"Books" Archive

Hanukkah starts on December 25th this year. Here are just a few books about Hanukkah to help you celebrate.

Children’s Books

Uri and the king of darkness: a Hanukkah story ›by Nati Bait / Latkes and applesauce: a Hanukkah story by Fran Manushkin / Hanukkah bear /by Eric A. Kimmel / Is it Hanukkah yet? by Nancy Krulik

Young Adult Fiction

Eight dates and nights by Betsy Aldredge / Recommended for you by Laura Silverman / Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds

Adult Fiction

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies (and other similar Christmas movies) here are just a few books that might give you the same feeling.

The Christmas Inn / Pamela M. Kelley

Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall. When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more-a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.

Book / eBook

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas / Susan Wiggs

Brenda Malloy wants nothing to do with Christmas ever again. Last year, Brenda and her husband rushed their beloved dog, Tim, to the emergency vet on Christmas eve. The good news: Tim survived after the vet cleared the obstruction–a pair of women’s lace undies. The bad news: the undies were not Brenda’s. A year after the breakup, Brenda has put her life back together. She’s trained for a marathon, is writing a children’s novel, and she’s found purpose and healing as a volunteer with a dog rescue organization in Houston, Texas. The rescue partners with a program in Avalon, New York–a small, snowy town deep in the Catskills. Now Brenda is arranging the transport of rescued dogs from Houston to Avalon–just in time for a merry Christmas with their forever families. Brenda’s friends worry about her driving a van two thousand miles with twelve dogs in crates, but she shrugs off their concern. How hard can it be? She knows the way, and she’s just looking to escape the Christmas overload for a while. But a blinding snowstorm, an escaped mutt, and a lifesaving encounter with Adam Bellamy–a single dad and paramedic–mean Brenda has to stay in Avalon longer than she planned. As she drops off each precious pup at their new home, some of the comfort and joy of the season begins to creep up on Brenda despite her determination to avoid the holidays. Perhaps you can bring Christmas into your heart after all… if you have the right furry friends to guide the way.

Book

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year / Ally Carter

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt. She’s the new queen of the cozy mystery. He’s Mr. Big-Time thriller guy. But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world…That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone. She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

Book/ eBook/ eAudio

 Evergreen Christmas / Janet Dailey

Christmas is an especially exciting season in aptly named Noel, North Carolina, host of the annual 12 Competitions of Christmas, not to mention one of the largest producers of Christmas trees in the country–and it’s not a bad place for a newcomer to put down roots either.

Book/ eBook/ eAudio

A Christmas duet / Debbie Macomber

A solo holiday trip inspires one woman to rediscover her passion-and remember that, sometimes, duets are more fun-in this romantic Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Hailey Morgan’s life has always revolved around music. She once had big dreams of composing her own songs, but the reality of life has led her to working as an assistant high school band teacher in Portland, Oregon. As the holidays approach, Hailey dreads the annual tradition of Christmas with her meddling family, where she’ll have to play nice while dodging their traditional expectations. When Hailey’s close friend offers her family’s empty cabin for a rejuvenating solo retreat, Hailey finally decides to do something to make herself happy. However, her arrival in small-town Podunk, Washington, is anything but peaceful when she discovers the cabin is occupied by several wild animals. Luckily, Jay, the mayor’s son-who happens to be an incredibly charming former musician-is more than willing to help. Soon Hailey and Jay are nearly inseparable, chopping down and decorating a Christmas tree, sipping hot cocoa in front of a cozy fire, and best of all, playing music together. Jay’s encouragement and feedback inspire Hailey to believe she might succeed as a songwriter after all. But even in her snow-dusted oasis, family holiday drama still finds Hailey, threatening her newfound peace and confidence, while she realizes Jay might be more than he presents himself to be. Suddenly her Christmas paradise has become a winter storm and Hailey must weather through the challenges to stand up for herself and embrace the holiday spirit.

Book/ eBook/ eAudio

Snowed in for Christmas / Sarah Morgan

A FAMILY GATHERING. This Christmas, the Miller siblings have one goal–to avoid their well-meaning family’s prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention. AN UNIVITED GUEST. Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas. A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER. When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she’s mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they’re snowed in–she can’t leave, even if she want to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy’s worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.

Book/ eAudio

The Road to Christmas / Sheila Roberts

Michelle and Max are not planning on a happy holiday. Their marriage is in shambles and the D word has entered their vocabulary. But now their youngest daughter, Julia, wants everyone to come to her new house in Idaho for Christmas, and she’s got the guest room all ready for Mom and Dad. Oh, joy. Their other daughters, Audrey and Shyla, are driving up from California and hoping to meet a sexy rancher for Audrey along the way. What they don’t plan on is getting stranded on a ranch when the car breaks down. The ones with the shortest drive are Grandma and Grandpa, also known as Hazel and Warren. It’s still a bit of a trek, and Hazel doesn’t like the idea of driving all that way in snow, but Warren knows they’ll have no problem. They have a reliable car, and snow tires and chains if they need them. They’ll be fine. Surprises lie in store for all three sets of intrepid travelers as they set out on three very different adventures, all leading to one memorable family Christmas.

Book

Bright Lights, Big Christmas / Mary Kay Andrews

Newly single and unemployed Kerry Tolliver needs a second chance. When she moves back home to her family’s Christmas tree farm in North Carolina, she is guilt tripped into helping her brother, Murphy, sell trees in New York City. She begrudgingly agrees, but she isn’t happy about sharing a trailer with her brother in the East Village for two months. Plus, it’s been years, since before her parents’ divorce, that she’s been to the city to sell Christmas trees. Then, Kerry meets Patrick, the annoying Mercedes owner who parked in her spot for the first two days. Patrick is recently divorced, a father to a six year old son, and lives in the neighborhood. Can Kerry’s first impressions about the recently divorced, single father, and–dare she say, handsome–neighbor be wrong? Surrounded by warm childhood memories, sparkling possibility, and the magic of Christmas in the City, will Kerry finally get the second chance she needs to find herself… and maybe even find love?

Book/ eBook / eAudio

That Christmas / Richard Curtis

It’s an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone’s plans, including Santa’s.

Dec 4th / Netflix

The Children’s Train / Viola Ardone

A seven-year-old boy named Amerigo who in 1946 leaves his impoverished family in Naples and gets on a train to go live with a wealthier family in the north as part of a postwar initiative to rescue children from poverty.

Dec 4th / Netflix

Nightbitch / Rachel Yoder

Dec 6th / Theatres / Put on hold

Foregone / Russell Banks

(Oh, Canada)

Leonard Fife, one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, shares all his secrets to de-mythologize his mythologized life.

Dec 6th / Theatres / Put on hold

One hundred years of solitude / Gabriel García Márquez

Dec 11th / Netflix / Put on hold

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

(based on the world by J.R.R. Tolkien)

A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.

Dec 13th / Theatres/ Put on hold

Virgin River/ Robyn Carr

(Season 6)

Seeking a fresh start, nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe moves from Los Angeles to a remote Northern California town and is surprised by what and who she finds.

Dec 19th / Netflix/ Put on hold