Christmas in July: Day Twelve - Books

I love Christmas books! I read them all year round. This year over on my everyday blog I began listing each book that I read and each month contains at least one Christmas book.

I have several favorite authors in this genre. Debbie Macomber, Debbie Mason, Donna VanLiere, Sheila Roberts to name a few. Some of them publish a new novel each Christmas which is always fun to look forward to.

I'm eager to see what new Christmas books will be out this year!

         

         

          

December Fifth - The Books

I have a pretty extensive collection of Christmas books. I read them year around. This year I'm trying to declutter them a little by reading each one and if it's not something I'll read again, or if it's a book I don't care to finish, I'm donating it to Goodwill. You know how it is... over time our tastes and interests change. That's true even when it comes to reading material!

This year I've purchased several new Christmas books. I believe they will be keepers!


     

        

               

           

This is a sample of what I've bought this year. I'm currently reading "Christmas Joy" and have read "A Baxter Family Christmas" and "Twelve Days of Christmas". 

I also put out a basket of Christmas books for the grandkids to look at and read. 

Christmas books - one of my favorite elements of the season!

Christmas Books

I love Christmas books! I have a fairly large collection of them and look forward each year to adding more. This year I've already purchased three books and am on the lookout for several more.

One of my favorite Christmas authors is Melody Carlson. I know she writes non-Christmas fiction, but I've never read any of them. Her Christmas stories are fun and inspiring.

Debbie Macomber is one of my favorite authors. I've read her fiction, her non-fiction, and her Christmas stories. She's an author that I run to the bookstore to purchase her new release the day it is published!

I read Christmas books year around, whenever I'm in the mood for a little Christmas spirit!

Christmas in July: Books

I collect Christmas books and will buy almost any one that I see. The exception being stories that are set in the past. Even though I have a major interest in History, for some reason I don't really care for Historical Fiction.

My hands-down favorite author for Christmas stories is Debbie Macomber. She releases a new Christmas novel each year and I always buy it the first day out in the store!

Each year beginning in August, I start hunting for the newly released Christmas books. I generally buy six to ten books each year. I love to read authors that are new to me. Here are my top five favorites (other than all of the Debbie Macombers!) that I read over each year:

Christmas in July: Books

As with Christmas music, Christmas movies, I love Christmas books. I read them all year round. I have far too many favorites to list here, so I'm limiting myself to my top five Christmas books.


"Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham is the story that the movie "Christmas with the Kranks" is based on. It is an easy read and is much better than the movie. But what book isn't?!


I have read "The Christmas Train" by David Baldacci numerous times. It is a very entertaining story and written in a manner that makes you care for the characters. I know he is a prolific author, but strangely enough, I've never read any of his other works. Maybe I should.


"The Christmas Bus" by Melody Carlson may be my favorite Christmas book ever. There's one other that is tied for that honor, making it too hard for me to choose my best-liked. This is a quirky little story with lots of humor. I have read many of her Christmas books; although she also writes non-Christmas fiction, I haven't read any of those.


Here it is: "A Redbird Christmas" by Fannie Flagg; it is the other book that may be my favorite Christmas book. If you've ever read Fannie Flagg you know that her characters are quirky and verge on the ridiculous. Somehow that just makes them more loveable!


"Unwrapping Christmas" by Lori Copeland is a great little book. It is short and very easy to read. It's written for all of us out there who get caught up in the "do-ing" of Christmas and lose sight of the meaning of Christmas.

So, there you have it. My top five Christmas books. I deliberately didn't include a Debbie Macomber book because frankly, I like them all. She is a prolific author who writes fiction, fiction series, Christmas books, and non-fiction. I have read every book she's written and I really enjoy her work. I also follow her blog. Oh yeah, and she's published a book of knitting patterns too. I also read the Donna VanLiere Christmas books, and some of the Nora Roberts Christmas books.

Now, it's your turn. What's your favorite Christmas book?

New (to me) Christmas Books

In February I attended an annual book sale that takes place in Phoenix. It is a huge event attended by people from all over the world. You can read about it on my personal blog here and here and here. The sale makes it easy to find Christmas books. They pile them all on an end cap. I always head for them as soon as I arrive.

I wanted to show you the books I scored this year. They are all in excellent shape and the most expensive one set me back $2.00! I really enjoy Christmas books and I read them all throughout the year. Sometimes more than once!

This year's treasures include:

Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway

A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs

Family Blessings by Fern Michaels

I'd love to hear what your favorite Christmas stories are!

Christmas in July: Books

Several years ago I discovered the category of Christmas books. Since then, I purchase as many Christmas books as I can during the holidays. Don't get me wrong, I don't just buy them for the sake of buying them. I only purchase books that I will read again and again. I thought I would share with you my top ten favorite Christmas books. Naturally, this list is subject to change! There are several authors who publish a new Christmas book each year. Debbie Macomber, Melody Carlson, Nora Roberts, Richard Paul Evans, Donna VanLiere, and others. If you've never read Christmas books, check them out this year. I know you'll enjoy them!

My Top Ten Favorite Christmas Books (not in order)