Seven Books a Reading

Christmas Bundle (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) by Joanne Fluke  

Set in small town Minnesota, these mystery books may be formulaic, but always comforting – kinda like the sugar cookies you bake each December.  

The Friday Night Knitting Club Series by Kate Jacobs

Single mom Georgia Walker runs a yarn shop in Manhattan. The group that gathers to meet every Friday knits their stories together along with their latest projects. Georgia’s daughter Dakota becomes entwined in the lives of the knitters as her own begins to unravel as the books progress.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Credit card maxed out with holiday spending? Can’t find work as an elf? This book is free. You may have been forced-read this story in high school, but it takes on new meaning whether reading it again as a newlywed or someone who’s been in a relationship for years.

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

“But instead I am applying for a job as an elf. Even worse than applying is the very real possibility that I will not be hired, that I couldn't even find work as an elf. That's when you know you're a failure.” 

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

Arriving in Paris in 1937, Andras is ready to begin his studies in architecture. However, he is blissfully unaware that his world is about to crumble. Before that, the matchmaking plan to set him up with the daughter of a family friend is foiled when he falls for the mother. Their lighthearted moments on the ice rinks of Paris soon become a distant memory as the persecution begins in earnest.   

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

I received this book for Christmas year one year and spent the rest of the holiday break feverishly binge-reading this tale of Camelot told by the women. 

Winter Street Series by Elin Hilderbrand

Always a reliable beach read, Elin Hilderbrand usually sets her stories of romance and friendship on Nantucket Island at the peak of summer tourist season. With her Winter Street series (Winter Street, Stroll, Storms, Solstice), she follows the Quinn family over four consecutive Christmases.