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Christmas #5
A Texas Hill Country Christmas
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors As winter descends on the great state of Texas, the Jensen family faces off with renegades, rivals, and one raging storm ― in this special yuletide adventure from America's beloved western storytellers. This year, the Jensen family is in for a stormy Christmas they will never forget ― and one deadly showdown they may never survive . . .
455 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2015
52 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,034 books1,392 followersWilliam W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 11, 2021
An excellent bullet and gun smoke filled tour through the Texas Hill Country as the various Jensens’ paths converge on Enchanted Rock. As Christmas arrives, their individual adventures lead them to an epic showdown on top of the legendary Hill Country landmark.
Living close to the Hill Country makes the story even more enjoyable as I can check off the list of places I’ve been such as the Menger Hotel, the Buckhorn Saloon and various towns like Johnson City and Fredericksburg.
Living close to the Hill Country makes the story even more enjoyable as I can check off the list of places I’ve been such as the Menger Hotel, the Buckhorn Saloon and various towns like Johnson City and Fredericksburg.
December 31, 2021
It’s always nice to read books about places that you are familiar with, this book took me back home and I loved it. Great Old West story with all the fixings.
November 13, 2015
The 5th book in the Christmas series is great, as are all Johnstone books. This one includes several Jensens in the same place at once. Naturally the bad guys lose to the Jensens, especially when they are all there. I always love Johnstone’s books. An interesting sidenote in this book is that a well-known historical author is one of the characters in the book. He did live in Texas for a few years of his life. I remembered his real name from history, so recognized the character when he appeared in the book. Many of the younger people, I am 81, probably will not recognize his real name but would probably know his pen name. Read the book to find out.
February 4, 2017
A Texas Hill Country Christmas by Wm Johnstone
I have found this western writer long after his death but the family continues with a site that honors his writing. I love the ones about Christmas and all the men and women in them that have wonderful hearts. If you like to read about the old west and especially Christmas tale you will want to stop and relax with this story.
I have found this western writer long after his death but the family continues with a site that honors his writing. I love the ones about Christmas and all the men and women in them that have wonderful hearts. If you like to read about the old west and especially Christmas tale you will want to stop and relax with this story.
January 10, 2017
Marvelous plot, one of the best! And the message of Christmas is unmistakable!!
June 27, 2017
A fast paced western with more dead hombres than I can count;)
December 16, 2015
I'll continue to stand by this franchise as great Western writing. Let me share a passage that kind of sums up the writing that these authors bring to the table, the sort that grips you and makes you want to turn page after page:
"Almost before the man hit the ground, Matt (Jensen)had worked the rifle's lever again and shifted his aim. Once more the Winchester barked its deadly message.. This time the target stumbled from the slug's impact but stayed on his feet until Matt drilled him a second time. That put the renegade down for good."
Some of my learned and respected colleagues may snicker but it is diversion reading at its best.
"Almost before the man hit the ground, Matt (Jensen)had worked the rifle's lever again and shifted his aim. Once more the Winchester barked its deadly message.. This time the target stumbled from the slug's impact but stayed on his feet until Matt drilled him a second time. That put the renegade down for good."
Some of my learned and respected colleagues may snicker but it is diversion reading at its best.
January 9, 2022
I've read several of the Christmas books by this author (franchise). I have enjoyed all the ones that I've read, and I knew that I'd want to read another for the Christmas season (even though I finished it up a bit late because I have a lot of irons in the proverbial fire).
Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters (as always) and their adventures. The various plots were interesting, and I liked how they all came together. It was a good book, overall.
However, I have a few (admittedly minor) complaints. The book was a Christmas book, but I honestly forgot that several times while reading. I felt like it could have used a little more "Christmas" to remind me that I was reading one of the Christmas specials. It was a good western, don't get me wrong, and there were "clumps of Christmas" throughout, but it could have been a bit more seasonal for my tastes.
The other complaint is also very minor. I enjoyed the book, and I never read the description for it until AFTER I had finished reading. The description, while technically accurate, is not exactly accurate. I honestly don't know how to explain that without spoiling anything in the book, but I feel like it's just a touch misleading. However, I will say that nothing about the slightly-off feeling of the description detracts from the story in any way.
This book is not bad at all, and I enjoyed it on the whole, but I would have to say that it's certainly not the best of the Christmas books that I've read so far by this author. I would recommend it, but if you're a connoisseur of these books, I'd let you know that it might not be the best one that you read.
Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters (as always) and their adventures. The various plots were interesting, and I liked how they all came together. It was a good book, overall.
However, I have a few (admittedly minor) complaints. The book was a Christmas book, but I honestly forgot that several times while reading. I felt like it could have used a little more "Christmas" to remind me that I was reading one of the Christmas specials. It was a good western, don't get me wrong, and there were "clumps of Christmas" throughout, but it could have been a bit more seasonal for my tastes.
The other complaint is also very minor. I enjoyed the book, and I never read the description for it until AFTER I had finished reading. The description, while technically accurate, is not exactly accurate. I honestly don't know how to explain that without spoiling anything in the book, but I feel like it's just a touch misleading. However, I will say that nothing about the slightly-off feeling of the description detracts from the story in any way.
This book is not bad at all, and I enjoyed it on the whole, but I would have to say that it's certainly not the best of the Christmas books that I've read so far by this author. I would recommend it, but if you're a connoisseur of these books, I'd let you know that it might not be the best one that you read.
September 15, 2017
A Texas Hill country Christmas by Johnstone_ William W - Johnstone_ J. A
Has been a while that I read a book by the Johnstones and have enjoyed the westerns.
Love this audio book as each character has a different voice associated with it.
I am familiar with the characters and what a great time to catch up-with a holiday read.
Central TX and it's Christmas time surrounded by the younger crowd of the family.
Ellen educates the kids on who Sam and Luke, Ace and Chance were. Story starts back in the day...
Chance and his twin brother, Ace went down to TX from CO thinking it'd be warmer during the winter months.
Just rain for weeks as the card game wins Chance money. Love the humor as they pair up with others in a bar fight... Luke Jenssen is the bounty hunter and is used to trouble.
Twins decide to go with Porter so he can stop the woman from marrying the larger man.
Sam and his wife Sally have also left CO and will holiday with a family they hope to do business with.
Things don't go as smoothly as they all had hoped. Lots of action, adventure and good family memories, rogue Indians, bank and stage robberies,
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Has been a while that I read a book by the Johnstones and have enjoyed the westerns.
Love this audio book as each character has a different voice associated with it.
I am familiar with the characters and what a great time to catch up-with a holiday read.
Central TX and it's Christmas time surrounded by the younger crowd of the family.
Ellen educates the kids on who Sam and Luke, Ace and Chance were. Story starts back in the day...
Chance and his twin brother, Ace went down to TX from CO thinking it'd be warmer during the winter months.
Just rain for weeks as the card game wins Chance money. Love the humor as they pair up with others in a bar fight... Luke Jenssen is the bounty hunter and is used to trouble.
Twins decide to go with Porter so he can stop the woman from marrying the larger man.
Sam and his wife Sally have also left CO and will holiday with a family they hope to do business with.
Things don't go as smoothly as they all had hoped. Lots of action, adventure and good family memories, rogue Indians, bank and stage robberies,
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
December 3, 2021
Oh man, you know what this series of VERY silly gun-shooty Westerns needs? MORE JENSENS. Smoke Jensen isn't the primary protagonist here, but not to worry, he gets to have a one on one hand to hand combat scene. More Jensens are introduced and they're all basically the same.
This story is REAL cringy at times, but that's the format.
1) A Jensen goes to a place
2) A baddie is introduced
3) The Baddie is dispatched, violently. (When a Jensen shoots, they don't miss)
4) Everyone has awkward conversations
5) The Jensens rejoice
**REPEAT**
There isn't any tension in any of the scenes. The antagonists have simple motivations, and all get cut down by our heroes. It's straight out of a 1950 TV show.
Bonus Points for introducing a character who gets Friendzoned, refuses to accept it and his actions end up leading to the deaths of a bunch of people, only to not marry the woman he so desperately wanted to be with. HI-LARITY.
The author's insistence on VERY carefully explaining the nuances of a gun battle is very entertaining to me.
This story is REAL cringy at times, but that's the format.
1) A Jensen goes to a place
2) A baddie is introduced
3) The Baddie is dispatched, violently. (When a Jensen shoots, they don't miss)
4) Everyone has awkward conversations
5) The Jensens rejoice
**REPEAT**
There isn't any tension in any of the scenes. The antagonists have simple motivations, and all get cut down by our heroes. It's straight out of a 1950 TV show.
Bonus Points for introducing a character who gets Friendzoned, refuses to accept it and his actions end up leading to the deaths of a bunch of people, only to not marry the woman he so desperately wanted to be with. HI-LARITY.
The author's insistence on VERY carefully explaining the nuances of a gun battle is very entertaining to me.
November 17, 2018
Christmas is drawing near and the Jensen Clan is planning on meeting up to celebrate. Of course, none of them have an easy route to the anticipated get together.
As a bounty hunter, Luke is trying to find several bad guys, one of which has changed his ways and is now a preacher. Smoke and his wife Sally are on a stagecoach that hits really bad weather and a murder or two at various stops along the way. Matt is minding his own business until he hears some gun shots and goes to investigate. Twins, Ace and Chance, are trying to help a friend who is in love with a woman who is engaged to a very bad man and she doesn't know it.
Each of Wm. Johnstone's Christmas stories seem to have several stories within the main story. It is hard to believe that they will all come together eventually but they do, with a bang!
A fun western, with great characters. I haven't read any of his books other than the Christmas ones but I would like to do so.
As a bounty hunter, Luke is trying to find several bad guys, one of which has changed his ways and is now a preacher. Smoke and his wife Sally are on a stagecoach that hits really bad weather and a murder or two at various stops along the way. Matt is minding his own business until he hears some gun shots and goes to investigate. Twins, Ace and Chance, are trying to help a friend who is in love with a woman who is engaged to a very bad man and she doesn't know it.
Each of Wm. Johnstone's Christmas stories seem to have several stories within the main story. It is hard to believe that they will all come together eventually but they do, with a bang!
A fun western, with great characters. I haven't read any of his books other than the Christmas ones but I would like to do so.
December 30, 2020
A good tale. With mild amounts of Christmas mostly at the end.
As much as I write that the Johnstone Clan needs to thin it's herd of series and stop adding to them and focus on quality for the core, the pastor character included could be part of a series.
The book is a bit ponderous at first. I can see this especially true for those unfamiliar with the crowd of Johnstone characters included. Also the confusion of so many Jensens and the contrived business linking them all.
Involving characters, with so much going on through the book, the usual Johnstone magic of strong characters continues. Many will seem familiar from the few hundred other books of the Clan. Still well handled and written.
The plotting is excellent in that, despite how much contrived, many angles converge nicely in the end. The writing is standard Johnstone. Works for the material, but lacking otherwise.
Bottom line: i recommend this novel: 7 out of ten points.
As much as I write that the Johnstone Clan needs to thin it's herd of series and stop adding to them and focus on quality for the core, the pastor character included could be part of a series.
The book is a bit ponderous at first. I can see this especially true for those unfamiliar with the crowd of Johnstone characters included. Also the confusion of so many Jensens and the contrived business linking them all.
Involving characters, with so much going on through the book, the usual Johnstone magic of strong characters continues. Many will seem familiar from the few hundred other books of the Clan. Still well handled and written.
The plotting is excellent in that, despite how much contrived, many angles converge nicely in the end. The writing is standard Johnstone. Works for the material, but lacking otherwise.
Bottom line: i recommend this novel: 7 out of ten points.
September 13, 2018
This is the first western I've read from Grandpa's collection. I can't really imagine how the others will be different because this story was chalk-full of every cliché old western thing ever: bar fights, damsels in distress, evil outlaws, love triangles, shootouts, Indian fights, cold blooded murders, church, and black coffee. It was a pretty entertaining read and I really enjoyed the writing style. The characters were fun and I could easily picture them in my mind. It would be a fun book to turn into a graphic novel. I could picture it all as I read. Ace and Chance are cutie pies and I wonder if there's a tv show with these characters.
August 21, 2022
Christmas themed books are so great. Christmas and mystery are better. If it's possible each Johnstone Christmas western is better than the previous one. Five Jensen's ended up at the same place at the same time. An outlaw turned pastor had a lot to learn, and a lot to teach touched by the Jensens. It'll be fun to see how Ace and Chance (the two younger of the group) develop in further books. Christmas with cowboys, outlaws, and indians with a stay on the edge of your seat action are the best westerns one could read.
December 23, 2023
The Graphic Audio version of this is excellent. It was really fun to listen to on my Christmas trip to Fredericksburg.
The William Johnstone brand is sketchy as heck though. He's been dead twenty years and they don't credit the real authors of these books. If you believe what they claim a dead guy and his niece are now writing more than twenty books a year?
The William Johnstone brand is sketchy as heck though. He's been dead twenty years and they don't credit the real authors of these books. If you believe what they claim a dead guy and his niece are now writing more than twenty books a year?
June 4, 2020
I typically do not read westerns but this was a pretty good little story. On a Christmas, a grandmother is telling her grandchildren a story of their family of many Christmases long ago. A story of bounty hunters and gunslingers all on the good side of the law.
January 31, 2021
Kind of takes us back in time with the Jensen's to help us get a deeper understanding of the relationship of some of the Jensen's with each other. I like it because it filled in some questions that I had about the family lineage.
April 7, 2018
DNF! Way too much going on. It didn't keep my interest.
May 8, 2018
This was a fun shoot-em-up and the-bad-guy loses western. You keep turning pages and reading because it’s hard to put down and walk away. I really enjoyed reading this book.
February 8, 2019
Another good read from one of my favorite authors.
Recommend it to anyone.
Recommend it to anyone.
January 4, 2021
I'm not a super fan of most of the Jensen family, but this story was interesting and gave me some insights on the characters that I didn't know.
January 2, 2022
A fun listen
December 24, 2022
Not bad, but just because you set your story at Christmas time does not make this a Christmas story.
December 30, 2022
Not bad, but definitely not the best one so far in this series.
January 13, 2023
Way over written, would have been more interesting if told in have the number of words or pages.
November 6, 2023
This was a good story about the wild west Texas and the Jensen family. Grandma is telling the story to her grandchildren in more modern times. It can be read as a stand alone but is part of a series.
June 4, 2024
A Texas Hill Country Christmas
What a story of action that
brought Smoke, Matt,
Ace and Chance at Texas Hill Country on Christmas Eve together.
What a story of action that
brought Smoke, Matt,
Ace and Chance at Texas Hill Country on Christmas Eve together.
November 4, 2024
A riveting tale of the old west! Loved it 😍
October 30, 2019
Great Read
I love the way he has two or three stories going st the same time then ties them together in the end. Plan on reading a lot more of his books.
I love the way he has two or three stories going st the same time then ties them together in the end. Plan on reading a lot more of his books.
January 3, 2016
A Wet Christmas but A Good Story
This holiday story has plenty of onery outlaws, a preacher with a hidden past, a couple of kidnappings, some romance, and enough rainfall to put Noah on flood alert. It's going to take a total of five Jensen men to handle the trouble that always seems to find this family, but watching them get into and out of it makes for an enjoyable read. Recommended.
This holiday story has plenty of onery outlaws, a preacher with a hidden past, a couple of kidnappings, some romance, and enough rainfall to put Noah on flood alert. It's going to take a total of five Jensen men to handle the trouble that always seems to find this family, but watching them get into and out of it makes for an enjoyable read. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews