You’re Mainlining Hallmark Movies, Part 3
Want a meta-mystery or had a lot of country on your Spotify Wrapped
Hi book lovers,
Happy December!
Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s discussion thread about books to give to your family and friends this holiday season. There are a lot of great recs in there, so check it out if you’re feeling stumped — or just need even more books to read.
And, now, what to read if …
You’re Bingeing Holiday RomComs
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
It’s now tradition for me to recommend a holiday romance in early December. This year’s pick is Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle, which puts a magical twist on its Hallmark-esque story.
As the book opens, failing social media influencer Bettie Hughes is squatting in an empty house in Colorado and struggling to buy her judgmental family Christmas gifts. One night, after one too many glasses of wine, she accidentally plays the Mariah Carey classic “All I Want for Christmas is You” backward on a record player — and summons Hall, the Holiday Spirit.
Hall can grant Bettie’s wishes, and he agrees to pose as her fiancé for an extended family visit. The cheerful, Christmas-obsessed Hall brings out the best in all the Hugheses, and cynical Bettie begins to fall for him, even as she knows he’ll need to return to the Spirit World.
Just Like Magic is an admittedly weird concept — at times, Hall feels a bit like Will Ferrell’s character in Elf — but I found it sweet and enjoyable. One note: I almost gave up initially because Bettie is so self-involved that she was driving me nuts. She grows significantly over the book, and her narcissism is explored and explained. If you’re looking to add a little magic to this festive season, this is your book.
Bonus recs: For SheKnows, I rounded up ten holiday romances for Hallmark movie fans.
Love this newsletter? Hitting the heart at the top or bottom of this email each week helps new people find it.
You’re Shopping for a Mystery Lover
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
In the discussion thread, a lot of you were asking for recommendations for mystery fans, and I realized belatedly that I should have mentioned Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library, which features a mystery-in-a-mystery-in-a-mystery.
Australian author Hannah Tigone’s latest book focuses on the murder of … a woman in the library. Hannah emails chapters of her mystery to her fan Leo, who offers feedback and research help, as the book is set in his hometown of Boston. Adding to the meta-ness of the novel, Hannah’s main character is also a mystery writer.
As Hannah shares more chapters about her writer/sleuth — and we become invested in this story-within-a-story — Leo’s feedback grows increasingly bizarre and almost frightening. The writer’s critique partner, we learn, might have something to hide.
I love meta-mysteries. I think they’re a lot of fun and allow writers to play with what can be a formulaic genre, flipping it on its head. The Woman in the Library builds on this subgenre, offering a twisty, fast-paced tale. Mystery fans will find a lot to enjoy and analyze here.
Your Spotify Wrapped Was a Little Bit Country
Her Country by Marissa Moss
I’ve been told I like “city girl country,” so I wasn’t super surprised to see Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, the Chicks and the Wreckers pop up on my Spotify Wrapped last week. (For the uninitiated, each December, the music streamer gives users a recap of their year-in-listening, including an overview of top songs, artists and genres.)
If you too enjoy the songs women in country music are putting out right now, grab a copy of Her Country, journalist Marissa Moss’s exploration of how Musgraves, Morris, Mickey Guyton and more are transforming the genre.
In 2021, women had just 10% of country music airtime, even as they sold out arena tours and festivals and earned Grammy wins. What explains the disparity? For years, radio station executives – mostly men — bought into the idea that country fans didn’t want to hear female vocalists. They set up computer programs that ensured songs from men would outnumber those from women ten-to-one. This made it even harder for women to break in. Moss documents how a new generation broke through — using streaming services and crossover hits to build up giant audiences even as radio continued to ignore them.
As a casual country fan, I learned a lot from Her Country. I had no idea that computer algorithms dictated radio play or just how much the Chick’s 2003 blacklisting continues to loom over women in the genre today. Moss brings in Country’s history and lays out a hopeful path for its future.
Thanks, as always, for reading. I’ll be back in your inboxes Thursday with a Q&A featuring Maureen Johnson about her Truly Devious series.
What to Read If is a free weekly book recommendation newsletter. Need a rec? Want to gush about a book? Reply to this email, leave a comment or find me on Twitter @elizabethheld.
If you’re reading this on Substack or were forwarded this email, and you’d like to subscribe, click the button below.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
One reason I liked the tv show Nashville is because they gave a lot more attention to the female country artists than the male artists. (If I never hear another male-performed country song about a woman wearing tight jeans, it will be too soon.)
The Woman in the library sounds fascinating