Welcome to Litsy!

It‘s rare to find a collection of short stories that pretty much all work for me, but these were all good, and some were amazing. Twelve Christmas stories, with lots of variety, but all with a small (or sometimes stronger) sci-fi flavor and a hopeful, Christmassy feel. I got the audiobook from the library, but I‘m thinking about buying it in print so I can revisit it at Christmastime in the future. 🎄🚀🤖

I started listening to this one yesterday while stuck in traffic. As I listened to the introduction, I began compiling a mental list of all the Christmas books and stories Willis mentioned that I want to track down and check out. And I wished I wasn‘t stuck in traffic so I could have been taking notes! I‘m only partway through the first story, but I‘m really enjoying it. Looking forward to the rest of these Christmas stories!

So I learned a few things. I struggle w reading short stories bc the narrative arc is short & it‘s over as soon as I‘m invested. I don‘t mind when a story doesn‘t really end or have a happy ending, so long as there‘s a good reason. I really love the way Willis writes .. or thinks about the holidays — hopeful & with eyes ahead. Short stories take me “too long” to read.

Overall, I loved this collection, even though I finished after🎄🎄!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Still reading Noir — it‘s definitely grown on me - nearly done! ☺️

Started A Lot Like Christmas — haven‘t gotten very far, but loving it so far! This is also my first Willis 😄

And received #Bestof2021 #BO21 package!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 So excited - thank you!! 🎆💙

#AVeryMerryReadathon

A nice collection of stories with a sci-fi/fantasy twist. These feature many references to Connie Willis's favourite Christmas books, movies and songs.

I recommend this for participants of #WinterGames looking for Christmas books. I'd have save it for December except it's for a book club this month.

First book finished for #NovelNovember and another one for #BookSpinBingo! @TheAromaofBooks @Andrew65

Finished this one yesterday. It was okay. These are more like novellas than short stories as the audiobook clocks in at 22hrs (13 stories, so nearly 2 hrs per story). Nothing really stood out.

#wintergames #teameeadnosedreindeer #littenlisten

Finished off the last story in this collection, "Just Like the Ones We Used to Know." It was all over the place (literally many towns, many rotating glimpses of characters). It centered around a planetwide "White Christmas" that was the delight of a few but a huge headache for many. #WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

These next two in the collection were just okay. "Newsletter" is about a woman whose family loves to try and outdo each other in their holiday missives. It has a little nod to classic scifi (Stepford, invasion of the body snatchers). "Epiphany" questions the line between religious zeal and madness but tends to wander along the way. #WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

2 more scifi stories from this collection:

* "Cat's Paw" is a Sherlock Holmes meets Island of Dr. Moreau story set during Christmastime. Really the most holiday thing about it is his Watson type wanting to go to family for Xmas.

*"Now Showing" was more of a scifi philosophical rambling endeavor: What will movie of the future be like if consumerism reigns just small nods to Xmas.

#WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

I really liked these two stories from the tagged collection:

*Adaptation: Christmas Carol meets modern day fantasy. It's a sweet tale featuring the ghosts of the classic helping a single dad.

*deck.halls@boughs/holly: Scifi romcom in a future with professional Christmas companies... I can see it happening!

#WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

Finished the next 2 stories in this scifi/fantasy holiday collection:

*All Seated on the Ground- This was was ok, but a bit draggy. It was like a Christmas version of Arrival (the movie).
*In Coppelius‘s Toyshop- Blah humbug. Not much plot and mostly centered around one awful character.

#WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

Just finished the second and third stories in this collection. Both felt a bit like wintery Twilight Zone episodes.

"All About Emily" Consider if you will, what happens when the perfect AI shows up on Broadway to meet the legend of her dreams and then decides to become a Rockette?

"Inn" Mary and Joseph show up at a megachurch's door just before Xmas. Will they be turned away?

#WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613

So far I've just read the first story in this collection "Miracle," but I liked it a lot. It had many classic holiday fantasy story elements--spirit, mild romance, nice message. This first sweet, story was a fresh approach.

#WinterGames #TMSkellington @Crimson613 @StayCurious @Clwojick

Movie: ALot Like Christmas. Popcorn Flix.
The importance of family, forgiveness and love.
#wintergames #ReadNosedReindeer @Clwojick @StayCurious #hallmarkbingo-lets watch one more.

1.
2. I hope so, I will participate in the #24B4Monday this weekend and hope to complete it.
3. Black
4. Bed, dresser...
5. Soup
@MinDea #humpdaypost

I‘d already read and adored the original version of this anthology and was excited to hear there was an expanded version. The new stories were fantastic, and the extended notes section has added to my to-be-read and to-be-watched lists. Definitely recommend. 5/5 #decemberreads #shortstories #scifi #christmasreads

Merry Christmas, friends! Hope you're enjoying the holiday. Or, having a pleasant Tuesday, if it's not your thing. Thanks for being part of my Litsy life!

My unhealthy lunch break for today... I was too lazy to even make a sandwich after this crazy exhausting week. Cloth napkins make it classy right?! I love this book - I‘ve been dipping in for a story every few days to make it last. Thanks again @heikemarie (also getting a lot of use out of my lovely wooden Cancun bookmark from @shellleigh33 - world‘s best pen pal!)

Unexpected #bookandblankie time.... this guy had a long morning at the vet, so we are resting and snuggling today. 💜💛 🐶

TRAPPED BY A PIBBLE!
It must be Sunday afternoon.
#Stella
#Pibble
#PitBullsofLitsy
#DogsofLitsy

While I‘m enjoying this book, it is supremely irritating to me that one of the short stories Willis swoons over (her family reads it every Christmas) is NOWHERE TO BE FOUND as it was published as part of a catalogue insert. Nothing makes me want to read something more than sheer unavailability of said book. I sense an obsessive literary quest coming on. In December! Aaaaaagh!

Oh my goodness, @heikemarie - I feel so spoiled! What a killer #stuffedstockingswap ! #Chloe thinks it all smells interesting... I love the holiday books - I‘ve been dying for the tagged one, which I‘m betting is your “must-read”?! - the candle smells amazing, I can‘t wait to use the bath bombs (tomorrow after yoga!!), and the charger?! 🥰 Adorable! Plus candy!! Thank you so much!! #sss 🎄♥️🎁
#tuxedokittiesoflitsy #catsoflitsy @MinDea

Please join me for a Christmas swap.
Oct. 20 sign up opens
Nov. 3 sign up closed
Nov. 8- pair ups will be announced
Dec. 1- mail out book swap
Dec. 15 opening day

Sign up at bit.ly/christmasswap

#christmasswap

I do not #love this sore throat I seem to be coming down with but this lovely Golden Osmanthus tea from Lupicia will hopefully do the trick. But I do #love this great graphic novel and also my recent discovery that Connie Willis wrote Christmas stories! What are you up to today?
#seasonsreadings2017

I really tucked into this book for Christmas day introverting and it‘s as much fun as I remember Miracle and Other Christmas stories being when I first fell in love with Connie Willis. And she clearly loves Christmas!
These stories run the gamut from futuristic robots among us to alien visitation to a real Christmas Nativity—each with their own ‘magic‘.
Lovely way to spend a holiday on the couch and get in the spirit ✨🎄✨

Just started this one and love the first story so far. Looking forward to reading the rest!🎄

I needed a bit of a comfort read today and found the perfect one with this updated version of Connie Willis‘s Miracle and other Christmas stories. That was the book that made me love her writing and this updated edition has a bunch more stories! WooHoo! She clearly loves Christmas and adds her own spin & magic & oddness to stories of the season.
Good stuff + just what I needed 😸

@Tiffy_Reads tree lights aren‘t on, but look who thinks he‘s an ornament! Get out of my tree! #threeformegiveaway congratulations on reaching 3,000!!!

I love Connie Willis and the first story in this collection is SO good. I can‘t wait to read it through the holiday season!

I'm three stories into A Lot Like Christmas and I'm just after putting up the Christmas tree, I'm wondering where I can find Miracle on 34th Street, and I'm tempted to pull up a very old Christmas playlist to listen to while finishing the book. Who am I and what has Connie Willis done with my Scrooge-like exterior?

OMG, it‘s in, it‘s in, and I have it! Yay!
(I think I‘m hyperventilating!)

Well when you get sent a Christmas book for review in September... you're practically required to listen to Christmas music, amiright? (I chose JJ Heller's Unto Us. 🎄🎶)