Staff Favorites
The Wish Book Christmas
The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin is a delightful novella to read this Christmas season! This Christmas story can read as a stand-alone, but it follows the story If I Were You written in 2020. Since the first book is so wonderful, I recommend reading both.
We follow Audrey and Eve, their sons Bobby and Harry and various family members, friends and neighbors as they celebrate Christmas. The characters, old and young alike, grow in their views of giving and receiving, loving and forgiving, dependence and independence, and they finally grow in their expectations for themselves and others. I found myself cheering on the characters for the ways they expressed love and received love, especially because of the love they felt during the Christmas season. It’s a heartwarming story that makes the reader think about why we give gifts and how we can give gifts of service and time, besides tangible items. 
Set in nineteenth-century China, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan recounts the story of Lily and Snow Flower, two best friends who endure the foot binding tradition together. It follows their familial journeys, explores their experiences with love and marriage, and describes their adventures in motherhood. But while Lily is lucky enough to marry into wealth and lead a life of good fortune, Snow Flower’s family history and secrets force her to accept a less fulfilling future. When a misunderstanding arises between the two, their friendship hangs in the balance.
This novel is full of references to China’s warn-torn past and deep-seated traditions. While the relationship between Lily and Snow Flower is the focal point of the book, readers learn a lot about the country’s history and values. An absolute must-read for historical fiction lovers, this book is available at Acorn and in the SWAN consortium.
View More Staff Favorites
