Recommended Christmas reading

pianolady831

Mentioning the reading of Christmas-themed books on another thread got me to thinking about why I enjoy them so much. They’re generally heartwarming and uplifting, filled with hope – as are a lot of other books. Maybe, for me, there’s a poignancy and touch of the supernatural that we don’t always see.

And then I realized that many of the books I loved most were published 10 or more years ago, so I started compiling a list of books to enjoy again or read for the first time because I never got around to them. I’m sure I’ve overlooked some, and there’s tons of Love Inspired, Amish, Melody Carlson, Richard Paul Evans, and Thomas Kinkade books that I didn’t include.

Asterisks indicate those that I remember having enjoyed, with my “best of the best” being MERCY COME MORNING by Lisa Tawn Bergren (original title was CHRISTMAS EVERY MORNING) and both of Cynthia Ruchti’s books.

Please share your own favorites.

CHRISTMAS book list…

Abbott, Scott – The Ghost of Christmas Present
Alexander, Tamara – Christmas at Carnton
Allee, Jennifer – A Wild Goose Chase Christmas
Austin, Lynn – The Wish Book Christmas
Bergren, Lisa Tawn – Mercy Come Morning**
Bricker, Sandra D. – Sleigh Bells Ring
Bunn, Davis – Tidings of Comfort and Joy
Bunn, Davis – Prayers of a Stranger**
Bunn, Davis – One Shenandoah Winter
Cabot, Amanda – Christmas Roses
Cannon, Julie L. – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Chapman, Vannetta – The Amish Christmas Matchmaker
Chiaverini, Jennifer – Christmas Bells
Coffey, Billy – Snow Day
Collins, Ace – The Christmas Star
Copeland, Lori – The Christmas Lamp
Deese, Nicole – A Cliché Christmas
Fabry, Chris – A Marriage Carol**
Fisher, Suzanne Woods – A Lancaster County Christmas**
Gray, John – Manchester Christmas
Gray, Shelley Shephard – His Promise
Gunn, Robin Jones – Finding Father Christmas**
Higgs, Liz Curtis – A Wreath of Snow
Hubbard, Charlotte – Christmas Comes to Morning Star
Hubbard, Charlotte – Christmas at Promise Lodge
Hubbard, Charlotte – A Simple Christmas
Johnson, Myra – One Imperfect Christmas
Kingsbury, Karen – Red Gloves Collection**
Latham, Delia – First Noelle
Medlicott, Joan – A Blue and Gray Christmas
Miller, Robert Tate – Forever Christmas
Morris, Gilbert – The Angel of Bastogne**
Nicholaus, Bret – The Christmas Letters
Nichols, Phyllis Clark – The Christmas Portrait
Nichols, Phyllis Clark – Christmas at Grey Sage**
Nichols, Phyllis Clark – Silent Days, Holy Night
Palmer, Catherine – A Victorian Christmas
Patchen, Robin – One Christmas Eve
Pittman, Joseph – A Christmas Hope
Reid, Don – O Little Town
Rivers, Francine – The Shoe Box
Rodgers, Anne Marie – Saints Among Us
Rogers, Martha – Christmas at Holly Hill
Rogers, Martha – Christmas at Stoney Creek
Ruchti, Cynthia – An Endless Christmas**
Ruchti, Cynthia – Restoring Christmas**
Salamon, Julie – The Christmas Tree
Shope, Robin – The Christmas Edition
Singer, Randy – The Judge Who Stole Christmas**
Stovall, Jim – A Christmas Snow
Stowe, Tanya – White Christmas
Various – A Log Cabin Christmas**
Various – A Patchwork Christmas**
Various – A Plain & Sweet Christmas Romance
Various – Amish Christmas at North Star
Various – An Amish Christmas Wedding
Various – Love’s Pure Light (novellas)
Various – A Prairie Christmas Collection
Various – Joy to the World
Various – Where Treetops Glisten**
Vaughan, Robert – Christmas Past
Various – The Christmas Heirloom
Wheeler, Joe – Christmas in My Heart (short stories)
Witemeyer, Karen – Under the Texas Mistletoe
Wright, Jason F. – Christmas Jars

Restfinder

Wow, this is great. Thanks Carole

connierandel

This is great. I need to print it off and delve into it. I really like Cynthia Ruchti, so that will probably be the first.

pianolady831

Last night, I kept thinking that there was an author that I loved, but couldn't remember his name. Got it! Dan Walsh...

Walsh, Dan – Keeping Christmas**
Walsh, Dan – Remembering Christmas
Walsh, Dan – The Unfinished Gift**

Kathi Macias has also written several Christmas themes that look good, but I haven't been able to find any of hers through the library or their ebook sources.

Most books released today seem to be light romances, while many of these older ones have more poignancy and drama. For instance, MERCY COME MORNING by Bergren that I enjoyed so much is about Alzheimer's.

connierandel

I just had my hold come up for JOY TO THE WORLD and I am on the waiting list for THE WISH BOOK CHRISTMAS.

I copied the list into a document and am highlighting the ones I have read. Now I just need to try to look up some of the others. Unfortunately none of my libraries seem to have the Cynthia Ruchti books, but I'm not giving up easily.

Here is a series that I really enjoyed last year. They are just short novellas, but I love the premise. Especially the first book:
Christmas Card series
THE CHRISTMAS CARD by Amanda Tru (Christmas) KU
A CINDERELLA CHRISTMAS by Amanda Tru (Christmas) KU
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS by Amanda Tru (Christmas) KU

Also Colleen Coble has a couple of great older Christmas books. They are parts of two different series, but have been sold in a boxed set at one time.
HOLY NIGHT by Colleen Coble (novella - light mystery)
ALL IS CALM by Colleen Coble (Christmas mystery)

Restfinder

I got an e-mail with a 32 book BRIDES AND BLESSINGS offer today. The set is $.99 to buy or on KU. It is regency Christmas stories. It says it is Christian, so hopefully it will be clean.https://amazon.com/Christmas-Brides-Blessings-Book-Gift-ebook/dp/B09HCRH9NJ