You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Reporting:

- List your WoF name.
- Link to the book you read
- Tell us which prompt you chose and how your book fits the prompt
- Give us a small blurb about your reactions to the book

WoF Marnie

I listened to Christmas Presents
258 pages /6 hours audiobook
This is a Christmas themed murder mystery so I’ll pick White Christmas because I love that song.

It was an ok read. Listened to it on our drive from the mountains back to Florida. It kept my attention but didn’t have any “wow” factor. Told in two timelines with the present day timeline taking place the week before Christmas. ⭐️⭐️.5

WoFSharonBiskit

I read All Things Christmas: A heartwarming holiday novel from the USA Today bestseller. It is obviously a Christmas story but has beautiful trees and a white Christmas on the cover, so I will also go with White Christmas.

The story takes place in Ireland. I have to be careful with Christmas books because I really am not a fan of Romance novels and sappy endings. Although there is some romance in the story, that was not at all the focus. When the matriarch of a family passes away, her widower and children struggle with each other and their loss. Her journal and traditions bring them back together. I didn’t always like all of the characters but I enjoyed the development of the plot. I read it in two sittings. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars solidly…I am a tough scorer!

- WoF: Lynn


- Book Read: Merry and Bright
- Prompt: White Christmas by Bing Crosby. The song contains the lyrics, Merry and Bright
- This is book 6 in a Christmas series, that I read every year. The are cute and fluffy and a perfect read for me at this time of the year.

WoF Pragya

I read Red, White & Royal Blue.

Prompt: White Christmas by Bing Crosby
White in the book title.

4 stars. Loved the audiobook. The narrator did a splendid job. Made me smile a LOT! The chemistry felt so real and I giggled along.

WoF Jayme

I read Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.

Prompt: White Christmas by Bing Crosby. If you are "dreaming of a white Christmas", you just might get Snowed In which is what happened in this delightful holiday romcom.

Snowed In is the second book in a 4 part holiday series which centers on the Fitzpatrick family of Ireland. I read Holiday Romance the first book in the series in November and loved it, so I had to read the second book. It was just as good. (As a matter of fact I just downloaded the third book and will start it after I've finished posting).
The characters are believable and the banter and chemistry between all them is funny and sometimes snarky - a real family. The romances are sweet with a little sexy thrown in to keep it spicey. A great holiday read. 4 strong stars.

Anna M

I read The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah

Prompt All I want for Christmas is you. It totally fits the mood of this romance novel as they're still in love and yearning for each other even 2 years after their divorce.

Heroine is producing a musical version of A Christmas Carol, a theme that plays an important role throughout the story. The novel itself is a loose retelling of A Christmas Carol. It was warm and gentle romance sometimes funny yet it tackled serious issues with care.

Wof Janice

I read Sunlight for All I want to Christmas is you.

This romance was of two individuals wanting each other, but afraid to say it. It was a cute love story set in Montana. I could relate to hating the winter.

WoF Name - Lanelle

I went with the obvious (and easy) choice, a Christmas theme story.

I read A Texas Kind of Christmas. It was... okay. The book was three short stories all based in the 1800s at an actual hotel in Dallas, Texas. Three women = three men. Some danger. Some conflict. Some recurring characters in the three stories. Three happy endings. Typical. But nothing special.

WoF - Karin

song - "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms -- the author's surname is Bell.

Angela Bell - A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure

Clara's ex-fiancé wants to prove her family suffers from insanity after she breaks off their engagement when she realized he proposed just so he could use the family money because his father died in deep debt. Theodore Kingsley, who has been declared dead by his father even though his father knows he is alive, becomes an apprentice to Clara's grandfather.

Clara's grandfather takes off from England over the channel to the continent on his giant mechanical flying owl (this is Christian steampunk) insisting Clara take Theodore with her to find where he went, giving clues along the way. She dislikes Theodore but both he and her mother go with her, trailed by Clara's nefarious ex.

Two stars

WoF Laura apenandzen

I read Mr. Dickens and His Carol (274pp) for The Christmas Song bc of the Christmas theme.

This is HF telling the story of how Dickens came to write A Christmas Carol. His latest book wasn’t doing so well and so his publishers basically demanded he write a Christmas book quickly so it could be released in time for Christmas. It was a reread for me and I enjoyed both the audio and print versions. The author’s note at the end explains fact vs fiction.

Based on this one, I’d read almost anything by this author. This was her debut but I hope to find room for her follow-up, Love and Fury in the constellations next year.

I read Good Spirits by B.K. Borison.

Confession time....my involvement in romance reading is a very new development. I've always read Romantasy, but regular romance has never been my cup of tea. However, I have made it my goal over the last year or so to read more broadly-and this includes trying new things.

I really enjoyed this book, 4 stars from me. I loved the "Dickens" aspect of the story, and the character development was done very well-which I think is sometimes what I'm missing in the romance book department. I enjoyed it enough that I will definitely try some of this authors other books down the road.

WoF margo

I read Once Was Willem by M.R. Carey. This author not only shares initials with Mariah Carey, but actually has the same surname!

This is the story of a youth called Will who lived in the 16th century. It's actually very hard to say much more without giving spoilers. It is fantasy involving dark magic, ghosts and magical beings so it should have been right up my street but somehow it failed to hit the mark. I didn't connect with the MC which is vital for me to enjoy a story. Don't let this put anyone else off giving it a try though as it is probably due to the fact that I'm recovering from surgery and seem to be very picky about my reading matter at the moment 😉

WoF: Kristie

I read Carrie by Stephen King for "The Christmas Song"" by Nat King Cole. I used the author / artist name of King to link the two.

I read Carrie many years ago, but remembered much of the story. I had forgotten the ending though. I don't want to give too much away, but I felt bad for Carrie for what she went through. She really had no one on her side.

WoF Katrisa
I read Never Flinch by Stephen King - to match Nat KING Cole
This was the latest Holly Gibney book. That old man can still spin a yarn! I gave it 4 stars

WoF Grainne
Carol: "The Christmas Song"" by Nat King Cole
Book: Right Here, Right Now
Link: A carol written by Mel Tormé to “stay cool by thinking cool” on a hot summer's day. Read a book about addressing climate change, how to cool an over-heating planet Earth.
A book about movement and action around the issues of climate change with a decidedly female slant. I felt that the female slant of empowering women detracted from the climate change message and unfortunately, it split the readers' attention 50:50 which was a mistake. It should have stayed true to its central tenant. 3/5

Grainne wrote: "WoF Grainne
Carol: "The Christmas Song"" by Nat King Cole
Link: A carol written by Mel Tormé to “stay cool by thinking cool” on a hot summer's day. Read a book about addressing climate change, how ..."

I think you missed adding the link to the book you read.

WoF Saar the Book Owl.
"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby
Link: in both stories it started to snow.
It's the Dutch translation of A Very Coco Christmas. The book includes 2 stories: 'Christmas with Coco' where Coco has a new boyfriend: Daniel. She studies at uni and goes home for the holidays. She doesn't get along with her parents and neither with her mother in law. It ends with a hilarious Christmas - party.
The second story is 'Christmasshopping with Coco', where she is married to Daniel and they've got a 4 year old son, called 'Rosencrantz'. Her son wants a toy from the Thunderbirds for his Christmas present. But everyone seems to want to same and it becomes a quest to get the toy.

It's my first book of the author and I didn't really enjoy it as I thought I would. There were some mistakes in the stories and also the translation wasn't good at times. It was a bit over the top and a bit messy. It's a good read between other, more serious, books.

Janice wrote: "Grainne wrote: "WoF Grainne
Carol: "The Christmas Song"" by Nat King Cole
Link: A carol written by Mel Tormé to “stay cool by thinking cool” on a hot summer's day. Read a book about addressing clim..."

Thank you, Janice. I have added it now.

Thanks Grainne

WoF Almeta

I read for The Christmas Song,
Samantha Silva's Mr. Dickens and His Carol
274 pages
It is about Charles Dickens struggles and ruminations about writing a Christmas book, on a tight deadline and on command from his publisher and agent.

It was interesting speculation of how he may have thought at the time he wrote one of his most popular books. You could see how "his personal ghosts" could have formed the story.

This was Samantha Silva's debut novel. I may have found a new "go to author" when in the mood for historical fiction. (ETA: Or maybe not, it is difficult to find many available.)

Badges have been posted. :)