Can You Keep A Secret???

The Christmas Scrapbook
Philip Gulley

Genre: fiction, Christmas novella, Faith
Pages: 89
Series: Harmony
Rating: ****
Favorite Quote: " And Sam's otherwise difficult day drew to a close in the warm embrace of his wife, whom he loved deeply, but seldom understood."

In case you were wondering I am reading Christmas books at the moment.  Most are very quick reads, which is good because I have quite a few in my TBR pile.  I sit in front of my twinkling, tinsel covered tree with a cup of hot tea and read sweet tales of Christmas.  HMMMMMM.  So relaxing.  OK there are a few that are not sweet, but those are for later.

The Christmas Scrapbook, is a very quick read.  It centers around a Quaker minister, Sam Gardner, as he attempts to make the greatest Christmas present ever  for his wife.  You guessed it a scrapbook.  He has 17 years of giving potholders to make up for.  He tires to keep it a secret, he started weeks in advance, but one thing after another happens and before you know it stories are circulating around town that Sam is deathly sick.  Small towns.

I loved this book.  Sam is a really down to earth minister with flaws, he has problems with his flock.  My favorite charachter is Frank the elderly secretary.  He tends to be blunt and can not keep a secret.  The small incidents that happen in this book are hysterical, they could only happen in a small town.  The charachters are genuine and real.  The writing is simple, meaning Gulley choses the right word without wasting time with extra glitter.  I really enjoyed it and plan on reading more about Harmony.  Sounds like a nice town.

- Caren

A Christmas Read...

The Christmas Pearl
Dorothea Benton Frank

Genre: Fiction, Christmas Novella, southern
Pages: 139, plus recipes
Favorite quote: "My poor dumbbells!"
Rating: ****

As I have mentioned before I am a Christmas Novella junkie.  I walk down the isles of the library, looking at book jackets, and these cute little books just jump out at me.  Not all of them are good but most are sweet with a side of morals on the side.  The Christmas Pearl is both.

The Christmas Pearl is set at Christmas in South Carolina. (Extra points for being southern!)  Theodora is the 90 something matriarch of a batch of misguided offspring.  She is distraught over their lack of interest in a traditional Christmas as well as their interest in hurting one another.  Her heart is breaking over her "knuckleheads".  Then in the most unexpected ways her prayers for a real Christmas with a loving family are answered.

I loved this book.  I loved the sweet Theodora as she tried to deal with her crazy family.  I loved reading about how Christmas was celebrated with such expectation and vigor in Theodora's youth.  I wanted to be at her house for the entire month of December.  Her childhood Christmas is classic Christmas.  Several foods of her youth are those of mine.  It was heaven.  But the jewel int he crown is Pearl.  The cook, and much more, of Theodora's youth was the fabric that held her family together.  She was a force of nature.  This force is bold, kind, and pure magic on the page.  I couldn't wait to read more about how Pearl was going to save the family from self destruction. 

This was a great read.  I enjoyed every minute of it.  I highly recommend it.


- Caren