Christmas Book Reviews and Recommendations

““Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good fright…”

What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a past of letting those he’s meant to protect die? What if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you gained the ability to see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?

Helen Bell is a student with a past she’d rather not remember and a high school social life that doesn’t exist. Almost everyone she passes either forgets she’s there or doesn’t notice her in the first place. Though it’s hard to live like a shadow, she survives by focusing on her studies.

Until the day everything changes.

When a strange encounter leaves Helen able to see a species of invisible people among us, naturally she assumes she’s going delusional or is getting ill from the cold weather. But when a young, handsome Winter guardian appears to aid her in a crisis, and a train horn starts blasting over the city in a search to hunt her down, she finds herself in the middle of a war where nothing is quite as it seems, and what’s “right” isn’t always right.

“No matter what happens,” her Winter guardian warns as creatures all down the street begin to shriek and freeze in place, “Don’t move a muscle…”

Zane Cohen is a young, retired Patrolman. Even though he craves mischief and would rather play tricks on snow rabbits than get dragged back into the guardian life, he finds he can’t help himself when he meets Helen Bell. She’s not suitable to play the games of the Rime Folk. If she’s not careful, she’s going to get herself killed. And he shouldn’t care, but…

But a long time ago, he believed in an ancient “Truth”. This same Truth begins calling Helen’s name across the snow, forcing her to make the ultimate decision to either run back to her empty life, or do the unthinkable—to face off with the Snow Queen in The Quarrel of Sword and Bone; a match that takes place in a Winter arena before one thousand witnesses and will likely mean certain death.

So, the retired Patrolman becomes not so retired after all.

A Soul as Cold as Frost is Jennifer Kropf’s debut novel, ideal for fans of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms by Meredith Rusu and Ashleigh Powell.

Book Facts:
*The Winter Souls Series is an adventure for ages 10+, but parents love it too!
*This series contains a Christian allegory.
*A Soul as Cold as Frost was rewritten, reimagined, and reformatted with illustrations by Kyannah Durocher in 2024 for a better reading experience.”

“Twelve days, nine women, and the challenge to not fall in love. He’d have nothing to worry about, if his best friend weren’t one of the nine.

Matthew Pratt wouldn’t change a thing about his life—especially when he learns his childhood friend, Meg, will be joining him and his family for the holiday season. To make matters even better, his mother promises to no longer push him to marry, so long as Matthew meets with nine ladies of her choosing between Christmas and Twelfth Night. For an added prize from his father, Matthew must also keep from falling in love with any of the ladies. Unable to say no to a challenge, Matthew agrees, but that is before he realizes that Meg is numbered with the nine.

Meg Baker has always loved Matthew as a friend, but only recently has she discovered that her feelings are growing beyond that of simple camaraderie. Anxious to discover Matthew’s own feelings, Meg decides to draw as much attention to herself as possible during Christmastide, all before he returns to school.

As the holiday festivities begin, however, and Matthew takes an interest in other women—a great deal of other women—Meg fears she is too late to win his affection. But when a change comes in their relationship, Matthew must decide if he will remain comfortably single forever—or if Meg is worth the risk of a happily ever after.

Book 4 in the Belles of Christmas series, Nine Ladies Dancing, is a standalone Regency holiday romance. The series can also be enjoyed in this order:

Unmasking Lady Caroline by Mindy Burbidge Strunk, Book 1

Goodwill for the Gentleman by Martha Keyes, Book 2

The Earl’s Mistletoe Match by Ashtyn Newbold, Book 3

Nine Ladies Dancing by Deborah M. Hathaway, Book 4

A Duke for Lady Eve by Kasey Stockton, Book 5″

“Forget naughty or nice—this is a battle of good vs. evil.

Discover the origins of St. Nick and follow along as the Guardians start their quest to rid the world of nightmares in the first Guardians chapter book from Academy Award winner William Joyce that inspired the beloved film, The Rise of the Guardians.

Before SANTA was SANTA, he was North, Nicholas St. North—a daredevil swordsman whose prowess with double scimitars was legendary. Like any swashbuckling young warrior, North seeks treasure and adventure, leading him to the fiercely guarded village of Santoff Claussen, said to be home to the greatest treasure in all the East, and to an even greater wizard, Ombric Shalazar. But when North arrives, legends of riches have given way to terrors of epic proportions! North must decide whether to seek his fortune…or save the village.

When our rebellious hero gets sucked into the chaos (literally), the fight becomes very personal. The Nightmare King and his evil Fearlings are ruling the night, owning the shadows, and sending waves of fear through all of Santoff Clausen. For North, this is a battle worth fighting…and, he’s not alone. There are five other Guardians out there. He only has to find them in time.”

“Cabin fever can spark unexpected flames

MAGGIE

After being dumped last Christmas, I’m taking extreme measures to ensure nothing and no one ruins my happy holidays this time around. I’ll be safely wrapped in a cocoon of kitschy Christmas decor, complete with surrounding winter wonderland at the ultimate holiday mountain cabin. So what if the countless elf figurines make me a little uneasy or if there are a couple hiccups with cabin maintenance?

There’s a bigger problem: the assistant manager happens to be one of (many) teasing classmates from my childhood and my former crush. He keeps showing up to my cabin to fix things. I’m more worried about what he might break….

WES

Here at Crystal Peaks Resort, I’ve got everything I need: tall trees, fresh air, and no cell phone service. This is my happy place, and if I prove to my boss I can handle the job, the management position here will be mine. Everything is falling into place.

Until the newest guest arrives. The quirky cabin she’s in is the bane of my existence, causing issue after issue. But the more I’m there, the more I realize the real obstacle between me and my future plans: proving to my boss I can keep a professional relationship with the guests. Or one guest in particular.

A Gift-Wrapped Romance is a five-part multi-author series that can be enjoyed in any order!

Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton
Merry Kismet by Anneka R. Walker
Solo for the Season by Martha Keyes
One Small Secret by Esther Hatch
Jingle Bell Jilt by Mindy Burbidge Strunk”

““Deck the halls with bells and folly…”

Helen Bell has changed since facing off with Mara Rouge in the Quarrel of Sword and Bone. But so has Winter.

When a Timepiece crosses the intersect to give Helen a set of three warnings in the form of a puzzle, she’s forced to re-enter the world she thought she might never see again to solve it before she meets a deadly end.

But things are different in Winter. Things that were once proudly colourful have been painted red, and the Patrolman who swore to always be there for her has his own demons to face. Helen is forced to hide in plain sight by impersonating a Red Kingdom celebrity, all to follow the leads and solve the Timepiece’s puzzle before she’s taken and Winter’s last Carrier of Truth is silenced forever.


A Heart as Red as Paint is the second installment of The Winter Souls Series; a faith-based Christmas collection for teens, with characters from old holiday legends and folklore.“

“An ice slipper wasn’t the only thing left behind at midnight…

Noelle Frost only has one chance to reclaim the inheritance stolen from her after her father’s death. With her stepfamily plotting to win the prince’s heart during his bride competition to secure their own power, Noelle must infiltrate the royal ball to confront her stepmother and reclaim her birthright before time runs out. But in order to get close enough, she must compete for a crown she doesn’t want—and a prince she doesn’t love.

The real danger lies in her growing feelings for Jack, the prince’s enigmatic mage advisor. As their forbidden romance ignites, Jack becomes Noelle’s only ally in a world of treachery, with access to the records that could restore her to her rightful place as the heiress of the Frostwood estate. The closer Noelle gets to Jack, the more impossible their future seems.

As the competition heats up and the prince’s attention turns to Noelle, her stepmother offers a risky bargain that Noelle can’t turn down if she wants to protect Jack, even if it means leaving the castle forever. After all, if Noelle and Jack can never be together, does she have any reason to stay?

As midnight approaches, Noelle must decide if she can truly leave her heart behind.

This is a Cinderella retelling, filled with forbidden love, dog sleds, blackmail, and an illegal courtship set in a snowy kingdom. Perfect for a cozy Christmas read, fans of Melanie Cellier, Tara Grayce, and Deborah Grace White will love this no-spice romantic fantasy book.

This book is a part of The Christmas Chronicles, a collection of festive novellas filled with clean romance, chilly weather, and cozy adventure.”

“I’m dreaming of a frightful Christmas…

The first thing that Patrolman Zane Cohen notices when he meets Helen Bell again in this new season is that she is not herself.

The libraries of the Volumes of Wisdom have been burned to ash. Believers of the Truth are disappearing across the snow globe. A Beast of the darkness is taking hostages and building his army in Winter. And Helen…

Helen sees it all unfolding in her dreams.

When the Volumes of Wisdom begin to whisper clues of something hidden in Winter that might turn the tides of the oncoming war, Helen finds herself trekking into the prickly pines and thundering songs of war drums in the Green Kingdom. She claims she’s there as an emissary of the Three Kings of the East. But the true reason she’s risked stepping into a kingdom of the verge of losing a deadly war…

Is to steal the Queen of the Pines garland crown right from atop her head.

A Crown as Sharp as Pines is Book #3 of The Winter Souls Series: a Christmas themed collection with holiday myths and folklore.“

“Sammy Baker’s confectionaries are a big hit in Sunny Cove, but when a fundraising drive turns into a hair-raising crime it’s time for Sam to don her sleuthing cap again.

Aided by a posse of do-gooders who call themselves the Radical Grandmas, Sammy needs to sniff out the cold-bloodied killer before Christmas day.

This yuletide cozy yarn will leave you warming your hands and wracking your brains for a little Sunny Cove seasonal sleuthing.

Christmas Puds & Killers is a Christian Cozy mystery with all of the ingredients that you love – an amateur sleuth, a small town, a cast of colorful characters and a clean mystery with lots of delicious surprises.“

“Once, there was the Truth, which shone as pure as Gold.

Then, came a Beast, who devoured Winter’s lights.

‘Twas Gold versus Poison
Darkness versus Light
King versus Beast
Day verses Night
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A Beast as Dark as Night is the epic finale to The Winter Souls Series, a Christmas themed collection with holiday myths and folklore. Ideal for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms by Meredith Rusu and Ashleigh Powell.”