Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Novellas

Happy Tuesday! This Top Ten Tuesday is about favorite books again—which if you know me you love talking about my favorite books—but with a little bit of a different twist. Today we’re talking about our favorite novellas which is something I haven’t really written much about on the blog before. However, I have read quite a few novellas in the past, many of which were part of some of my favorite series, so I’m so glad I have the chance to share them with you today!

My Bookshelf: An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti

        Both in their eighties, Dodie and Wilson Binder celebrate every Christmas as if it were their last. This year, their only grandson, Micah, asks his girlfriend, Katie, to marry him—in front of the whole Binder family. But things go terribly wrong when she says no. Now Katie is stuck. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But, sometimes too much is just enough. Especially, when it’s Christmas.

        Will Katie let herself love and be loved before it is too late?

        An Endless Christmas is a Christmas novella by Cynthia Ruchti, and is the first book by her, to date, that I have ever read. Although I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going in—since I had never read any of her novels, or very many Christmas novellas for that matter—I had heard wonderful things about both An Endless Christmas and Cynthia’s writing. Clearly I was a little excited for this novella, partly because it does sound wonderful and all, and I have to tell you that I wasn’t disappointed. This was the sweetest, most touching Christmas novella I have ever read. That may not mean much since I haven’t read that many to begin with, but this really was such a great book.

        Katie and Micah were such a sweet couple. I would say the sweetest, but that title goes to Grandma Dodie and Grandpa Wilson, because they really deserve it. But I just love Katie, even with all of her hesitancy and belief that she wasn’t good enough for Micah, wasn’t what he really wanted. Maybe I love her as much as I do because of all that, as those fears make her so completely relatable to me. Although I’m not in that situation or anything, I can definitely see myself, when I am eventually proposed to a million years from now, feeling less than worthy—not good enough—for the wonderful man that God will send to me. So I really understand where Katie is coming from, especially considering all of her baggage. And Micah, Micah is THE BEST guy you could ever imagine. But let me let you in on a little secret: there really are guys out there like him. I’ve seen them, they’re just a little hard to find. Because the main qualities that make Micah so wonderful are his love for his family and Katie, and his constant understanding, selflessness, and faith, he becomes so easy to love, but he is pretty far from unrealistic, which makes him all that much better. And their relationship, despite the few bumps and bruises, is one of the cutest ones I have ever seen.

        But, like I said, the best relationship was between Dodie and Wilson. They are, by far, the absolute sweetest old married couple that has ever existed (forget the fact that they aren’t actually real). After being married for over half a century, Dodie and Wilson have the perfect, I’ve-been-with-you-far-longer-than-I-ever-was-alone, type of companionship, and it was so sweet to see how they are still so in love with each other even after all those years, and all those children and grandchildren. Dodie is so wise, experienced, and full of all kinds of knowledge, especially the exact kind that Katie needs. Dodie is just the absolute perfect matriarch of the large Binder family, and I wish she was my grandmother so that I could experience some of her must-be-wonderful hugs and learn from her wealth of wisdom. Honestly, I want Wilson for a grandparent as well. He is the epitome of the sweet old man, and I just LOVE his nightly traditions!!! I obviously can’t tell you what they are since I don’t want to spoil anything for you, but they are the sweetest things!! Can’t I have a grandpa just like him? (Just to let you know, I don’t have an actual grandfather who is present in my life, so I’m not stepping on any toes by saying that).

        Speaking of traditions, can I just go on and on about the Binder family traditions for a moment? I love, love, love traditions, even when the tradition is to every year throw one tradition on its head, so believe me when I say I oohed and ahhed (is that spelled right?) over all of their traditions. I cannot tell you how many times I had to stop reading for a moment to catalog one tradition or another so that I could either plan to implement it or base my own tradition off of it in the years to come. Since I come from an already fairly close family, I just love the dynamic of the Binders, and I hope that my family will someday be so completely steeped in tradition and love. Maybe I’ll be the one to start the trend. You never know and besides, I am such a sentimental person. Traditions are just up my alley.

        The already conflicting beginning, unexpected surprises, and wonderful ending all gave this novella a permanent spot on my all-time favorites list, and helped it to earn all five bookshelves. As we get ever closer and closer to the Christmas season, I highly recommend this novella as the perfect Christmas read, and the perfect Christmas present. I promise you that you’ll enjoy it immensely, and you won’t ever regret picking it up.

        Happy reading!

I received a copy of this novella from the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest review.

To see where I'm liking up, check out my Where I Party page.

All credit for the photo goes to my amazing sister, Allie. Check out her blog here.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Cynthia Ruchti and Worthy Inspired Publishing.

My Bookshelf: Beautiful Star of Bethlehem by Lori Copeland

When memories are lost, only love remains.

        How did Arlene Santana—happy wife, successful business owner, young grandmother—get here, a rehabilitation center surrounded by old people? Her new friends make her laugh, and the days speed by, marked by holidays on which her two sons and their wives come to visit her. But when will her husband, whose love she feels every moment of every day, come to see her?

        Then one Christmas the confusing pieces of Arlene’s life start to click into place, but will she and her sons like the reality they face?

        Beautiful Star of Bethlehem is a Christmas novella by Lori Copeland, and is the first book I have ever read by her. I have to say, I really enjoyed this novella, although it was very different from anything I have ever read before. I don’t really know how to describe it, but it just had a very different feel from what I am used to. However, I will say I liked this book and can pretty easily give it all five bookshelves. I liked the way that this novella was completely unpredictable, I really had no idea what paths the story was going to take. The characters, especially Arlene of course, were lovable and really interesting to get to know, and I wish that the story were longer so that I could have learned a little more about what happened to Arlene after the ending. Mainly, how did the changes affected in the ending pan out? Did it work? And did Arlene continually get better or worse? I’ll never know, but I can’t help but hope that things got a little bit better, for Arlene and for her sons and their families. All in all, this was such a sweet Christmas novella that got me in the mood for the Christmas season and that I know I will be reading again in the future.

        Happy reading!

I received a copy of this novella from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Linking up at Let it Shine, Monday’s Musings, Literacy Musing Mondays, Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me, and Totally Terrific Tuesdays.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Lori Copeland and Barbour Publishing.