The Noel Diary by Richard Paul Evans, 283 Pages

Jacob Churcher returns to his childhood home after the death of his mother.  Upon arrival he discovers that the mother he hadn't seen in over 20 years had become a hoarder.  While cleaning through layer after layer of junk he uncovers family secrets that need to be brought to life.  During this process he meets Rachel, a woman looking for answers and trying to fill holes in her own past.  Little do they know that their past lives are intertwined.  During this journey they mend family ties and discover that love is possible and deserving for two people who had given up on ever finding happiness.

I enjoyed this book, and it was a really quick read, taking me only a few hours.  However, it was a bit too wholesome for my taste.  I could have used a bit more grit, with Jacob's abusive past/mother, and a little more steam/hotness with the romance storyline between Jacob and Rachel.  I've never read Richard Paul Evans before, so I'm guessing he writes clean/wholesome stuff.  There's nothing wrong with that, and I did enjoy the story.  I was in the mood for a little, quick wintry and Christmassy themed book and this did the trick. 

Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming, 304 pages

  I picked up a recording of this book when I wanted to listen to something in the car and didn’t have time to look through selections on the library shelves. I wouldn’t ordinarily choose to read a celebrity autobiography, but I knew I wanted to listen through to the end of this audiobook from the first few moments.

  The author himself read the story he’d written as a way to work through traumatic childhood experiences that lurked about and sometimes assaulted his adult psyche. As a singer, actor, and performer with a lovely Scottish accent, no one could have read this particular text better. I felt as though I were listening to a friend read a long letter he’d written, and I liked being the recipient of his thoughts as he worked through his memories and kept me up-to-date with what and how he was doing in the present.

  This is not a story of fame. It is a story of a real person making his way in the world, bravely sharing his vulnerabilities to strengthen himself and others. Well done, Alan Cumming. Well done.