Tag: book review

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Phaedra by Laura Shepperson

Phaedra by Laura Shepperson

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Myth Retold

Laura Shepperson’s debut novel Phaedra (released as The Heroines in UK/AUS) is another new release in Greek myth retellings. The story follows Phaedra, who married Theseus after he slayed the Minotaur. This work re-examines the story from Phaedras point of view, and turns the story on its head. Ultimately, Phaedra, who is misunderstood, demands justice for the suffering and helplessness that is felt by not only herself, but for abused women everywhere.

It’s a very complex story (and controversial, as far as myths go). I won’t spoil the ending here for anyone who doesn’t know how the myth goes, but if you are interested search for Euripides’ Hippolytus myth summary.

A stark contrast between gender roles is explored within this work, showing how different expectations and beliefs were between men and women during this time in history.

IMHO the world-building left a lot to be desired, and I found the multiple POVs to be confusing at times. The challenging subject matter makes it an emotionally difficult read, in itself. Not hard, but uncomfortable to read, at times. And who am I to judge? They say good literature evokes feelings and makes you think critically…which this story definitely does. I do think this story brings a fresh twist to an old myth, and I am still excited to add this new story of Phaedra to my mythology collection 💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: rape, abuse, suicide

Thank you to @alcovepress @penguinrandomhouse and @laurashepperson for gifting me this ARC💕

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Jane Austen Book Club – Sense & Sensibility Discussion Qs

What was your favorite moment of the book?

One of my favorite moments of Sense and Sensibility is in chapter 30 when Mrs. Jennings is checking on Marianne after her heartbreak, and offering olives. She says, “Well, poor thing! I won’t disturb her any longer, for she had better have her cry out at once and have done with.” And I just think that is the funniest and truest line ever. Cry it out, Marianne!

The working title of the book was Elinor and Marianne. Why is Sense and Sensibility a better title? In what ways do Elinore and Marianne embody these traits?

I would categorize Elinor and Marriane as dual heroines, and changing the title to S&S broadens the themes of the book. Typically Elinor is seen as the sensible one, and Marianne the sensitive one. But one of the interesting things about this book is how they do a switch, and by the end of the book Elinor is able to touch into her emotions in a way she wasn’t able to before, and Marianne makes much better choices, and shows more sense, which she was lacking at first. So this title change is important because it alludes to the sister’s transformations and dual nature, which I think everyone can relate to. We, all of us, have dual natures, a little bit of sense and a little bit of sensibility!

Margaret is often the overlooked younger sister in this novel–what do you think of her role in this novel?

Margaret Dashwood is mentioned sparsely throughout novel. Her character appears to be minor, existing as a particular supportive element for the her sisters. All her life depends on the events related to the members of her family, and she can not wait to live it by herself and feel all the patience of the independent existence.

What did you think about Willoughby’s apology? Did you feel sympathetic towards him?

I have very unsympathetic feelings toward Willoughby. He seems like a fuckboi and I just don’t like him.

What did you think of Lucy Steele? Did you trust her at first, or were you suspicious of her eagerness to befriend Elinor?

I personally do not trust Lucy Steele. There are moments where she seems to be intentionally petty, and I her keeping secret engagements makes her even less likeable.

Chapter 23 highlights her scheming character traits best, in my opinion. She is seen offering pointed information that Elinor hasn’t explicitly asked for, suggesting that Lucy is purposely choosing what to tell Elinor, and illuminates her pushing Elinor for information in an artful way.

In the end, Lucy gets what she wants—a wealthy husband who allows her to move up the social ladder through marriage. As the narrator says of her at the conclusion of the novel, she is a prime example of what someone can achieve when he or she is persistent, self-interested, and determined.

How do secrets drive Marianne and Elinor’s actions?

Secrets have a lot of power in the novel, both kept secrets and secrets revealed. 

CH 23 — “The necessity of concealing from her mother and Marianne, what had been entrusted in confidence to herself, though it obliged her to unceasing exertion, was no aggravation of Elinor’s distress.”

CH 29 — “Nor I,” answered Marianne with energy, “our situations then are alike. We have neither of us any thing to tell; you, because you do not communicate, and I, because I conceal nothing.”

Which sister seems to change the most over the course of the novel? Who would you say is the heroine of the story, or do they share the role equally? 

Elinor and Marianne’s characters both show great development and growth by the end of the book. Typically Elinor is seen as representing sense and Marianne as representing Sensibility throughout the novel, but as the novel goes on, the heroines are able to learn from each other and that drives their characters’ evolution. By the end, Elinor has learned to be more sensible, and Marianne has learned to be more sensical, and that is one of the greatest journeys: learning that it is okay to be a little bit of both.

If I had to choose, I would say Elinor is the heroine of the story, in the same way that Lizzy is the heroine of P&P. P&P presents a story where the heroines are lifted up from poverty to wealth, marry rich handsome gentlemen, and get to marry for love. S&S presents more of a story about choices–both sisters marry, but Elinor gets her man in the end because she makes more rational choices from point A to B. Marianne loses her first choice because of her desperate actions, poor decision-making, and lack of foresight. She marries a good man in the end, but unlike Elinor, she ends up with her second-choice after incredible suffering and heartbreak. It makes her a stronger character, but it is much less idealized than the HEA of P&P.

How would you compare/contrast P&P to S&S? How are they similar, and how are they different?

Ofc P&P is still my favorite, but it’s always interesting to go through her other works and read them closer. I have to say that I do see a lot of similarities between P&P/S&S—even the titles stand out as the most similar of her stories. However, while Pride and Prejudice leans more towards a fantasy HEA, Sense and Sensibility presents a much more realistic (albeit cynical) take on love.

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Jane Austen Book Club – Pride & Prejudice Discussion Qs

Pride and Prejudice is my personal favorite—and, arguably the most favorited of all Jane Austen’s novels—so I thought I would start there. Pride & Prejudice is one of the most loved and widely adapted of Austen’s works. Since it was first published in 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has sold over 20 million copies, and is now one of the most recognizable names in British literature. Though it was written over 200 years ago, it remains relevant. Not only is it a beautifully written love story with a happy ending, but it contains timeless insights about human nature that reminds readers that first impressions can often be wrong.

Discussion Questions to think about while reading Pride and Prejudice:

What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?

What was your favorite moment of the book? What is your least favorite?

The working title of the book was First Impressions. Why is Pride and Prejudice a better title? In what ways are Darcy and Elizabeth guilty of both pride and prejudice and how does this drive the action of the story?

Marriage, as something to be aspired to, is portrayed quite differently in the novel than in existing marriages. What married couples do we see in the novel? How would you characterize these relationships?

Two central characters in Jane Austen’s works have her own first name. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Bennet is described as “everything lovely.” In Emma, Jane Fairfax’s character is described as a “decorous, talented, beautiful woman.” What do you make of that?

Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters people you would want to meet?

Is Elizabeth Bennet consistent in her actions? Is she a fully developed character? How so?

How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else? What makes this novel “timeless”?

My responses:

What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?

Some of the themes in the book center around the idea of love versus the institution of marriage, the expectations placed on women, social class and status, as well as manners and integrity.

What was your favorite moment of the book? What is your least favorite?

One of my favorite moments of the book is when Lizzy realizes her love for Darcy. “I do, I do like him,” she replied, with tears in her eyes; “I love him.” And then she goes on to say how she was so wrong about him, and I just think it is such a beautiful moment of self-realization and romance.

Another favorite is Caroline’s quote on libraries: How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

One of my least favorite moments is when Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins. It just doesn’t sit right with me that she took Lizzy’s leftovers. Another low is everything about the slimy f-boy rake Mr. Wickham.

The working title of the book was First Impressions. Why is Pride and Prejudice a better title? In what ways are Darcy and Elizabeth guilty of both pride and prejudice and how does this drive the action of the story?

First Impressions was a great working title because it captures the essence of the story, but I think using the words Pride and Prejudice helps to narrow it down even more. Lizzy and Darcy’s first impressions of each other were wrong because of their pride and their prejudice, and they are given the space to work through their misunderstandings and reevaluate their first impressions. There are many times throughout the book that various characters are very judgy in general, and I think that also plays into pride and prejudices in a way. Also, both Lizzy and Darcy show signs of being prideful and prejudiced at various times throughout the book, though traditionally Darcy is aligned with Pride and Lizzy is meant to be Prejudice.

Marriage, as something to be aspired to, is portrayed quite differently in the novel than in existing marriages. What married couples do we see in the novel? How would you characterize these relationships?

I would categorize most of the married relationships in the novel as unhappy, or lacking in some way. My personal favorite couple is Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, I just think their toxic dynamic so so hilarious. I think this is Austen’s way of poking fun at the institution of marriage. She herself remained unmarried while all or most of her main characters get HEAs. This seems a bit satirical and ironic to me, that a woman who wrote about characters who strive toward the ideal of marriage did not actually practice what she preached. 

It also has always left me wondering about her own relationships. Some scholars have speculated about Jane’s love life, and some theories suggest she was jilted by the love of her life, Tom Lefoy. But there is no concrete evidence and it is just a fan theory that I frequently wonder about.

Two central characters in Jane Austen’s works have her own first name. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Bennet is described as “everything lovely.” In Emma, Jane Fairfax’s character is described as a “decorous, talented, beautiful woman.” What do you make of that?

I find it hilarious that Jane had a habit of naming her most talented and beautiful characters after herself! 

Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters people you would want to meet?

Some of the characters I find very likeable, and I would still like to meet some of the unlikeable characters just because they bring so much drama to a room!

Is Elizabeth Bennet consistent in her actions? Is she a fully developed character? How so?

I would categorize Elizabeth Bennet as a bit inconsistent, actually. I think she is written with flaws, as are most of the characters, and given room to grow, which is important to her character arc. By the end of the novel she has had time to change her mind on certain things, and the fact that she is a character who can admit her mistakes and learn from them makes her a strong character.

How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else? What makes this novel “timeless”?

Though it was written over 200 years ago, Pride and Prejudice remains relevant today. Not only is it a beautifully written love story with a happy ending, but it contains timeless insights about human nature that reminds readers that first impressions can often be wrong. There have been countless adaptations of this story that continue to borrow the enemy-to-lovers trope, because it is an age-old idea that is universal. 

Human nature hasn’t changed much in 200 years, and we are all just Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants and recycling the same Seven Basic Plots. Reinterpreting their ideas and making them modern isn’t a new idea. Literature has always been intertextual – writers have forever been influenced by other writers. We are all only standing on the shoulders of giants, and the fact that Jane Austen’s books are still discussed, read, reworked and adapted 200 years later just proves the timelessness of her writing.

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Pod by Laline Paull

Pod by Laline Paull

Release Date: February 7

Laline Paull returns with an immersive new novel about the ocean world as told through the eyes of two different dolphin pods: spinner dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins.

Ea is more than just a spinner dolphin. Ea is different. In this story, she has an identity. She has an acoustic disability that makes her unable to spin like the other dolphins in her pod, and she is ultimately on a journey of self-understanding and acceptance. As her inner struggles become more complex, she must also grapple with the changing of her world when she is uprooted from everything and everyone she knows. When catastrophe befalls her family and Ea knows she is partly to blame, she decides to make the ultimate sacrifice and leave the pod.

The ocean is a place of peace and calm. Until ocean demons and pollution threaten the oceans’ way of thriving. As Ea ventures into the vast, she finds danger lurking everywhere. The ocean itself seems to be changing; creatures are mutating, demonic noises pierce the depths, and entire species of fish disappear into the sky above.

I would describe it as scientific fiction, but I wouldn’t exactly call it sci-fi… I would call it cli-fi (climate fiction) because, though it is the story of dolphins, it is also the story of the whole ocean, and how the careless and cruel actions of humans put entire ecosystems at risk.

A diverse cast of sea creatures from dolphins and whales to pufferfish create an incredibly unique POV. Writing the main characters as dolphins and other marine animals draws comparisons between animals and humans, suggesting that we’re all the same— we, all of us are living beings.

This is a musical story, full of sound and space. Because dolphins use sonar, sound and music are strong themes in this book. Beautiful imagery and stunning ocean settings make this a perfect blend of reality and fiction. I loved how musical prose is woven so intricately with scientific fact, and I love this author because she has an amazing way of educating readers about the ocean while entertaining them at the same time.

TW: rape, sexual assault, death

Thank you so much to Pegasus Books for sending me an early copy to read and review. I love Laline Paull, and this is a new favorite of mine!

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2023: The Year of Jane Austen

I talked about my attempt to finish reading all of Jane Austen’s books a bit in my last post, and how 2023 is going to be my new Year of Jane. This year, I plan to read all of Jane Austens works, including rereading my old favorites, as well as some of her lesser-known and unfinished works. There are roughly enough to fill in a whole year if I pick one book a month. So here is a rough sketch of my yearly plan, though it may shift a bit here is my generalized reading schedule. And if you would like to join along for discussions and group reads, come join the Jane Austen Book Club today!

January: Pride and Prejudice

February: Sense and Sensibility

March: Sandition *season 3 of Sanditon premieres March 19

April: Emma

May: Mansfield Park

June: Love and Friendship

July: Lady Susan

August: Persuasion

September: The Watsons

October: Northanger Abbey and The Mysteries of Udolpho

November: Poems

December: Fanny Burney’s Camilla, Cecelia and Evelina, or Maria Edgeworth’s Belinda (all of which were some of Jane Austen’s favorite books)

Join my Jane Austen Book Club HERE!

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Join my Jane Austen Book Club!

Join my Jane Austen Book Club!

For lovers of Jane Austen and Historical Romance, come join the Jane Austen Book Club today!

It is no secret that I absolutely adore Jane Austen. She is easily my favorite classic author, and Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favorite book. I even planned on finishing reading her entire works last year in what I dubbed “My Year of Jane Austen” … sadly I fell a few books short of my goal.

So, 2023 is my NEW Year of Jane. I plan to read the works I have yet to finish (Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, as well as her unfinished works and poems), as well as re-read the ones I already know. Because with each reading I gain something new, and I will never be tired of reading Jane Austen. I would also like to read more fan fiction, and some of the books that were Jane Austen’s favorites in her life. So, If you would like to join me for a Year of Jane, this book club is for you!

This Jane Austen Book Club idea is something I have been playing around with for a long time, and I thought I would just go for it! And what better time than during my Year of Jane? In the club, I hope to suggest Austen-esque book recommendations, plan group reads and discussions, and hopefully connect with other Austenites and Janeites! If this is something you would be interested in, come join the club and suggest our next book!

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Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies by Michael Ausiello (now a major motion-picture)

“But there was another part of me that saw the installation as the defining metaphor for how Kit had confronted this entire year: with grace, courage, dark humor, and unquestionable fearlessness, right up to the end.” —Michael Ausiello, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies

This was the most heart-wrenching book I have read in a long time. It was also really beautiful. If you get a chance to read or watch the new movie—do it.

This moving biographical memoir centers around Michael Ausiello and his partner Kit Cowan, who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Neuroendocrine cancer. Though Kit and Michael did their best to fight the deadly disease, Kit’s struggle ended just 11 months after his diagnosis. This is the life story of Kit, and the love story of Kit-and-Mike, all wrapped up in a touching dedication to an incredible fighter—Kit Cowan.

Thank you @the.queerreader for sending me this book so we could buddy read without waiting for library holds 

 I can’t remember the last book that made me cry this much. I loved and hated every second of it 

Kit, you are amazing. Michael, you are amazing. Thank you for sharing Kit’s story—and your story—with the world.

Follow Michael on Instagram @michealausiello and buy Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies here, or stream the new movie today!

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Friday I’m In Love TOUR

It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen but what if Mahalia had a Coming Out Party? Friday I’m In Love is a love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, black joy, and queer pride.

Mahalia Harris wants.

She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying–about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.

Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.

The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?

A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you. 

Thank you to @knopfteen for sending me a copy of the book and teaming up with me for a great giveaway! Check out how to enter below:

GIVEAWAY
Enter to win a copy of Friday I’m in Love

TO ENTER
– follow @rosesandreviews (me), @camryngwrites, @knopfteen, and @storygramtours 

– tag a friend you think will be interested

RULES
– Giveaway will end Jan 16th at midnight EST
– US ONLY
– not affiliated with Instagram
-must be 18 or have parents permission
-must be a public account to verify entries

#FridayImInLoveTour #FridayImInLove #CamrynGarrett #knopfteen #storygramtours

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The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

Historical Fiction – Chicago 1911

Wow!!! I LOVED this book. It is this author’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see more from her in the future. It was sweet, exciting, and well-researched historical fiction. I would rank it very high up in my list of favorite historical fictions, actually. I really loved it. The story is loosely based on the C. R. Patterson family. It weaves a lot of important Black history into the story, and is one of those books you could read for fun while still learning a lot, though I would still say romance is central to the story.

SHORT SPOILERY SUMMARY: First, there is Olivia, who is looking for love and ends up in a love triangle. Helen wants to be a mechanic and is on a personal journey. She wants to be respected and valued for more than a pretty face, but things get complicated when she turns her sisters’ love triangle into a love square by falling for Olivia’s suitor. Amy-Rose works for the Davenports, and has big dreams of opening her own salon. And she falls in love with Olivia’ brother, who already has something going on with Oliva’s riches-to-rags BFF Ruby!!! SO. MUCH. DRAMAAA!

I loved Amy-Rose and her love story, hers was my favorite couple, easily! Helen was an awesome SFL and the chapters from her POV were my favorites overall. But, its hard to pick favorites because Olivia was also amazing!! I think Ruby was my least favorite, just because I got jealous-friend-vibes from her near the beginning and I couldn’t shake them off. But it left lots of room for her character to grow, so that was valuable.

I love when authors hide character traits within the characters’ names (the closest word I can find is ‘Euonym‘: a name well suited to the person, place, or thing named. I feel like there is a better literary device for this, if you know it please help me!). I thought it was clever that there was flower imagery in Amy-Rose chapters, gemstone imagery in Ruby chapters, and Olivia gets an olive-branch moment that is super adorable.

Overall I enjoyed Marquis’ writing style. Having four main characters can be a lot to juggle, but each perspective is so different that it makes it really easy to keep them separate in your head. The multiple POV also allowed readers to see the differences in class, the challenging of gender roles, and the difficulty of aquiring and maintaining wealth and status. There were places where I thought the grammar could have been better, and passages that I thought could be reworded for readability, but this copy was just an ARC and those things are usually fixed in final copies. I did think the story moved very fast, and because of the multiple POVs certain characters and relationships could have been fleshed out more. Also, more history!! I selfishly would have loved to this done as a series, but that’s just because I wanted more lol!

I also maintain that this could make a really great show or movie adaptation!

 Follow Krystal Marquis on Instagram @krystabelle_reads and @krystalmarquis on Twitter.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

#PenguinTeenPartner!

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A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman

“Their three kisses would be just the beginning. He wanted all of her, body and soul.” —Kate Bateman, A Wicked Game

This was my first Kate Bateman book and right away I fell in love with this author’s writing style! It is the third book of the Ruthless Rivals series, but can easily be read as a standalone. A Wicked game was exciting, fast-paced, and steamy. Now I can’t wait to read more of this author!

It was a light and easy read, and it brought me back to a time when all I wanted to do was read harlequin resonances under my desk. This was a fun book to start the year with—romance, scandal, and smut, what more could you want!

𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:
-Harlequin romance
-Rivalry & Revenge
-Old Maps

This was a pleasure to read! Two childhood rivals, one bet: three kisses. A rogue and a lady tease each other, constantly bickering, but in a tension-building way that is irresistibly hot.

An anonymous act of heroism from one leads to dangerous consequences for another. But not everything is as simple as it seems. Can their desire for each other overcome their desire for revenge?

Thank you to @macmillanusa and @stmartinspress for sending me an ARC of this title! All opinions are my own.

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2022 Reading Wrap Up

Another year, another reading challenge met! I am very proud of myself for meeting my 100 book challenge. 100 books a year sounds like a lot, but its really only 2 books a week. I also count audiobooks, and it’s really easy for me to make that number when counting those. This is such a fun challenge for me and I love keeping track of all the books I read throughout the year. I use both Goodreads and Storygraph to track my stats (GR because it has more reviews, SG because it’s easier to use), and I love that Bookstagram and Booktok help me find so many great reading recs.

Looking back on my stats, I am proud that I kept my formats balanced (for the most part!), but for next year I would like to add an sub-goal addendum to my challenge: I want at least 52 of my reads to be physical books, and 52 to be audiobooks, for a total of 104. Also, I would like to read more e-books in the next year!

𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟? Yes! I exceeded my 100 book goal and read 113 books this year, and I am very proud of myself

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟: 104+

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯? I hope to finish all of Jane Austen’s works in ’23

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall and Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: Pride and Prejdudice, Flower Fables, and Honeycomb

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦: for at least 52 of the books I read to be physical books and at least 52 audiobooks. Also, I’d like to read more e-books! 

💬QOTD: Have you met your reading goal? Any bookish resolutions going into 2023? 

Thank you to @mommas.library and @honeydukesbooksfor sharing this 2022 book tag!

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The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories

This is a collection of some of the most magical, moving, chilling and surprising Christmas stories from around the world. These short stories take readers on a Christmas journey, from the frozen Nordic woods to the glittering streets of Paris, a New York speakeasy to a quaint English country house, the bustling city of Lagos to midnight mass in Rio, and even deep into outer space. Featuring Santa, ghosts, trolls, unexpected guests, curmudgeons, and miracles, here is Christmas as imagined by some of the greatest short story writers of all time.

Collected works by writers big and small make this an essential companion for any Christmas reader. Classic Christmas storytellers such as Hans Christian Anderson and O. Henry have features in this compendium, as well as some unexpected names like Truman Capote, Shirley Jackson, and Chekhov, in addition to little-known treasures such as Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, Italo Calvino and Irène Nemerovsky (and more!).

Some of my favorites include:

The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

The Legend of the Christmas Rose by Selma Lagerlof

A Chaparral Christmas Gift by O. Henry

The Necklace of Pearls by Dorothy L. Sayers

One Christmas Eve by Langston Hughes

The Gift by Ray Bradbury

I was a little disappointed that the O. Henry story included wasn’t The Gift of the Magi, but I did enjoy A Chaparral Christmas Gift (which I hadn’t read before), so actually, it was probably a good thing that I got to read a new O. Henry story instead of one I already knew. 

This book of short classic Christmas stories is the perfect book to cozy up with this holiday. I am in love with this collection and can see that myself and my family will cherish reading these Christmas stories for years to come.

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