I try to read as many holiday-themed books in December as possible to ramp up my Christmas spirit! There were a few non-Christmas books this month, but not many. Here is what I read in December:
Lauren is trying to help her parents’ Christmas-themed store stay afloat despite her father’s adamant stance about using any technology to help them – not even a Web site! However, when Lauren gets a chance to make a lot of money writing a biography, she doesn’t know how much that one decision will change her whole world. The Brightest Star was a bit predictable and wrapped everything up a little too neatly, but it was a fun holiday read.
Mama Bear Apologetics is an overview for Christian adults who want to make sure they teach their children the “whys” behind their faith. I was hoping for a more specific, detailed book as I have studied the Bible (Bible college grad here). However, it would be a good place to start for anyone not versed with apologetics.
Richelle is facing a tough Christmas – one without her father and her twin sister as they have both passed away. She’s never had great relationships, so when a handsome stranger comes to her writing group and they hit it off, she’s a bit wary at first. However, just as she starts falling in love, he reveals a secret about his past that threatens to drive her away for good. The Christmas Promise is not going to be one of my favorite Richard Paul Evans books – it was predictable and I didn’t like the storyline between the main characters.
Mist is working as the new chef at a the Timberton Hotel and she wants to create special touches for the guests who will spend their Christmas at the hotel. She not only makes special meals and desserts, but paints small pictures for each guest, who each go through an important journey at the hotel. Mistletoe at Moonglow is a sweet, predictable holiday read.
Hope was adopted by a woman who found her left in a diner booth a few days after Christmas. As a grown woman, she loses her adoptive mother to cancer and then has her apartment robbed. But, left behind by someone is a jar full of change and small bills. Using her journalistic talents, she tracks down the story behind the jar full of change and finds out others have gotten them, too, through the years – all around Christmas. This story inspired our family to start our own Christmas Jar! The book has a very good message.
Cameron Winter has been beckoned not to solve a murder, but to prove one didn’t happen. As he digs around in Sweet Haven, where many military Rangers have retired, he discovers all is not as it seems. Travis is accused of murdering his girlfriend Jennifer, but there is no trace of her history except for a slight Russian accent. Could Travis really have killed her or is there something else going on in the town? When Christmas Comes is an interesting Christmas mystery, although slightly predictable.
Forgetting to flip the bakery’s open sign to closed one night changes Louisa’s life forever. A desperate TV producer grabs some of her cinnamon rolls to save his job on a cooking show, which leads him to discovering Louisa’s talents and taking her to London as a fill-in for a holiday TV special. Romance fills the air in London, but it’s not an easy path. Christmas in London is a cute holiday romance with a lot of ups and downs.
As a fan of Kayleigh McEnany, I was curious to read her latest book, For Such a Time as This. It’s a quick overview of her time in the White House and how her faith influenced her choices. It’s a quick read and I want to read her previously written book as I think it will have more depth to it.
Packy is finally getting out of jail after serving his time for swindling people out of their investment money – much of which was never recovered. He plots to recover the diamonds he hid in a tree in Vermont, only to find out it’s being cut down for the Rockefeller Plaza tree. Agent Reilly happens to be on vacation at the very same spot and a crazy pursuit of justice occurs instead of a quiet getaway. The Christmas Thief is a fun holiday read.
During the Civil War, Heather is sent home by her husband as their baby’s due date draws near. She had been following him to do the camp laundry. However, instead of a warm welcome at home, she finds her mother and two brothers have passed away and her father won’t even give her a drink of water since her husband is a Yankee. She finds shelter with the Shakers at Harmony Hill where her mother’s aunt joined years ago. But, will her husband be able to find her if he lives? Christmas at Harmony Hill is a sweet Christmas story about love, forgiveness and being true to yourself.
Julia is hiding away in Charm with her daughter Penny from her former, abusive boyfriend. She ran away before he knew about the child, but also never told her parents why she had to leave. Her secret seems settled away until she starts interacting with her single neighbor, Levi. As a relationship starts to form, the past can’t stay hidden for long. An Amish Family Christmas is a good read about trust, secrets and finding friends.
A mother and son are at odds the first Christmas they are celebrating without their husband/dad, so they decide to go to Ireland. Both have secrets they need to share, but can’t seem to find the right times to let them out. Ireland holds the key to helping both of them realize how important family truly is in An Irish Christmas.
Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are sent with Will to answer a prayer uttered by a mother for her daughter to find love. However, they can’t help but try to “help” the situation, which only makes it worse. Lucie is a chef and Aren is a food critic and when the angels mess with Lucie’s food the night Aren visits, it only leads to trouble. Their antics are fun to read in this Christmas love story – Angels at the Table.
Patricia and Mark are on the brink of a separation. The years since their son’s death in a tragic car accident have set them floating away from each other. Then, Patricia brings home a 5-year-old girl who needs a foster placement, but it’s just days before Christmas. Her life is just what the couple need in their lives and she brings The Christmas Hope.
Fans of Cedar Cove will enjoy 1225 Christmas Tree Lane since it’s set there with all the characters people have grown to love. The story centers around two grown children determined to get their parents back together again, even though they’ve been divorced for three years. Oh, and there’s puppies!
Author Riley Reynolds’ career is on the brink of failure and the only thing her publisher wants from her is a Christmas novel. However, she’s spent most of her life avoiding Christmas after her father died when she was young. She has to host a Christmas camp to get ideas for her novel, but learns more about life than the meaning of Christmas in Christmas Ever After.
The Christmas Letters is a heartfelt book full of three generations of women’s Christmas letters to friends and family. While fiction, the book gives a glimpse into life during different time periods and includes several recipes that the women hand down.
Keep Moving is a short read that is meant to encourage people to look at ways to overcome grief and sorrow. The author shares her struggles through her divorce and miscarriages. She offers short snippets of her story and then fills the book with encouraging quotes.
When the Galaxy is lost at sea, a lifeboat carries a man who is writing about his survival experience in a notebook. When the lifeboat is found, the notebook is discovered by a local policeman who doesn’t share his discovery. As he reads the notebook, he discovers there was an extra person on the lifeboat claiming to be “The Lord.” The Stranger in the Lifeboat is full of surprises and gets to the heart of what it means to really live.
Ashley Baxter has agreed to go back to Paris for an art show, but she is afraid her past will haunt her the entire visit. Paris is where she went to escape a mistake she made as a teenager and wound up making an even bigger mistake there. However, she soon learns that God turned her mistakes into something good for so many lives – she just didn’t know about it. I haven’t read many Kingsbury books and I would have understood more if I was more familiar with the Baxter family books, but Forgiving Paris was still an enjoyable read.
Written just two years into Trump’s presidency, The New American Revolution covers the top issues Trump’s campaign tried to deal with from Kayleigh’s perspective. She shares stories of the Americans that they tried to help and covers some of Kayleigh’s own story, too. Interesting, but not earth-shattering.
The day of the Riva family party sets into motion a day where all four Riva siblings have to look back to the past before they can move forward. Children of the famous singer, Mick Riva, they have struggled to take care of themselves after he left them – twice – and then their mother died. Malibu Rising deals with family, loyalty and how sometimes it’s better to let go. I enjoyed reading this book – very good fiction!
What did you read in December? Share in the comments!
