Book Talk: Christmas Recommendations

Now that we're all starting winter break, we're going to have a lot more time on our hands to read. Finally! What better time to cozy up with a book than when you're all snuggled up in bed (or by the fire if that's a thing you do) with a warm drink in hand? Add some rain or snow falling outside of your window?! And I can't think of a better book to snuggle up with than one fit for the season -- a Christmas book! Well, this list will have holiday books, not necessarily Christmas, but in season enough to make the most sense to be reading in December. Hopefully you like the list I've put together. Let's get to it!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan 

Published: October 26th, 2010
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Page Count: 260 pages

If I'm being honest, I don't remember much about this book except that I really enjoyed it and I wanted to read more. I do remember that it was set at Christmastime and I read it during the holidays so it definitely left its mark. Dash and Lily live in New York and while Dash is visiting a book store, he finds a notebook that invites him to take on a challenge that leads him on an adventure that is, of course, left by Lily. The two strangers communicate through the notebook and they seem to have a real connection. In real life, the pair couldn't be more different. Dash is going through a rough patch and can best be described as sad while Lily's a bit eccentric but has that quirky charm about her. The more invested in their relationship they become the more the question of "Will they be a match for each other in person?" becomes an issue. It's a story of growth as well as romance and it's pretty gosh darn cute. If I can remember all that after four years, there's no doubt it left an impression on me. (And there's going to be a sequel out next year?! That's new news.)

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle 

Published: October 2nd, 2008
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Page Count: 352 pages

Let it Snow consists of three short stories following three different perspectives that intertwine over the course of three days. When a snow storm hits the small town of Gracetown, North Carolina on Christmas Eve, everybody is pretty much stuck, but that doesn't stop these teenagers from getting into a lot of relationship drama. We get the whole gamut of couples in this book, from those who've just met to the couple that broke up and are currently regretting their decision. These types of companion stories are my favorite and cutesy books are definitely my go-to when I want a feel-good read. It's light, fun, and (if my memory doesn't fail me) pretty funny as well. What better time to read Let it Snow than now?! (If I'm being honest the answer to that question would be when it is actually snowing but I digress.)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Published: October 16th, 1950
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 189 pages

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe isn't specifically a Christmas story or even set at Christmastime but the movie came out ten years ago (almost to the day that this blog post is published) so this story has always been associated with Christmas to me. If you're for some reason unfamiliar with the premise, the story follows these four siblings who find themselves bored out of their minds while staying at the Professor's house. In a game of hide and seek, Lucy, the youngest, wanders into a winter wonderland and goes back to tell her siblings of her discovery. Soon they all make their way into Narnia and fantasy ensues. The animals we're familiar with can talk, mythical creatures coexist with trees that can speak, there are no humans, Father Christmas is real, and, oh yeah, it's all ruled by the evil White Witch. This is a fantastical children's story that accomplishes a surprising amount for being under two hundred pages. It's a quick read that'll bring back some childhood memories. 

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins & Others

Published: October 14th, 2014
Genre: Anthology
Page Count: 336 pages

Since this is an anthology, there are twelve short stories of all different genres, with the central holiday theme, written by your favorite young adult authors. Sometimes anthologies can be hit or miss but I recall this one to be hit after hit after hit. The beautiful thing about this anthology is that (if you do a little research to find out which holiday each story is geared towards) you can read the stories about the specific holiday that is happening in real time! My True Love Gave to Me is a true anthology so there aren't any connections between stories like Let it Snow and I think that makes it even more fun. You get a sampling of all these different authors who get to do whatever they want as long as it's some sort of festive. I was already a fan of a lot of these authors before I picked up this anthology and you can really tell who's story it is based on the writing style and the direction they chose to take their story in. And I'm not gonna lie, I had a lot of fun trying to match each couple to the pairs skating on the cover as I was reading. If you love your young adult authors and you're ready to get festive, it's time for you to pick up a copy of My True Love Gave to Me. 

Landline by Rainbow Rowell 

Published: July 8th, 2014
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Page Count: 310 pages

Switching gears a little bit, Landline is an adult novel and a little more dramatic that what I expected it to be. Georgie McCool is a TV writer (with a loving husband, Neal, and two children) who is about to catch a big break in her career. Just before Christmas, the show Georgie and her partner have been working on for years has been picked up for a pilot and then some but in order to meet deadlines, she has to miss her family trip to Omaha. Georgie's been feeling insecure about her relationship with Neal and she's fears this might be the last straw. On top of all her worries, it doesn't help that she can't get a hold of her husband while he's away... unless she calls from her mother's landline, the phone she used to talk to Neal on late at night when they were dating. It seems strange, though, how this late-night Neal doesn't seem to know what's she's talking about when she mentions their daughters or their life together in California. Could it be that she's talking to Neal from the past?! Does Georgie have the chance to "save" her marriage before it starts? Or keep it from starting at all?! I guess you'll just have to read the book to find out... 

What I've learned from my research is that if you want your book to be set at Christmas, it'd better be ready to be published by October. I know that I've read a lot more books set during the holidays than just these five but trying to remember which they are is so difficult when it's not a key player in the story. I hope you pick up some of these books when you're in the mood for some wintery stories and if you have any Christmas book recommendations, let me know in the comments below! I'd love to hear them and to give them a shot while we're all still in the spirit.


Talk to you soon!

xo, Yvette