events of the season. It's sweet and romantic and it's a Christmas love story so don't expect it to be one hundred percent realistic. Lots of fun! (A digital review copy was provided by the publisher)

What Light by Jay Asher (Razorbill, 2016)

I've enjoyed what I've read from Jay Asher in the past, especially his collaboration with Carolyn Macker (The Future of Us). I was drawn to this because wow the title and the cover is lovely also. And because I'm a sucker for Christmas stories. This one had a unique Christmas tree farm premise in that the family really only went to sell on a lot which means they spend Christmas month (December) away from home every year. But they might have to change that which adds a whole new level of bittersweetness for Sierra as she might be saying goodbye to one huge chunk of her life. This is NOT a save the Christmas tree farm! story, the impending change merely echoes the impending change any teen would be facing around her age and heightens it for Christmas time. Sierra is a super reasonable girl--ready to dump any boy who shows signs of being unsuitable. But then she meets Caleb who gives her all the butterflies but also might be more problematic than any boy she's ever dated. Sierra has to get to the bottom of the truth about Caleb and her feelings and decide if it's all worth it...at the most wonderful time of the year. This book is sweet and Christmasy and delightful and just right for a quick holiday read.

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2016)

I really really enjoyed Dash and Lily's Book of Dares so revisiting this couple a year later at Christmastime was fun! And it WAS fun as the young couple had a lot of growing pains to work through and life issues to sort out. They are just extremely fun and engaging characters who happen to live in New York and it's Christmas time. So there was a definite feel of Christmas cheer in the book but also growing up life stuff, dealing with family changes and intensity of feelings in relationships and general communication. Huge bonus there was an ice skating scene! While I enjoyed this a lot, the unique premise of the first one made it something just a little more special. Still, worth it to read this one!

A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books, 2016)

Okay I used to love the Baxter family...through the first series and a little less as it went on. And then I stopped reading altogether. In fact, I used to love Karen Kingsbury's books in general a lot more. But they have developed a certain formula that I believe makes them beloved by fans but not so much by me. Somehow, I forgot all this and just wanted to read this. I thought I'd enjoy revisiting the Baxters as I used to love the series. I was mostly wrong. Kingsbury has been writing these characters for a really long time and is quite attached to them. She stopped for awhile and this is her reintroduction to the family. There is a lot of family history, but the book says upfront you don't need to know it. Still, I would go back and read the original series if anyone is interested, they are the best. This story was okay but it's not overly Christmasy. All you really need to know is this family loves each other a lot. Fans of the books will probably still enjoy this, though, so don't take my word for it. Overt Christian fiction. (a digital review copy was provided by the publisher)

Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews (St. Martin's Press, 2013)

I have only read the Christmas books in this series! I read Blue Christmas last year and Christmas Bliss this year. The book is a charming southern novel but there is very little Christmasy feel to it. Especially since it is mostly about Weezy's preparations for her wedding and BeBe attempting to get a divorce she thought she already ahd. Still, the characters are fun and there are a few sweet Christmasy moments.

The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere (St. Martin's Press, 2016)

I've enjoyed Donna VanLiere's Christmas books in the past. Something that helps them stand out is that they are not primarily romances, although romances might play a part in them. They are more of the Christmas miracle variety, someone who is down and out on their luck makes a special connection at Christmas that breathes new hope into them. They are sweet sentimental books. I liked this quite a bit as the main character, Lauren, is lonely and looking for a family at Christmas. What I enjoyed is that as she gives of herself, she finds others are giving, too. Sometimes the most unexpected people. And I also like that kindness is a virtue that is cherished in a book like this. Everyone likes to use the word kindness these days, as a buzz word almost. Be kind. We forget, I think, that true kindness springs from within. That it's a daily grind. It's an action that must be performed when we don't feel like it, when there's no reason for it, with no expectation of return. Always be a little kinder than you have to be. There's an act of daily kindness in this story that I think some people would look down at or sneer upon as too sentimental, but it heartened me to think of someone doing such a work. And also the work of paying attention to others.

A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe (Gallery Books, 2016)

This has been by far my favorite of the Christmas reads this year. It's wholly old fashioned, but in the best possible way. It's about a small family facing hard times within and without. A little boy impossibly wants a puppy for Christmas. A soldier returns home from the war. The family has no money, but Christmas is still coming. They must grapple with their brokenness as this most precious time of the year if anything is to be salvaged. The emotions run deep in this one, and while the book constantly quotes A Christmas Carol, the ending was so reminiscent of my favorite film, it definitely made me cry. Absolutely delightful! And I have never read a single other book in this series so it can one hundred percent be appreciated on its own. (A digital review copy was provided by the publisher)

More to come, but that's what I've read so far!