2009 Special Keepsake Holiday Books

Be sure to balance all the list-checking, shopping, baking and craziness that is the holidays for a little me-time. It's an important part of staying healthy and happy through the hectic holidays. Here's some help.

Check out this beautiful YouTube video from Harlequin Books. Seriously, it's beautifully done and gives you a great blurb on a special selection of books.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlWMzsNW3Sk

See - pretty great, huh!

I bet you're now in a snuggle-with-a-good-book kind of mood. Run out to your local bookstore, or jump online and order or download one of these. Then put on a pot of tea, hot chocolate, or fine coffee and settle in for some Happy Holiday reading.

I'm sixty seconds away from reading one (I'll be downloading to my Kindle.)
Don't keep this secret - share it with your friends by sending them this link!
goodbooksbalanceyourlife.blogspot.com/

Nancy
www.NancyNaigle.com

Books to get you in a White Christmas Mood

As soon as I get through the hustle bustle of baking and planning and finally delivering on that huge Thanksgiving meal, I'm ready to indulge in some reading. I love digging into winter-bound stories and these are some of my recent holiday favorites.

DEBBIE MACOMBER:: The Christmas Basket, Christmas Letters, There's Something About Christmas and The Snow Bride. If you have to pick just one:: There's Something About Christmas is a fun story and it's centered around a fruitcake recipe contest. It will bring a whole new feeling when you hear the word (no long will you conjure up images of icky brickweight cakes!)

NORA ROBERTS:: First Impressions

MARY KAY ANDREWS:: Blue Christmas

I hope you find the perfect holiday read to snuggle with. All of these books are lovely hardbacks too -- they make nice gifts for friends.
Happy Holidays.

HEAT WAVE by Richard Castle (ABC)

Let me just say when I saw the stacks of HEAT WAVE on the book launch episode of CASTLE a few weeks back it looked like a chunky hardback. I was a little bummed when it arrived and was a skinny hardback, but that was okay --- I love that show, so I dove in with optimism. Afterall, does size really matter??

I love the "Moonlighting"-like banter between Castle and Beckett on the show and that same banter takes place in the book between Nikki Heat and a reporter called Rook.

I'll admit it is written in a way that has me backing up to re-read a lot ... BUT I didn't stop reading. It was interesting enough that despite half the characters have names that start with R and Heat being the name of the main character and keeping me a little confused . . . I like it! I even recommend it.

If you have a CASTLE fan on your holiday shopping list, I think this is a good and playful pick.

Would I read another one? Yes. I would.
:)

Suddenly One Summer by Barbara Freethy

If you're looking for a story snuggle up with that's full of family secrets, community, and hope --- this is your kind of book.

I loved it!
I'm looking for my next Barbara Freethy to read as we speak!

The Eight by Katherine Neville

I'll admit that this isn't the kind of read I usually go for, but I was planning to attend the JRW Conference and Katherine was to be on several panels. It's actually how I find lots of new reads. I always feel compelled to read a little something by each of the keynotes before I go to conference. It does keep my reading more well-rounded, too.

This book has been selling for twenty years. Really! In like it's fortieth printing and I think she's in nearly every darn country in the world. It's a quest novel. If you like that kind of book: people searching for something, in danger, delving into the past, visiting amazing foreign places and cultures -- grab this one.

Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner

Fun, Fun, Fun read ... just as fun as the title! Check out this Virginia Author.

THE PERFECT COUBLE by Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak can really bring on the suspense. If you want a book that'll keep you flipping pages until you're done --- this is it. Just out on Aug 1 --- get it now!

Interesting tidbit about this book. It was released with a goofy cover where the author's name and title were in a teal foil that didn't show up on the black cover. MIRA is replacing them, but some of those goofy copies are still out there. You might end up with a collector's item!!

If you don't see it at first....squint and see if there's a disappearing title/name on the shelf...it might be this great read.