The holiday season has arrived, and there is nothing I love more than curling up under a blanket with a steaming cup of coffee and a few good books to read. And whether you’re looking for a traditional holiday romance, a bit of family drama, a keep-you-up-all-night thriller, or something a little lighter, I’ve got a book for you.
So grab that blanket and your warm beverage of choice, and get ready to read:
Probably one of my favorite series of all time…..
Beartown by Fredrick Backman
By the lake in Beartown is an old ice rink, and in that ice rink Kevin, Amat, Benji, and the rest of the town’s junior ice hockey team are about to compete in the national semi-finals—and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.
Under that heavy burden, the match becomes the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown.
This is a story about a town and a game, but even more about loyalty, commitment, and the responsibilities of friendship; the people we disappoint even though we love them; and the decisions we make every day that come to define us. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
If you love fantasy……
East by Edith Pattou
Rose has always longed for adventure, so when an enormous white bear appears one evening and makes her a mysterious offer, she accepts. In exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family, she must live with the white bear in a distant castle. But Rose soon realizes that all isn’t as it seems. As she tries to settle into her new life, she makes a devastating mistake. Now she must choose: return to her safe and loving family or go on a dangerous quest to fix what she has broken—and perhaps lose her heart along the way. A sweeping romantic epic as timeless as any fairy tale and thrilling as only the best fantasy novels can be.
If you want to feel like you’re living in a snowglobe……
The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins bought an old farmhouse in the mountains, she didn’t expect the previous owners to have left all of their furniture and possessions behind. As she sets to cleaning, she finds a Santa suit that holds a note from a little girl wishing that her father will return home from war. In Ivy’s attempt to find out if the girl ever got her wish, she discovers a welcoming town and a second chance at love.
If you’re spending time with your family this season……
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
For the first time in years, the Birch family is spending Christmas together, seven whole days cooped up in their country home. Andrew is preoccupied with writing scathing restaurant reviews and reminiscing on his days as a war correspondent, whereas his wife has always been too concerned about the feelings of others to think about her own. Eldest daughter Olivia has just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, and she is bothered by the comparatively shallow concerns of her sister’s upcoming wedding. Seven Days of Us is the story of a chaotic and realistic family reunion, filled with stress, joy, and even a surprise guest.
If you’re looking for some suspense……
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
After the first snowfall of the year, a boy wakes to find the only trace of his mother is a pink scarf, his Christmas gift to her, now worn by the snowman that appeared in their yard earlier that day. Inspector Harry Hole is on the case, uncovering a pattern of women who have all disappeared on the day of the first snow. This Nordic Noir will keep you on the edge of your seat as Harry tracks the killer, becoming drawn into the killer’s twisted web himself.
If you’re looking for the power of wishes…….
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
If you love historical fiction…….
The Winter Guest by Pam Jenoff
Life is a constant struggle for the eighteen-year-old Nowak twins as they raise their three younger siblings in rural Poland under the shadow of the Nazi occupation. The constant threat of arrest has made everyone in their village a spy, and turned neighbor against neighbor. Though rugged, independent Helena and pretty, gentle Ruth couldn’t be more different, they are staunch allies in protecting their family from the threats the war brings closer to their doorstep with each passing day.
Then Helena discovers an American paratrooper stranded outside their small mountain village, wounded, but alive. Risking the safety of herself and her family, she hides Sam—a Jew—but Helena’s concern for the American grows into something much deeper. Defying the perils that render a future together all but impossible, Sam and Helena make plans for the family to flee. But Helena is forced to contend with the jealousy her choices have sparked in Ruth, culminating in a singular act of betrayal that endangers them all—and setting in motion a chain of events that will reverberate across continents and decades.
If you’re looking for a Hallmark movie to dive into…..
Waiting for December by Riley Costello
After losing her job and her fiancé, Harper has decided to spend the next three months in Vermont, working for an inn and focusing on herself. But before Harper can even get off the plane, she meets someone she doesn’t want to lose. After spending the day together, Harper and Sky agree that they’ll wait for each other, reuniting on Christmas Eve for a second date. But then Harper meets Jesse at the inn, and her friendship with him soon turns into more. In order to decide which guy is right for her, Harper must first learn who she is and what she wants from her own life.
Happy Reading friends!!
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