#christmas reading

[listentothestories]

Emily A. Clark | Beacon Hill Books and Cafe

[bookaddict24-7]

"I have a sort of Christmas morning sense of the library as a big box full of beautiful books."

-The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

[huariqueje]

December Girl , Christmas reading    -   Max Rimböck , 1934

German, 1890-1956

Oil on artist’s board  

[readtheuniverse]

[stefito0o]

Christmas time 🎄 🌟

[estherdedlock]

Every year, there’s a pop-culture debate about whether some movies that aren’t about Christmas, like Die Hard and Catch Me If You Can are actually “Christmas movies.” I think it depends on how the movie makes the viewer feel. If it gives you those vibes, then by golly, it is a Christmas movie.

I think a lot of readers tend to associate The Secret History with autumn, which makes perfect sense, but for me, it’s a winter’s tale---and that puts it firmly in the category of Christmas books. So in the spirit of the season, here’s an excerpt, abridged for the holidays, of one of my favorite parts of the story. Because The Secret History isn’t just a winter’s tale but a Winter tale, if you know what I mean.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

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

  Christmas came and went without notice, except that with no work and everything closed there was no place to go to get warm except, for a few hours, to church. I came home afterwards and wrapped myself in my blanket and rocked back and forth, ice in my very bones, and thought of all the sunny Christmases of my childhood---oranges, bikes and Hula Hoops, green tinsel sparkling in the heat.   Around the second week of January I got a postcard from Rome, no return address. It was a photograph of the Primaporta Augustus: beside it, Bunny had drawn a surprisingly deft cartoon of himself and Henry in Roman dress (togas, little round eyeglasses) squinting off curiously in the direction indicated by the statue’s outstretched arm. (Caesar Augustus was Bunny’s hero; he had embarrassed us all by cheering loudly at the mention of his name during the reading of the Bethlehem story from Luke 2 at the literature division’s Christmas party. “Well, what of it,” he said, when we tried to shush him. “All the world shoulda been taxed.”)   Late one afternoon, as it was getting dark, I looked down into the empty courtyard and was startled to see that a dark, motionless figure had materialized under the lamp, standing with its hands in the pockets of its dark overcoat and looking up at my window. It was shadowy and heavy snow was falling: “Henry?” I said, and squeezed my eyes shut until I saw stars. When I opened them again, I saw nothing but snow whirling in the bright cone of emptiness beneath the light. It was Friday, and Dr. Roland was going to be out of town until the following Wednesday. For me, that meant four days in the warehouse, and even in my clouded state it was clear I might freeze to death for real.   When Commons closed I started for home. The snow was deep, and before long my legs to the knees were prickling and numb. Everything in East Hampden was dark and deserted, even the Boulder Tap; the only light for miles around seemed to be the light shimmering around the pay phone in front. I had about thirty dollars in my pocket, more than enough to call a taxi to take me to the Catamount Motel.   I had one more quarter in my pocket; it was my last one. I took off my gloves and groped in my pocket with my numbed fingers. Finally I found it, and had it in my hand and was about to bring it up to the slot, when suddenly it slipped from my fingers and I pitched forward after it, hitting my forehead on the sharp corner of the metal tray beneath the phone. I managed to get up on all fours. I saw a dark spot on the snow. The quarter was gone.   I made it up the stairs, half walking, half on my hands and knees. Blood was trickling down my forehead. I pushed the workshop door open with my shoulder and began to fumble for the light switch when suddenly I saw something by the window that made me reel with shock. A figure in a long black overcoat was standing motionless across the room by the windows, hands clasped behind the back; near one of the hands I saw the tiny glow of a cigarette coal.   “Henry?” I said at last, my voice scarcely more than a whisper.   He let the cigarette fall from his fingers and took a step towards me. It really was him---damp, ruddy cheeks, snow on the shoulders of his overcoat. “Good God, Richard,” he said, “what’s happened to you?”   It was as much surprise as I ever saw him show. I reached for the door frame, and the next thing I knew I was falling, and Henry had jumped forward to catch me.   He eased me onto the floor and took off his coat and spread it over me like a blanket. “Where did you come from?” I said.   “I left Italy early.” He was brushing the hair back from my forehead. I saw blood on his fingertips.   “Some little place I’ve got here, huh?” I said, and laughed.   “Yes,” he said brusquely. Then he bent to look at my head again.

[sideshrimp]

White elephant exchange with my book club and folktale inspired stories around the tree

[nightofnyx8]

How the heck did this adorable hallmark novel bring me to tears UGG I swear I'm getting soft

[weirdowearingprada]

[desdasiwrites]

– Eowyn Ivey, The Snow Child

[library--of--alex]

Three books, five weeks. Can I do it?

(from the bottom up: The Hurting Kind, The Secret History, Ethan Frome)

[mountedhistory]

New titles in my library 😍

[poppletonink]

Let It Snow Review

★★★☆☆ - 3 stars

On a Christmas Eve, Gracetown becomes blanketed in snow. As three stories come together to form one, a group of teenagers lives change indefinitely as romance forms in the most unlikely of places. Alongside romance blooming, a series of dramatic events sends them down festive paths they never would have anticipated ending up in.

The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson

★★★★★ - 5 stars

Jubilee Dougal was not expecting to spend Christmas in Gracetown with a family she didn't know. But when her parents got arrested; her boyfriend was being neglectful; her train broke down on the way to visit her grandparents; and she trekked in the snow to a Waffle House, she didn't have much choice. She wasn't expecting to fall in love with a total stranger either - but Christmas has an effect on people.

It took me a few pages but once I got into this one, I loved it.

Jubilee is awesome - who doesn't completely favour her over pretty much every character in this book. And Stuart is the sweetest man on earth.

Stuart's mam kind of freaked me out a bit, but she was nice so it was fine.

And the way that Stuart and Jubilee bonded over having terrible exes was cute.

Also, on that note, I hate Noah with all of my guts - he found out his girlfriend had several near death experiences within a few hours and he didn't even care at all!? What's wrong with this guy!?

But, overall, I got really invested in this one - it was the cute, cozy Christmas romance I was looking for. I loved it.

A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green

★★★★☆ - 4 stars

When Tobin and his friends get a call from Keun at the Waffle House, they set out on a trek to join him there - if only for the cheerleaders. But getting there isn't so easy, with a broken down car; miles of travel all if which is covered in snow; and two twins threatening their every move. Along the way, Tobin discovers maybe he isn't going for the cheerleaders after all - maybe he is simply in love with his best friend: the Duke (Angie).

The Duke is definitely my favourite character - she was created well, she wasn't very feminine but didn't judge other girls for being feminine.

Also I love the pop cultures references - Twister is one of the best board games around and James Bond is iconic.

I think it was kind of slow paced, but it was still good. My main issue is the sexist interpretation of cheerleaders - sexualising the concept of cheerleaders themselves, pom poms and short skirts. It was addressed, but it still made me uncomfortable.

I thought Tobin and the Duke were super cute together. However, it took me a while to get there.

Overall, I liked it quite a lot - this is the second thing I've read by John Green and his writing style is still something I'm getting used to but I do like it.

The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle

★★☆☆☆ - 2 stars

The fate of a singular teacup pig falls into the hands of a dramatic teenage girl, Addie. Whilst trying to keep the pig safe, she has to navigate her broken relationship with her boyfriend Jed, after having cheated on him by kissing someone else.

I didn't really like the writing style - frankly, I found it boring after the first page. Also, can we talk about the writing is very Eleanor and Park esque - even down to the racism ("He seemed so exotic" almost killed me).

Addie is really annoying too - she totally doesn't deserve Jeb.

Plus, this story argues that it's okay to cheat on someone as long as you apologize profusely in an attempt to salvage the relationship.

But, I have to admit I mostly finished this one for the teacup pig - and to see how the stories intertwined in the end.

[ladysnowangel]

Christmas reading: 12 Days At Bleakly Manor and A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep

[ailishsinclair]

Christmas Reading and Gentle Colours

Christmas Reading and Gentle Colours. A thread ⬇️

A little lull has been reached at the end of a hectic week. The colours of the loch are gentle, muted now at the darkest point of the year. I’ve seen a few blog posts about Christmas reading, such as this one here from Jacqueline Seewald. People are sharing the books they’re reading, and those that they’ve written, and I thought I’d join in. So, share away! What books are you reading over the…

[readtheuniverse]