Great Books to Keep You Up Late On Cold Winter Evenings
By Michele Ashman Bell
 Brianna, My Brother, and the Blog
By Jack Weyland
“The thing I dread the most is the weekends,” Brianna said. “Each of my roommates is seeing someone, so they’ll all go on dates, and I’ll be left all alone in the apartment with only my 8 x 10 of Robbie. Actually, it’s his high school graduation picture. I keep getting older but he stays the same.”
She paused as though she wasn’t sure she should say what she was thinking. “You want to know something weird? Last week I realized I was starting to think of him as my nephew.”
That seemed like an odd thing to say, but it also made me very happy. “If you get lonely on the weekends, give me a call. I’ll never be doing anything.”
She hesitated and then asked, “Are you serious?”
“Totally.”
Brianna needs a friend, someone to keep her from being lonely while she’s waiting for her missionary, Robbie, to come home. And who better for the job than Robbie’s brother, Austin? He can keep the other men at bay while giving Brianna guy-type help, like hauling her harp around on weekends to play at wedding receptions.
Austin needs a friend, too. And Brianna is the perfect choice since there’s no romantic involvement-of course not, how could there be, she’s waiting for his brother, after all. As a friendship develops between Austin and Brianna, Austin is free to learn what it means to be “true and faithful friends” with a girl. He begins posting his findings in blog entries that quickly gather a following of interested readers. But what will happen to his friendship with Brianna when she finds out who the real author of the blog is? Because the truth is, Austin isn’t looking for just a friend anymore, but something more. Will he have the courage to tell Brianna the truth-before Robbie comes home?
Brianna, My Brother and the Blog is a delightful story that not only is a quick read, but very entertaining and rewarding. The characters are fun and comfortable, true to Weyland’s signature writing style. Young adults as well as adult readers will find the story interesting and well-paced. The characters quickly pull you in and keep you caring to the very end. I appreciated Weyland’s handling of the delicate situation of two brothers liking the same girl, and was satisfied with the resolution.
If you are looking for a book to read that will grab your attention and make you forget about the cold outside, this is the perfect book.  Hashbrown Winters
By Frank L. Cole
There I stood, hiding next to the vending machines, disguised as a potted plant. I brushed the plastic leaves from my face and stared down the hallway toward the front double doors. Snow Cone always said one day this ridiculous costume would come in handy.
Fifteen minutes had passed since the last student left for the buses, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. Not with my life hanging in the balance. Leaning forward, I peered around the corner just as the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Was this it? Could this be him? Was I about to be pulverized by Hambone while wearing an emergency disguise I had just pulled from my locker?
Hashbrown Winters and his treehouse club of buddies are well known around Pordunce Elementary, especially after Hashbrown’s seminar last year on how to give the best show and tell performances er, presentations. But when Hashbrown accidentally crosses Hambone Oxcart, the death dealer of Pordunce, he’ll need more than just the support of his friends to survive Hambone’s wrath.
Join Hashbrown, Snow Cone, Whiz, and the rest of the gang in Frank Cole’s hilarious debut novel of the trials and tragedies of fifth grade life. The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters will keep kids and parents alike laughing out loud, groaning in sympathy, and turning pages until well past bedtime.
The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters has “fan favorite” written all over it. Kids will love the funny, witty and highly imaginative story and colorful characters. If your child is looking for a laugh-out-loud book that will keep their attention, this is definitely the book!
 Freaky Flyday
By David Farland
After saving Oregon from a nuclear crisis and revealing the plight of enslaved micedom to the human population, Amber, the valiant mouse wizard, and her partner Ben, the once-human mouse, head to Disneyland for a much-deserved vacation. But greater trouble lurks ahead. Mouse mentor Lady Blackpool prophesies that the Ever Shade, an ancient evil force, will soon be returning to the earth. Then the mice receive word that Belle Z. Bug, a giant mutant fly associated with the Ever Shade, has hatched in a Los Angeles landfill.
In the twitch of a whisker, Belle Z. Bug’s seductive multilevel marketing campaign enslaves a massive army of unsuspecting flies and throws the human race into chaos. When the mice’s plane falls under attack, they join forces with the indomitable Harold Shortzenbeggar (governor-extraordinaire of California) to confront their common enemy. But their recent battle with evil wormlord Sebaceous Ooze sapped the heroes’ vital powers. Will the victories won in Of Mice and Magic and The Wizard of Ooze come to naught as they face the sinister Lord of the Flies?
Acclaimed author David Farland’s third book in the Ravenspell series is a much anticipated continuation of the first book Of Mice and Magic and book two, The Wizard of Ooze. In this book Ben and Amber fight off an evil fly determined to help the super evil Ever Shade. The story is action packed, entertaining and downright hilarious. If you are a reader who likes books on audio, definitely listen to this one on CD. The reader is brilliant at the different voices for each character and really brings the story to life.
These books would be such a great set to give for Christmas. They will bring hours of fun reading and are guaranteed to be a favorite!
Santa Maybe
By Aubrey Mace
Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good girl this year. (Well . . . pretty good.) I have a nice life and there’s only one thing that I really want, one thing that’s missing. If you happen to have an extra one lying around your workshop, I would really like a husband. I promise to take good care of him.
Love, Abbie
With a successful bakery to run, super cute nieces and nephews to spoil, and plenty of good friends to keep her company, Abbie s not about to start crying over the fact that she doesn’t have a boyfriend to spend Christmas with. But when her sister convinces her to write a note to Santa, Abbie has no idea that a little Christmas magic is about to land her the man of her dreams. Or rather, that man is about to land smack dab on the floor in front of her Christmas tree with no memory of how he got there.
Now Abbie and Ben have to figure out where he came from, who he really is, and if he’s actually available.
I’m a big fan of Aubrey Mace and was excited to see this book out just in time for the holidays. Mace creates magic with plot, characters, and a setting that rivals any Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie. I enjoyed and empathized with Abbie and her acceptance of her station in life, yet was hopeful as Ben entered her life in a most unconventional and delightful way. This book was fresh, witty and fun and will not disappoint anyone who is a hopeless, or hopeful, romantic. Return to Top of Article
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