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2017 is fast approaching, but before we get there we have to first get through Christmas and the onslaught of piped Christmas music bombarding the masses in every shopping centre we walk into.

Love them or hate them, there is really no escaping them �� which for one of the moderators is a wonderful experience, as she has been known to break into loud song as her normal Saturday morning grocery shopping expedition become Christmas Karaoke time. Her family avoids the Saturday morning shop in December.


We understand that this time of year can also be busy and stressful so we’d like to do something different with this month’s challenge. We're looking forward to seeing how creative you guys can get, and leaving the amount of challenge books up to you.

Of course the usual rules apply and please include at least one Aussie author - if you can do more it would be wonderful

So here are the instructions:

Step 1:
Take a look at the list of Christmas songs below.

Step 2:
Pick as many of the songs as you want �� as we said, you can make the challenge as easy, or as hard as you want:
Easy - 3 to 4 Christmas songs
Moderate - 5 to 8 Christmas songs
Hard - 9+ carols

Step 3:
Once you have your Christmas songs selected �� work out how to match them with a book. Maybe you have a book you really want to read �� try and fit it to a song.

Step 4:
List your books and the Christmas song it relates to and give a brief explanation of how the books relate to the song �� you can think outside the box if you want but you need to justify how it fits �� examples below�� oh, and don’t forget to link your books.

Here are a few examples to give you the idea:
(1) Song: Silver Bells
Book Read: by Marie Lu
How it fits?: The cover is silver

(2) Song: Jingle Bells
Book Read: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
How it fits?: The word 'bell' in both title of book and song

(3) Carol: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
How it fits?: It's about a girl trying to get home :)

(4) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Book: Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine
How it fits?: You need heat to roast those chestnuts.

See? It’s easy! Give it a try and join us celebrating the Christmas season.

Christmas Song List
12 (twelve) Days of Christmas
A Holly Jolly Christmas
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
As with gladness men of old
Ave Maria
Away in a Manger
Blue Christmas
Carol of the Bells
Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Do you hear what I hear?
Frosty the Snowman
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus
I saw three ships come sailing in
I'll Be Home for Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Jingle Bell Rock
Joy to the World
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Mary's boy child
O little Town of Bethlehem
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Santa Baby
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Silent Night
Silver Bells
Sleigh Ride
The Christmas Song - (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
The holly and the Ivy
The Little Drummer Boy
We three kings of orient are
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland

List of Participants:

(This is to make it easier to find your challenge. Below you will find your name listed alphabetically. Just click on your name and it will take you straight to your post!)

Ace
Brenda
Calzean
Carolyn
Chloe
Connie
Dree
Jane
Janine
Kathryn
Kerri
Li'l Owl
Lisa (Aussie Girl)
Marina
Maureen
Melissa
Michelle-G
Michelle-Mck
Nicola
Odette
PattyMacDotComma
Phrynne
Renee
Roxanne
Sharon
Stef
Tien
Suzie
Valerie
Veronica
Zoey

Checked to post 121

Here are my picks

Song: Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane):
Book Chosen: North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus by Candace Jane Kringle - 2★s
How it Fits: Main character is Candy Claus

Song: I'll Be Home for Christmas:
Book Chosen: Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter - 4★s
How it fits: ‘Christmas�� in title of song and title of book

Song: Frosty the Snowman:
Book Chosen: Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson - 5★s
How it fits �� frosty looking cover and the MC's mood is frosty when she discovers her groom with his hand up the bridesmaids skirts!!!

I'm going for HARD

10/10

#1. Song - "White Christmas" - Book Chosen - A Ghost for Christmas by J.D. Winters 4��s
(Christmas in song title and book title)

#2. Song - "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Book Chosen - A Campy Christmas by Karen Musser Nortman 5��s
(Christmas in song title and book title)

#3. Song - "Blue Christmas" - Book Chosen - Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading 4��s
(Book cover Blue)

#4. Song - "I'll be Home for Christmas" - Book Chosen - Home by Harlan Coben 5��s
(Home in song title and book title)

#5. Song - "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow" - Book Chosen - The Crossing by B. Michael Radburn 5��s AA
(Snow in song title, snow on book cover)

#6. Song - "Silent Night" - Book Chosen - The Silent Kookaburra by Liza Perrat 4.5��s AA
(Silent in both)

#7. Song - "Joy to the World" - Book Chosen - Festive Deception by D.B. Tait 5��s AA
(Joy and festive)

#8. Song - "It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas" - Book Chosen - The Christmas Mystery by James Patterson 3.5��s
(Christmas in song title, Christmas in book title

#9. Song - "All I want for Christmas" - Book Chosen - The Perfumer's Secret by Fiona McIntosh 5��s AA
(Perfume for Christmas)

#10. Song - "O Little Town of Bethlehem" - Book Chosen - A Place to Stay by Jennie Jones 5��s AA
(Bethlehem was THE place to stay)

Put me down for Easy please Sally, sounds like a lot of fun :)

12 days of Christmas
The Twelve by Justin Cronin
(12 in title)

As with gladness men of old
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
(Old man in title)

Santa Baby
Bye Bye Baby by Fiona McIntosh
(Baby in title)
Aussie Author

The Little Drummer Boy
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
(Little = Small in title)

I'll start with Easy as it's going to be a busy month!

1. Hark the Herald Angels Sing: Stalking the Angel by Robert Crais 3��

2. We Three Kings (lyric 'guide us to that perfect light'): Chasing the Light by Jesse Blackadder AA 5��

3. I saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus (underneath the mistletoe): The Mistletoe Murder: And Other Stories by P.D. James 4��

4. O Holy Night (next line - the stars are shining brightly): The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick

I'm going to go for easy 3 -4 songs

Song: Frosty the Snowman
✔B�Ǵǰ�: Codename Lazarus: The Spy Who Came Back From The Dead
How it fits: there is snow on the cover

Song: let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
✔B�Ǵǰ�: The Falls AA
How it fits: Snow falls

Song: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
✔B�Ǵǰ�: Pigeon
Blood Red
How it fits: the jewel is red

Song: Away in a manger
✔B�Ǵǰ�: The Lost Girl
How it fits: the girl was found swaddled as a newborn

ooh yes please

Increasing to Moderate

1. Blue Christmas
I See You by Clare Mackintosh
Blue Cover

2. Here Comes Santa Claus
The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore
Author's name is Santa

3. I Saw Three Ships come Sailing in
The War Bride by Pamela Hart(AA)
Bride arrives by Ship

4. Mary's Boy Child
The Mothers' Group by Fiona Higgins(AA)
Mary is a mother

5. Silent Night
Night School by Lee Child
Night in Title

6. We Three Kings of Orient Are
The Three Miss Allens by Victoria Purman(AA)
Three in Title

Not sure how I am going to do this....probably easy but I will see what fits

12 (twelve) Days of ChristmasThe Last Song of Dusk "The first day of Christmas... the second day of christmas...the last song of dusk

A Holly Jolly Christmas The Surprising Life of Constance Spry- Connie was all about using any decorative plant material (eg holly) to make celebrations (eg Christmas) jolly on a grand scale!

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery all I wanted for a long long time was another Hercule Poirot book to read!

As with gladness men of old
Ave Maria
Away in a Manger
Blue Christmas
Carol of the Bells

Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World) Reaching Out : Messages of Hope AA It's a UNICEF publication and is about Feeding/improving the world

Do you hear what I hear?
Frosty the Snowman
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus

I saw three ships come sailing in The Sea of Monsters most of it was set in, on or around ships and boats (and deserted islands, harbours and suchlike)

I'll Be Home for Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Jingle Bell Rock
Joy to the World
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Mary's boy child
O little Town of Bethlehem
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Snake Stone (red cover)

Santa Baby
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Silent Night
Silver Bells
Sleigh Ride
The Christmas Song - (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
The holly and the Ivy
The Little Drummer Boy
We three kings of orient are
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland

If I finish those I will add others (more aussie stuff if santa brings me any)

I'm going to start with moderate 5-8

Song:Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
Book: The Snow Child

Song: Joy to the World
Book: News of the World

Song: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Book: Mudbound has a red cover

Song: I'll be home for Christmas
Book: Homegoing

Song: White Christmas
Book: The Trespasser white cover

Song: Away in the manger
Book: The Mothers' Group

Scraping in to Moderate with 5

Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt. (Let it Snow - there is snow on the cover) 4 stars
The One-in-a-Million Boy (Mary's Boy Child - Jesus was definitely one in a million) 5 stars
C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton (Blue Christmas. - The cover is blue) 4 stars
Darkest Place by Jaye Ford (Silent Night. It is dark at night) AA 4 stars
Miracle and Other Christmas Stories by Connie Willis (Rocking around the Christmas tree.- there is a Chrstmas tree on the cover). 3 stars

Easy for me

1. Blue Christmas - The Royals by Kitty Kelley (Blue Cover) 1.5��
2. I'll be home for Christmas - Murder in Christmas River by Meg Muldoon (MCs ex-boyfriend has moved back home at Xmas time) 4.5��
3. I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus - Secrets in Time by Alison Stuart AA (who Santa really is, is a secret) 5��

Nice challenge, I love Christmas!

Completed: 4/4

1. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Unexpected Fate �� 8.12.16 ★★★★
Setting: Hope Town

2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus �� 29.12.16 ★★★★��
Title: Santa Claus

3. Blue Christmas
No More Mr. Nice Guy Australian author �� 29.12.16 ★★★★��
Cover: Blue

4. I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus
Bleeding Love �� 29.12.16 ★★★★��
Genre: Romance

Moderate for me:


1. Mary's Boy Child Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
(song and book title contain the word "child"
2. I'll be Home for Christmas A Christmas Journey by Anne Perry
Title of song implies a journey towards home
3. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
Snow on book cover
4. Carol of the Bells A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Song title and book title both contain the word "carol"
5. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree Mr Wigg by Inga Simpson Aussie Author
Tree on cover

Loved Mr Wigg Valerie!

I'm going for easy

#1.Song: Blue Christmas - Blue Skies by Fleur McDonald 3��

#2.Song: I saw mummy kissing Santa Clause - Mummy from Hell by Ken Doyle 4��

#3.Song: Silver Bells - Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

I'm going aiming for Moderate... Which means I'm giving myself a nice long list to chose from and fingers crossed I read something ;-) and end up with Moderate, but any reading is good by me!

7/7 books read

1. Sleigh Ride
Holding by Graham Norton 4.5 ��
Word match in song "Holding your hand"

2. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris 3��
Word match in song, "on your own front door"

3. 12 (twelve) Days of Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber 4 ��
titles match

4. Blue Christmas
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour 4.5 Stars ��
Blue on the cover

5. I'll be home for Christmas
Christmas at Lilac Cottage 3.5��
Christmas in Title, home/cottage

6 The Little Drummer Boy
The Boy Is Back by Meg Cabot 4��
Boy in the song and book title

7. Mary's boy child
The Mothers by Brit Bennett 4��
Mary is a Mother

It's a great challenge isn't it :) Makes us think!

Finished my easy challenge. Tom Keneally has written another great book:

1. Do you hear what I hear?
Crimes of the Father by Tom Keneally AA 5*
Church hierarchy not hearing what they are told

2. We three kings of orient are
Three Sisters by Bi Feiyu 3*
- word match and set in China

3. Here Comes Santa Claus
Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino 4*
- he has to do travel in the Southern hemisphere this way.

4. Mary's boy child
Thursday's Child by Sonya Hartnett AA 4*
- in this case it is about two children a girl called Harper’s and her young brother

Funny part for me I play in a Salvation Army band so no reading until Dec 25 but bombarding you all with cornet playing

Love a Christmas Challenge. Thank U, Sally.

I'll take easy - 4 Christmas Songs - 4/4. COMPLETED

1. I'll be home for Christmas . Christmas in Destiny Characters return to their home town for Christmas. ★★★★ 12/14/16

2. Blue Christmas . Blue book cover. Duke of Pleasure . Finished 12/1/16. ★★★★��

3. Santa Clause is coming to town. Naughty or Nice series. *Australian Author* No More Mr. Nice Guy . Finished. 12/27/16. ★★��

4. Hark the Herald Angels Sing Book Title. The Angels' Share ★★�� 12/11/16

I'm in although I promised I wouldn't do a challenge because I wanted to read things like The Bell Jar, so how could I resist this one! I might get these 4 in.

1.) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - "Jingle Bells" READ 5��

2.) Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley - "Blue Christmas" -READ 5��

3.) Quicksilver by Nicolas Rothwell [AUSSIE] - "Silver Bells" READ 5��

4.) The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore - "Silent Night" -READ 5��

Is there an Aussie author there Patty? Sorry, easier to ask than check them all ;)

I would love to do this one but am doing the summer challenge and I am not sure if I can fit both in as I am also in the throes of self publishing my next book. If I change my mind I will post to that effect :)

Good luck with the book Connie:)

Try to link some of your summer challenge books with the December criteria Connie, sometimes it works :)

Going to try and scrape moderate by reading 5 books:

Silent Night - Night School by Lee Child (Night) 3*
We Three Kings - The Four Legendary Kingdoms by Matthew Reilly (King) AA 5*
Wonderful Time of the Year - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (Time) 5*
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree - Hushabye by Celina Grace (Rocking a baby to sleep!) 4*
Holly & The Ivy - The President's Daughter by Jack Higgins (Holly is my daughter's name) 4*

Cool challenge! Will try for 4 to start with.

My books are:

�� Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (red cover) ★★��1/2
�� Blue Christmas - Ice Station by Matthew Reilly (blue cover) (AA) ★★★★
�� Winter Wonderland - Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell (Winter)★★��1/2
White Christmas - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Christmas)

]Phrynne wrote: "Good luck with the book Connie:)"

Thank you Phrynne ;)

Brenda wrote: "Try to link some of your summer challenge books with the December criteria Connie, sometimes it works :)"

I did think that Brenda, I will give it some thought and see what I can come up with

Well here goes I will go for easy with just three books one of which may be stretching it a bit ( the Frost one) so please let me know if it doesn't fit.
Drop ShotHarlen Coben ( Blue Cover) Song, Blue Christmas
Skipping Christmas John Grisham SOng,Here comes santa claus ( there is a santa claus on the cover)
Night FrostR.D. Wingfield Song Frosty the Snowman
Follow the Morning StarDi Morrissey
Song We three kings of Orient are




:):):)

December will be the month to rush & finish those annual challenges so I'm going to be concentrating on those which will include about 3-4 Aussie authors (to complete my 2016 challenge). I'm only going to aim for Moderate to leave me some time for other books :)

1.
Song: White Christmas
Book Chosen: Dreaming of Zhou Gong (The Timekeepers #1) by Traci Harding
How it Fits: Song is about dreaming of a White Christmas

2. Read 08/12
Song: I saw three ships come sailing in
Book Chosen: Death by Water (Phryne Fisher #15) by Kerry Greenwood
How it Fits: MC going on a cruise [on a ship]

3.
Song: 12 (twelve) Days of Christmas
Book Chosen: Nameless Day (The Crucible #1) by Sara Douglass
How it Fits: “Day�� in title

4. Read 06/12
Song: Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Book Chosen: Café Scheherazade by Arnold Zable
How it Fits: trees on cover

5. Read 05/12
Song: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Book Chosen: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald
How it Fits: “Red�� in title

Connie wrote: "Well here goes I will go for easy with just three books one of which may be stretching it a bit ( the Frost one) so please let me know if it doesn't fit.
Drop ShotHarlen Coben ( Blue C..."

You haven't put your song choices beside your books Connie, but it's easy to work out. And I'm guessing Frosty the Snowman is the match for your "Frost one".... It's all fine :) Good luck and enjoy!

I love the way everyone's interpretation of the song titles to the book titles is so different. Well done everyone! It's really interesting to read them all :)

Okay, I'm in for the "easy" level, and I'll list three books here:

1. Silver Bells - Legend - it has a silver cover.

2. White Christmas - Truly Madly Guilty - it has a white cover, plus it's an Australian Author.

3. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Fly Away Home - the titles are similar.

I'm happy with my selections, hopefully I'll get to read them in December!

Oh look, you twisted my arm!! LOL ... count me in the EASY level! :P

1. Santa Claus is coming to town - Watching You READ 4.5 stars
Santa sees when you're awake, he knows when you're asleep - he's watching!

2. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer - Sting READ 5 stars
Book has a RED title

3. Do you hear what I hear? - Blood Secret (AA) READ 4 stars
What can we hear? A secret!

Hey Mods, can we add HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING to the song list? Big favourite back in Primary School.

It's an oldie but a goodie Lisa :) I'm sure Sally can and will add it to the list of Carols when she's online next! Thanks for that :)

I just upgraded mine to HARD and added two more books :)

Brenda wrote: "I just upgraded mine to HARD and added two more books :)"

Thank u. It is an addictive challenge. I keep on thinking of more books that fit too!

Brenda wrote: "Connie wrote: "Well here goes I will go for easy with just three books one of which may be stretching it a bit ( the Frost one) so please let me know if it doesn't fit.
Drop ShotHarlen..."

Oh sorry I will do that now

Connie wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Connie wrote: "Well here goes I will go for easy with just three books one of which may be stretching it a bit ( the Frost one) so please let me know if it doesn't fit.
[book:Drop Sh..."

No worries :) Thanks!

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I just upgraded mine to HARD and added two more books :)"

Thank u. It is an addictive challenge. I keep on thinking of more books that fit too!"

It'll be fun :)

I'm going to attempt this challenge!! I'm going to go for moderate for now-but I may be able to add more! books to be determined

8 completed so far

1. Song: White Christmas. Book: White Walls by H.M.C - AA author "White" in both song and book.
H.M.C.
completed - 4 ��

2. Song: The Christmas Song. Book: The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. "Christmas" in both song and book.
byDavid . Baldacci completed - 4 ��

3. Song: The 12 days of Christmas. Book: Size 12 is not Fat. By Meg Cabot . "12" is in both song and book.
by Meg Cabot completed - 2 ��

4. Song: Blue Christmas. Book: Violets are Blue by James Patterson. "Blue" is in both song and book.
by James Patterson completed- 2 ��

5. Song: Santa Clause is Coming to Town: Book: Don't You Cry . "you better watch out... YOU BETTER NOT CRY!..."
by Mary Kubica completed 4 ��

6. Song: Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Book: The Snow Globe. "snow" is in both song and book. by Sheila Roberts *completed* 4 ��

7. Song: Silent Night. Book: The Last Dead Girl. "dead/silent" If all the girls in the world should die- imagine how silent it would be!
byHarry Dolan *completed* 3 ��

8. Song: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer - Book A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg Song and Book have 'red' in the title
*completed 4 ��

Maureen wrote: "I'm going to attempt this challenge!! I'm going to go for moderate for now-but I may be able to add more!

1. Song: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Book: Rest You Merry by[auth..."

The challenge doesn't start until December 1st Maureen so you will have to choose another to cover the one you're currently reading :)

Glad to see you're keen ;) I'll be interested to see the rest of your choices as well.

Ohhh - I saw that others are already listing their books- so I just assumed that they started it the day that you posted this- I was so happy to see that I had a book here that was an Australian author- so I quickly just started it - so then Rest You Merry won't count either , for I just finished that earlier today-
So- I'm guessing those who are playing and added the books - they are the books that they are going to start to read after Dec 1st? Is that correct?

Brenda wrote: "Connie wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Connie wrote: "Well here goes I will go for easy with just three books one of which may be stretching it a bit ( the Frost one) so please let me know if it doesn't fit..."

Drats Brenda I don't think I have an Aussie author in my picks so I might have to add another one

Maureen wrote: "Ohhh - I saw that others are already listing their books- so I just assumed that they started it the day that you posted this- I was so happy to see that I had a book here that was an Australian au..."

Our challenges are always posted early to give people time to choose their books. And we list them to help others decide on their own picks :)

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Hey Mods, can we add HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING to the song list? Big favourite back in Primary School."

Added ;)

How could I have missed it!!