It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reading)!
I confess, it was hard to decide what to post for today, knowing that today everyone would be dealing with the outcome of the election. But then Lynn Austin took the pressure off with her wonderful post on Monday. Click here to read it—or to read it again! Thanks, Lynn, for wise words and a kingdom perspective.
So today I’m going a bit escapist.
It’s November, which for me ushers in two months of reading Christmas-themed novels and novellas! I have way too many on my list to read this year, especially given that we are moving right in the middle of the holiday season! But of course Christmas comes every year, so even with adding new releases, I’ll get to them at some point.
One last thing about Christmas reading: While I do like reading about the season during the season, Christmas-themed books are more than that for me. Each story reminds me that we celebrate Jesus coming to earth to be with us. To shoulder our burdens. To offer us grace. Just as characters so often do for one another in Christmas books. So while they are not (usually) retelling the nativity story of Jesus, they tell the story of Jesus to me just the same.
Here’s a run down of my “want to read” from now through December. (I know, it’s a tiny bit excessive!)
Jingle All the Way and Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Years and years ago I heard Debbie Macomber speak at an ACFW conference. I’ve loved her ever since. And these Christmas stories look full of delight!
Joy to the World: A Regency Romance Collection
Regency romance novellas set at Christmas. How can I resist?
An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen
I’m so excited to revisit the characters of Ivy Hill! I might have to save this one until closer to the end of December so I can savor it.
The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
I believe one of the readers of this blog suggested this Christmas read to me. This is a children’s book, but then again I love children’s books! And the synopsis sounds like it is sweet, sweet, sweet.
From Paris with Love This Christmas, Notting Hill in the Snow, and Covent Garden in the Snow by Jules Wake
I can’t remember where I saw these recommended, but they look absolutely wonderful to me. Of course, I do love stories set in England. And Paris is good, too.
A Log Cabin Christmas: 9 Historical Romances during American Pioneer Christmases
Novellas. Historical. Romance. Christmas. Need I say more?
Mountain Christmas Brides: 9 Historical Novellas Celebrate Faith and Love in the Rocky Mountains
I’ve spent several Christmases in my lifetime in Colorado, so this one appeals to both my sense of history and my remembrances of my own past.
A Sugar Creek Christmas by Jenny B. Jones
Jenny’s work is always heartwarming and fun. I have no reason to believe this one will be any different!
A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep
I love MIchelle’s work, and read the first in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series last year. This is book 2. A Christmas retelling of Dickens, not sure it gets any better than this!
A Yuletide Regency: A Timeless Romance Anthology
Again, Regency romance and Christmas. Sigh.
Do you read Christmas novels/novellas? Do you want until the holiday season or read them anytime? What is your favorite? Which new read are you looking forward to most in this holiday genre?
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Thank you for this wonderful list, D’Ann! I love Christmas reads, but I usually save them for this time of year. I have the Joy to the World anthology waiting on my Kindle and An Ivy Hill Christmas is on top of my TBR pile, but now I have several others to investigate. Hooray!
Yay! It’s so fun to read Christmas stories during the season!
Great list! I see several I’d like to read. Well. All of them. Merry Christmas!
Ah, a girl after my own heart! Too many books, too little time, right?
Yes! I love Christmas books! I make myself wait until around Thanksgiving. Thanks for the list!
I loved The Christmas Hirelings–it has a Dickensian feel to it. I thought I had read A Tale of Two Hearts, but it was another of Michelle Griep’s: Twelve Days at Bleakly Manor. I’ve read a lot of Melody Carlson’s Christmas books. Robin Jones Gunn’s Finding Father Christmas and Engaging Father Christmas were good: I have Kissing Father Christmas in the queue for this year. Terri Blackstock’s Catching Christmas was really good. One of my favorites was Till Morning is Nigh by Leisha Kelly.
My favorite nonfiction Christmas book is Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas compiled by Nancy Guthrie. It includes excerpts on various aspects of Christmas from long-ago people (Augustine, Martin Luther, Spurgeon) as well as current well-known Christians. I read one excerpt a day through December at least a couple of different years–maybe more.
Those are some great recommendations. More to add to my list! Thank you!
Hi, Anne, thanks for the post, and the reminder about what Lynn said yesterday. I’m already reading Christmas books which are part of a series. I’ll start on standalone Christmas books soon. Your choices look good, I have a couple of them waiting in my TBR stack. Have a blessed Christmas, pre-season and season!
I’m jealous that you are already reading some! I’m trying to finish what I have going now before I add in my first Christmas read.
An Ivy Hill Christmas was a great read! I devoured it this weekend. I enjoy Julie Klassen’s regency stories, especially the folks from Ivy Hill. (I won’t spoil it for you!) Thanks for sharing the list of Christmas books!
Maybe I need to get to it sooner, then! Maybe it will be my Thanksgiving weekend read. 🙂