Okay, are you ready for holiday reading recs? I don't know about you, but I just love holiday themed books, especially mysteries! And there was a wonderful tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmastime in Victorian England. Can't you just picture them all sitting around a big fire—whether in a grand hall or small cottage—sipping glasses of port or cider, eyes wide with anticipation? I'm here to tell you, some of those stories will chill your bones! So this year I picked up the first three volumes of The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories. These stories are all bite-sized and I love to curl up with them next to our woodstove or Christmas tree or even all cozy in bed. And those covers are so charmingly "creepy Christmas" they will now be part of my holiday decorating.
Also this year I read The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig. This is the seventh book in a series of mystery romances called the Pink Carnation. This story was So. Much. Fun. It's cute, kind of bonkers, and sweetly romantic, with a spy mystery that involves Christmas puddings. How fabulous is that? You don't need to have read the other books, though in the beginning there is some talk about previous characters and stories that I found confusing. But thankfully that section is pretty short.
Next up for me is A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews, which came recommended by two of my favorite bookstagrammers. I love both the title and the cover of this one. It looks to be set in the same period as my Faery Rehistory books. And by the way, if you haven't read book one in my series, The Absinthe Earl, it is set over the winter solstice and Christmas holidays as well!
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