Top 5 Wednesday: Books to Read by the Fire (Winter/Holiday Recommendations)

It is that time of year when book bloggers/book tubers compile lists of winter/holiday reads. I must say, normally I do not associate winter/holiday time with any particular type of books. However, late December/early January for me was always a great reading time because of school break/vacation time. When I was in high school, my mother would often give me a book for Christmas and I would end up reading it during the holiday break (here is my post from last year reminiscing on those good times). So for me, any good book would be great for reading by the fire. However, I did pick out five of my favorites that are bound to put you into a holiday mood:


1. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins

This is a compilation of holiday-themed short stories by popular YA authors such as Holly Black, Laini Taylor, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, etc. I read it in December of last year and loved it. As with any anthology, there were some stories that I liked best and some were just so-so. But overall, it is a great book to read around the holidays. The stories are heart-warming and sweet, and will also give you a nice sampling of these authors' writing.

2. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

This book was made into a movie a few years back starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, I think the book is much better. It is a laugh-out loud impossible-to-put-down kind of read, and I absolutely love it. As a side note, I used to read everything by John Grisham and this book really opened him up for me as a versatile writer who successfully crosses over to other genres from his usual detective story/legal drama/thriller type books.

3. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

This is a compilation of three stories by three different authors. All three stories are set in the same location and have common characters, but each individual story zeroes in on a different couple. Reading this book reminded me of watching "Love Actually" or "New Year's Eve", the movies that have several story lines, but the characters all one way or another know each other and all come together at the very end. Overall, I would say the stories get progressively better as you go along. It is a great book to curl up with near a Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate. These are all fluffy love stories with couples finding true love or reuniting on Christmas Eve/Day. It will also make a great holiday present for a book-lover in your family.

4. The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol

This is going to be a different kind of recommendation. Did you know that Carol of the Bells is a Ukrainian folk song? It celebrates the festive season and its traditions such as the pealing of church bells at Christmas and caroling. The Night Before Christmas by Ukraine's greatest comic writer Nikolai Gogol is a fairy tale set in a Ukrainian village on Christmas Eve. It is not a typical Christmas story. It features a witch and the devil who are at their most powerful right before the birth date of Christ. There is also a wonderful Christmas miracle in this tale. The story creates a wonderful atmosphere of Ukrainian festivities, beliefs and traditions. I highly recommend it. 

5. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I was debating as to whether or not include this book in this list. It seems like such an obvious choice. But I do love both watching the movie/theater adaptations of this story at Christmas time and reading the book. Nothing creates a better holiday atmosphere for me except for maybe The Nutcracker.