See the movies, read the books: Hallmark Christmas Movies Based on Books

If you are like me, even before Halloween you are counting down to the holidays by starting with the Hallmark Channel's line up of fun heartwarming Christmas movies. A lot of these inspirational (and sometimes quirky!) movies are based on novels. Check out some of these novels that were made into your favorite holiday movies.

Christmas Joy by Nancy Naigle
Joy Holbrook might be all work and no play, but that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes a fall that lands her in a rehabilitation center before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the timing may hinder her chance at garnering the promotion of her dreams. Ben Andrews isn't your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in Crystal Lake. He's helped his elderly neighbor, Ruby Johnson, decorate for the annual Christmas Home Tour--and win--the last several years. He's not about to let some drop-in granddaughter break their winning streak.
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa De La Cruz
Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. Darcy's never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else's drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her family. Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?

The Nine Lives of Christmas  by Sheila Roberts
After firefighter Zach Stone saves Ambrose from a vicious dog, the cat tries to repay him by moving (uninvited) into his house and fixing his lonely bachelor life. While Zach is buying cat food, he meets Merilee White, a winsome pet store clerk with a fondness for stray cats and big strong men who take them in. Her competition is Zach's no-strings-attached lover, Blair, a haughty cat-hater who insists Zach evict the cat before Christmas.

Maggie's Miracle by Karen Kingsbury

Megan Wright spent one unforgettable summer week with a boy when they were both teens. And despite a lifetime of heartache and bad choices, she has never let go of his magical definition of love, even if she has trouble believing in it. After college Megan settled for a relationship of convenience. Now she's a high powered attorney and, after the death of her husband two years ago, has been looking for help with her lonely young son. Life suddenly takes a series of unusual twists, and soon Megan will learn that the teenage boy from all those years ago actually kept his promise, and the miracle she prayed for as a girl is only a breath away.

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber

Ashley Davison, a graduate student in California, desperately wants to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle. Dashiell Tyler, a former army intelligence officer, receives a job in Seattle and must arrive by December 23. Though frantic to book a last-minute flight out of San Francisco, both are out of luck: Every flight is full, and there's only one rental car available. Ashley and Dash reluctantly decide to share the car, but neither anticipates the wild ride ahead.

A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker

Gregory Maguire is the author of "Hiddensee: A Tale Of The Once And Future Nutcracker."

It's that time of year — Sugar Plum fairies dancing in delight, the Mouse King, a gorgeous Christmas party, a prince, and that instantly recognizable music.

The Nutcracker ballet is a beloved holiday perennial, but Wicked author Gregory Maguire's new novel Hiddensee— which is based on the Nutcracker tale — is not exactly meant for kids. It tells the backstory of the powerful toymaker, Herr Drosselmeier, who gives the Nutcracker to Clara.

"Like most Americans, maybe people around the world, I saw the ballet," Maguire says. "And one of the things that captivated me about it was that scene where the Christmas tree grows 40,50, 60 feet high, and that seemed to be one of the most magical transformations I have ever seen on the stage, even if the rest of the story seemed to me demented. Yes. Well, it's crazy. It's broken. It doesn't make any sense." Maguire describes what  he wanted to accomplish writing the book:

Act 1 is traditional tale that you might find in Grimm, with the small powerless Clara fighting the great King of the Mice, and that makes sense and is dramatically strong. And we're rooting for the small girl, and all that is great.
Act 2 comes - the most gorgeous ballet music in the world, but it's as if we're sitting in an overstuffed living room looking at the photographs of our grandparents' trip around the world. It has nothing to do with the great drama of Act 1. It's all squandered. And I wanted to know what I could do with this story to make the two parts speak to each other.

It tells the story of Dirk Drosselmeier, the powerful toymaker. "Dirk Drosselmeier is a foundling, or that's what he's told. And he lives in the Bavarian Forest. He's born about 1800 or so, so he's about eight years old in 1808. Now, you may know that just about at this time, the Grimm brothers were combing the woods of Bavaria and Baden looking for those stories that would really cement German Romanticism and the German Romantic fairytale in our minds for the next 200 some years.

So Dirk Drosselmeier is born right at the heart of the German fairy tale in a sense. And I decided to take his life story as a small poor boy in the backwoods, as it were, of Europe and see how he grows up to be able to enter the salons of Munich and to be the one person who can stand between the little girl and the great darkness threatening her on Christmas Eve." The rest of the interview with Gregory Maguire can be read on NPR.

Mistletoe Meet 'n' Greet - New Holiday Love Stories

Enjoy GPL's new holiday love stories - perfect for the fireside easy chair accompanied by a mug of steaming hot cocoa on a cold snowy night.

Our top pick is -
Christmas at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer
While in Charleston for business, Yankee CEO Deacon Banks needs someone to line up some dates, but when he asks Macy Frost, part-owner of Two Love Lane  Matchmaking Agency, for help, Macy tells him she is going to find Deacon the love of his life. It's an engaging and heartwarming contemporary romance full of fast-paced fun. Brimming with sassy southern charm and an abundance of deliciously dry wit, this debut entry in Kramer’s Two Love Lane  series is a festive treat.

A sizzling spicy story -
Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer Snow
When her best friend NHL star Asher Westmore, sidelined from the ice due to an injury, returns home for the holidays, physical therapist Emma Callaway, while helping him heal, must keep her feelings in check after they add benefits to their friendship. The romance of the Christmas holiday season is enhanced by the backdrop of small-town Colorado. It's a steamy and engaging sports romance with well developed characters.

As sweet as a holiday treat -
Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber
With her family, the holidays, and  her difficult, by-the-book  boss all demanding her attention, Merry  Knight, a temp at a consulting firm, has no time for a social life. Her mother and  brother take matters into their own hands and  sign her up for an online dating site (under a pseudonym, with the family dog as her photo), leaving Merry  annoyed, then curious, and  finally amazed when she connects with a kindred spirit. But her cyberbeau is none other than her overworked, difficult boss Jayson Bright , something neither of them knows until they have almost fallen in love. It's a mildly sensuous and tender holiday delight and sure to please romance lovers of all ages.

Expect to shed a tear or two -
Holiday Spice by Samantha Chase
Ben Tanner is happiest alone in his woodworking studio, but he needs help writing a book . A friend suggests Darcy Shaughnessy, and they are instantly attracted but unable to act until a huge snowstorm forces them to face their concerns, including Ben’s difficulties with celebrating Christmas.
It's highly engaging and one of the strongest in Chase’s (A Sky Full of Stars, 2016) excellent Shaughnessy Brothers series. Though it's light and fun, it's an emotionally complex contemporary holiday romance.

Hope you find that these new romances can warm even the coldest heart!

Mysteries for Christmas Part 1

Some folks like their mysteries all year round. Here are some suggestions for some newer Christmas titles.

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany

When her holiday float is sabotaged, Merry Wilkinson, the owner of Mrs. Claus's Treasures, must discover who the Scrooge is in Christmas Town after the dead body of a reporter is found and the evidence points to her best friend, Vicky.

Death by Eggnog by Alex Erickson

When a murder halts the production of the local holiday musical extravaganza, bookstore-café owner Krissy Hancock, deciding to investigate, is faced with a pageant of suspects and must find the its curtains for someone else.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

While serving as an assistant to the hostess of a large Christmas house party in Tiddleton-under-Lovey, Georgie gets the attention of her retired detective grandfather after dead bodies begin showing up. 

The Christmas Book Flood

While we are trimming our trees, hanging our stockings, and getting ready for a visit from Santa Claus, the residents of Iceland are preparing for their own special holiday tradition--Jólabókaflóð, or Christmas Book Flood.  

The majority of the publishing in Iceland occurs between September and December, and a massive catalog of books--the Bókatíðindi--is available to everyone to peruse and make their selections.  Books are considered one of the greatest gifts to give, and most families exchange them on Christmas Eve, and then settle in for a long night of cozy reading.

Here are some of our favorite Icelandic authors and books about Iceland.  Check one out today and start your own winter reading tradition!

Under the Glacier by Halldór Laxness 

A young Icelandic priest is sent to investigate the pastor at remote Snaefells Glacier and uncovers a mysterious and wild community full of phantasmagoria and eccentricity, in a provocative novel by the late Nobel laureate.








Jar City: A Reykjavik Thriller by Arnaldur Indridason

Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson heads up the investigation into the killing of a solitary man, found murdered in his Reykjavik apartment, only to discover that the victim has only two friends, one in prison and one missing for twenty-five years, and that the dead man had been accused but not convicted of a rape forty years earlier.  







The Whispering Muse by Sjón

Invited to sail on a Danish merchant ship in 1949, eccentric Icelander, Valdimar Haraldsson, discovers the second mate on the ship is none other than Caeneus, the hero of Greek mythology, who regales his fellow shipmates with tales of the Golden Fleece.








Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Based on the true story of the last woman to be executed in Iceland in 1829, a young woman accused of murdering her master is sent to an isolated rural farm to await execution and tells the farmer's family her side of the story








Sagas of the Icelanders

Published in conjunction with the 1,000th anniversary of Leif Eriksson's voyage to America, the medieval Viking "Sagas" commemorate the adventures of the people who first settled Iceland and then braved the perils of the north Atlantic to explore Greenland and North America, in a volume that includes a preface by Jane Smiley.






Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland by Sarah Moss

Novelist Sarah Moss had a childhood dream of moving to Iceland, sustained by a wild summer there when she was nineteen. In 2009, she saw an advertisement for a job at the University of Iceland and applied on a whim, despite having two young children and a comfortable life in an English cathedral city. The resulting adventure was shaped by Iceland's economic collapse, which halved the value of her salary, by the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull and by a collection of new friends.





   

Rockinʼ around the Christmas tree!

ʻTis the season for all things merry and that includes music. If you are like me, sometimes my holiday cheer arrives a little late.  Here is a list of new holiday music to put you in the mood, find your Christmas spirit and help you spread some cheer. Happy listening!

Rockin' Rudolph

Brian Setzer Orchestra

Christmas With Friends

India.Arie

Today is Christmas

LeAnn Rimes

The Classic Christmas Album

Sarah McLachlan

Holiday Wishes

Idina Menzel

New Holiday Fiction

The holiday season is just about here and if you're anything like me, you love a good seasonal novel. Check out some of this year's new releases. These are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

Christmas Bells: a novel by Jennifer Chiaverini
A Christmas holiday story inspired by Longfellow's classic poem follows the experiences of a dedicated Boston teacher, who in the face of a dismal season, finds encouragement and renewal at the church where she volunteers.

A Christmas Escape: a novel by Anne Perry
Taking a trip to Sicily following his wife's death, James Latterly becomes caught up in the search for a killer who is among the small hotel's guests.

Wishes For Christmas by Fern Michaels
With the holiday approaching Sisterhood member Maggie Spritzer wants to bring happiness to a teacher from her past, while Toots and the Godmothers investigate a mystery surrounding a designer at an exclusive Charleston firm.

Long, Tall Christmas by Janet Dailey
Fighting her feelings for horse whisperer Sky Fletcher before dangerous complications in her privileged life threaten her survival, Lauren Prescott is embroiled in a plot that threatens to expose her protector's secret family ties.

Marry Me at Christmas by Susan Mallery
Small town bridal boutique owner Madeline Krug tries to resist falling for movie star Jonny Blaze while working closely with him to plan his sister's wedding.

Christmas On the Range by Diana Palmer
The Bark Before Christmas by Laurien Berenson
The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans
Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand
Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson
Dashing Through the Snow: A Christmas novel by Debbie Macomber
The Knights Bridge Christmas by Carla Neggers
Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller
Away in a Manger by Rhys Bowen
Together for Christmas by Katherine Spencer

Holiday Fiction

Check out some of this year's Christmas fiction new releases. These are sure to put you in the holiday spirit!

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
A family reunion at Kelley Quinn's Nantucket inn is thrown into turmoil by his four adult children's personal dramas and the discovery of his second wife's infidelity.

The Nightingale Before Christmas: a Meg Langslow Christmas Mystery by Donna Andrews
As the holidays draw near in Caerphilly, Mother volunteers to take part in in a big Christmas-themed decorator show house, insisting on Meg's help. Then the rooms start to be sabotaged, and an unfortunate designer turns up dead--making Mother a prime suspect. Can Meg catch the real killer in time to save Mother the indignity of arrest?

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: a Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron
Invited to spend the Christmas holiday season of 1814 at the ancestral home of the wealthy Chute family, Jane investigates the suspicious death of a Yuletide reveler whose killer is among the snowbound guests.

A Crafty Christmas by Molly Cox Bryan
While on a 10-day scrapbook-themed cruise in the Caribbean, Sheila finds her dreams of rest and relaxation shattered when a famous crafter is murdered aboard the ship and she becomes the number one suspect, forcing her to catch a killer before her own freedom goes overboard.

A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas
Sewing a special quilt during the months she waits for her soldier husband to return from the Civil War, Eliza Spooner bonds with other women in the face of a terrible loss and makes a difficult choice when she is asked to help an escaped slave.

Ho-Ho Homicide: a Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery by Kaitlyn Dunnett
While spending a week at her friend's Christmas tree farm, Liss MacCrimmon Ruskin is drawn into a mystery involving a dead body in a shipment of Scotch pine, a series of "accidents," and a strange maze of trees.

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans
Lonely divorcee Elise Dutton accepts a man's proposition to pretend for eight weeks--until the evening of December 24-- to be a couple. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.

Death of a Christmas Caterer by Lee Hollis
Hayley Powell finds her search for a cook to cater the office Christmas party turning into a murder investigation when the greedy gourmet who refused the job is found dead on his kitchen floor

Mr. Miracle: a Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber
Assigned to help young college student Addie Folsom get her life back on track, guardian angel Harry Mills poses as a teacher and oversees her relationship with contrary neighbor, Erich Simmons, with whom Addie is forced to spend Christmas.

Nora Bonesteel's Christmas Past: a Ballad Novella by Sharyn McCrumb
When the new owners of the old Honeycutt house decide to stay through Christmas, they discover something hidden in the walls of the house.

The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak
Single Eve Harmon feels down during the Christmas season when all of her friends are married, but her attitude suddenly changes when a handsome stranger comes to town.

A New York Christmas by Anne Perry
December, 1904. Jemima Pitt agrees to act as a "suitable companion" to her friend Delphinia, who is traveling to New York to be married to Brent Albright, toast of New York high society. Jemima is excited about the prospect of a Christmas adventure in a strange big city, but little does she expect to be enlisted on a top secret mission by Brent's brother Harley, to track down Delphinia's estranged mother.

Festive in Death by J.D. Robb
Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest. Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who’d been loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list—plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash. Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.

Christmas at Tiffany's by Karen Swan
In the wake of a heartbreaking betrayal, Cassie leaves the Scottish countryside to find her destiny in three of the most exciting cities in the world -- New York, Paris, and London -- in this funny and triumphant tale of fulfillment, friendship, and love.

An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer
As the calendar counts down to Christmas, Felicia heads to Nantucket to marry the love of her life, Archie. The twinkling lights that beckon from every window, the snow dusting the beautiful streets, the gorgeous red and white satin dress -- every detail is picture-perfect for a dream wedding. The only problem is, this is not Felicia's dream. Happier hiking in shorts than tending to hearth and home like her more traditional sister Lauren, Felicia has only agreed to a lavish winter wedding to make her mother Jilly happy. Just when it seems like this family is fated to wake up on Christmas morning to stockings full of coal, a holiday surprise brings them together for a very merry celebration.

Shadows on a Maine Christmas: an Antique Print Mystery by Lea Wait
After Maggie Summers, celebrating Christmas in Maine with her aunt, learns of a suspicious murder she receives a note containing a blackmail threat and, as she looks into the crime, discovers a dark secret from the past.

Put a little cool in your Christmas!

No matter how many renditions I hear of my favorite Christmas carols, I never tire of them, even Cee-lo Green has a new Christmas CD.  He teams up with Rod Stewart for a version of Merry Christmas, Baby. From Winter Wonderland and Run, Run Rudolph, to The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night, this Elvis and Bing-free list, will put some rhythm in your Christmas this year.

James Taylor at Christmas
Christmas in the Sand by Colbie Caillat
A Very Merry Perri Christmas by Christina Perri
Joy by Jewel
Glee the Music, The Christmas Album Music
Cheers, It's Christmas by Blake Shelton
Cee Lo's Magic Moment
Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas, Baby by Rod Stewart
Under the Mistletoe by Justin Bieber

Christmas Films - Make Mine A Comedy, Please!

Forget the stresses of Christmas shopping and other preparations in the run up to the coming holiday, if only just for a few hours. There is nothing like a good Christmas-themed comedy movie to get you back into the festive spirit. Relax and recharge with these classic Christmas comedies:

Four Christmases
This fairly recent movie follows a nonchalant couple as they must spend the holidays with their families.  The quirks of each of the four sets of parents and the mishaps at each of their homes are hilarious.  This Christmas comedy is perfect for any adult who faces the holidays with a certain amount of dread.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.

A Christmas Story
Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the '40's, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun. He sets out to convince the world this is the perfect gift. But along the way, he runs into opposition from his parents, his teacher, and even good 'ol Santa Claus himself.

Elf
Will Ferrell as Buddy makes this movie a must-see at the holidays. Stashed with Santa from an early age, Buddy travels to New York to find his real father.  The mere idea of a happy Elf in New York is funny enough, but Ferrell's acting brings an extra set of laughs.

Home Alone
An 8-year-old boy, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.

The Family Man
A comedy movie with a heart wrenching touch, in this film Nicholas Cage learns what his life would have been like if he'd made a different decision years ago.  The story of a man trying to fit into a world with children is one hilarious plot.

Christmas With the Kranks
Luther Krank is fed up with the commerciality of Christmas; he decides to skip the holiday and go on a vacation with his wife instead. But when his daughter decides at the last minute to come home, he must put together a holiday celebration.  It is based on the novel Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.

Deck the Halls
This holiday comedy is centered around two neighbors in a small New England town who go to war when one of them decides to decorate his house with a so many Christmas lights that they are visible from space. The neighborhood is turned upside down as the families try to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Surviving Christmas
Drew Latham is an executive leading an empty, shallow life with only wealth on his side. Facing another lonely Christmas ahead, Drew wants to revisit his old childhood home and possibly relive some old holiday memories. But when he arrives, he finds that the house in which he was raised is no longer the home in which he grew up. Inhabited by another family, Drew offers a nice financial reward that has the family ringing. But is Drew's generous cash offer only the beginning of an annoying visitor who's a little too overeager to celebrate Christmas?

Scrooged
Modern version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with Bill Murray portraying a nasty, uncaring, unforgiving TV network president. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts who show him the error of his ways.

Classic Christmas Stories

Nothing conveys the holidays quite like a classic Christmas story and the best story experiences come from a book + our own creative imagination. It wouldn't be Christmas without a reading of A Christmas Carol. Here are some classic stories to keep you in the holiday spirit:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Three ghosts take Ebeneezer Scrooge to Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future to change his ways in this all-time favorite story of repentance.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

This is one of the greatest works by O. Henry and the best Christmas romance ever written. It shows how we sacrifice for the ones we love.

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson
This is a sad tear jerker about a poor little girl who gets to have the Christmas of her dreams.

Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck

A classic tale about showing love on Christmas as a boy surprises his father on Christmas morning by getting up early and milking the cows on their farm.

Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
The classic tale of the fourth wise man, Artaben, who did not arrive in Bethlehem in time to present his gifts to the Saviour and spent his life searching for the Christ.

The Three Trees by Author Unknown

Three trees that dream of greatness are surprised by the way their dreams come true.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
This newer classic tells a story about a boy learning the importance of belief.

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
The original story about Santa Claus.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Who could forget the following classic line, "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

The Nativity Story (Luke 2:1-20)
This is the most classic story of Christmas.

Christian Fiction: Christmastime Stories

Here are some funny, inspiring or thought-provoking books to read for a quick break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations.

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon

Having pursued scholarly matters all of his life, Father Tim Kavanagh discovers the joys of working with his hands when he discovers a worn-out nativity scene and begins to restore it. This is number eight in the popular Mitford year’s series.

The Memory Quilt by T.D. Jakes

Life doesn't always unfold in a perfect way, even for God-loving, churchgoing people like Lela. It is winter in Chicago, and as the days of the season progress, Lela participates in a Bible study group that focuses on the Virgin Mary, and receives messages and guidance.

Christmas in Harmony by Philip Gulley
Quaker minister Sam Gardner copes with the eccentrics of his congregation while attempting to counter church elder Dale Hinshaw's plans for a "progressive" nativity scene on Christmas Eve.

A Plain and Fancy Christmas by Cynthia Keller
Raised in a close knit Amish community, Rachel returns to her parent’s home to raise her young daughter Katie after the death of her husband. Ellie has a high powered public relations job in New York City and has no time for her friends, family or her boyfriend. These two very different women receive shocking news that will change their lives forever; thirty years ago they were accidentally switched in the hospital. With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, it takes the love of both families for Rachel and Ellie to discover their own paths to fulfillment and happiness.

Dearest Dorothy, Merry Everything by Charlene Ann Baumbich
Through four Dearest Dorothy novels, Charlene Ann Baumbich has beguiled a growing legion of readers with the humorous and endearing denizens of Partonville, Illinois. Her latest heartwarming addition opens with everyone pitching in to help a local family rocked by tragedy. Meanwhile, Katie Durbin worries that her ambitious plan to revitalize Partonville's shopping district will crumble under the bullheaded doubts of a few townies-unless a Christmas miracle (and a few of Dearest Dorothy's prayers) can help her to win those stubborn folks over.

Hannah’s Hope by Karen Kingsbury
Because her father is the U.S. ambassador to Sweden, 15-year-old Hannah has been left in the care of her grandmother while she attends a Washington, DC, prep school. Hannah wants nothing more than to have her parents’ home for Christmas, but her world turns upside down when she uncovers that her father is not her biological father. Hannah's search for her father leads her to air force pilot Mike Conner, who has just accepted a dangerous mission in Iraq.

Romantic Christmas Stories

Not quite in the mood for the holidays yet? Too much running around? Want to read to relax - but don't have a lot of time? Want a feel good story? Try reading some romantic short stories!

A Harlequin Christmas Carol has three intertwined stories by Betina Krahn, Jacquie D'Alessandro and Hope Tarr  - Three apprentice angels are trying to get their wings, but they must find true love for their charges.

The Heart of Christmas has three historical stories by award winning Mary Balogh, Nicola Cornick, and newcomer Courtney Milan.

Under the Mistletoe contains two contemporary novellas by Linda Howard and Stephanie Bond. These tales bring together the joy of Christmas and the wonder of love.

And there are many more Christmas story collections in the Romance section - just check after the Z's. Or ask the librarian at the desk.

Sappy? Maybe. But take a some time for yourself during this busy season. Have a little romance, go to bed with a bit more Christmas cheer, and dream big!

Happy Holidays!

Download some Holiday Cheer!

Maybe you are hoping to unwrap an e-reader this holiday season, give one with some titles already loaded, or maybe you already have one and want to curl up with a good holiday title. Here are a few to consider in no particular order. Happy Holidays! (You will need your Glenview Public Library card number to check these ebooks out)





Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb
A hilarious account of fifth grader Felix Funicello in the months leading up to Christmas 1964. Set in the fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut.

Christmas in Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber
It's Christmas in Cedar Cove, setting for some of the most beloved stories by "New York Times"-bestselling author Macomber. This volume presents her classic holiday tale "A Cedar Cove Christmas," along with the bonus story 5-B Poppy Lane.

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank
Theodora has finally gotten her family together in South Carolina to celebrate Christmas, but the holiday looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood. Luckily for her, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives.

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
On a train ride to Los Angeles, cash-strapped journalist Tom Langdon encounters a ridiculous cast of characters, unexpected romance, and an avalanche that changes everyone's Christmas plans.

I'll Be Home for Christmas by Fern Michaels
Four classic holiday tales from beloved, "New York Times"-bestselling author Michaels are gathered together for this unforgettable collection. Includes Comfort and Joy, The Christmas Stocking, A Bright Red Ribbon, and Merry, Merry.

Holiday fiction from years before

While there is plenty of new holiday fiction being released every year by popular authors like Jan Karon and Debbie Macomber, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of the classic favorites from the past. Sometimes I find myself reading the same stories year after year (just as we do with our favorite holiday movies!)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future.

Other Dickens Christmas stories:
Charles Dickens Christmas Tales
A Christmas carol -- The chimes -- The cricket on the hearth -- The haunted man -- A Christmas-tree -- What Christmas is as we grow older -- The poor relation's story -- The seven poor travellers -- The holly-tree -- Doctor Marigold.

Christmas Classics from the Modern Library
Includes The Gift of the Magi and The Fir Tree and many other classics, including
songs and carols.
A Treasury of Christmas Classics
Unforgettable classics by Hans Christian Andersen, Louisa May Alcott, O. Henry, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Corrie ten Boom and many others convey all the mystery and marvelous joy of Christmas.

Inspirational stories:
Chicken soup for the soul : the book of Christmas virtues : inspirational stories to warm the heart
Fatures seven virtues that are traditionally associated with Christmas. Each one is discussed in a short inspirational essay then illustrated by four to five all-new heart-touching true stories.


For the young at heart:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young women in nineteenth-century New England.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Clement C. Moore's famous 19th century poem.

Upcoming Holiday Fiction

Halloween is just around the corner, but it's not too early to start on Holiday Fiction. In fact, some Holiday fiction has already started to come in at the library. Whether you're in the mood for a romance, something inspirational, cozy or a good Christmas mystery, many of your favorite bestselling authors have something special for the holiday season. Most of these titles are on order or already in, so reserve a copy today to ensure that you read them before the holidays are over!





A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor
A wealthy and depressed man bound for Christmas in the tropics is abruptly summoned home to North Dakota to visit an ailing aunt, arriving just in time to be trapped there by a blizzard.

The Christmas Cookie Club: a novel by Ann Pearlman
On a snowy December night, 12 women meet for a cookie exchange, where they tell stories of the cookies they baked, tales that are emblematic of the year that has just passed and focus on sisterly love and conflict.

Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn G. Hart
When a determined heir moves to block a wealthy woman's attempt to include her newly discovered grandson in her will, it is up to good-intentioned ghost Bailey Ruth Raeburn to protect a little boy, foil a murderer, and save Christmas.

One Week in December by Holly Chamberlin
Reunited with her family for the holidays, Becca Rowan, fueled by loneliness and longing, makes a shocking announcement that brings up long-buried resentments, secrets, and guilt, which challenges her own preconceptions about family and love.

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs
Prim librarian Maureen Davenport lives for Christmas--and there's nothing more magical than Christmas on Willow Lake. Finally getting her chance to direct Avalon's annual holiday pageant, she's determined to make it truly spectacular. But it might just require one of those Christmas miracles she's always read about if her co-director-- recovering former child star Eddie Haven--has his way. Is he trying to sabotage the performance to spite her? Or is she trying too hard to fit the show into her storybook-perfect notion of Christmas?
(part of the Lakeshore Chronicles series)

A Christmas Promise: a novel by Anne Perry
When a younger fellow orphan is imperiled by her uncle's murder and the disappearance of a family donkey, Gracie, Charlotte Pitt's maid, aids the child's search for both the killer and the donkey.

Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
Dakota Walker--along with her father, her grandparents and her mother's best friend, Catherine--visits her Gran for the Christmas holidays in Scotland, where the family members reminisce about Dakota's mother, Georgia, from Georgia's childhood to her blissful time as a doting new mom.
(from the Friday Night Knitting Club series)

Black Friday: a Maggie O'Dell novel by Alex Kava
Maggie O'Dell leads an investigation into the bombing of the nation's largest shopping center, uncovering paranoia, racism and a sinister secret agenda that extends to the highest ranks of a white-collar lobby group. As retailers count down to Christmas Eve, Maggie knows that infiltration is the only option--even though the cost could be huge.
(part of the Maggie O'Dell series)

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Thirty-three-year-old Cassie wants a husband and kids, and she turns to Simon Dodson, a professional matchmaker for help. Dodson assigns her three tasks to complete, and despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie completes them all. Her Christmas match turns out to be a wonderful surprise.

Home for Christmas by Andrew Greeley
Years after abandoning his childhood sweetheart, Pete Kane becomes a distinguished army captain and experiences a transforming near-death experience after a bomb attack, a situation throughout which he is encouraged by an old friend to rekindle his past relationship.

Plum Pudding Murder: a Hannah Swensen mystery by Joanne Fluke
When Larry Jaeger, the owner of the Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot, is murdered, bakery owner Hannah Swensen, during the busiest time of the year, must sift through a wealth of suspects before a murderous Scrooge strikes again.
(part of the Hannah Swensen mysteries series)


We have many more, including some bestsellers from past holiday seasons, including an oldie by goodie - a riot, and my personal favorite Christmas fiction:

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Luther and Nora Krank have decided to set sail on a Caribbean cruise on December 25th and skip Christmas. They are about to discover that their decision brings enormous consequences--and isn't half as easy as they imagined.