Summer

Showing posts with label holiday books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday books. Show all posts

24 December 2011

HARK! THE HERALD ANGEL SCREAMED - Mignon F. Ballard


From the back of the book: It’s Christmastime in the seemingly tranquil town of Stone’s Throw, South Carolina, but amid all the caroling, cookies, and cheer, a murderer casts a not-so-jolly pall on the holiday season.


Augusta Goodnight, guardian angel, sometime sleuth, and welcome boarder with longtime resident Lucy Nan Pilgrim, comes to the aid of her friends when, as Lucy Nan is searching for the perfect Christmas tree on her grandmother’s abandoned estate, a mysterious stranger plummets to his death from the mansion’s balcony. Lucy Nan can’t shake off childhood stories of the ghost of a girl who fell from the same spot long ago---has the ghost come back to haunt the living, or is there an all-too-human murderer at work?


Mysterious events are soon heating up faster than spiced punch left on the burner, and it will take Augusta’s help, not to mention some celestial Southern cooking, for peace to be restored and Christmas lights to shine once again in the little town of Stone’s Throw.

******************************

A perfect little cozy to read at this hectic time of year. Didn't have to think too hard and let the enjoyable story flow.

The little town of Stone's Throw is another place that seems pretty neat to live if it weren't for all the murder and mayhem. Everyone has a part to play, either as friend or foe.


Lucy Nan is lucky to have her coffee loving guardian angel, Augusta Goodnight, around for all the help Augusta is able to give. Augusta cooks and bakes magnificent goodies for Lucy Nan and her friends to enjoy. She also helps Lucy Nan solve the murders that crop up.


Had plenty of people to keep track of while I read as well as keeping tally of the suspects and clues. There's a shady character, Melrose, who is courting one of Lucy Nan's dear friend, Idonia, and when he arrives on the scene, there's also the murder of a not very nice man whose body is discovered in Lucy Nan's ancestral home. Idonia is also wearing a locket given her by Melrose and this locket has caused an uproar.


All is solved in a pleasing pattern and makes me wish I had a guardian angel like Augusta Goodnight and friends like Lucy Nan and her buds to spend Christmas with.


A handful of yummy candycanes for this one.....


22 November 2009

Holiday Challenge 2009


So, hey, since I always (at least the last few years) read holiday themed books in December, might as well do a challenge with it....Nely is having this one here. I found out about it on my buddy Mary's blog. Thanks Mary!
Book choices for the Holiday Reading Challenge:
LEGACY - Jeanne C Stein, takes place in the Christmas season
JERUSALEM INN - Martha Grimes
LET THERE BE SUSPECTS - Emilie Richards
And I know there will likely be more as I go on merry shopping way.....

29 August 2008

THE CHRISTMAS QUILT - Jennifer Chiaverini, narr Christina Moore

Even though I wasn't exactly ready for a holiday themed listen, this was just fine to listen on my commutes. Nice to hear about snow and seeing one's breath and looking for Christmas trees while in 80 and 90 degree August heat.
Really, though, this series continues to warm my heart with each listen. This one takes place early in the series and focuses mostly on Sylvia, the master quilter, and her life as seen in her memories of Christmas past. Sarah, the quilter apprentice who has helped Sylvia keep Elm Creek Manor and turn it into a quilters' retreat, wants to decorate the manor for the holidays. This is the first one for the manor in many years and Sylvia is hesitant. She has been celebrating quietly and is still getting used to being back in Elm Creek after 50 years of self-exile.
Sarah finds the boxes of family decorations in the attic and among the boxes,she finds the Christmas Quilt that Sylvia's Great Aunt Lucinda worked on each Christmas and put away at the end of each holiday season, never finishing the work.
The quilt brings up the memories of Sylvia's childhood, her marriage to James, his death in WWII, and, ultimately, Sylvia's departure from Elm Creek after an argument with her sister, Claudia.
The book is about more than quilting obviously. Mostly it's about family, friends, relationships of all types. The books can be a soothing balm as you read or listen.
Four warm beans....

01 January 2008

December Books - All Holiday All Month Long

Blue Christmas - Mary Kay Andrews, HB, very good and can't wait to read more!

Aunt Dimity's Christmas - Nancy Atherton, MPB, nice holiday cozy

On Strike for Christmas - Sheila Roberts, TPB, wonderful

Silent Night - JD Robb, Claire Cross, Susan Plunkett, Dee Holmes, MPB, surprisingly good anthology, all stories were enjoyable

The Archer's Tale - Bernard Cornwell, BOT, start of a trilogy, bit of a stretch for the holiday theme...some of it took place in the holiday timeframe...

The Dolls' Christmas - Tasha Tudor, BOT, short and sweet

8 books, 2 audio = 10, 118 for the year

Slay Bells - Kate Kingsbury, TPB, decent, not sure but might read more

Tumbling Blocks - Earlene Fowler, HB, good holiday book and good addition to the series

A Highland Christmas - M C Beaton, HC, good cozy Christmas story

A Redbird Christmas - Fannie Flagg, HC, my favorite of the month

07 December 2007

Silent Night - JD Robb, Susan Plunkett, Dee Holmes, Claire Cross

Silent Night was a very pleasant surprise. I don't usually have good luck with compilation books or whatever one labels a book with four stories by four different authors. I have been on the reading end of these and generally there is one good strong story, one pretty good story and the other two are weak. Silent Night started strong and stayed that way all the way through. I kind of hoped it would be so because the book led with (unknown to me) Claire Cross and her story A Berry Merry Christmas a very amusing story of a Christmas elf sent from the North Pole to help a mortal girl get her wish for a new mom. Next came Dee Holmes' The Unexpected Gift, a good story of bad boy coming home and making good. Next up Christmas Promises Susan Plunkett. This one might be the weakest of the group, but still a very readable tale of a woman, once rich, now doing good things for battered women. The man from her past comes in and helps. Last story was JD Robb Midnight in Death. Eve and Roarke and company always a good tale, but this was a humdinger. I read this one last year, but re-read it and enjoyed it just as much the second time.