Lucci's List: December 2020

December stories to warm your heart!

“Language of Love – A Flirty Festive Anthology” edited by Astrid Ohletz is a compilation of holiday stories by a wide variety of modern authors. Each story represents a different part of the world, which adds to the thrill of reading the book as a whole. Like a little literary world tour!

The stories focus on holiday settings from global cultures, with the centrifical theme being love. The lesbian couplings are at times romantic, others comical, and some are just damn cute.

There is a touch of the erotic within the pages, and it is done in a way that serves the stories.

I recommend this for romance readers, les-fic fans, and people who enjoy the cheer of holiday stories that aren’t all covered in fake Hallmark snow.

"Merry Chris Witch" by CK Dawn is a delightfully cute romance perfect for the Christmas holiday season.

Two teens forge a supernatural friendship. As their feelings become romantic, they fins a mystery to solve together, and go on an expedition to save the day.

Completely adorable.

"Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale" by Amanda Dykes is the perfect story to read on a cozy December afternoon. Full of Christmas nostalgia, brightly descriptive scenes, and characters with depth and dimension, this book is a treasure.

The writing is beautiful and poetic at times. The lead female character is a young woman with an ear for beauty and hands for making things happen. The romance she finds herself in is sweet and light.

I particularly appreciated that the main character was portrayed as able, with mechanical intelligence and a learned skill for creating molded objects. She was feminine, scientific, and didn't have to be a tomboy to get her hands dirty.

The title is a cute pun, which I thought was perfect for this smart volume.

"Clara at Christmas" by Lacy London is an amusing and cute Christmas short story. It starts off, "Stupid mittens. How are you supposed to grasp anything when your hands have been made into makeshift crab claws?" The wit and humour continue throughout this festively funny book.

Counting down the days to Christmas in each chapter made this a fast-paced read filled with vivid holiday cheer. LOL snippets between the chapters adds even more mirth to this modern Christmas must-read.

This story is like "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" for 30-somethings. Newlyweds, young families, in-laws, best friends, and shopping, eating, shopping, eating, repeat!

I recommend this for anyone who enjoys twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and silly scrumptious holiday reading.