Warm and cozy greetings to you, my dear reader friends! Oh, how delighted I am to share this post with you all today.
{{This is where I heartily recommend making a cup of something warming and comforting in the most festive mug you can find, curling up with a fluffy blanket, and getting cozy and settling in for a while...}}
You very well know that I love sharing about bookish things, so this post is just my cup of tea. As soon as the week of Thanksgiving begins, I open the cover to my first festive novel of the season. I spend a good part of October and the first half of November searching for deals and bargains on the books I want to get for that year and once I make my purchases, onto my Christmas bookshelf they go...until the week of Thanksgiving. And then, I choose my very first one...I've usually been pondering this decision for a couple weeks at least already...and I jump into the story.
In today's post, I am going to be sharing a list of favorites that I have mentioned in years past, with a short(ish) summary of my thoughts as well as the books that I have selected for my festive reading for this year. I should also mention here that I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with my festive reading taking me into the new year...so I do tend to pull out a hefty stack for December. As far as I'm concerned, festive reading is cozy reading and wintertime is perfect for that. Says the girl who believes that every time of year is perfect for cozy reading. {{winks}}
Before we begin, let me share with you my criteria for a festive book. When I read a Christmasy story, I am hoping for a few things.
What a Festive Book Is & Isn't According to This Book Girl
🎄Festive books simply must be cozy. All the cozy vibes...snowy, cold weather, bundling up outdoors and snuggling up indoors, fireplaces lit and hot chocolate in mugs. That kind of cozy.
🎄Festive books must feel festive. Most books don't take place solely on Christmas Eve/Day. Typically, they take place throughout the month of December, so I want it to feel like December. With all the festive things. Traditions, baking cookies, Christmas trees, family holiday dinner, snowy scenery, you get the idea.
🎄Festive books must absolutely not be depressing. I don't want to be brought down to the "depths of despair" as Anne Shirley would say just to be brought back up to being holly jolly in the last chapter or two. That's just not my thing at Christmas time. There is a 100% difference between sentimental and heartwarming and feeling like you are in a deep, dark pit after reading a book.
🎄Festive books mustn't be heavy. I don't want heavy topics or controversial subject matters in what is supposed to be a festive, fun, lighthearted, cozy read. Those are the things I look and hope for in a festive read. I do spend a good deal of time looking up books, reading about those books and such before I ever make a purchase. After some past experiences where I ended up with some really depressing, heavy books one December, I learned my lesson the hard way. I also go to a few trusted sources for some really lovely recommendations, one of which is my sister. {{smiles}}
I also want to quickly mention that I have read a handful, or more, of wonderful books that aren't necessarily "Christmas novels". Some of them, however, depict gorgeously homey and cozy Christmas scenes and descriptions. Others are simply books that just seem to be perfect for Christmastime reading. I did not include those in this post. That would have made this post a book and it was already long enough. However, I hope to share those in the future...though not this year. I would love to collect a few more titles to share as well as gather some excerpts to include. But I just wanted to mention that, because often, I have found that some of the best and most Christmasy bits to read aren't in a "Christmas book" but in just an ordinary novel...and sometimes I find that I love them the most. Have you found that to be true?
And now, let's begin!
A Match Made at Christmas
A Cross-Country Christmas
Merry Ex-Mas
{by Courtney Walsh}
Courtney Walsh has become a favorite Christmas author of mine. I've read four of her books in total with three of them being Christmasy. She really evokes a festive atmosphere with her writing. So much so, you will find yourself craving a peppermint mocha right along with the characters on the pages. Courtney Walsh is one of the best writers of place, in my opinion. When you read one of her books, you feel as though you have been magically transported to the town in which she created. It feels like a real place and one that you long to visit. Her books are fun, lighthearted, cozy and beyond festive. With all of that said, her characters are never favorites of mine. Her characters tend to be ultra-sarcastic and sort of mouthy and that's just not my thing. She also includes a lot of modern-ish lingo and social media language in her books, which I do find annoying. However, those things do not hinder me at all from picking up her Christmas novels, and I have come to look forward to them for the past two years. This whole "release a Christmas novel each year" thing she's got going on is something I do seriously hope she continues. She's got a knack for festive stories, and I do so appreciate the festive fun and lightheartedness she brings. With that said, her books do have meaningful and incredibly heartwarming storylines that will make you feel all the feels. She is perhaps one of the best authors at combining the two-- fun and lighthearted along with sweet and meaningful. It's exactly what I want in a Christmas novel!
(By the way, my favorite of Courtney Walsh's Christmas novels is A Cross-Country Christmas. It was beyond fun and so sweet and had an ending that will warm your heart.)
I give each of these novels 4 out of 5 stars.
Christmas at Fairacre
Miss Read's Christmas Book
{by Miss Read}
Miss Read is a favorite author of mine and her Christmas at Fairacre is a collection of three stories from her Fairacre series. As usual with Miss Read, they have lots of charm and heartwarming moments, images and stories of village life and quirky characters and are just plain delightful to read. Whenever I pick up a Miss Read novel, I know I'm going to get just what I love in a book. This book gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.
Miss Read's Christmas Book is a collection of quotes, short stories, excerpts and poetry. Unlike the book I previously mentioned above, most of these are not written by Miss Read, but rather selected by her. This book has the sweetest illustrations and is a lovely book to have sitting out to just flip through here and there when you want to read something short. However, I must say I wasn't overly impressed with this book. I did enjoy several of the stories and that made me look up the full versions of them in novel form. But the book as a whole just isn't a top favorite. I'm including it here simply because I read it a couple weeks ago and wanted to share a brief review. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
Finding Father Christmas
Engaging Father Christmas
Kissing Father Christmas
{by Robin Jones Gunn}
This trilogy is one of my most favorites for Christmas reading. If you are looking for sweet romance, cozy Christmas traditions and festivities, charming English village life, and the most adorable tea room, along with a bit of mystery thrown in, then these books are just the ticket. You should definitely read them in order so that you don't miss any bits or pieces of the story. These are along the lines of "everything I could possibly want in a festive Christmas book" category. Pretty much perfect. Each one certainly gets 5 out of 5 stars.
Shepherds Abiding {by Jan Karon}
Another winning, heartwarming and charming story set in a quaint small town...this one in North Carolina. This is one that will warm your heart and make you believe that the world still holds goodness...and we all need that reminder now and again. I heartily recommend this one for all these reasons and more...5 out of 5 stars.
Debbie Macomber's Novels
Many call Debbie Macomber the "Queen of Christmas Books". And I'm starting to see why. Last year I read one of her novels...it was more wintry than Christmasy, but enjoyable all the same. And for quite a few years, I've enjoyed her Mrs. Miracle movie series on Hallmark. This year I found a couple books in that series at the thrift shop and I have another couple of her festive novels on my shelf as well. I haven't gotten fully into the world of Debbie Macomber yet, as I've only just begun reading her books. But from what I can tell, her stories are heartwarming, charming, cozy, festive and lighthearted with sweetness and tenderness as well. Just my cup of cocoa!
Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories
Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury
Aunt Sass: Christmas Stories
A few years back, my sister read the above collections of short stories. She raved on and on about them and I kept them tucked away in my mind for future reading. This year, I was just craving some old-fashioned sweetness and charm of the past along with the unbeatable storytelling and writing styles of authors of a bygone era. And a collection of short stories sounded so fun as well...I haven't read many short stories before. So far, I've just begun with Louisa May Alcott's treasury, but as I expected, it is utterly delightful. And I'm looking forward to the other collections as well.
The Christmas Chronicles {by Nigel Slater}
I recently had one of my "little dreams" come true. And that was the day when Nigel Slater's book The Christmas Chronicles arrived in my mailbox. I'd been wanting this book ever since it came out, but was never able to find it in stores and online it was quite pricey. More than I care to pay for just one book. However, last month, I found it for a great price online and finally got my own copy. From what I had heard, this book is a celebration of winter, and from what I can tell after just reading a few chapters, that is exactly right. Winter is one of my two favorite seasons, along with autumn, and so this book just ticks all my boxes. It makes me smile every time I open the cover to the next chapter. It's a collection of essays and recipes celebrating winter and coziness and all the comforts of home. It seems like just the kind of book a Hobbit would love...and me, too.
Other Authors:
Jenny Hale
Jenny Colgan
Nancy Naigle
Nancy Thayer
These are a few authors that I have seen pop up when searching for cozy, festive, lighthearted Christmas novels. I've not read any from them yet, so please don't take this as a recommendation...at least not yet. But I did find one book from each of these ladies to try out, either this month or throughout the wintertime. Again, I do not mind if my festive reading carries into the new year. I don't mind one bit. {{winks}} I'm curious about these authors as well because at least two of them (maybe all) have other books besides Christmas novels that sound fun, too.
Eggs on Ice {by Laura Childs}
It occurred to me that a Christmasy mystery story would be quite fun to read in December. I randomly picked up this one at the thrift shop because I recognized the author from another series. This book is in a series, towards the end of the series, but I'm reading it as a standalone, and so far, that's no problem. If I enjoy it, though, I shall go back and read the ones before it. My mom loves reading cozy mystery series and for many years has read a Christmas mystery in December. That sounded like a cozy tradition to begin myself and I think it may be one of the best yet.
Brambly Hedge: Winter Story {by Jill Barklem}
And last, but certainly not least, I cannot end a cozy Christmasy bookish post without mentioning Brambly Hedge. Immediately upon reading Jill Barklem's collection of eight stories about a community of mice, I wished I, myself, lived in Brambly Hedge. Winter Story is no exception and is a dear favorite of mine. Coziness just oozes off the pages with the gorgeous artwork and your heart will be warmed and your soul will be charmed with the sweet, enchanting story. Children's books are perfect for Christmastime reading and this is one that most definitely cannot be missed or forgotten.
As a side note, I did not grow up reading these books, nor did I grow up reading books by Beatrix Potter. It is only since I've been in my mid, and now late, twenties that I have read them. And, in my personal opinion, I have found that I much prefer the stories of Jill Barklem to Beatrix Potter. Surprising, I know, since Beatrix Potter is so worldwide famous and Jill Barklem seems, at least from what I can tell, to be much less known. Perhaps in the new year, I should share a post with more of my thoughts on this.
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That covers all my recommendations for festive Christmasy bookish companions as well as the selection I've chosen for my reading this month. I do so hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you are inspired to at least pick up a beautifully illustrated children's Christmas book and just enjoy yourself a bit. There's nothing better than a festive mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a blanket to cuddle up in and a really cozy, festive book to delve into. That's practically perfect if you ask me. {{smiles}}
Do let me know what your favorite Christmas novels are as well as what you are reading this month! I so love hearing from you all, my fellow book lovers.
And until next time,
may your mug be full of comforting goodness,
may you find yourself with a festive book in hand,
and may you be surrounded by coziness and warmth.
May the magic of winter be upon you!