Merry Christmas Reads

I admit it: I’m a sucker for Christmas books. As Readers’ Advisors at CMPLD, we read our share of “serious” literary fiction throughout the year – but I give myself a free pass during the month of December to read only “shiny, happy” books. I thought I would share some of my favorites.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe: A Pink Carnation Christmas by Lauren Willig

If you’ve read any of the Pink Carnation Regency series by Willig, you’ll know that you’re in for a treat. And if you haven’t, don’t worry – you can easily get the drift of this book without having read any others. Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh -- often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation -- has blundered into danger before. But when he blunders into Miss Arabella Dempsey, it never occurs to him that she might be trouble. When Turnip and Arabella stumble upon a beautifully wrapped Christmas pudding with a cryptic message written in French, the unlikely vehicle for intrigue launches the pair on a Yuletide adventure. Will they find poinsettias or peril, dancing or danger? Is it possible that the fate of the British Empire rests in Arabella's and Turnip's hands, in the form of a festive Christmas pudding? Witty and fun, this book will leave you laughing and wishing for more.

P.S. Lauren Willig is coming to Aspen Drive Library in February! Come and meet her then!

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon

This eighth book in Karon’s popular Mitford series takes us to Christmas in the small North Carolina town of Mitford, where you will find one of the most endearing cast of characters you’re likely to encounter in contemporary fiction. Father Tim, protagonist of the novels, has always lived what he calls "the life of the mind" and has never really learned to savor the work of his hands. When he finds a derelict nativity scene that has suffered the indignities of time and neglect, he imagines the excitement in the eyes of his wife, Cynthia, and decides to undertake the daunting task of restoring it. As Father Tim begins his journey, readers are given a seat at Mitford’s holiday table and treated to a magical tale about the true Christmas spirit. The book is a wonderful, faith-restoring reflection on the holiday season.

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

Baldacci has departed from the thriller genre several times in recent years, and this sweet novella is a pleasant diversion. In homage to the lost experience of train travel, he sets his story on a cross-country train from Washington, D.C. to L.A. Banned from flying on airplanes after a hostile incident at an airport security checkpoint, main character Tom Langdon is forced to take a cross-country train to meet his girlfriend for Christmas. As he begins talking to the passengers and staff aboard the train, he meets an eccentric older woman who seems to be a regular rider, a young couple preparing to marry on the train, and a former Catholic priest. To Tom's shock, the former love of his life, Eleanor, is also aboard the train. Sparks fly between them, bringing up old feelings along with the unresolved issues from their relationship. Tom realizes this might be his second chance with Eleanor, but a series of unexpected events may derail his plans. Plot summary copyright 2002 Booklist Reviews