Happy Christmas Eve!

On November 20, I posted about the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge, hosted by Katie at Just Another Girl and Her Books. I read 12 books, although not all from the list I posted. Regardless, I can claim Santa Status!

Here’s what I read:

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

I absolutely adored this locked room, enemies to lovers rom-com. This is just what I needed in my ears to remind me that this season can be fun. It’s a wonderful escape and I rooted for both main characters so much. I swooned and laughed and just loved every page so much.

Molly the Maid #2.5, The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose

This was such a fun 128 page treat. I grabbed it on audio and listened as I went about all my morning chores. I do love Molly and those around her. Everytime I read about her, my heart swells for her. Lovely Christmas novella.

Holiday Cozy Mystery #11, Holly Homicide by Tonya Kappes

Clocking in at 176 pages, I inhaled this festive mystery, following along as Violet collected all the clues. The suspect list is long, and she uncovers so many buried-secrets. I gasped at the reveal!

As with all of Tonya’s books, the characters are just as much fun as the mystery. The sweet romance between Violet and Darren warms the heart, and I do love Violet’s mom. The folks Violet interacts with around town add to the charm of the story.

The descriptive details bring this story to life. As I opened the book and started reading, I felt like I was truly in Holiday Junction, walking in the snow and viewing all the Christmas decorations with Violet. I hadn’t been feeling very festive, but taking in this merry treat and then putting up our Christmas tree had me humming Christmas carols.

Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder by S.A. Kazlo

This was my first introduction to Sam, the charming small town of Wings Falls and all the delightful characters who live there, and I adored it. It was just the escape I needed after toting boxes of Christmas decorations up the stairs and taking my teen to Target the day after Thanksgiving! 😮 I had zero issues following along, so if you’re new to the series, know that you’ll be just fine jumping in. I did download book one onto my kindle and am eyeing the rest of the titles.

Last Christmas by Clare Swatman

What a wild ride! I went through ALL the emotions reading this. The concept of the book is so creative and unique. This is a sliding-doors love story where our main character Bea lives both possibilities that readers are presented with at the start of the story (stay in London or move to NYC). In one story, Bea goes back home for Christmas in London, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything? It’s like a grown-up choose your own adventure and I was 100% in even though I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. Each chapter is labeled “Go” or “Stay” so it’s easy to follow which storyline you’re reading. While there are Christmas elements, I’d say this was more a romance with festive elements, but not necessarily a “Christmas book,” so feel free to pick this up anytime of year.

A heartwarming read that I enjoyed on audio. I will certainly be looking at other books by Clare.

I Pittie the Yule: Cozy Mystery by Kathryn Mykel

Clocking in at 96 pages, this is the perfect one-sitting read when you’re needing a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I sat by my Christmas tree and enjoyed my time with Rena Mulberry and her adorable one-eyed pit bull, Bruizer. A local diva is found murdered and Rena’s boyfriend is the prime suspect. Rena knows that just can’t be the truth and dives in to find the true culprit. Great characters, a wonderful small town, a strong mystery and a fast pace make this such a fun read. I chuckled to myself and enjoyed the light romance sprinkled in. Well done!

Maple Lane #0.5, Sugar and Sliced by C.A. Phipps

A prequel to a series I’ve been wanting to read – when I saw the Christmas cover, I decided to give it a try this December. I’m so glad I did! It’s a novella and I read it in one day, sitting by my Christmas tree. I loved meeting Maddie and seeing her experiences in New York.Her cat Big Red is also a favorite now! I made sure I have book one of the series (Apple Pie and Arsenic) on my kindle to read after Christmas.

Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #5, I’ll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost

This was such a fun, festive cozy mystery to listen to. December this year is zooming by and I am not keeping up. I’m so thankful for great stories to have in my ears as I go about my day! I adored the Christmas details and loved the Guinness book of world records attempt. I didn’t solve the mystery ahead of time and found myself paused, just standing in my kitchen, listening to the big reveal. Great characters and vivid writing make this series a must to add to any Christmas reading list!

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb

This was an absolutely charming work of historical fiction that I couldn’t stop listening to. The book begins in England 1952 and wraps up in 1957. We have three characters and the story alternates between their points of view: Olive Carter, single mother, typist at the BBC, and aspiring reporter, Jack, a grief-stricken widowed chef originally from New Orleans, who accepts a last-minute chance to cook in the royal kitchens at Sandringham and young Queen Elizabeth II who finds her feet as the new monarch.

The vivid details of the setting and the second chance romance made my heart happy, and it was just the Chiristmas read I needed. Highly recommend.

Hart’s Ridge #11, So This Is Christmas by Kay Bratt

Wow! I inhaled this story in one sitting. This was my first book by Kay Bratt and clearly I have been missing out. While this is book 11 in the Hart’s Ridge series, I had no issues reading it as a standalone. (But now, of course, I’ve added books 1-10 to my TBR.) There’s a murder mystery (based on a true crime that is horrific – this isn’t a cozy mystery, fyi) and family drama and so much suspense that I was ignoring everything around me so that I could find out what happened. The writing is vivid and pulls you into the mystery immediately. I simply could not put it down. The characters are so well developed and I loved Taylor even when I wanted to yell at her to rest. I’m having trouble deciding what to read next – do I stick with my December TBR or do I throw caution into the wind and read anything by Kay Bratt I can get my hands on? A true sign that this is an excellent story. Five Stars.

The Christmas Fix (Fixer #2) by Lucy Score

This one did not work for me. It’s cute and spicy and full of holiday charm, but I kept getting annoyed with the main character for constantly talking about eating/getting fat/working out. I get that TV stars have the pressure to look a certain way, but every time she mentioned it, it took me out of the story and just felt icky. I didn’t laugh as I read, either, which is unusual for Lucy Score books and me. I am usually laughing out loud. 

The Fireman’s Christmas Wish (The Lange Brothers, Book 3) by Nan Reinhardt

What a cozy, romantic read for Christmas time! While this is book three in the Lange Brothers series, it can easily be read as a standalone, just don’t forget to go back and read the first two! 

In this entry into the series, readers meet preschool teacher Harley Cole and Fire Chief Becker Lange, both living in the beautiful small town of River’s Edge. Harley makes Beck a flirty dare that she can help him overcome the holiday blues. Beck’s not sure he wants to, but Harley’s a hard woman to tell no. 

As always with Nan’s books, I’m pulled right into the story and it’s like I’m actually there in River’s Edge, walking along Main Street or the River Walk. The dare is so much fun and the romance wonderfully sweet and swoony. If you are looking for a Christmas treat, be sure to grab this. I enjoyed it all – setting, characters and romance!