Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's by Liz Ireland

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

When we first met, my husband thought I was a little more, hmmm, how do I put it...upscale.  I was wearing a shirt that had a word on it followed by CC.  He thought it meant country club.  How posh!  Big surprise for him when he found out it meant community college, while a nice school, a far cry from posh.  We were engaged for several months before our wedding date.  During that time, we were able to go home to my parents in New York for Christmas.  As always, my parents went all out.  Presents were thigh high under the tree and that didn't count those from Santa.  Naturally, with all those gifts comes lots of gift-wrapping paper.  To think we behaved in a ladylike manner precisely, graciously, reservedly opening our gifts like posh people, was not to be.  That image pretty much dissolved when my dad dragged a full-size metal trash can up the stairs and into the center of the living room.  Yep, one of the smelly cans that sat out for the trash collection.  So much for the "country club set".  Funny thing is, we really did belong to a country club.  I took golf, tennis, and dance lessons there.  Oh well.

I recently read Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's by Liz Ireland. This is the story of April Claus, who is Santa's wife.  Santa is out delivering gifts when three strangers are found outside of Santaland.  They are lost in the frozen wilderness after being stranded during a scientific expedition.  One of the strangers is murdered while staying in Santaland. The reader is along for the ride as Mrs. Claus and cast solve the mystery.  The story is complicated as the Santaland residents don't want their existence to be discovered.  Everyone; elves, reindeer and talking snowmen, must pretend to be part of a normal Canadian town, hiding their true identities.

This book was lots of fun.  Loaded with charming characters and an easy to picture location, it is super creative.  This would make a great holiday read, definitely taking your stress level down while increasing your holiday spirit.  A win all the way around.

Many thanks to NetGalley and, the always kind and generous, Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy.  I'll never look at Santa the same way.

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying your day.

I try and stay light-hearted here.  Reading books and writing an often too long paragraph about some family thing that somehow ties into the story, isn't really rocket science.  Let's call it what is...a self-indulgent way to justify buying more books. Yes, I know you're shocked that I admit it but hey it's working for me. Today, though, I want to be a bit more serious for a minute.  It's the holidays and lots of people are by themselves, more because of the pandemic.  Please know that you are not alone.  For us, illness counts are climbing rapidly in our state, so we are hanging out at home.  I haven't been able to see my family in person for years. That's okay if it keeps everyone safe, that is what is important.  We haven't even put up any decorations yet.  We usually have SIX Christmas trees and a house full of people but not now.  It's hard to get in the spirit of things when the world is upside down.  Heck, the roast we usually serve now costs almost two hundred dollars.  So, if you're sitting in an apartment somewhere, maybe sad, please know that you are not alone.  Even though I am married things aren't the same.  The news may show crowded airports and large family gathering, but many of us are not willing to take that chance.  Again, you aren't alone.  If you're feeling down, maybe you don't have to do the whole holiday "thing" but have a cup of hot chocolate and watch a seasonal favorite, for me it would be Charlie Brown Christmas, even though it makes me think of my mom and I cry every time.  Or perhaps a good old movie, like Gaslight.  Yes, it's not just a political term but comes from a real movie.  I annoy hubby by imitating Claude Raines saying "Oh Paula" with my fake French accent for days after seeing it.  Or here is a "novel" idea, you could read that book you've always wanted to get to but keep putting off.  Get it...novel idea?  

I recently read The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox.  This is the story of twins (yes, again) who are each a cooking wiz.  Charlie bakes and is a judge on a tv cooking competition show.  Sister Cass runs the family bakery back home.  While taking a break from filming Charlie is hit on the head when a rack of pans falls over.  Her concussion causes her to lose her sense of taste and smell.  How can she continue her job like that?  She can't, so the twins switch places. Of course, they don't tell anyone.  Not only do they each have trouble blending into their new temporary lives, but each meets a man that seems to be their perfect match.  Now what?  

This is a cute, quick hit, Christmas romance.  It's easy reading that is an absolute requirement if you are a baker or lover to cooking competition shows, it mentions some by name.  In addition, there is holiday cheer aplenty with small town quaintness and lots of snow.  My only suggestion, don't read on an empty stomach.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

'Tis that time of year again.  Time to make construction paper chains, string popcorn (avoiding the bloody pieces) and get yelled at for not putting tinsel on one annoyingly staticy piece at a time.  Okay, so nobody does that anymore.  Now it's just pop up trees that come in two pieces and are fully lit.  For you youngsters who have only known pre-done trees, I'm telling you that you have not fully enjoyed any holiday season until you have successfully untangled a huge wad of c-9 bulbs.  The satisfaction of getting to the end of the last string of lights, well that's just a holiday tradition and practically a gift in itself.  Did you buy that?  I keep telling myself that when I have to untangle lights that I just stuffed into a box the season before.  It's also not Christmas until one of the aforementioned c-9 bulbs, that get to about nine thousand degrees, brands you with that shape merely for brushing up against the tree.  First, to start off the season of joy, I usually read a Christmas book...I know, you're shocked.

I recently read The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews.  This is the story of a newly divorced woman, Ivy, who buys a house in a new town for a complete change.  Having only seen it online, when she arrives to take possession of the property Ivy is disappointed as it doesn't look like the photos.  In fact, it looks like it may take a fair amount of work to make it a home.  While clearing out some of the previous owner's belongings she finds a beautiful Santa suit with a note in the pocket.  The note is from a little girl, written years ago.  Ivy becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to the little girl.  

This story is lovely, it's sweet, romantic, charming, and oh so Christmasy.  At barely over two hundred pages, you'll be surprised how much story the author has packed into this book.  It's a fast read that will not rob you of your decorating, baking or wrapping time but enhance it.  Not only will it melt your grinchiness, but it would make a great gift....perhaps for a Thanksgiving hostess who likes to read.

An Everlasting Christmas by Mandy M. Roth

Hello everyone.

I hope you are having a good week. In the US we are getting ready for Thanksgiving which is next Thursday. It seems impossible to be at the end of November already. Am I the only person that is experiencing time moving way too quickly? Not only do I have family commitments but I have a huge stack of untouched books I swore I would get to this year. I need to read much faster or borrow that time-turner gizmo from Hermione Granger!

I recently read An Everlasting Christmas by Mandy M. Roth.  This is book seven in a seven book Everlasting series, written by several authors.  I have not read any of the others and had no problem enjoying this novel, in fact the series promotes that it can be read in any order.  I am guessing that each books take place in the town of Everlasting, Maine. Perhaps each story follows a different person, in this case an antique store owner. This short little "cozy" is part mystery, part romance, with a bit of paranormal and Christmas thrown in, to hit all the bases. There is a secret admirer, a second chance romance and, of course, holiday cheer. I don't want to tell you much, the book is around one hundred and fifty pages long so I kind of feel like I need to leave any description very open so that you'll have lots to discover while reading. This fun, cute, book provides plenty of entertainment.

If you like serious nonfiction or intense thrillers, this book may not be for you. If you like cozy mysteries, this quick holiday title may be the relief your cookie baking stress is begging for.

Secret Santa and All He Wants For Christmas by Kati Wilde

Hello everyone.

I have to give you an update on the housewife front. We are still dealing with damage from hurricane Dorian. We finally have a contractor, but he is also re-shingling our four porch roofs at the same time. In this small town, getting a contractor to work on your house is like hitting a huge vein of gold in your front yard. Next to impossible. We have a shortage of plumbers, roofers, siding experts, electricians, and general contractors. I hope these are not becoming dying arts. Despite being near the beach and a huge metropolitan area, we have very few of these talented people. So, when you get someone, you have to put up with a lot, jump through some hoops. Our contractor is in the middle of doing the first floor roofs, two are over porches, two are over bump-outs. First it starts to rain, and the water comes in.  ARRRGH.  Now he is sick and it poured again!  We are supposed to have terrible wind, quite possibly tearing off more of the siding, which was our original damage from the hurricane that remains unfixed.  To say this is frustrating is an understatement!

Lest this get too depressing, I have something positive to report. When I talk about housewife stuff I often discuss my beloved dishwasher that cleaned perfectly but kept breaking. I fought to save it but eventually had to replace my pal since it was fourteen years old. I am happy to say the new dishwasher cleans just as well. It only uses a couple of gallons of water and is some type of super energy saver. Unlike any other dishwasher I've ever had this one is silent. Honestly, you could sleep next to it....or read.  Given the roof and hurricane damage, I've been doing a lot of reading these days, obviously my form of escape.

I recently read two books by the same author, Kati Wilde. I read All He Wants For Christmas and Secret Santa. I had never heard of this author but suddenly kept seeing her name everywhere. Maybe everybody has roof trouble. These books are short, quick hit, romance novels. They certainly follow the romance formula; a couple meet, fall in love, find trouble in paradise, then work things out for a happy ending. Who doesn't like a happy ending? Okay, I admit, I kind of like an evil ending in thrillers but that is just the kind of chicken baking, vacuum avoiding, book reading person I am, consider yourself warned.

Secret Santa is about a wood working company, a poor girl and well off man. All He Wants for Christmas is about a well off girl and a policeman assigned to watch out for her. One thing these books both have in common is sex. I don't mean a sex act within a larger story. That doesn't sound right, these books have a clearly defined story. If you want an elaborate plot, you won't find it here. These books are pretty straight forward. The sex, instead of being a passing part of the story, takes center stage. There are many sexual acts and they are very graphic. If you are shy, these books will make you blush. If you take these on a plane fully expect the person sitting next to you to be reading over your shoulder. Still these novels are light and fun. They are a unique break from heavier reads.

A few things in both these stories got on my nerves. First, the man always has a pet name for the woman and uses it endlessly, baby or angel. It was so prevalent it made me think of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry couldn't remember his girlfriend's name. Also, both women were virgins and men were well endowed. Kati Wilde has written several books, maybe I just happen to pick up books that featured these topics. Perhaps more "research" is necessary.

I think I'll leave these books sitting out, Red Ryder BB gun style, and see what Santa delivers this Christmas.