Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon - Finished

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon hosted by BookShelfery and The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I have completed this challenge and actually managed to read 5 books which is 2 more than my goal. Not bad.

 List of books at the bottom of this post.

Back by popular demand, Kimba from The Caffeinated Book Reviewer and I are once again hosting the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon!
So break out the cocoa, the coffee, and cookies! Grab those holiday theme books and bring your holiday spirit. Prepare to enter challenges, win prizes, meet new friends and Twitter chat with us. You can join for a day or sit by the fire and hang out every day. The more you participate the more entries you will earn for the Participant Giveaway.

We love holiday themed reads from the covers to the warm & fuzzy tales on the inside. For this read-a-thon you must read holiday themed or winter setting reads. For bloggers, we have spoken to most of the main publishing houses and for ARCS of holiday books released in Sept/Oct, they are fine with you posting a review in November and December since that is when folks look to buy them. Below are the rules. Read them, grab the button and link up. For our non-blogger friends you can join too. Just link your Goodreads, Tumblr or Facebook account.

Read-a-thon Rules

• Link-up
• Before or on November 6th post a goals post to your blog. (if you do not have a blog post to another social media site such as Goodreads, Tumblr, Facebook, Google+ etc ) Be sure and link back to Caffeinated Book Reviewer and BookShelfery
• Grab the button and share !
• Participate in at least one challenge to be eligible for grand prize
• Tweet your progress using #HoHoHoRAT
• Twitter Party! Sunday November 9, 2014 at 4pm (EST) chatting and prizes to be had.
• Challenge schedule and Grand Prize widget and rules will post on November 6th by 8 am (EST)
• Read-a-thon starts on November 6th 12:o1 am (your time zone) and ends on November 11 at 11:59 pm(your time zone)
• Challenges will be open from 8 am (EST) on the 6th and remain open until Nov 11th at 11:59 pm (EST)
• Grand Prize Raffle will be open until November 13th at 11:59 pm (EST) to allow you to submit entries.
• All winners of challenges and grand prize will be notified by November 15th.

List of books:

1. The Snowman Maker by Barbara Briggs Ward
2. Christmas Romance in Scotland by De-ann Black
3. The Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan
4. Yuletide Tales A Festive Collective by Peter John
5. An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano

An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano

When it comes to business, Aaron Chase knows how to succeed. But when his daughter, Izzie, asks him for the perfect family Christmas, the handsome widower feels at a loss about how to make his little girl's dream come true.
Pediatric Nurse Christy Cooper has dedicated her life to taking care of children. She agrees to act as Izzie's stand-in mom for this special holiday and throws herself into making the child's Christmas wish a reality. Maybe this selfless act will somehow alleviate her secret regrets and failures of the past.
The holiday is filled with fun and laughter, and it's amazing how three short days can be so life-changing. When the impish eight-year-old talks the adults into acting out a silly, make-believe wedding, young Izzie is certain the magic of the season will turn the pretend vows into the real thing. The little girl wants her daddy to have Christmas in his life--every single day. From Goodreads.



I liked this and I especially liked that though it is a romance with a romantic ending, it wasn't turned into a sickly miracle sweet ending.

This book qualifies for:
2014 Ebook challenge
You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Crazy Challenge Connection Scrabble, anyone?
Novel Books & Reading Challenges Tower Teams III 
Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon

Yuletide Tales A Festive Collective by Peter John

A diverse collection of stories showcasing some of the best indie authors on the market. Filled with heart-warming romance, mysterious humor, sinister, supernatural thrills and tearful sorrow, this anthology has something for everyone. So snuggle up with a warm glass of mulled wine and join us for the festivities, while we lift your spirit, tickle your fancy and rattle your bones. From Goodreads.

Unfortunately I didn't like most of the stories in this book. There was only 3 that were okay.

This book qualifies for:
2014 Ebook challenge
You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Nothing but Reading Challenges - Spell it Out - Animal Alphabet (Y-yeti)
Crazy Challenge Connection Scrabble, anyone?
Novel Books & Reading Challenges Tower Teams III 
Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon

The Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan

Christmas is coming, but not everyone is looking forward to it.
Rebecca has just been dumped and the prospect of spending the holiday period with her parents is less than appealing.
Eighty- two year old Stanley lost his beloved wife, Edie, to cancer. How will he cope with his first Christmas without her?
Jacob’s university degree hasn’t helped him get a job, and it looks like he’ll still be signing on come New Year.
Workaholic Meredith would rather spend December 25th at home alone with a ready meal and a DVD box set. Can anything make her embrace the spirit of the season?
The enigmatic Natalie Hope takes over the reins at the Sugar and Spice bakery and café in an attempt to spread some festive cheer and restore Christmas spirit, but will she succeed? From Goodreads.




This was very enjoyable and of course full of Christmas spirit. The things that happen to the four characters don't seem too far-fetched although Natalie Hope is a different  thing all together. I didn't realise that the book was set just outside Glasgow in a fictive town with view over Loch Lomond. I do like it when books mention places I know of. I have lived in Glasgow and canoed on Loch Lomond many times, it is a really beautiful area.

This book qualifies for:
2014 Ebook challenge
You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Crazy Challenge Connection A-Z Locations - 2014
Novel Books & Reading Challenges Tower Teams III 
Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon 

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon - Update

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon hosted by BookShelfery and The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

6th of November:
My goal is only to read 3 books and I am already well on the way as I have read 2 today but then they were not that long.
The Snowman Maker by Barbara Briggs Ward (200 pages)
Christmas Romance in Scotland by De-ann Black (116 pages)

8th of November:
Finished another Christmas book, this time while listening to Christmas music.
The Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan (166 pages)

10th of November:
Unfortunately not one I can recommend.
Yuletide Tales A Festive Collective by Peter John

11th of November
Another okay short Christmasstory.
An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano

Christmas Romance in Scotland by De-ann Black

Fiona is single and works as a craft editor for a magazine. She's been busy during December writing about knitting, sewing, baking cakes and lots of festive craft features.
But while shopping for a Christmas tree in a department store in Glasgow, she sees a gorgeous looking Santa in the store's grotto. Then she meets Mark, a handsome but mischievous lawyer.
Later, at a party at her friend Maribel's house, Fiona ends up dancing with both Mark and Santa who is a competitive gymnast called Fulton. She also becomes embroiled with Weir, an architect.
Set at Christmastime in Glasgow, when the Scottish city is covered in snow, there is romance, mischief, misunderstandings, friendship and kindness in this warm-hearted new romance. It's 24,000 words of wonderful Christmas cheer.
Fiona loves Christmas, but who will love Fiona this Christmas? Will it be Weir? Is Fulton the gorgeous gymnast the man for her? Or Mark the mischief making lawyer? Find out in this light-hearted romance for Christmas. From Goodreads.

This is a short, sweet, cute and fun story taking place in Scotland just before Christmas. I enjoyed it.

This book qualifies for:
2014 Ebook challenge
Read Scotland 2014
You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon

The Snowman Maker by Barbara Briggs Ward

Over the years Ben and Ellie never had a problem communicating. So when Ben seems distant, Ellie's confused. Her instinct tells her it has something to do with the contents of an old cardboard box his father insisted Ben take before he passed away. With the children grown, Ben's evasiveness adds to Ellie wishing the holidays were over.
But it's Christmas-the season of hope and love rekindled-especially when going back to a wondrous place on a winter's night in the old sleigh decorated in pine boughs and silver bells-the very sleigh that carried a little boy and that cardboard box on a Christmas Eve journey so long ago. From Goodreads.

This was okay. It is a feel good Christmas story. It is heart-warming and about the importance of family. My only problem was that the ending was too sweet for me, there were just too many extraordinary happy endings. I don't need bad endings but maybe some of the endings could have been normal instead of extraordinary, that would have felt better.

This book qualifies for:
2014 Full House Reading Challenge
You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2014
Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon - Sign Up

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon hosted by BookShelfery and The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I have decided to take part in an early Christmas Read-A-Thon. My goal will only be to read 3 holiday themed or winter setting reads as there are other books I want to read as well. But that doesn't stop me from having a huge list to chose from.

List of books to chose from at the bottom of this post.

Back by popular demand, Kimba from The Caffeinated Book Reviewer and I are once again hosting the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon!
So break out the cocoa, the coffee, and cookies! Grab those holiday theme books and bring your holiday spirit. Prepare to enter challenges, win prizes, meet new friends and Twitter chat with us. You can join for a day or sit by the fire and hang out every day. The more you participate the more entries you will earn for the Participant Giveaway.

We love holiday themed reads from the covers to the warm & fuzzy tales on the inside. For this read-a-thon you must read holiday themed or winter setting reads. For bloggers, we have spoken to most of the main publishing houses and for ARCS of holiday books released in Sept/Oct, they are fine with you posting a review in November and December since that is when folks look to buy them. Below are the rules. Read them, grab the button and link up. For our non-blogger friends you can join too. Just link your Goodreads, Tumblr or Facebook account.

Read-a-thon Rules

• Link-up
• Before or on November 6th post a goals post to your blog. (if you do not have a blog post to another social media site such as Goodreads, Tumblr, Facebook, Google+ etc ) Be sure and link back to Caffeinated Book Reviewer and BookShelfery
• Grab the button and share !
• Participate in at least one challenge to be eligible for grand prize
• Tweet your progress using #HoHoHoRAT
• Twitter Party! Sunday November 9, 2014 at 4pm (EST) chatting and prizes to be had.
• Challenge schedule and Grand Prize widget and rules will post on November 6th by 8 am (EST)
• Read-a-thon starts on November 6th 12:o1 am (your time zone) and ends on November 11 at 11:59 pm(your time zone)
• Challenges will be open from 8 am (EST) on the 6th and remain open until Nov 11th at 11:59 pm (EST)
• Grand Prize Raffle will be open until November 13th at 11:59 pm (EST) to allow you to submit entries.
• All winners of challenges and grand prize will be notified by November 15th.

List of books ready:

1. Christmas Romance in Scotland by De-ann Black
2. The Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan
3. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Abby Clements 
4. Starry Night by Debbie Macomber
5. A Merry Little Christmas by Julia Williams
6. An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano
7. The Snowman Maker by Barbara Briggs Ward