Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah

Once I started reading this I realized I had read it before, but I kept on going. A woman has gone through some tough changes in the past year. When her sister stops by with some more news she just has to get away. She hops on a plane that ends up crashing. As you go through the story she starts to open up and see that things can get better and starts to let go of the past. There is an interesting twist at the end that makes you think about the book in a whole other way. It is a Christmas story that goes into the new year but with things to think about that will make you remember to take it one step at a time.

Christmas on Jane Street : A true story by Billy Romp and Wanda Urbanska

A nice Christmas story. This family from Vermont goes to New York City every year to sell Christmas trees. They go to the same spot and have developed great friendships over the years. This year starts out the same but then his daughter asks for something he was not prepared for. She is starting to grow up and want different things and this causes some friction for him. He has in his mind how his daughter is going to be and that is changing. This whole story is about change and growth and acceptance. It gives you that nice, warm feeling at the end and made me think about always moving forward and enjoying the little things even if they are not what I expected.

The goldfish went on vacation by Patty Dunn

Subtitle: A memoir of loss (and learning to tell the truth about it) --- This was a very short and quick read. A woman finds out her husband is going to die from brain cancer and they have a three year old son. As she looses her husband to this cancer she is also trying to help her son deal with the changes and loss of his dad. There are funny moments and sad moments. Moments of heartbreaking truth. We are all going to die and this book gave us a look at how some people deal with this loss.

Sugar and Spice by ...

Fern Michaels, Beverly Barton, Joanne Fluke, Shirley Jump --- This was supposed to be my Christmas book this year and it was very disappointing. It was four short stories that I hoped would put me in the Christmas spirit. Did not happen. It was four romance stories where they all just fell into bed with each other, which was no surprise. So, if you like the fast romance thing this would be for you. If not, just leave it on the shelf.