The battle for Christmas, and the world itself, is about to begin. When Christmas Carol, a Defender of Claus, is suddenly yanked into a portal by her Elven grandmother, she doesn’t immediately understand what’s happening. But all becomes clear when she and the Ancient One emerge on the other side of the portal in what’s supposed to be the North Pole: everything’s changed. Carol’s father is gone. The Defenders of Claus don’t exist. The Elf kingdom has been destroyed. And Santa’s a broken shell of himself. The jolly world Carol knew has turned into a terrifying place, where the magic of Christmas has been eliminated and everyone lives in fear of the all-powerful Supreme Leader. Someone has traveled back in time to change history, and Carol’s pretty sure she knows the culprit. Carol and her grandmother, with the help of two ragged boys who have lost everything in the rebellion against the Supreme Leader, track down the only Elf capable of helping their enemy travel through time. The bitter, shimmering creature reluctantly agrees to send Carol back, and she lands in the mid-1800s, when Santa was just getting started and the very first Defender of Claus was found. She must protect Santa and the original Defender and undo the damage her enemy has done or risk returning to a present day that has never known Christmas.

The Christmas season is a time of wonder, joy, and the belief in something magical. It is a time when children's hearts are filled with anticipation and dreams of what Santa might bring. But what happens when that magic fades? What happens when children begin to doubt the spirit of giving and the joy of sharing? This story is a journey into the heart of Christmas, where we follow Lily, a little girl who rediscovers the true meaning of the season. She embarks on an unforgettable adventure to the North Pole, where she meets talking polar bears, clumsy elves, and a scroll filled with forgotten Christmas wishes. Through her journey, Lily learns that the magic of Christmas is not just about presents or snow, but about the power of belief, the joy of giving, and the importance of cherishing the people we love. This story is for every child who has ever wondered about the magic of Christmas, and for those who have lost their way, may it remind you that the spirit of Christmas is always there, waiting to be rediscovered.

In the heart of a frosted kingdom, where winter winds whisper forgotten carols and snowflakes dance on starlight, dwells Ember, a dragon whose heart is as cold and jagged as the icicles clinging to his mountain home. Christmas, to him, is nothing more than a grating cacophony of forced cheer, a painful reminder of a past betrayal that shattered his spirit. Then, fate takes a whimsical twist, hurling a tiny elf named Pip, lost and shivering, into Ember's icy Grotto. A reluctant pact is forged, binding the grumpy dragon and the determined elf on a journey through enchanted forests and frost-kissed villages. As they delve into the forgotten magic of Christmas, secrets tumble from frozen silence, a chilling threat creeps from the shadows, and Ember finds himself grappling with a choice: remain cloaked in his icy isolation or embrace the thawing warmth of Yuletide spirit. This is a tale of an unlikely friendship, where an elf's unwavering optimism melts the frost around a dragon's heart, and whispers of forgotten magic weave a tapestry of hope against the encroaching darkness. Prepare to soar on wings of fire and song, as Ember and Pip learn the true meaning of courage, forgiveness, and the transformative power of carols that rise above even the deepest frost, rekindling the spark of Christmas joy in a kingdom lost to the cold. Turn the page, dear reader, and let the tale of Ember and Pip, woven with frosty whimsy and Yuletide wonder, forever warm your heart with the enduring magic of Christmas.

A delightful enemies-to-lovers holiday rom com set in the quaint mountain town of Maple Falls, Colorado, about a city girl and a small-town boy who compete in the town’s annual holiday games in order to win the right price for a charming, local Christmas shop, perfect for fans of The Hating Game and The Twelve Dates of Christmas. One rivalry. Eight days until Christmas. Let the holiday games begin. When L.A.-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner’s stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison. Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They’ll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse’s icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It’ll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there’s a spark, but what if it’s just another game?

Celebrate the season with this series of heartwarming, small town, military romances that explores the power of love, growth, and healing set during the most magical time of the year! Sometimes love needs a little Christmas magic to find its forever home in Love on a Reindeer Run. Two souls find warmth in harmony, but will a fading melody steal their chance at love in Love on a Silent Night. He’s all about discipline, she’s all about dessert, and their worlds are about to collide in the most delicious way in Love in a Decked Hall. The Honor Valley Holiday romances are short and sweet -the perfect length for an afternoon pick me up or an evening escape before bedtime!

Carol really loves Christmas. The decorating and shopping, the Christmas sweaters and music—she wishes it all could be a year-round event. The only downside to the holiday is that she lives in Florida (not exactly the land of snow) and her only family is her Uncle Christopher, who adopted Carol when she was young, after her father's disappearance and mother's death. Her uncle owns a toy company and is super rich—but he's a grinch and a workaholic. Then, on a magical December trip to NYC, Carol meets her destiny. Santa—the real man with the bag—meets Carol at the top of Rockefeller Center, overlooking the tree. There he explains that Carol is descended from a long line of Defenders of Claus, those who protect and serve Santa. Carol's dad was a Defender. And now Carol has been tapped to fulfill his legacy. Who would want to hurt Santa? Someone pretty scary and shady, it appears—a masked man who's trying to destroy Christmas! Carol is whisked off to the North Pole on the adventure of a lifetime. Can she help save Santa before it's too late?

Ann Lewis's childhood was marked by an unusual rhythm. Each year the thawing and freezing of the Great Lakes signaled the beginning and end of the shipping season, months of waiting that were punctuated by brief trips to various ports to meet her father, the captain. With lively storytelling and vivid details, Lewis captures the unusual life of shipping families whose days and weeks revolved around the shipping industry on the Great Lakes. She paints an intriguing and affectionate portrait of her father, a talented pianist whose summer job aboard an ore freighter led him to a life on the water. Working his way up from deckhand to ship captain, Willis Michler became the master of thirteen ships over a span of twenty-eight years. From the age of twelve, Ann accompanied the captain to the ports of Milwaukee, Chicago, Toledo, and Cleveland on the lower Great Lakes. She describes sailing through stormy weather and starry nights, visiting the engine room, dining at the captain's table, and wheeling the block-long ship with her father in the pilot house. Through her mother's stories and remarks, Lewis also reveals insights into the trials and rewards of being a ship captain's wife. The book is enhanced by the author's vintage snapshots, depicting this bygone lifestyle.

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