Bryan Laprise
I know I'm not the only one excited that the holiday season has finally arrived. With decorations coming out, festive music starting to spin and ugly Christmas sweaters starting to be worn, it's safe to say that we can start taking those holiday books off the shelf. Time to snuggle up by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa and start reading. I've gathered up some of my favorites and some that are highly prioritized on my TBR.
1. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Lily absolutely loves Christmas, but her holiday plans are completely changed when she finds out her parents are leaving her and her brother to catch up on their missed honeymoon. Her brother, Langston, convinces her to try and find a boyfriend; they do so by planning a series of challenges in a notebook. That's how Dash ends up finding the red notebook wedged between his favorite author's books at the Strand, a bookstore in New York City. Like any one of us, he decides to open it, and discovers the challenges. But instead of following the instructions in the journal, Dash plays the game in his own way. They embark on an adventure across New York City during the best—or most detestable—time of the year. The only question is, Do you dare?
Many people have probably heard of the popular Netflix series Dash & Lily, but did you know it was based on a book? Well, neither did I at first, but it's definitely worth the read. For those of you who haven't seen the show, I'd recommend watching it after reading the book. It perfectly combines books, Christmas, and a dash (no pun intended) of romance. The best part is, once you're finished with this one, there is a second book—The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily—and a third book, Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily. The show, however, was unfortunately canceled after a single season. This book is one of my favorites, and it's definitely worth adding it (as well as the other two) to your bookshelf. And lucky for you, it's available at the Galt library!
2. Let it Snow, John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
A giant snowstorm on Christmas Eve turns a small town into the perfect setting for romance. Who would've thought that love would come from a dreadful hike back home through four feet of snow, a trip to the waffle house, or best yet, an early shift at Starbucks? You'll have to read it to find out. Let it Snow is a compilation of three short-ish stories, written by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, each with their own cast of characters.
Although it's not very Christmas-ey, in the sense that it takes place during winter months it's still a book that's fun to read at this time of year. One of the things I liked the most about it was how the three stories were so perfectly intertwined. It's a light read that could definitely get you out of a reading slump. If you're like me and the stack of Holiday books you'd like to read before Christmas is way too big to finish before Santa comes down the chimney, it's also a perfect January or February read. You're in luck once again, as it can be found at the Galt library along with John Green's other great books.
3. In a Holidaze, Christina Lauren
From the popular writing duo Christina Lauren, this holiday romance follows Maelyn Jones, who is pretty dissatisfied with her life. Her job seems to be going nowhere, she's living with her parents, and worse… she just made a "romantic error of epic proportions". But the thing she most dreads is the fact that this holiday will be the last one at the Utah cabin where her family has gone to ever since she was born. As she drives away from the cabin for the last time, she's sent back to an airplane to Utah, starting the holiday over. Soon, one thing leads to the next and she's stuck in an endless loop reliving her holiday until she finally finds her true love.
I loved this book. While staying true to its holiday theme, it also was deeply anchored on the main character, Mae's journey to finding what truly makes her happy, and yes, finding her "true love". I read almost three quarters of the novel in one evening, no lie, especially since it was due back at the Sherbrooke library the next day. But I definitely wasn't bored reading it, and it had me entertained and questioning what was to come next the whole time. It is originally aimed for a mature audience, but it can be read by YA readers. If you're looking for a page-turner, this could be the book for you.
4. Talk Santa to Me, Linda Urban
Francie's family owns a holiday store, but ever since the passing of her beloved grandfather, things have been changing. Her aunt Carole has taken charge of things at the shop, altering the charm that made the Hollydale Holiday Shop what it was. This holiday season, Francie has her hands full as she tries to maintain the magic and nostalgia of Christmas, all while saving up to buy a car and trying to kiss the cute boy that works at the tree lot next to her family's business. As the weather outside gets more and more frightful, can Francie pull off the holiday of her dreams?
This book was mentioned in the New September Book Releases article, but I thought it was also worth talking about it here, because, well, it's a Christmas book. I first read about this book online, and when I got the actual book, my friends and I were all a little confused about the book's back cover, which, I'll have to agree is a bit weird (something about Francie knowing where to find the best yak-hair Santa beard adhesive), but it ended up being a five-star read. It just had "Christmas" written all over it, and definitely got me in the holiday spirit.
5. So, This Is Christmas, Tracy Adreen
When Finley Brown returns from boarding school, she expects everything in her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma to have stayed the same from before she left. But she has quite a big surprise when she finds out that not only is her best friend dating her ex, and her arch-nemesis is working at her grandmother's inn, but that her parents have separated. She's up for another surprise when she sees the boy she tricked into thinking that Christmas was a magical, holiday vacationland. Now it's up to her to make sure he gets the holiday he wanted. So her holiday ends up being about home, family, friends, and love.
I'll be honest. I haven't read this book, so I can't say what I think about it, but while I was looking for books to include in this article, I stumbled upon So, This is Christmas, and knew I should include it here. Who doesn't like a small-town setting? It also has a sequel titled, So, This is Love. I've ordered it and will be reading it sometime this Holiday season.
6. The Holiday Switch, Tif Marcelo
This book follows Lila, who works at her small town's local inn to make some money (which also happens to be the setting of the best movie ever, Holiday by the Lake). When her boss's nephew starts working at the inn, she quickly discovers that they are complete opposites. Lila with her Type A personality and Teddy is just, anything but that. When they both accidentally switch phones for an afternoon, they find out that they've both been hiding things from each other.
I haven't read this book, but I thought it could be another interesting book to read. Since it has a few things in common with So, This is Christmas, this could be a great book to read after it (or vice-versa). Lila, the main character, has a love for books, so if you're into bookish reads, this could be a good pick.
7. Mistletoe and Murder, Robin Stevens
The book follows Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, two young detectives that started their own Detective Society. They find themselves spending the holidays in Cambridge. Hazel has hopes of taking the time to rest and spend time in cozy libraries and tea rooms. However, danger is roaming the halls of Maudlin College, where a terrible accident happens two days before Christmas. The Society looks into the incident and realize that they were faced once again with murder. They try to solve the case while navigating around a rival agency and grown-ups that keep them from investigating. They're going to have to act quickly if they wish to find the murderer before Christmas dinner…
This is a middle grade book, but can still be read by an older audience. After all, who doesn't like a quick, easy read? It's the fifth installment of Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens. While it isn't as festive as the other books, it still incorporates elements of Christmas. I liked the plot and the set of characters. It was a quick read, especially with its short chapters. If you're a lover of murder mysteries and detective books, this is the perfect one for you. This is the perfect book that's set during the holidays but isn't like a Hallmark movie.
8. Tessa & Weston: The Best Christmas Ever, Abbie Emmons
This book is the sequel to a self-published book by Abbie Emmons—a YouTuber that makes videos about writing—100 Days of Sunlight. Tessa and Weston, who met in the first book, are spending their first Christmas together. Tessa isn't crazy about surprises, but the holiday season is an exception, but her mom showing up weeks earlier than usual isn't the type of surprise she likes. When her mom makes some insensitive remarks about Weston's disability, it just makes her want to stay away from her even more. While navigating away from her, she tries to make this the best Christmas ever for Weston.
I absolutely loved 100 Days of Sunlight. While both of her books are harder to find because they are self-published, they are definitely worth it (they're on Amazon). The Best Christmas Ever is told in a dual-point of view between Tessa and Weston, which is definitely interesting. It gives us a look into both of their perceptions of each other. It's really easy to get into, the chapters are short and the story is told in a way that makes it easy to read. I'm excited to see what's next from this indie author.
Hopefully this gives you some ideas on some of the books you can read this holiday season. While I didn't mention it above, another book that you could pick up is Faking Christmas, by Cindy Steel. Haley Giguere has written a review about it which will be published as the fifth Article of Christmas, December 9th. Let us know your own holiday book recommendations here. Merry Christmas Pipers!
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