I’m very late posting this, mainly because I wasn’t going to, but I decided to revamp my old Holiday Recommendations list with some new additions. This is the perfect time of year to cozy up with a holiday book (or ten) and just read while under fuzzy blankets and drinking hot beverages. Or, if you have one, by the fireplace.

I planned on reading more Christmassy books this month, but a variety is always better anyway so that it’s not the same spiel over and over. As much as I love Christmas books, I think fitting them all in one month is a little too much. That’s why I’ll read them any time of the year (especially in the weeks right after Christmas, don’t ask me why) because they’re just cute stories to read when you need one.

Book Recommendations for Christmas

Last Christmas – Kate Brian

The prequel to the fantastic Private series follows Ariana Osgood the year before Reed Brennan comes to Easton Academy. She finds herself stuck on campus because of a blizzard, and the only other student on campus is the bad-boy Thomas Pearson. Despite having a boyfriend who she loves, Ariana finds herself falling for Thomas, and it’s not long before their budding romance is interrupted by someone who wants to ruin them.

Noel Street – Richard Paul Evans

This won’t be the only Evans book on my list, but this is one I have to include because it’s such a heartwarming story. It follows the struggle of a single mother in 1975, raising her African-American son, who works as a waitress (not in a cocktail bar) at a diner. When she meets a Vietnam veteran who had been a prisoner of war, she learns that he might have the answers to some of her past pain after losing her husband in the same war.

A Baxter Family Christmas – Karen Kingsbury

A book that is going to make you cry, even if it’s just a couple of tears. This is a Christmas story of Kingsbury’s famous family, the Baxters, when John Baxter invites a special stranger over for Christmas Eve dinner – the recipient of his daughter Erin’s heart. At a time that’s meant for family, will the rest of the Baxter clan accept this lonely guest with loving arms or turn her away because it’s too much to handle being reminded of their loved one?

One Way or Another – Kara McDowell

Finally, a young-adult novel! This book follows the anxious Paige Collins when she’s faced to make a decision about who to spend Christmas with. Up at her best friend (who she’s in love with) Fitz’s family cabin or with her mom who is actually going to be off for Christmas and has plane tickets to New York city? Making decisions is not Paige’s strong suit, so when she slips and hits her head in the store, she finds herself in a split universe where she can live out both options.

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares – Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

The beginning of sweet Lily and snarky Dash begins with a red notebook that’s left in The Strand. As the two talk through the book, they find themselves both interested and irritated at the other, and more importantly, falling in love during their Christmas break. Once you read this book, you should definitely watch the short series on Netflix, and obviously read the following two books of this bookish couple.

The Mistletoe Collection – Richard Paul Evans

Three books, none of which really relate to each other. The Mistletoe Promise brings us two lonely hearts who are sick of being alone for the holidays decide to fake-date during December to get through their holiday functions, but find that it turns to something more. The Mistletoe Inn follows an aspiring writer who is gifted (by her father) a trip to a writing workshop in Vermont where she meets a fellow writer with a mysterious past. The Mistletoe Secret follows a broken-hearted man who comes across a blogger only known as LBH whom he feels a connection to, then goes and searches for her when she leaves a post saying she’ll no longer be blogging.

The Bridge – Karen Kingsbury

A heartwarming story that follows four characters – an old couple that runs a bookstore, a former country star, and a woman who left that country star five years ago. Circumstances bring these four characters together to save the bookstore after the bank decides to pull the lease just months after a flood destroyed nearly all the books, and therefore, the Barton’s business. In the midst of this, tragedy strikes and changes everything for these characters.

The Holiday Switch – Tif Marcelo

This one you probably have heard of, as it’s a new book and has been around the blogosphere recently. In this story, book blogger Lila is trying to get more hours at the bookstore she works at, but can’t get any due to the owner’s nephew, Teddy, working there during his college break. After a horrible shift training Teddy, Lila decides to avoid him like the plague… until their phones are switched. Then Lila begins to see a different side of Teddy.

I feel like I need to add more to this list, but that’s all I can think of for now. Plus, I don’t want to bombard y’all with too many holiday books. But, for future reference, Richard Paul Evans has a lot of Christmas novels (it’s kind of his thing) and I do know that his newest book, The Christmas Promise, is good (according to my mom) and I’ll be reading it very, very soon. Like maybe later this week if I can.

What are some Christmas/holiday books you’d add to this list?