River Readers

Maggie Walther feels like her world is imploding. Publicly humiliated after her husband, a local councilman, is arrested for bigamy and her subsequent divorce, she has isolated herself from the world. When her only friend insists that Maggie climb out of her hole and embrace the season to get her out of her funk, Maggie decides to put up a Christmas tree and heads off to buy one--albeit reluctantly. She is immediately taken by Andrew, the kind, handsome man who owns the Christmas tree lot and delivers her tree.

What president banned Christmas trees from the White House -- and why? How did a telephone number typo and Raggedy Ann doll lead to annual Christmas traditions? What familiar Christmas carol was first written to celebrate a birth that was not Jesus? This book delves into the origin of the music, stories, symbols and foods associated with Christmas in tales that will both inform and surprise readers of all ages.

With any anthology you will have hits and misses. The best was Nina Kiriki Hoffman's "LaZelle Family Christmas". For me this was the only one that had the feel of Christmas Spirit. Each LaZelle family member, both magically gifted and normal pitches in with their unique talents to prepare for Christmas, and in the process each one grows a little. One misogynist story that I hated had a woman being sexually harrassed by this greasy character and she ended up trapped with him - Yeah - Merry Christmas - Yuck. "The Nutcracker Coup" by Janet Kagan was one of the better stories.

When Wendy Harper inherits her family's beach side cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But the neglected property needs renovation before it can be sold, so Wendy and her young son Jackson move in to fix the place up. Soon the town-- and local craftsman Caleb Colton-- make it difficult for Wendy to resist their charms.