With the holidays approaching, enjoy this two-part series of books to get you in the spirit, curated by Reference Librarian Taylor Anderson.
An Amish Christmas kitchen : three novellas celebrating the warmth of the holiday.
“This cheerful and heartwarming Amish novella collection captures the heart of the Christmas season with a trio of heartfelt stories from bestselling authors Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd. All three tales feature a unique Amish recipe perfect for the Christmas table.” — Provided by publisher.
Christmas cupcake murder / Joanne Fluke.
While Hannah speeds through a lengthy holiday checklist, drama in town grows. Her sister Andrea wants to stave off the blues by helping out at The Cookie Jar, Michele’s love life is becoming complicated, Lisa needs Hannah’s advice, and Delores has a Christmas secret she’s not willing to share. But nothing dampens the holiday mood more than the chilling mystery surrounding the man found near death in an abandoned storefront two doors down from Hannah’s bakery. The befuddled John Doe can’t recall a thing about himself — except for his unusual knowledge of restoring antique furniture.
In a holidaze / Christina Lauren.
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.
Jingle all the way : a novel / Debbie Macomber.
Everly Lancaster, a top real-estate executive, finds her work is her life, leaving no space for anything (or anyone) else. Sensing her stress, Everly’s boss insists she take December off. But after her vengeful assistant books a guided cruise in the Amazon instead of the luxury beach vacation she expected, Everly is horrified to realize that she’s about to spend the next two weeks trapped in the rain forest. Not even Asher Adams, the ship’s charming naturalist, can convince Everly that the trip will be unforgettable. Slowly but surely, she realizes he is right: the sights are spectacular. But as the cruise nears its end, and Everly’s family Christmas approaches, both must decide if love is worth the risk.
The Noel letters / Richard Paul Evans.
Returning to her childhood home after nearly two decades and reeling from upheavals in her world, Noel Post inherits her father’s bookstore and begins receiving letters from an anonymous source, each one containing thoughts and lessons about her life and her future, and as she begins to reacquaint herself with the bookstore and the people she left behind, Noel starts to unravel the reality of her painful childhood and the truth about her family.
Royal holiday / Jasmine Guillory.
Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain Private Secretary and his charming accent and unyielding formality. Malcolm Hudson has been the Queen’s Private Secretary for years and has never given a personal, private tour…until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling. Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy fling come New Year’s Day…or are they?
A treasury of African American Christmas stories / compiled and edited by Bettye Collier-Thomas.
“A collection of Christmas stories written by African-American journalists, activists, and writers from the late 19th century through the Depression era”– Provided by publisher.
Winter solstice : a novel / Elin Hilderbrand.
It’s been too long since the entire Quinn family has been able to celebrate the holidays under the same roof. But it just wouldn’t be a Quinn family gathering if things went smoothly …
