The holiday season is upon us. Shops and houses twinkle with lights and there is magic in the air. During this special time, I like to brew a cup of peppermint tea and cozy up with a good holiday book. The Mullen Library has curated a collection of holiday books for your reading enjoyment. This collection features classic Christmas tales, lighthearted holiday mysteries, novels that remind us of the true meaning of Christmas, and stories of holiday fun and romance – because who knows what can happen during the holidays. These books are displayed on the library’s first floor for you to browse and borrow. Whatever type of holiday reader you are this Christmas season, Mullen Library has the perfect book for you. Happy reading!
Highlighted Reviews
Home for Christmas: Stories for young and old compiled by Miriam LeBlanc (Plough Publishing House, 2002, Christmas Stories)
A thoughtfully curated literary collection of twenty Christmas stories for adults and children to enjoy. The stories range from Christmas fables such as Lagerlof’s The Christmas Rose to classics such as Henry van Dyke’s The Other Wise Man. The collection includes stories from across the world including Cuba, Denmark, Russia, and Spain. According to Publishers Weekly, “readers who crave literary excellence as well as a heartwarming Christmas message will relish this carefully selected and intelligent anthology.” This is the perfect book to read in a cozy chair with hot tea and cookies or aloud to children gathered around the Christmas tree.
Holly and Nick hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant (WaterBrook, 2025, Romance)
Get ready to laugh in delight with this new holiday romance that Publishers Weekly calls “irresistible.” Holly has never liked Christmas. When she is suddenly let go from her job, she decides to head home for the holidays. Holly discovers that her brother Ryan has invited his friend Nick, who also dislikes Christmas, to come home with him to be Holly’s date for Christmas. To get revenge Holly hatches a scheme to over enthusiastically embrace all the cheesy Christmas traditions to annoy Nick. (Go big or bah humbug!) Silly pranks and funny banter abound between Nick and Holly, who are secretly attracted to one another. As Holly’s whole family gathers to celebrate Christmas, her siblings realize that their parents may have other intentions this holiday. Readers of rom-coms will love this hilarious enemies-to-lovers plot line that also delivers big on the Christmas spirit.
Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (Dial Press, 2019, Contemporary Fiction)
Becky Bloomwood Brandon from Kinsella’s popular Shopaholic series is back for Christmas. Becky is happy living with her husband Luke and daughter Minnie in the London suburbs. It’s Christmastime and Becky is getting ready for the holiday with her favorite activity – shopping! But this holiday season, Becky’s parents have asked her to host their annual Christmas party for family and friends. As Becky begins to plan the party she encounters a host of problems. Can Becky pull off a holiday party without it being a total fiasco? Don’t panic, just shop! Kirkus Reviews hails Christmas Shopaholic as “a laugh-out-loud funny book that will delight longtime Kinsella fans and those looking for a cozy holiday story.” If you are looking for a fun holiday read with a loveable character, look no further.
A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly (Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025, Historical Fiction)
Travel back to London, December 1851. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is a literary sensation. Dickens’s wife Catherine is busy caring for their eight children, running the household, and being a gracious host for her husband’s many gatherings. But this winter preparing for the Christmas season feels like just one more chore to Catherine. She cannot seem to muster her usual holiday spirit. With a magical sprig of holly, Catherine goes on three journeys to experience beloved memories and reignite her love of Christmas. Told from Catherine’s perspective, this story is a clever twist on the Dickens classic. We all can get lost in the hustle and bustle of life and the expectations of the holiday season. This book is a reminder of the simple joys in life, the love of family, and the gifts of the holiday season. Booklist calls it a “quick and inspirational read” for “fans of Dickens and his era.”
Everyone this Christmas has a secret by Benjamin Stevenson (Mariner Books, 2024, Meta Mystery)
Ernest Cunningham, everyone’s favorite amateur detective, is back for Stevenson’s third “deliciously meta” mystery novel (Booklist). According to Publishers Weekly this latest installment is “every bit as ingenious” as the previous books. In the days leading up to Christmas, Ernie’s ex-wife is accused of murder and seeks his help to find the true killer. Ernie sets his sights on several potential suspects that include a magician, his assistant, a hypnotist, and identical twins, among others. Just like counting down the days till Christmas on an Advent calendar, a new clue is revealed to the reader each chapter. Filled with twists and turns, festive spirit, and a host of quirky characters, you will enjoy solving this holiday mystery.
One Red Rose for Christmas by Paul Horgan (Longmans, Green, 1952, Christian Fiction)
It is Christmastime and Mother Superior Seraphim is grieving her sister St. Anne who died when a fire burned down Mount St. Catherine’s Home for Girls. Reverend Mother begins to suspect that a young girl Kathie, who she has never cared for, could have been involved with the fire. Reverend Mother prays for a sign in the form of a red rose that her sister is at peace. When the true cause of the fire is determined and Kathie bears a red rose, Reverend Mother confronts the joy and pain of love and acceptance. Kirkus Reviews calls this story “an unpretentious miracle tale” that “has a serenity in, and to, its message.” A heartwarming book for a reader seeking a holiday story with a simple and pure message of love.
Religious Christmas Fiction
Christmas is here: a Catholic selection of stories and poems edited by Anne Jackson Fremantle (Stephen Daye Press, 1955, Religious Stories and Poems) A collection of stories centered on “how people received Christmas, what they did about its being here.” Fremantle, Editor
The good shepherd by Gunnar Gunnarsson, translated by Kenneth C. Kaufman (Bobbs-Merrill, 1940, Translated Religious Fiction) A translation of Advent. This is a moving story of an Icelandic shepherd making his journey into the stormy mountains to rescue the sheep that have been missed in the yearly gathering.
The twelve days of Christmas edited by Miles Hadfield and John Hadfield (Little, Brown, 1961, Religious Stories, Poems, and Traditions) A “literary museum of the traditions and observances” relating to the Christmas season with beautiful color illustrations. Hadfield, Editor
The roads from Bethlehem: Christmas literature from writers ancient and modern edited by Pegram Johnson III and Edna Troiano (Westminster / John Knox Press, 1993, Liturgy and Religious Fiction) A collection of “some of the best writings by authors of excellence from all times and places who in varying ways have been inspired by the Nativity.” Johnson and Troiano, Editors
A Christmas book: An anthology for moderns edited by D.B. Wyndham Lewis and G.C. Heseltine (J.M. Dent & Sons, 1928, Religious Fiction) A compilation of stories, hymns, and poems celebrating Christmas.
Christmastide: A Catholic treasure for young and old edited by William Roehrenbeck (Stephen Daye Press, 1948, Religious Stories) A selection of Christmas tales written by Catholic and non-Catholic authors. These selections have been called “the choicest of the literature of Christmas.” Roehrenbeck, Editor
Christmas Eve; Dialogue on incarnation by Friedrich Schleiermacher, translated by Terrence Tice (John Knox Press, 1967, Religious Fiction) This story takes place on Christmas Eve as an “unpretentious” German family gathers to celebrate the holiday. The story illuminates that “what is celebrated at Christmas goes far beyond the manger scene itself” and captures the joy of the holiday. Tice, Translator
My favorite Christmas stories by Doris Sheridan (William-Federick Press, 1946, Religious Stories) “This book fills a long-felt need for adult Christmas reading. Gathered into this single volume are short stories exclusively about Christmas, meant for the enjoyment and benefit of grown-up people.” Sheridan, Author
46 days of Christmas by Dorothy Gladys Spicer (Coward-McCann, 1960, Christmas Folklore) A collection of “folk poems and hymns of devotion from nineteen countries where the Birthday of Jesus is a feast of long and multiple observances.” Author Spicer
Christmas; a collection of Christmaslore edited by John H. Then (Bruce Publishing, 1934, Christmas Folklore) “A collection of legends, traditions, folklore, stories, fancies, customs, etc., entwined around Christmas and Christmas celebrations, religious and otherwise.” Then, Editor
Stories of Christ and Christmas edited by Edward Wagenknecht (David McKay, 1963, Religious Stories) An anthology of exclusively religious Christmas stories. “Part I contains stories of the first Christmas, and Part II introduces modern fictional variations on the basic theme.” Wagenknecht, Editor
Religious Christmas Non-Fiction
The Star of Bethlehem by Fr. Douglas McGonagle (Catholic Truth Society, 2023, Religious Non-Fiction) “The Christmas story traditionally shows a giant star hovering above the stable in Bethlehem, guiding the wise men to the infant Christ. What was this star and how did it lead the Magi? An astronomer turned priest offers a fascinating explanation.” From the Publisher
The case for Christmas: A journalist investigates the identity of the child in the manger by Lee Strobel (Zondervan, 2025, Religious Non-Fiction) “Explore the new evidence of Jesus’s birth. The true wonder of the incarnation is built on a solid foundation of historical truth.” From the Publisher
Christmas Stories / Christmas Classics
The Christmas stories edited by Betty Jane Breyer (Texas Christian University Press, 1979, Christmas Stories) A compilation of eight Christmas stories written by Anthony Trollope (1815-1882), including The Mistletoe Bough and Not If I Know It.
The book of Christmas folklore by Tristam Potter Coffin (Seabury Press, 1973, Christmas Folklore) Selections and commentary on Christmas folklore and customs.
The annotated Christmas carol by Charles Dickens (Crown Publishers, 1989, Christmas Fiction) A reprint of the first edition of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol with original illustrations, annotations of the text, and historical notes about the creation of this classic.
A Christmas carol: The original manuscript by Charles Dickens (W.W. Norton and Company, 2017, Christmas Fiction) Images of Dickens’s original manuscript of this classic Christmas tale appear alongside the text of the story.
Book of Christmas edited by Hamilton W. Mabie and George Wharton Edwards (MacMillan, 1909, Christmas Stories and Poems) A compilation of Christmas customs, hymns, poems, and stories, including The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Anderson and The Christmas Banquet by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Book of Christmas is “a book of joy.” Mabie, Editor
Christmas gift by Frances Parkinson Keyes (Hawthorn Books, 1959, Christmas Short Stories) A compilation of Christmas vignettes written by Keyes for her friends over the years, this book is a “gift of warmth and tenderness.” From the Publisher
A Christmas treasury edited by Jack Newcombe (Viking Press, 1982, Christmas Stories) A compilation of Christmas stories celebrating the holiday that will remind you of Christmases past and “furnish reading pleasure that will spread through the seasons.” Newcombe, Editor
World’s greatest Christmas stories edited by Eric Posselt (Ziff-Davis, 1949, Christmas Stories) A compilation of Christmas stories from “twenty-three different nations.” Posselt, Editor
The fireside book of Christmas stories edited by Edward Wagenknecht (Bobbs-Merrill, 1945, Christmas Stories) A compilation of “the best Christmas stories” that range from religious stories about the First Christmas to classic Dickens and American holiday stories. Wagenknecht, Editor
Christmas stories from many lands / Herbert Wernecke (Westminster Press, 1961, Christmas Stories) Christmas stories from around the world, including Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, India, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine, among others.
Christian Fiction
Christmas spirits by Karina Fabian (Karian Fabian, 2022, Christian Fiction) “Sister Grace, a mage of the Faerie Church, has joined Vern in his detective agency, and he couldn’t be a happier dragon…But when the Ghosts of Christmas start visiting the company’s CEO, Vern and Grace have to . . . solve the mystery – before the Spirits of Christmas haunt him to death.” From the Publisher
A Christmas wedding by Andrew Greeley (Forge, 2000, Christian Fiction) “Greeley, a Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, and best-selling author, is at the top of his game with his latest book, another light romance novel. A Christmas Wedding tells the story of dapper young Chuck O’Malley and his new wife, girl-next-door Rosemarie Clancy.” Booklist
The Christmas ring by Karen Kingsbury (Thomas Nelson, 2025, Christian Fiction) “Named the ‘Queen of Christian Fiction,’ Karen Kingsbury gives readers another unforgettable and timeless Christmas Classic.” (From the Publisher). Now a major motion picture starring Kelsey Grammer, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Jana Kramer, and Jessie James Decker.
A sea view Christmas by Julie Klassen (Bethany House Publishers, 2025, Christian Fiction) “Readers looking for a charming Christmas story set in the time of Pride and Prejudice will want to pick up the latest by Klassen.” Library Journal
Contemporary Fiction
The most wonderful time by Jayne Allen (Harper Perennial, 2024, Contemporary Fiction) “A Christmas house swap results in broadened horizons for two very different women.” Library Journal
Christmas gifts, Christmas voices by John Allen (Health Communications, 2002, Contemporary Fiction) A story of love, loss, and hope during Christmas.
A home for the holidays by Taylor Hahn (Knopf, 2024, Contemporary Fiction) “Mixing elements of a fun romantic comedy with thoughtful conversations on regret and grief plus a dash of spicy revenge, the end result is a holiday story where each page becomes a present to unwrap.” Booklist
The Christmas wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo (Little, Brown and Co., 2011, Contemporary Fiction) “A lighthearted novel about a widow who suddenly decides to re-marry on Christmas Day.The mystery concerns the bride’s choice of a groom. She won’t tell her family. She won’t even tell her potential husband, one of three suitors who have proposed.” Kirkus Reviews
Historical Fiction
Christmas with the queen: a novel by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2024, Historical Fiction) “A tale of reunited romance, royal Christmas festivities, and new beginnings for Queen Elizabeth II, Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is a captivating historical novel set in the holiday season during the 1950s.” History Through Fiction
Christmas at the women’s hotel: A Biedermeier story by Daniel M. Levery (HarperVia, 2025, Historical Fiction) “Bestselling Lavery returns to the world of the Women’s Hotel for a Christmas story set at the Biedermeier Hotel in 1960s New York City.” Library Journal
Literary Fiction
Eight white nights by André Aciman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010, Literary Fiction) “Clara Brunschvicg and the unnamed narrator meet at a swank Christmas Eve party. . . . The ensuing grappling plays out over the course of the seven nights between that party and New Year’s Eve.” Publishers Weekly
Brightly shining: a novel by Ingvild Rishøi, translated by Caroline Waight (Grove Press, 2024, Literary Fiction) A “charming, Christmas-themed novella about sisterhood and financial hardship in contemporary Oslo” with “the feel of a classic holiday tale.” Publishers Weekly
Winter by Ali Smith (Pantheon Books, 2017, Literary Fiction) “In the solid second entry in Smith’s seasonally themed quartet of novels (following Booker Prize-finalist Autumn), three estranged relatives and a charming stranger argue their way through Christmas in a manor house in the English countryside.” Publishers Weekly
Time of the child by Niall Williams (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024, Literary Fiction) During Christmas 1962 in a small Irish town, a doctor and his adult daughter find a baby left at their home and their lives are forever changed. “For those looking to get into the holiday spirit, this is just the ticket.” Publishers Weekly
Mystery
The secret Christmas library: a novel by Jenny Colgan (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2025, Cozy Mystery) “Cozy mystery readers and those who want gentle crime (without the murder) and a hint of romance will enjoy Colgan’s latest.” Booklist
A Christmas witness by Charles Todd (Mysterious Press, 2025, Hard Boiled Mystery) “A holiday novella in Todd’s long-running Ian Rutledge historical mystery series, set in 1921 England, finds the perpetually haunted Scotland Yard detective investigating the attempted murder of a Kentish lord. . . . A worthwhile and rewarding read.” Library Journal
Romance
Good spirits: a novel by B.K. Borison (Avon, 2025, Romance) “An emotional and lightly magical holiday romance . . . that’s perfect for readers who enjoyed Ashley Poston’s The Seven Year Slip or Laurie Gilmore’s The Christmas Tree Farm.” Library Journal
Grace and Henry’s holiday movie marathon: a novel by Matthew Norman (Dell, 2025, Romance) “Norman balances sadness with hope to create a lovely romance that feels like it could fit into the best sort of holiday film. A winning, bittersweet love story that has just as much hope as it does heartbreak.” Kirkus Reviews
A seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods (Harlequin Mira, 2013, Romance) “This Christmas tale is set against a huge warm Irish-American family cast with an ending that turns out ‘exactly the way it was supposed to.’” Publishers Weekly
Erica Hewett is a graduate student in the Department of Information Sciences at The Catholic University of America and will earn her Master’s of Science in Library and Information Science (M.S.L.I.S.) degree this December. Erica earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2007 from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.