Literary Christmas: More Festive Reads

Hope you all had a wonderful and merry Christmas yesterday! Today I wanted to catch up on posting for the Literary Christmas challenge (hosted by In the Bookcase). This month I re-read a couple books, which were both on my list for the challenge, and I also read a book that—while not specifically Christmas-y—takes place mostly in December and the holiday season. :)

A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese

Learn more about the book on Amazon.

I believe the first time I read this was in Kindle ebook format, so it was neat to be able to read and enjoy the print copy from my shelf this time around! This is a great romance with plenty of bantering, misunderstanding, engaging scenes, and a sweet amount of depth. It's a case of the heroine falling in love once again with an old flame and her old hometown, but with new hopes and an expanded heart. I'm glad to have this on my shelf and think I'd like to revisit it again some future holiday season. 

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The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks by Cindy Vincent

Learn more about the book on the author's website.

It was great fun to revisit this story simply as a reader (whereas the first time around I was viewing it as an editor)! The characters are so cute, and the book is full of Christmas heart and cheer. One of the cats learns all about Christmas for the first time, and it's so sweet to see the season afresh through his eyes. I finished re-reading this the night of Christmas Eve, which was a great way to end the day, as the book's conclusion is full of love and generosity. :)

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Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate

Learn more about the book on the author's website.

This book has been on my shelf for a bit, and this month I picked it up to give it a try. It's definitely fitting to read in December, as most of the book takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas (although it continues on into spring). It's not a fast or terribly exciting read, but I'm heading into a similar season of life as the one the heroine experiences (with her first child), and I found the characters' dilemmas and life lessons and interactions compelling. The Christmas elements add a sweet touch, from community events to the family's preparations and celebration. I don't necessarily feel a huge urge to read the rest of the series, but overall I enjoyed this one, and perhaps I'll want to read it again sometime.

(You can see the series order HERE. Tending Roses is book 1.)

Literary Christmas: Clara's Soldier and One Enchanted Eve (Christmas Novellas)

Yay for the start of December! Last night I finished reading Clara's Soldier, and even though this novella and One Enchanted Eve weren't on my original list for the Literary Christmas challenge (hosted by In the Bookcase), I thought I'd still share some quick thoughts. :) 

I picked up these Kindle ebooks while they were free on Amazon recently, and I enjoyed both! It was fun to try out some additional Christmas reading material, and these are well-written stories.

Clara's Soldier by Brittany Fichter

(currently $2.99 for Kindle)

Learn more about the book on the author's website. 

My knowledge of The Nutcracker is rather limited, but even the little elements I'm familiar with made this a neat retelling. Clara's Soldier is a bittersweet post-war story, a historical that takes an interesting turn late at night on Christmas Eve. When I started the story, I found the writing style engaging and the main characters endearing. But then when the story took that interesting turn, I found the plot rather strange and confusing, making me wonder if I wanted to "soldier on." I did, and I'm glad. :) While those mid-story scenes can be somewhat hard to follow, the novella as a whole is thoughtful and sweet, focused on commitment and compassion and hope. A clever, different, and romantic little read for the holiday season.

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One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg

(currently $1.99 for Kindle)

Learn more about the book on the author's website.

It's been a while since I read the first novella in this collection, but this second installment is a lot of fun while featuring the author's trademark small-town atmosphere as the main setting. Being a big fan of Food Network and what I've seen of The Great British Baking Show (earlier seasons), I enjoyed the baking angle to this story! While I wasn't completely wowed by what Rylan produces in the kitchen, I was charmed by her growth and how she opens up. There's some seriousness in the midst of the bantering between her and Colin, some big decisions and revelations for both of them to make. The turn-arounds and progress seem to happen in a rather short amount of time, but such is the satisfying nature of a novella. :) I especially liked how the story celebrates family, and I found this to be a happy-but-not-without-difficulties Christmas-season read!

Literary Christmas: The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall (Plus a Kindle eBook Freebie!)

Happy Friday, friends! I finished reading my first book for the Literary Christmas Reading Challenge (hosted by In the Bookcase) last night, so I thought I'd share some quick thoughts. :)

Learn more about the book on the author's website.

I wasn't 100% sure whether or not I had read The Sound of Sleigh Bells before...but it definitely felt like a new experience either way! I really liked the length of it (almost 200 pages in hardcover format)—not too long to be a quick seasonal read, but also not super short. As the story got started, I was concerned about the role of deception, how it might be treated like it's no big deal if the ends justify the means. But given Cindy Woodsmall's deeper writing, I shouldn't have assumed that would be the case! I'm grateful for the way the story ultimately confronts different kinds of lies and celebrates the freedom of truth.

This isn't a lighthearted Christmas read; it begins in the spring and ends in the winter, and it tackles a painful emotional journey along the way. The heroine's personality and coping mechanisms sometimes rubbed me wrong, but she's still a likable character beneath that, and it's hard not to love the hero. All in all, I found this to be an engaging book with sweet characters and a hard-won romance.

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In other Christmas novella news, yesterday I discovered that one of Melissa Tagg's holiday reads is FREE for Kindle right now! I really enjoyed the first novella in the series, One Enchanted Christmas, which I included on my Favorite Books of 2015 list. So I was excited to snatch up the second novella. :) Here's a graphic the author shared on Facebook, indicating the deals last through November 24, 2019:

One Enchanted Christmas (book 1): $.99 for Kindle

One Enchanted Eve (book 2): FREE for Kindle

One Enchanted Noel (book 3): $2.99 for Kindle

Happy Christmas reading, everyone!

Literary Christmas Reading Challenge 2019 (Signing Up and Sharing My List!)

I found out about the Literary Christmas Reading Challenge through Hamlette (author Rachel Kovaciny) at her blog The Edge of the Precipice. (Thank you for posting about it, Rachel!) I've had plans to read/reread a few Christmas books this year, and I thought it would be fun to join this lovely challenge and highlight the books I'm revisiting.

Also, isn't the banner so pretty and festive??

The challenge is hosted by Tarissa at In the Bookcase. Here are the details:

• Pick a Christmas book (or more than one!) to read or reread this holiday season.
• Sign up by posting about the challenge on your blog or a social media account.
• Link your post to Tarissa's main challenge post HERE.
• Post about the book(s) you read and link up those posts, too, to share the book love!

The challenge takes place November 8 through December 31, 2019. You can learn more and find all of Tarissa's challenge posts at In the Bookcase.

Tarissa is also hosting a really neat giveaway for US residents! You don't have to participate in the challenge to enter, but you can get extra entries in the drawing if you do. :) Click the image below to check it out...

Here's what I'm planning to read for the challenge:

The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

I actually started reading this the other day, so I'm already through a couple chapters. :) My uncle gave me a copy last year, I believe, and this is one of those books that I'm not quite sure if I've read before or not... I have read a few other books by this author, which I've enjoyed, and whether this is a new-to-me read or an old-but-not-terribly-familiar friend, I'm looking forward to continuing this story!

A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese

This book basically made my favorites list for 2015, although I technically read it in 2014. Here's what I said back then: "This poor book fell through the cracks, as I read it after I announced my favorites of 2014, but before 2015 officially began. I have to mention it now, though, because I marked it as a favorite back then and found it to be a delightful Christmas romance. I'm thinking a re-read might be in order at some point."

So, here we are! It's been about five years, so I think a reread is definitely warranted. :)

The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks by Cindy Vincent

This was my introduction to the delightful Cindy Vincent and her books back in 2013, and I loved it! I enjoyed editing this little gem, which features two lovable cat detectives, and then hosting a blog tour for the book. This year I'd like to revisit this precious installment of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers and experience the Christmas charm once again.

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I don't plan to write full reviews of these books, but I'm hoping to at least share a few thoughts and highlight the stories again during the challenge!

Don't forget, if you'd like to participate in the challenge, check out In the Bookcase. I'd love to know if you sign up and what Christmas books are on your reading list this year!

*Banner and giveaway image are from In the Bookcase.