The Best Christmas Books I've Read So Far

If you still want to stay in the Christmasy mood like I do, I suggest reading some Christmasy books while listening to Christmas music. I hate that the radios stop playing Christmas music the minute the holiday ends. I would leave my Christmas tree around year up if I could!

Hopefully these books will bring a little extra Christmas cheer into your life. Here’s the best holiday books I’ve read so far.

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One Day in December, by Josie Silver

 5/5

Laurie experiences love at first sight when her bus stops and she makes eye contact with a man sitting on the bench. The bus drives away before they’re able to get to each other. She searchs for this man for months, absolutely sure that he’s the man she is meant to be with.

Then her best friend, Sarah, introduces Laurie to her new boyfriend who she’s been gushing over for weeks. It’s the man from the bus. His name is Jack.

The story goes on for 10 years of hearbreak and missed opportunities, always seeing each other at points in their lives when they can’t be together. But it’s ultimately a heartwarming love story that left me a little teary eyed in the end. It’s a super satisfying wintery read that will give you warm fuzzy feelings inside.

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

 4/5

Of course, a Christmas classic had to be on my list. I read the original manuscript version so I could see the original writing side by side with the text which I thought was the coolest thing ever.

For those of you who don’t know, A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic where old Ebenezor Scrooge is visited by the three ghosts of Christmas who help him see the true spirit of Christmas and of living in general. He turns his ways around and becomes the most selfless, cheeful man you could ever hope to meet.

Mr. Dickens and His Carol, by Samantha Silva

 5/5

This story is a historical imagining of Charles Dickens writing the Christmas Carol. I loved the writing and historical detail in this story. Mr. Dickens was actually known to walk London city streets for 10 to 20 miles at a time to clear his head and come up with inspiration for his stories.

According to Silva, he needed quite the amount of inspiration to come up with a Christmas story he wasn’t actually planning on writing. He finds himself again as he writes and realizes he too forgot the true meaning of Christmas.

This is one I plan on reading every year around Christmas time, it’s a truly heartwarming story.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop, by Veronica Henry

 4/5

This isn’t really a Christmas book per se, but it’s set around Christmas time and it has that charming heartwarming feel I love to read around this time of year (or anytime really). Emilia’s father has just passed away and she has to take over running of the bookshop that is in vast need of improvements. If she doesn’t figure out what to do, she may very well lose the shop.

She manages to fall in love with the community and one special guy, and reinvent the bookshop which has become her home. This story oozes charm and romance. It also is a book and books which all book lovers love!

Kiss Her Once For Me, by Alison Cochrun

 4/5

We have a few of the class rom com tropes here: fake fiance and one bed. So let me set it up for you. Ellie met the most amazing girl on Christmas Eve last year and she really thought she was the one, but something happened to ruin that and she hasn’t seen her since.

Ellie is also hurting real bad financially and drunkenly agrees to marry a young, rich guy who needs a spouse to gain access to his inheritance. Part of the deal is spending the week with his family at their winter cabin (aka mansion). They arrive and guess who his sister turns out to be…

This is a steamy Christmas F/F rom com and it is exactly what you needed.

One Last Gift, by Emily Stone

 5/5

If you feel like you have some tears that need to be shed, this grief stricken romance will do the trick. Cassie and Tom lost their parents when they were young, so they’ve only really had each other. Until Tom dies in a rock climbing accident. Cassie feels so completely alone and she blames Tom’s best friend, Sam, for his death. Sam who rejected her years ago right after kissing her. Sam who she always had a crush on.

Every year Tom used to make a scavenger hunt for Cassie to find her Christmas gift. He completed the last one right before he died. Cassie must follow the clues to cope with her grief and find her way back to Sam.

This romance is devastating and emotional, but worth every page.

Always, In December, by Emily Stone

 5/5

Since I seem to like getting my heart ripped out around Christmas time and Emily Stone definitely loves to rip people’s hearts out, I read another of her tearjerkers.

Josie lost her parents when she was young on Christmas day many years ago. It’s her tradition to mail them a letter every Christmas saying the same thing: Missing you, Always. Are you crying yet? There’s more.

As she is going to send her letter, she collides into a man quite literally. Sparks fly, they spend the entire weekend together. Josie thinks this will be the start of something good and new, but it isn’t because Max disappears without saying goodbye. Fate throws together again and again over the years. You will be rooting for them to the very last page and then you will sob endlessly at the ending. It is devastating, but so good!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by JK Rowling

 5/5

Another book that is not really centered around Christmas, but reminds me of this time of year nonetheless. I love rereading this series in the fall and winter, and I’m sure other Harry Potter fans do as well.

Harry has his first Christmas at Hogwarts in the first book and gets a lovely sweater (an actual present all for himself!) from Ron’s mom. I know this is a reading list, but the movies are great to rewatch too.

The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore

 5/5

My parents gave me this book when I was little and I still have the copy they gave me on my shelf. Another classic I love to look at this time of year. This is definitely a book I’ll be reading to my future children.

This has beautiful illustrations and I love the story. Another timeless classic.

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