Get into the holiday spirit with these festive reads. From heartwarming stories to Christmas mysteries to family listens, and even a coloring book—there’s something for everyone on this list.
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Heartwarming Holiday Reads:
Christmas by the Book: A Novel by Anne Marie Ryan
In small-town England, two booksellers facing tough times decide to spread some Christmas cheer through the magic of anonymous book deliveries in this uplifting holiday tale for book lovers everywhere.
“A heartfelt and lovely Christmas tale for book lovers everywhere!” —Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Shore
“Christmas by the Book sparkles with love and generosity—this book will make you believe in Christmas miracles.” —Nancy Thayer, author of Let It Snow
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Click for a Book Club Kit.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Always, in December: A Novel by Emily Stone
A chance encounter during the holiday season brings two people together as quickly as it tears them apart—until fate intervenes again (and again) in this romantic debut.
“A poignant, heart-tugging, life-affirming story that will wrap around you like a hug during any season. Keep tissues nearby!” —Josie Silver, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December
“I adored this sweepingly romantic, captivating love story . . . this gorgeous book is as uplifting and hopeful as it is heartbreaking. If you’re looking for a true will-they-won’t-they tearjerker to capture your heart this Christmas, look no further.”—Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions
Click to Read an Excerpt.
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Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Dear Santa: A Novel by Debbie Macomber
A special holiday wish list brings about hope, love, and second chances in this nostalgic novel from the queen of Christmas stories, Debbie Macomber.
Lindy Carmichael isn’t feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. Not even carolers or Christmas cookies can cheer her up—but Lindy’s mother, Ellen, remembers an old tradition that might lift her daughter’s spirits.
Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she’d wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen’s encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa, one that will encourage her to have faith and believe just as she’d done all those years ago. Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic—especially an unexpected connection with a handsome former classmate—Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
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Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
The Holiday Swap: A Novel by Maggie Knox
A feel-good, holiday rom com about identical twins who swap lives twelve days before Christmas.
“An utterly adorable, pitch-perfect romance with just the right amount of Christmas cheer. The Holiday Swap is a pure delight, I couldn’t stop from smiling.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six
“Every bit as warm and cozy as a Hallmark Christmas movie.”—PopSugar
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Click for a Book Club Kit.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Holiday Mysteries:
A Christmas Legacy: A Novel by Anne Perry
Thomas and Charlotte Pitt’s former maid takes a new job as Christmas approaches—but not everyone in the household may survive the holidays in this tension-filled novel from bestselling author Anne Perry.
“Perry’s Victorian-era holiday mysteries [are] an annual treat.”—The Wall Street Journal
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Large Print Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Twisted Tea Christmas: A Novel by Laura Childs
An attack on the host of a fancy tea party sends Theodosia Browning looking for answers in the latest entry in the New York Times bestselling series.
Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are catering a Victorian Christmas party at a swanky mansion in downtown Charleston. Drucilla Heyward, the hostess, is one of the wealthiest women in town.
As the champagne flows and the tea steeps, Drucilla is so pleased with the reception by her partygoers that she reveals her secret plan to Theodosia. The Grande Dame has brought the cream of Charleston society together to reveal that she is planning to give her wealth away to various charitable organizations. However, before she can make the announcement, Theodosia finds her crumpled unconscious in the hallway. It looks like the excitement has gotten to the elderly woman–except that there is a syringe sticking out of her neck.
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Click for More Books in the A Tea Shop Mystery Series.
God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen: A Novel by Rhys Bowen
Georgie is back and hanging the stockings with care when a murder interrupts her Christmas cheer in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen.
“Britain teeters on the brink of scandal and war in this charming combination of history and mystery.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The fifteenth entry in Bowen’s popular Royal Spyness series again combines a delightful spoof of the British upper classes (shades of Oscar Wilde and Noël Coward) with an Agatha Christie–style period cozy . . . A plucky heroine and plenty of droll British humor will keep readers happy.”—Booklist
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Click for More Books in the A Royal Spyness Mystery Series.
The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers Foreword by Peter Lovesy; Contributions by Mick Herron, Cara Black, Stuart Neville, and Helen Tursten
The perfect stocking stuffer for the crime fiction lover in your life! With a foreword by CWA Diamond Award-winner Peter Lovesey, these eighteen delightful holiday stories by your favorite Soho Crime authors contain laughs, murders, and plenty more.
This captivating collection, which features bestselling and award-winning authors, contains laughs aplenty, the most hardboiled of holiday noir, and heartwarming reminders of the spirit of the season.
Available in Hardcover and Trade Paperback.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
A Holiday Classic:
Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas: Have a Very Merry Movie Holiday by Caroline McKenzie; Foreword by Candace Cameron Bure; Introduction by Rachel Hardage Barrett
The official Hallmark Channel Christmas keepsake takes you behind-the-scenes of your favorite feel-good holiday films with the casts’ memories, photos, recipes and more.
This stunning book invites readers to an exclusive inside look at the making of everyone’s favorite holiday classics with secrets from the stars, screenwriters, set designers, costume designers, and directors who create the movie magic. Featuring the network’s top leading ladies and gentlemen–Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Kristin Chenoweth, Debbie Matenopoulos, Cameron Mathison, Chris McNally, Danica McKellar, Christina Milian, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jodie Sweetin, Holly Robinson Peete, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, and many others—this ultimate deck-the-halls guide shares their personal holiday recipes, favorite ideas for Christmas decorating and gift giving, as well as ways to savor and share the true meaning of the holidays.
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
A Christmas Story Collection:
American Christmas Stories Edited by Connie Willis
Library of America and Connie Willis present 150 years of diverse, ingenious, and uniquely American Christmas stories.
Christmas took on its modern cast in America, and over the last 150 years the most magical time of the year has inspired scores of astonishingly diverse and ingenious stories. Library of America joins with acclaimed author Connie Willis to present an unparalleled collection of American stories about Christmas, literary gems that showcase how the holiday became one of the signature aspects of our culture.
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
A Christmas Coloring Book:
Debbie Macomber’s Very Merry Coloring Book: An Adult Coloring Book by Debbie Macomber
From Debbie Macomber, the beloved author and queen of Christmas stories, comes this enchanting adult coloring book featuring all-new festive illustrations inspired by her treasured holiday novels.
Debbie Macomber invites you to join in the holiday spirit with a collection of forty-five gorgeous black-and-white drawings ready to be brought to colorful life with your creative flair. Now you can escape to the peaceful, snow-covered settings and revel in the festive celebrations signature to her Christmas stories. Debbie Macomber’s Very Merry Christmas Coloring Book is perfect for anyone looking to experience the comfort and joy of the season.
Available in Trade Paperback.
Find Peace in the Season:
Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays: A Devotional by Tama Fortner
Thirty-one encouraging devotions to help busy moms pause and ponder the true miracles of the Christmas season—the wonder of a Savior who would leave heaven to save us and the love of those who share our home.
Between holiday baking, hunting for the perfect tree, decorating, preparing for visiting relatives, and making sure everyone gets the ideal gift, Christmas can be anything but peaceful for a busy mom. Too often, the stress and busyness of the season make it difficult to find time to just sit and reflect on the wonder of the Savior’s birth.
If this sounds familiar, allow Simply Christmas to be your personal invitation to slow down and savor the beauty of the manger this year.
Accompanied by seasonally inspired full-color photographs, this thirty-one-day devotional brings a bit of calm to each day through a short reflection and Scripture, together with points to ponder and fun ideas for simplifying your Christmas traditions.
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
A Gift for Kids:
Archie: 80 Years of Christmas by Archie Superstars
What’s better than 80 years of Archie Comics? Simple—80 years of Archie’s holiday hijinks!
Celebrate eight decades of Christmas with Archie! With 250+ pages of classic holiday stories, this festive collection is a yuletide milestone that can’t be missed! The Riverdale Gang have a hilarious history with the holidays, and you can see it all in this ultimate stocking-stuffer!
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
Click for More Books in the Archie Christmas Digests Series.
Family Holiday Listens:
Charlotte and the Nutcracker: The True Story of a Girl Who Made Ballet History by Charlotte Nebres; Read by the Author
A reimagined and modern take on the holiday favorite, this audiobook weaves together the classic Christmas tale of The Nutcracker and the true-life story of 12-year-old ballerina Charlotte Nebres, the first Black girl to play Marie in the New York City Ballet’s production.
The only thing Charlotte loves as much as ballet is Christmas. So, when she gets the opportunity to play Marie in the New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, she leaps at the chance.
Dancing takes practice-hours of adjusting her arms and perfecting her jumps. With the help of her Trinidadian and Filipino families, encouragement from her sister, and a view of her mom and dad in the audience, Charlotte finds the strength to never give up.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza; Read by Aubrey Plaza
From Parks and Recreation star Aubrey Plaza and creative partner Dan Murphy comes the long lost tale of the Christmas Witch, Santa Claus’s much misunderstood twin sister. The perfect gift for the holiday season and beyond!
Gather ‘round the fire to hear a Christmas legend that has never been told before . . . until now. Each year a mysterious figure sweeps into town, leaving behind strange gifts in the night. No, not Santa Claus, but his sister . . .
The Christmas Witch.
Her story begins many, many years ago when her brother was torn away from her as a child. Raised alone by a witch of the woods, Kristtōrn’s powers of magic grew, as did her temper. Determined to find her long lost twin, she set out on a perilous journey across oceans to find him. But what she found instead was a deep-seated fear of her powers and a confrontation that would leave the fate of Christmas hanging in the balance.
Available November 16th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
So, This is Christmas by Tracy Andreen; Read by Helen Laser
Let It Snow meets Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares in this new small-town Christmas romance.
When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Have a Hallmark moment with your holiday read and check out these movie-tie-ins premiering this month!
A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber
(Click to Watch the Trailer. Premieres November 6, 2021 on Hallmark)
Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer
(Click to Learn More About the Film. Premieres November 19, 2021 as Nantucket Noel on Hallmark)
