A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry

I do love Christmas stories, but this one did not really do it for me.  It was a trudge to get through and really the only thing that made it a Christmas story was that it took place at Christmas time.  Mrs. Ellison is an old woman who is not a happy woman and gets handed off to relatives that she really does not like for Christmas.  Another guest comes to the house who ends up dying.  Mrs. Ellison ends up getting to the bottom of it all and does become a bit nicer in the end.  Needless to say, it was not one of my more favorite Christmas books.

Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

This is the second book in the Maisie Dobbs series and I just loved it.  She gets a case from a gentleman in which his daughter has run away and he wants her back.  The story has many layers and a few different stories within.  I love how Maisie Dobbs wants to know more than just the surface, she wants to know why people do what they do, what drives them.  She is not satisfied until she feels she has uncovered every stone and worked every angle.  Her assistant is wonderful and adds lots of color to the story and also goes through some changes, thankfully for the better.  Maisie also continues to grow herself and become more comfortable in her skin and where he life is taking her.  Jacqueline Winspear does a beautiful job weaving these stories together and giving you depth into the characters and their lives.  It is wonderful to get lost in this world for a while and I can't wait to continue on with the series.

Coming Home for Christmas by Fern Michaels

This was a book of three short stories.  The first two were really good and the third one was just so-so.  They all dealt with people during the Christmas season who were facing some trial in their life and were just not sure how things would turn out.  Of course, with a little drama, in the end all was well.  I like reading stories like these because they make you think about the possibilities and what can happen.  It makes you remember that there are nice people out there.  I know that it is all fiction that I'm reading, but I can take some of that feeling and try to pass it along  to others, and I think that is a pretty good thing, especially around the holidays. (NOOK)

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

This is the kind of Christmas story I like.  It was fun to read and had a great ending.  It was about a girl who could not find the perfect man and was told about a matchmaker.  This matchmaker left a lot to be desired but said he would take her on but she had to do three things before she could meet her match.  She stuck it out through everything and ended up meeting her match, but it was not who you would have thought.  She learned a lot about herself and really grew and that made the story all the better.

A Very Holly Christmas by Sheila Robert

Sub-title: An Exclusive Short Story - The title sounded fun and cherry for Christmas but the story itself left a lot to be desired.  The town name was Holly and it was about the wife of a man who had lost his job in downsizing and was now a writer.  She sneaked a peak at something he was writing and took it all the wrong way.  Again, I do not see why some people feel the need to self-publish!!  It was free, but that was asking too much.(NOOK)

A Christmas Carol for Modern Times by Clare Tanner

This time of year I love to read Christmas stories.  Ones that make you feel all warm and good inside.  Well, this one was awful!!  It was a short story about a banker who was visited by all of the ghosts and what he took away from it was ridiculous.  I got it for free and it was not even worth that.  Not everyone should be allowed to self-publish. (NOOK)

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

She is such an awesome author.  This is a Chinese historical fiction and I could not put it down.  It follows two sisters from well to do Shanghai across the ocean to San Francisco and all of the trials and tribulations they encounter.  They forever remain the best of friends but are tested over the years.  What they sacrificed for each other and their country and families was tremendous.  See is an amazing storyteller and has never disappointed me.  I cannot wait to get my hands on another one of her books. (NOOK)