From 2024:
- The Christmas Guest, by Peter Swanson
- This Year It Will be Different, by Maeve Binchey
From 2023 - all have mini-review on my First Roundup of 2024 post:
- A Christmas Secret, by Anne Perry
- Murder at an Irish Christmas, by Carlene O'Connor
- The Shortest Day, by Colm Tóibín
From 2021 - all have mini-reviews on my December Potpourri post
- Winter Solstice, by Rosamunde Pilcher
- The Best Worst Christmas, by Kate Forster
- Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas, by Stephanie Barron
From 2020
From 2018
From 2017
From 2016
From 2015...
- The Twelve Clues of Christmas, by Rhys Bowen
- The Nutcracker, by E.T.A. Hoffmann
- Winter Solstice, by Elin Hilderbrand
- The Holly-Tree Inn, by Charles Dickens, et al
- The Ghost of Christmas Past, by Rhys Bowen
From 2017
- A Very French Christmas: The Greatest French Holiday Stories of All Time - reviewed and recommended by Lucy at Fictional 100. Turned out not to be my cup of tea. Review here.
- A Redbird Christmas, by Fannie Flagg
- Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop, edited by Otto Penzler
- Winter series, by Elin Hilderbrand, including Winter Street and Winter Stroll
From 2016
- Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb - really enjoyed this nostalgic family romp.
- Christmas with Anne, and Other Stories by L.M. Montgomery - 2 with Anne and a sweet set of other stories to get you in the Christmas spirit.
- The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories by P.D. James - the setting is Christmas but the stories deal with murder most foul.
From 2015...
- Christmas Bells, by Jennifer Chiarverini - not as good as I had hoped it would be, but an okay 3-star book to kick off the season with.
- Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Christmas Stories, by Anthony Trollope - a mixed bag with some winners and some so-so selections.
- The Father Christmas Letters, by J.R.R. Tolkien - a wonderful set of letters that Tolkien wrote to his children over the years, pre-dating the LOTR books.
- A Christmas Journey, by Anne Perry - a fun, interesting Regency story--pretty implausible, but that's not really a drawback in this case. I've never read anything by Perry before, and since she has lots of Christmas novels, I can see reading one a year.
- Happy Christmas, by Daphne du Maurier - loved this short story. Read it!
- A Christmas Story, by Jean Shepherd - so much fun!
- A Christmas Memory, by Truman Capote - absolute gold. I can see rereading this annually.
Great to have your recommendations! I will check out the du Maurier and Capote selections for sure!
ReplyDeleteYou read some interesting books for this challenge.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned previously I never know that Trollope or Tolkien had wrote the above books.
It sounds as if the Tolkien book is worth seeking out.
Have a Happy New Years.
I knew of most of these, but I still really need to get my hands Tolkien's. However, I was not aware of Capote's work, and based on your review, that will be a definite in 2016 Christmas reading list.
ReplyDeleteBTW Jane, you are invited to place a link to your blog on my "Other Bookish Blogs" page. I hope you do. Cheers.
http://100greatestnovelsofalltimequest.blogspot.com/p/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_31.html
Thanks for the invitation to link up--just did so!
DeleteHappy New Year Jane; hope 2016 is a good year for you.
ReplyDeleteThese are great recommendations! I need to check them out, I had no idea most of these existed. I'm especially intrigued by the Daphne Du Maurier short story. What a great challenge. I think I need to look for it and join if it happens next year. I love Christmas books and short stories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a charming idea, reading Christmas novels and stories in December! I never thought of it, but I think I will start this as my new holiday tradition. And I never knew so many famous writers were movbed to write holiday stories. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDelete