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| Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire |
Find a copy or learn more:
Thanks for sticking with me through this journey through the bookshelves!
Sunday, December 25, 2022
December 25, 2022
For our final Christmas book, I have chosen another one that I haven't read yet - but it's on my list for sure! If you are familiar with Gregory Maguire (author of Wicked), his books are re-imaginings of fairy tales and children's stories. I just learned that he has written a version of the Nutcracker story, so that's what I offer you today.
Saturday, December 24, 2022
December 24, 2022
For Christmas Eve, this children's book is the story of a magical train ride (on Christmas Eve!)
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| The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg |
Find a copy or learn more:
Friday, December 23, 2022
December 23, 2022
Another suggestion from Bryan, inspired by our very wintery weather!
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| Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons: A Calvin and Hobbes Collection Volume 10 by Bill Watterson |
Find a copy or learn more:
Thursday, December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
It's time for a classic! This novella, published on Dec. 19, 1843, sold out its first edition in six days and has never been out of print. It has inspired numerous film adaptations. (Yes, the Muppets did the best one.)
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| A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens |
Find a copy and learn more:
- Bookshop.org
- eBook via Libby
- Audiobook via Libby
- Free eBook via Standard eBooks (If you are an eBook reader and are not familiar with Standard eBooks, I encourage you to explore. They offer beautifully formatted editions of works in the public domain in the U.S., for free.)
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
December 21, 2022
For the actual winter solstice, I have a winter thriller that includes murder, scientific discoveries, and complicated families. Written by Danish author Peter Høeg, the protagonist of this book has a unique ability to read the snow.
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| Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg |
Find a copy or learn more:
- Bookshop.org
- eBook via Libby
- Or borrow Amanda's copy...if you want to read it in German.
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
December 20, 2022
Today's book is another queer holiday romance, set in Portland, OR. The main character is a cartoonist down on her luck, and the story includes many misunderstandings and jumped conclusions, an engagement of convenience, cozy cabins, and getting snowed in.
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| Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochran |
Find a copy or learn more:
Monday, December 19, 2022
December 19, 2022
In honor of our young friend who is arriving at our house TODAY, I am highlighting another book I have not read but that comes highly recommended by friends with kids. Did you know there was a dinosaur that lived at the North Pole with Santa? I did not!
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| The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher |
Find a copy or learn more:
- Bookshop.org
- Or try your local library!
Sunday, December 18, 2022
December 18, 2022
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, so I thought it was fitting to feature a Hanukkah romance! In the grand tradition of Jewish creators of Christmas media, the main character is an author who writes Christmas romance novels.
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| The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer |
Find a copy or learn more:
Saturday, December 17, 2022
December 17, 2022
Another Christmas novella loaned to me by my neighbor! The author has written three full-length novels in this setting, which I read after reading this one. It is inspirational Regency romance, and the author has a clear love of Jane Austen.
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| An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen |
Apparently enough people have become enamored of Ivy Hill that the author has a comprehensive website to explore: https://www.talesfromivyhill.com/
Friday, December 16, 2022
December 16, 2022
Bryan was joking when he suggested this book, but I am declaring that it can be a winter book merely because of the title. This book was published in 1992, but I think I first read it when I was in college. It is reportedly the inspiration for and genesis of lots of technology concepts and words that are common today.
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| Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson |
Find a copy or learn more:
Or borrow the copy on our book shelf!
Thursday, December 15, 2022
December 15, 2022
Today's book is set at a grand hotel in the Swiss Alps and features a plucky intern, a cast of unlikely guests, even more unlikely hotel staff, a mysterious cat, and everyone is SNOWED IN as the New Year's ball approaches.
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| A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier |
Find a copy or learn more:
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
December 14, 2022
If you're looking for a Northwoods winter murder mystery, today is your day! This is one of the Loon Lake mysteries, set in a fictional northern Wisconsin town, written by Rhinelander resident Victoria Houston.
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| Dead Rapunzel by Victoria Houston |
Find a copy or learn more:
Or borrow a copy from Pete!
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
December 13, 2022
This book has it all, if by "all" you mean a moose. And a dog. And Alaska. This holiday romance is the second in the Moose Springs, Alaska, series but can stand on its own.
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| Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler |
Find a copy or learn more:
Monday, December 12, 2022
December 12, 2022
Today's book is another that is not a Christmas book but is definitely a winter book. Set in Scotland, in a speculative near future where climate change threatens many, at times it feels bleak and sinister. Themes of family secrets, identities, and inequality are woven throughout.
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| The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan |
Find a copy or learn more:
Sunday, December 11, 2022
December 11, 2022
In the last year or two, my parents have given me all the children's books they had stored. Among those was this one, which is not specifically a Christmas story but is definitely a cozy winter story.
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| The Mitten by Jan Brett |
Find a copy or learn more:
Libby does not seem to have this book (at least, not at my libraries), but there are some other wintery picture books by Jan Brett:
Saturday, December 10, 2022
December 10, 2022
This is the book that reminded me of the Grinch and had the song stuck in my head for days! A queer new adult romance featuring an odd couple thrown together over the holidays, working together to plan an event and misunderstanding everything along the way.
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| You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky |
Find a copy or learn more:
Friday, December 9, 2022
December 9, 2022
Let's revisit an old favorite! I confess I am more familiar with the TV version than the book. (I have never seen the Jim Carrey movie adaptation and don't feel that I need to.)
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| How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss |
One of our friends once attended a Halloween party dressed as Cindy Lou Who - and honestly it was genius because footie pajamas are a very comfortable costume!
Just in case you don't have a copy on your shelf already, find a copy or learn more:
Thursday, December 8, 2022
December 8, 2022
My neighbor always reads a holiday book - and then when she's finished it, she loans it to me! Historical fiction/historical romance are not my favorite genres, but we all need a little variety (and a little Happy Ever After). This holiday novella is a quick read!
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| A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthews |
Find a copy or learn more:
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
December 7, 2022
This book is another that's part of a series, and while I know I read some of the others, this is the only one of the five books that I remember. I read it in fourth or fifth grade, and I remember that it was scary. It was a Newberry Honor Book in 1974, and like many great books for young people, it concerns the never-ending battle between the forces of good and evil. There are threads of Arthurian legend, Celtic and Norse mythology, and English folklore.
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| The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper |
Find a copy or learn more:
The BBC is releasing a podcast adaptation beginning on Dec. 20, 2022, over twelve days. I am looking forward to listening, although it's unclear whether it will be immediately available in the US. The introduction is available now, if you want a taste!
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
December 6, 2022
I asked Bryan to nominate a holiday book, and he reminded me of this one. It is the twentieth novel set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld universe, and I think I read it in college - one of Bryan's roommates was a Discworld fan, so I worked my way through his collection.
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| Hogfather by Terry Pratchett |
There is also a British miniseries adaptation of this book, although I don't think any streaming service currently has it available.
Find a copy or learn more:
After, or while, reading Hogfather, you may also enjoy this four-part series of discussion and analysis in the Terry Pratchett Book Club at Tor.com.
Monday, December 5, 2022
December 5, 2022
This is a book I haven't read, but I saw it featured in a holiday display at the library, and it seems like it could be a fun one! I don't read many cozy mysteries, but maybe it's time to start - there are so many cozy mystery series to choose from.
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| Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland |
Find a copy or learn more:
Sunday, December 4, 2022
December 4, 2022
Today's book is a beloved children's picture book that won the 1963 Caldecott medal. It is also a favorite of our neighbor kids, and I think of it whenever we're all playing in the snow together.
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| The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats |
Find a copy and learn more:
Saturday, December 3, 2022
December 3, 2022
Jasmine Guillory is a well known romance author. She also happens to be a Wellesley alumna, a few years ahead of me. I learned about her when her work was highlighted in the Wellesley magazine.
This is the first of her books that I read. It is not the first in the interconnected stories that comprise her series, but it can stand on its own. I read about it in a San Jose Public Library blog post on Christmas romances in December 2020, and I was fortunately able to check out the ebook from the library right then. I am a sucker for royal, or royal-adjacent, romance, and this one fits the bill!
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| Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory |
Find a copy or learn more:
Friday, December 2, 2022
December 2, 2022
We could argue about whether this book is a Christmas book - and I'm sure plenty of people on the internet have - but since I received this book as a Christmas gift, it is winter in Narnia when the story begins, AND Father Christmas makes an appearance, I have decided that it qualifies!
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| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis |
We could also argue about whether this is the first book in the series. It was the first book published. However, newer editions have been reordered in chronological story order, where it falls second (after starting with what was the sixth book). Regardless, it was MY first Narnia book and will always be first for me.
Find a copy and learn more:
- Bookshop.org
- eBook via Libby
- Audiobook via Libby
- Or borrow a copy from Amanda!
Over the past year, I listened to the audiobooks of all seven Narnia books. There are definitely aspects of the stories that are problematic through the lens of the present including racism and glorifying British colonialism. However, the stories are still intriguing, and the newest audiobooks are read by some famous voices.
If you want a deep dive into all things C.S. Lewis, starting with the Chronicles of Narnia, I can recommend this article series: The Great C.S. Lewis Reread at Tor.com
Thursday, December 1, 2022
December 1, 2022
Hey y'all!
It's hard to believe we are at the start of another Advent! My theme this year might be kind of a reach, but we'll see how well I can sustain it.
Some of you may know that throughout 2022, I've had a regular volunteer shift at the local public library, so I spend an hour or two each week shelving/organizing books, and this means that I see what people in my community are reading.
This Advent, I am going to showcase winter/holiday things to read - some I've read myself, some I've come across at the library, some found on the internet. As always, if you have any recommendations, please send them my way.
I'm going to start on easy mode with a book I read every year. It also happens to be my mom's favorite:
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| Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher |
Find a copy or learn more:
- Bookshop.org
- Audiobook (with a long waitlist!) from the Wisconsin Digital Library
- Or borrow a copy from Jackie or Amanda!
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Agricultural Foundations
"What are you going to do with tractor-seat stools?" Amanda asked, as I carried them out of Bette's basement.
The answer came to me today. Tractor parts will continue to tend plants for another season.
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