Like everywhere at this time of year, the library is full of Christmas. Whether it’s books, music, or movies that invoke the holiday season, or materials on Christmas crafts, baking or decorating, the library is a great source of free information and entertainment. The holiday season is usually budget-breakingly expensive, so it’s extra nice to be able to occupy the children or spoil yourself without spending a dime.
Everyone is familiar with the classic Christmas tales, be it “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss but each year a variety of Christmas titles are published hoping to give their readers the spirit of Christmas .
For those who wish for a more traditional Christmas story, there are a number of new choices including “The Angel of Forest Hill” by Cindy Woodsmall, “An Amish Family Christmas” by Shelley Shepard Gray, “A Baxter Family Christmas” by Karen Kingsbury or “Twelve Days of Christmas” by Debbie Macomber.
If you are in the mood for a holiday romance then perhaps, “The Trouble with Mistletoe” by Jill Shalvis, “Winter Storms: A Novel” by Elin Hildenbrand or “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas” by Beth Harbison which are a mix of the light humour and passionate sparks. These are a great choice for those like me who live for the Hallmark style movies that appear on television throughout the yuletide.
The history of the Season is long, so finding new books about the holidays occurring in the Old West are to be expected. This year’s choices include “A Colorado Christmas” by William W. Johnstone and a surprise entry by Country and Western legend Willie Nelson with his book “Pretty Paper: A Christmas Tale”. The novella is based on the inspiration for Nelson’s Christmas song of the same name and concerns a poor Texas street vendor selling ribbons and paper to support himself.
The dark nights of the winter season can also inspire dark deeds, so a number of authors are happy to present their audiences with the gift of a juicy murder mystery. The late P.D. James has left us, “The Mistletoe Murder: and Other Stories”, while writer Joanne Fluke has a new culinary mystery “Christmas Caramel Murder”. If you get a chance try the recipes included with her stories, they are always wonderful. Anne Perry who writes a number of mystery series finds time each year to release a book that is a combination of Victorian charm and mayhem set in during the Yule season. This year’s book ,“A Christmas Message” will be her number 14 in the series.
For a few writers, Christmas is really their genre of fiction. Author Donna VanLiere is a New York Times bestselling author whose holiday stories regularly end up adapted for television. This year’s offering “The Christmas Town” centers on the life of Lauren Gabriel who grew up in foster homes and now at 20 still feels a longing for a place to call ‘home’. One night while driving around to avoid going back to her empty apartment she drives around till her gas tank is nearly empty. While on her drive she witnesses a hit and run accident and goes to help the victim. Those actions along with an advertisement for a “family” that she places on the internet will change her life.
Richard Paul Evans is back as well. His newest book “The Mistletoe Secret” follows his “The Mistletoe Promise” and “The Mistletoe Inn”. Like VanLiere, Evans has made his career on capturing the possibilities of love and the magic of Christmas. His latest book is the tale of a young man who has fallen in love with a woman he’s never met but whose internet blogs touch his heart.
Lori Kauzlarick
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