In The Bookcase: A Very BOOKISH Christmas in July!

Today, I’m excited to share about the release of the individual stories that were originally part of the A Very Bookish Christmas novella collection. Each story takes elements from classic books and incorporates them into the story.

This weekend, these 4 stories will now be available on Kindle! Let me share a little bit about each story, including my personal reviews!

Sincerely, Jem by Kate Willis

Dear Reader,

My name is Jessie. I'm an expert at introversion and cheesecake eating. (#skillz) I'm trying to become a writer, but gathering inspiration = social interaction, so... no.

The world's best mail carrier suggested I get a pen pal, so this is the story of that pen pal experiment and the beautiful way it opened my eyes.

Merry Christmas and much cheesecake to you!

Sincerely,

Jem

Classic that inspired the story: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Random fun fact: There are two Doctor Who references–one was intentional. See if you can spot them. 😀

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

Jem/Jessie's personality is fun and wacky. I'd like to be her pen pal too, just like her mystery pen pal in the story.

Reading their letter exchanges back and forth felt nostalgic to me, just like notes that my very good friend and I would write to each other as kids. It kept a smile on my face at all times.

The story is super cute, and contains references to the classic book, Daddy-Long-Legs.

Good, clean, inspirational.
Suitable for: 8 and up - Adults

Random favorite lines:
"Time to run like she was time-traveling with the Doctor."

"So many people with so many different stories filled the world God had made."

Sylvie of Amber Apartments by J. Grace Pennington

Since she was five years old, Sylvie has been obsessed with Anne of Green Gables and trying to make her life as much like Anne Shirley's as possible. But with her black hair and her apartment-building home -- not to mention her older brother and two living parents -- she despairs of ever meeting her aspirations. But could she be more like her heroine than she believes?

Classic that inspired the story: Anne of Green Gables

Random fun fact: Several details in the story were taken from the author's childhood, including the Anne of Green Gables playset, the yellow paperback version of the book, and getting Nancy Drew books for Christmas.

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

Reading has opened an entire world for Sylvie, just like how I felt like it did for me.

Anne of Green Gables is Sylvie's favorite book in the entire world. She's read it countless times (actually she does keep track of exactly how many times). And Sylvie would eat, sleep, and breathe Anne of Green Gables if she could. She even obsessively shares Anne's desire for a dress with puffed sleeves.

With each Christmas that passes, Sylvie grows up a bit more and sometimes learns an Anne-like lesson. Provides an excellent forward-thinking moral of how we as Christians should be looking forward to our forever home, and written in such a cute, easy way too.

I really enjoyed this darling story, and hope you will too.

Good, clean, inspirational.
Suitable for: 8 and up - Adults

Random favorite line:
"So this -- this was what the depths of despair truly felt like."

Gingerbread Treasures by Rebekah Jones

Missing Gingerbread Men are the Key...

Oliver Breckenridge has a case — one he’s willing to fly all the way across the pond at Christmastime to look into.

Emily Willis says it all started with the gingerbread men. Then came the dognapping. And then the email…

Despite mounting clues, Oliver and his ad hock team of investigators aren’t getting anywhere. Add in a man Oliver hoped never to see again, a few rumors, and even more inconsistencies, and matters aren't clearing up.

Finding the “gingerbread treasure” might turn out to be more than they bargained for.

Classic that inspired the story: Sherlock Holmes The Sign of the Four

Random fun fact: Gingerbread Treasures is just the beginning. I have 18 more books planned that stem off of this story.

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

From the very first page, this story made me smile. It starts exactly how every good Sherlock Holmes story starts. A missive is received, conveying odd circumstances that only our protagonist can solve. In this case, that's Oliver Breckenridge, who shares his country with The Great Detective himself.

"It all started five years ago with the gingerbread men..."

The similarities continue, as by chapter 2, Oliver has procured lodgings with another bachelor. The Sherlock-Watson connection is ready for the clue-hunting to commence. In fact, the case they are on has many similarities to a particularly good detective story you might recognize, The Sign of Four.

Oliver has a perceptive, deductive mind, always processing the littlest details around him. I reeeeeaaaally enjoyed Oliver's semi-stuck-up British slightly-snobby character. Like Holmes, he doesn't just act that way, but he truly is a know-it-all (in the best sense! -- he literally knows it all). Also, I felt like his British culture was brought out at just the right moments, sometimes a certain turn of phrase, etc.

Some good theological reasoning is thrown into the mix of their witty banter sometimes, which sometimes gives the reader a little meat to really think about spiritually. I looooved those moments in the dialogue.

Also, if you didn't catch on yet, it's December and the holiday festivities are in full swing, which adds a great backdrop to the mystery unfolding. There's even a horse mentioned which is named Bethlehem -- too cute!

Good, clean, inspirational.

Suitable for: 10 and up - Adults

Molly and Anna by Sarah Holman

With the death of her sister near Christmas time, Lacie becomes the guardian of two girls of mixed heritage. Caring for them is harder than she ever imagined. She’s confronted daily with memories she would rather forget and her own prejudice. No matter what, she is determined to give her two nieces the best Christmas she can.

Classic that inspired the story: Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Random fun fact: Jared from this story might possibly be the same Jared featured in another of Sarah’s Christmas stories, Distorted Glass (but he was younger in that story)

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

A Christmas tale, filled with hope and love, inspired by the classic book, Pollyanna.

It's pretty cute. It deals with some darker issues too, like grieving, family loss, regrets, and overcoming social prejudices/racism. But it still keeps an upbeat tone. Has the makings of a Hallmark holiday movie.

Good, clean, inspirational.
Suitable for: 10 and up - Adults

Random favorite line:
"You were saying something about the aunt getting married.”
Lacie’s cheeks burned. “She what?”

These stories are full of a LOT of holiday fun and good-hearted cheer! Just what we need right now! And the same group is putting out an all-new collection this fall! You can add it to Goodreads now.