Christmas

Review: Christmas Greetings from the Presidents

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president As we fly through the holiday season, I like to pick up a few different holiday themed books to keep me in the mood. When I saw this one, I knew it would be something right up my family’s alley. All things political are the theme around here lately, so I figured we could use a dose of the goodness, from a few of the past presidents, to bring a bit of positive back in.

Christmas greetings is a compilation of various Christmas addresses from Coolidge to Obama. Inside you’ll find tidbits about the world at the time, from the Depression to 9/11. It also includes pictures of the National trees and some of the activities that were happening at the White House. My favorite pictures are the family pictures, whether staged or candid. They show the lighter side of the presidents.

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If you have a history buff in your family, or perhaps you have a little Christmas nut, like myself, grab this book.

~Melpomene

Grab Christmas Greetings from the Presidents http://amzn.to/2fZy8bl

Review: Two Christmas novellas- Forever Christmas & My True Love Gave to Me by Christine Lynxwiler

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November means Christmas reading, so I hunkered down the past couple nights with two novellas in my Kindle’s “Christmas” folder. 

These charming and heartfelt stories felt like full-length novels in that the characters were many and varied, the plots had time to twist and meander a bit, and the main characters were wonderfully developed. 

In Forever Christmas, Kristianna tries to live out her own authentic life, fighting through family pressures and a stressful romantic past. I loved that Kristianna’s best friends never wavered in their love and loyalty to her. I enjoyed Kristianna’s fun dates, her surprise gifts, and the relationships she had with the quirky townspeople. Although saving her town of Jingle Bells from corporate intrusion was top of mind, Kristianna eventually got the message that working together for a solution is more effective than cutting off your nose to spite your face. 

In My True Love Gave to Me, loving wife and mom of two Penny has had it up to here with her newly-unemployed husband’s moping. But when he finally does something to snap out of it, she’s not truly on board with that either. The plan? A family RV trip. The reaction? Horror, as you might guess. However, in the spirit of a good Christmas story, the lessons are in the journey. Lynxwiler gives us an entertaining road trip where relationships are strengthened, trust is built, and true love abounds. 

Both novellas have a Christian perspective, with a mentions of “God’s plan” and positively describing other characters as Christian. They both have a happily ever after, too. 

You’ll be glad to know my Kindle’s Christmas folder is full of myriad holiday novels. These were only the tip of the iceberg! 

-calliope 

Buy MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME
Buy FOREVER CHRISTMAS

Review: Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin

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Today I saw someone wearing Christmas socks, despite the unseasonably warm weather we are having, so I thought it would be appropriate to review a Christmas book today! 

Penny lives alone and creates beautiful ice sculptures in solitude … until Henry and daughter Daisy start renting out the annex, and Penny feels compelled to be social. The quirky characters quickly connect with each other and make for a pleasant, predictable romance. 

But it all seemed a bit contrived. My eyes rolled at the cliched tropes and the running into each other too many times to be serendipitous. I like my chick lit light and fluffy, but with enough substance to draw me in and make me believe it’s real. 

If you need a quick Christmas romance in between serious reading, the price is right here at $2.99, but don’t expect substantial character or plot development. 

-calliope 

Buy CHRISTMAS AT LILAC COTTAGE

Review: Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber

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A book about a blogger! With a meet-cute. And a smart, handsome, buff, broody guy in the same apartment building who likes Starbucks. Come on now, who isn’t signing up to be the girl in this girl-meets-boy?! 

THIS is my kind of Christmas chick lit. You’ve got your possibility of snow, your peppermint latte, some chicken soup, a job at Macy’s, struggles with a Christmas tree… I couldn’t have asked for even one more perfect scenario in this book. 

Twelve Days of Christmas is about, yes, falling in love, but more importantly, figuring out that the way to change a relationship is to become a better person, not try to change the other person. And telling the truth. That always helps. 

I really had so much fun reading this novel. Macomber put obvious effort into character development, authentic dialogue, and a natural trajectory for a growing romance. It’s chick lit, but it’s GOOD chick lit, complete with excellent writing, fun characters, and witty remarks. 

Enjoy! 

-calliope

Buy TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Review: The Christmas Angel Project by Melody Carlson

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This is a charming story of five book club friends whose main connection is friend Abby. When Abby dies, the remaining four need to find a way to carry on. Abby provides that guidance from some angel gifts she’s left for them. 

I was disappointed in the beginning of this book because I could sense the “setting up” of the plot… a little contrived or overplanned. However, by the middle, I loved the direction Carlson took the four women – it seemed natural and authentic. Seeing the women use Abby’s Angels to help them grieve and then use their talents to help others warmed my heart, and it will warm yours, too. 

-calliope

Buy THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL PROJECT

Review: Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

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This book is EXACTLY WHY I put so much stock in endings. For example, I loved Outlander but hated the ending. In fact, the ending RUINED the whole book for me. 

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, however, had such a lovely ending that it redeemed a book I almost gave 2 stars. That’s me being honest, not mean! 

Christmas Wishes started out slow, but I’m a sucker for a merry Christmas story, so I marched on. The middle was more interesting, but also contrived. I mean, how many “accidental” ways are we going to get Nick and Abbey in the same room? 

And then came the last third of the book. The third where I was so invested I could feel the scarf on Abbey’s neck, I could hear Nick’s mom’s crazy voice, I could see the excitement in Max’s eyes. I cried, people. Cried!!! 

So, ultimately, I’m glad I read Christmas Wishes. Hale wrote a wonderful hero in Nick, and gave him realistic charm. Abbey being a nurse / designer was a fresh take on the young-woman-figuring-out-life trope. Most importantly for me: a happily ever after in the best way possible. 

-calliope

Buy CHRISTMAS WISHES AND MISTLETOE KISSES

Review: Merry Mistletoe by Emma Davies

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Even through her grief, Freya has to carry on selling mistletoe from the family farm. Sam and Stephen, owners of nearby Henderson farm, don’t make it easy on her, as they want to buy her property in the middle of the Christmas season! 

Davies writes a magical story, where Freya lets the wonder of the season speak to her through a mystery visitor. When Freya opens up her heart, she finds her happily ever after – and so does one of the Hendersons. 

I liked that this novella was a light read but had a deep message. Davies reminds us that we can find happiness and love despite grieving a loved one. Tis the season. 

-calliope

Buy Merry Mistletoe

Coming Up… 

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I’m reading two more Christmas novels before settling in with some suspense… Check Random Book Muses this weekend for reviews of Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses and Merry Mistletoe. 

 Buy Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses

  Buy Merry Mistletoe

Next week I’ll have reviews for the newest in Debbie Viguie’s Psalm 23 Mysteries, as well as Robert Galbraith’s third Cormoran Strike novel… both mysteries! 

-calliope 

Review: Christmas at Evergreen Inn by Donna Alward

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What a well-written Christmas novella! I enjoyed this story even more than my last few Christmas reads, because the characters’ behaviors were consistent, the dialogue was realistic, and the tension was so real I felt my own shoulders tightening up. Alward impressed me with a tightly written plot and just the right balance of sweet versus strong. Most importantly, Evergreen Inn was Christmassy. The hot chocolate, tree ornaments, and snowstorms helped Todd heal Lainey’s broken heart, and certainly warmed mine. 

-calliope

Buy CHRISTMAS AT EVERGREEN INN

Review: Four Weddings and a White Christmas by Jenny Oliver

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This book perfectly combines fashion and cooking around weddings and Christmas! Hannah the dressmaker designs wedding dresses, party dresses and theme dresses for herself and her friends — so fun to read the fabric descriptions and “see” the final product in my mind. Jenny Oliver did an outstanding job using precise detail to paint the picture – or sketch the designs, as the case may be. 

Hannah thinks she’s happy, until she feels chemistry with brooding, work-obsessed, famous chef Harry. Harry brings a new set of challenges to Hannah’s life, and frankly she doesn’t want to deal. 

Until Harry gets real… and real serious. 

The dresses, the food, the weddings, the travel, the winter walks in Manhattan… I loved it all! 

-calliope

Buy FOUR WEDDINGS AND A WHITE CHRISTMAS