A Novel Holiday: Holiday Books to Read This Season

Broomall–Marple Public Library is getting into the holiday spirit through reading. Jennifer Stock, assistant director of , shared her list of recommended holiday books to read this season.

Traditional Holiday Series:

• Anne Perry–A Christmas Journey; A Christmas Visitor; A Christmas Guest; A Christmas Secret; A Christmas Beginning; A Christmas Grace; A Christmas Promise; A Christmas Odyssey
• Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark–All Through the Night; Deck the Halls; He Sees You When You're Sleeping; The Christmas Thief; Dashing Through the Snow; Santa Cruise
• Jan Karon–The Mitford Snowmen; Esther's Gift; A Mitford Christmas Story; Shepherd's Abiding
• Debbie Macomber–These Christmas Angels; Where Angels Go; Cedar Cove Christmas; Mrs. Miracle; Call me Mrs. Miracle
• Donna VanLiere–The Christmas Shoes; The Christmas Blessing; The Christmas Hope; The Christmas Promise; The Christmas Secret; The Christmas Journey
• Richard Paul Evan–The Christmas Box; Finding Noel; The Gift, Grace; The Christmas List; Promise Me
• Thomas Kinkade–A Christmas Promise; The Christmas Angel; A Christmas to Remember; A Christmas Visitor; A Christmas Star; A Wish for Christmas; On Christmas Eve

Stock said she has read many of Perry's holiday book series but personally enjoyed A Christmas Odyssey, which she describes as a "darker" holiday story. But like many of Perry's stories, Stock said "things cme together in the end and you do have a happy Christmas ending."

Unique Holiday Readings:

• Celia Ahern–The Gift
• Paul Auster–Auggie Wren's Christmas Story
• David Baldacci–The Christmas Train
• Holly Chamberlin–One Week in December
• Amy Clipston–A Plain and Simple Christmas
• Roni Denholtz–Lights of Love
• Charles Dickens–A Christmas Carol
• Fannie Flagg–A Redbird Christmas
• Heather Graham–Home in Time for Christmas
• Andrew Greeley–A Christmas Wedding; Home For Christmas
• Earl Hamner–The Homecoming
• Oscar Hijuelo–Mr. Ives' Christmas
• Kate Jacobs–Knit the Season
• Gloria Kirchheimer–Goodbye, Evil Eye: Stories
• Lisa Kleypas–Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
• Kat Martin–The Christmas Clock
• Fern Michaels–Family Blessings
• Ann Pearlman–The Christmas Cookie Club
• Francis Ray, Shirley Hailstock and Donna Hill–Winter Nights
• Francine River–The Shoe Box
• Sheila Roberts–Snow Globe
• Jean Shepherd–A Christmas Story
• Tim Slover–The Christmas Chronicles
• Susan Wiggs–Lakeshore Christmas
• Lauren Willig–Mischief of the Mistletoe

A new genre that has been appearing on the bookshelves lately are from Amish novel writers. Stock said Amish novelist Clipston shares her story A Plain and Simple Christmas with themes like "redemption" and "coming home again."

"It's a very sweet story and she uses old German terms which are explained in the glossary," said Stock.

A few Hannukah novels on the list include Denholtz's Lights of Love and Kirchheimer's Goodbye, Evil Eye: Stories. A recommended Kwanzaa novel Stock says is Ray, Hailstock and Hill's Winter Nights.

Holiday Mysteries:

• Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop
• Nero Blanc–A Crossworder's Gift
• Janet Evanovich–Visions of Sugar Plums
• Monica Ferris–Crewel Yule
• Joanne Fluke–Sugar Cookie Murder; Plum Pudding Murder
• Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier–The Candy Cane Murder; The Gingerbread Cookie Murder

Stock highlights Fluke, Levine and Meier's holiday mystery series The Gingerbread Cookie Murder.

"They're all gingerbread-based stories," said Stock. "And Joanne Fluke's stories always have recipes in them. I have to say, I've tried the recipes and they always work out. They're wonderful."