Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas and the end of the year. 2021 has both flown by and crawled through all at the same time. Ah, time, what a fickle thing it is depending on our circumstances.
With that said, a lot of my plans for the holidays have been unfortunately cancelled to continue hunkering down from the pandemic. The public health scientist in me understands it but can still be a little bummed at doing less than I had anticipated.
Nonetheless, I am looking forward to some rest and spending more intentional time with my family. Not sure if they will be getting anything for me, even though it’s both Christmas AND my upcoming birthday. Does anyone else hate having a birthday close to Christmas and only ever getting one present growing up while everyone else got two? No? Just me?
Since I know people will not be getting me books for Christmas/my birthday even though I have a ton of books on my wishlist each year, here is what I wish would be coming this year in the form of book mail.
1. The Mortal Instruments complete 6-book paperback box set
It’s #1 on my wishlist (aka the oldest on my list) probably because it’s one hefty present to gift, but I LOVE the way all the spines connect on this box set with each character getting a spine. I may have read all of these books before, but I never bought a single one so it’s the perfect collection to purchase. Here’s to wondering if this will be the year someone gifts this to me.
2. Any Karen M. McManus book to be honest
I absolutely adore her mystery writing since the very first book when it came out. And with each book she puts out, I keep warily waiting for one to not satisfy but I’ve yet to find a book from her like that. And oddly enough, I’ve never purchased any of her books so now is the perfect time to start collecting, including her latest novel, You’ll Be the Death of Me!
3. Beloved contemporaries from authors I love
I don’t always enjoy every contemporary written, but I have come to respect what contemporaries are released by Kasie West and Wibbroka (Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka). I particularly loved certain books they each put out that I keep rereading from the library, so it is definitely time I get a copy of my own so I can read it any time I like.
4. Dark academia is in
I didn’t know what this even was for the longest time but I can see the allure with releases that came out last year like Ninth House and A Deadly Education. I want to branch out my genres more and these definitely pique my interest with plenty of allure and excellent pacing.
5. Stalking Jack the Ripper complete series box set
Another box set on the list but this is because it’s always cheaper to buy together than separately, right? Plus, I don’t own a single one of this series either but I fell in love with Thomas and Audrey Rose on their investigations wherever they went. And the hardcovers box set is selling out so I’m super nervous I may miss my chance soon.
6. My favourite book of the year
I read enough in a year that sometimes it’s hard to choose just one favourite out of the bunch, but this year there was definitely one outstanding winner among the rest, and this went to The Rose Code. I gobbled up this historical WWII standalone about female code breakers and what happened to them post-war. Simultaneously thrilling and filled with interesting facts, I couldn’t put it down and I really can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy to share with others.
7. Poetry love, anyone?
When I worked at the bookstore, I developed an interest into poetry, a genre I never touched prior to that time. I could see why people connected with certain popular poetry collections such as Rupi Kaur, r.h. Sin, and Atticus. Personally, I’m tryin to make my way through collecting all of Atticus’ work at the moment and I can’t wait to display them all together on my shelf.
8. The travelling Love & Collection box set
I just found out today the hardcover box set sold out completely. I suppose the paperback box set is still very nice, but I loved “travelling” during the pandemic through the lens of this series and the beautiful stories of love and family that each brought to the table. Likewise, I think they’d look pretty amazing on my shelf, but mostly I just want to be able to pick it up whenever I need a dose of travelling escapism (I’m assuming I’ll need more for next year too).
So those are some of the big titles and box sets I *hope* to see come through my mail this Christmas. A girl can hope, right?
I wish you all a restful and wonderful holiday season! We could all use some joy to reflect on to end off this tumultuous year.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
As I was recently reminded this weekend due to an almost 24 hour blackout at home, books are a great resource to have when you have no internet, very minimal light during the early winter nights and a dying phone/tablet. Books are clearly an investment for such a time, am I right?
Accordingly, this week’s TTT is looking at my winter TBR. Normally in the past, I listed out new books coming out at this time that I want to put on high priority in my TBR, but as there were so many great books that came out recently I have yet to read still, this following list will be a combination of ARCs releasing in the winter and books that have come out that I have yet to read.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
It’s December and there’s already some snow on the ground. The radio is non-stop Christmas music and I’m feeling in the festive spirit already! I don’t know about you, or if you celebrate anything this season, but Christmas has always meant a lot to me so this week’s TTT freebie topic has inevitably brought me here.
I have curated a list of recent (within the last year or so) releases that fit the category just so it’s introducing books we may not have read or encountered before. I haven’t read many of these myself but I hope to read a number of these this season or into the coldest parts of the winter months.
So if you’re in the mood for some Christmas/holiday reads this season, hopefully you’ll find something you enjoy below!
1. The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
‘Tis the season for finding romance in this hilarious and uplifting holiday read
When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say “Bah, humbug.” The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn’t exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate’s found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt’s neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right?
Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before–and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures–Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it’s least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it’s been right under her nose all along. . . .
2. Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Celebrate Christmas with the ultimate Shopaholic!
The brilliant laugh-out-loud festive novel from the Number One bestselling author.
Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adores Christmas. It’s always the same – Mum and Dad hosting, carols playing, Mum pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the next-door neighbours coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers.
And now it’s even easier with online bargain-shopping sites – if you spend enough you even get free delivery. Sorted!
But this year looks set to be different. Unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocado, Becky’s parents are moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch and have asked Becky if she’ll host Christmas this year. What could possibly go wrong?
With sister Jess demanding a vegan turkey, husband Luke determined that he just wants aftershave again, and little Minnie insisting on a very specific picnic hamper – surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear . . .
Will chaos ensue, or will Becky manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas?
3. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Perfect for the holidays! A brand-new heartwarming Christmas novel from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas at the Island Hotel.
When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.
Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.
At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?
4. The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan
This Christmas, be whisked away by USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan in this uplifting novel of friendship, the festive season, and risking everything for the biggest gift of all…
It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas getaway—a trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband. Her solution? Alix can take Christy’s little daughter to Lapland, and they will reunite there for Christmas Day. It’s a big ask, but what else are friends for?
There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy. But Christy’s request to save Christmas is giving Alix sleepless nights. She knows something is wrong, but for the first time ever, Christy isn’t talking. And even the Arctic temperatures in Lapland aren’t enough to dampen the seriously inconvenient sizzle Alix is developing for Zac, a fellow guest and nemesis from her past.
As secrets unravel and unexpected romance shines under the northern lights, can Christy and Alix’s Christmas escape give them the courage to fight for the relationships they really want, and save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?
5. So, This is Christmas by Tracy Andreen
Sarah Dessen meets Let It Snow in this new YA Christmas romance!
When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.
6. Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist by Codi Hall
Curl up this Christmas with a sparkling romance filled with: • Irresistible friends-to-lovers romance • The kiss that changed everything • Warm nights on the family Christmas tree farm • All your favorite Christmas songs!
Nick Winter is just out of the military, and his Christmas homecoming is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a memorable holiday with his long-time girlfriend goes sour when he learns she cheated on him while he was stationed overseas. At least Nick can rely on his usual shift at the family Christmas tree farm with his best friend, Noel Carter, and her endless supply of Christmas tunes to lift his spirits. A night of fun together is just what he needs to forget about his ex.
But then they kiss. And it feels…so right.
If Noel can turn Nick’s Blue Christmas merry and bright, this might be the last Christmas Nick spends with a broken heart. This year, they’ll be Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a couple―as long as Nick’s ex doesn’t go standing under any mistletoe.
7. Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes by Jessica Redland
Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes is a cosy heartwarming tale of friendship, family, putting the past behind, and embracing the future.
It’s Christmas in Whitsborough Bay. With fairy lights connecting the shops and cafés on either side of the cobbles, Castle Street seems magical. And in such a magical place, surely Christmas wishes can come true.
Carly Travis, owner of Carly’s Cupcakes, has two Christmas wishes this year. Her first is for her younger sister, Bethany, to focus on the positives in her life, including her Christmas wedding, instead of writing herself off as a failure. Bethany’s attempts at cake-decorating aren’t going to win any awards, but she’s certainly great with customers. Carly’s second wish is for her best friend, Liam, to come home for Christmas.
When Liam calls to say he’s been granted leave from the army, Carly makes a third Christmas wish. It’s the one she’s made every year since she was a teenager and, if she’s really brave, could this be the year when it finally comes true?
With Liam coming home, the shop having its best year yet, and a wedding to look forward to, it’s shaping up to be the best Christmas ever for Carly. But for Bethany, things are starting to unravel …
8. Flora’s Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin
‘Tis the season for mulled wine, mince pies, and magic under the mistletoe… Flora loves Christmas more than anything else in the world, so she’s gutted when her Scrooge-alike boss fires her from Deck the Halls Christmas emporium. But now she finally has a chance to follow her dreams – and what better place to start than the home of Christmas?
Before she can say ‘sleigh bells’, Flora’s on her way to Lapland in a campervan-cum-Christmas-shop. She can’t wait to spend her days drinking hot chocolate and taking reindeer-drawn carriage rides, but something Flora didn’t expect was meeting Connor, a Norse god of a man who makes her heart flutter and snowflakes swirl in her stomach. There’s just one problem: Connor hates Christmas.
Can Flora convince Connor of the joys of Christmas – and will she find a festive romance along the way?
9. Underneath the Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain
***The sparkling new Christmas novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author Heidi Swain!***
Wynter’s Trees is the home of Christmas. For the people of Wynmouth it’s where they get their family Christmas tree, and where Christmas truly comes to life.
But for Liza Wynter, it’s a millstone around her neck. It was her father’s pride and joy but now he’s gone, she can’t have anything to do with it. Until her father’s business partner decides to retire and she must go back to handle the transition to his son Ned.
When Liza arrives, she discovers a much-loved business that’s flourishing under Ned’s stewardship. And she’s happy to stay and help for the Christmas season, but then she has other plans. But will the place where she grew up make her change her mind? And can it weave its Christmas cheer around her heart…?
Underneath the Christmas Tree is the perfect festive read, promising snowfall, warm fires and breath-taking seasonal romance.
10. A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh
Lauren Richmond isn’t a fan of Christmas.
Which is why she rarely makes the trip home to the Midwest for the holidays. After all, she has plenty to keep her busy—namely, her duties as a set decorator on a TV sitcom.
But this December, Lauren‘s brother and his wife are expecting a baby, so her brother arranges a ride home for her with his good friend, Will.
Unfortunately for Lauren, she’s been trying to forget college baseball coach and childhood crush Will Sinclair for more than ten years.
Now, thanks to her fear of flying, she’s stuck in a car with him from California to Illinois.
She’s circumspect and organized. He’s flirty and spontaneous.
She’s convinced that people don’t change. He’s trying to prove to her (and himself) that he has.
On this cross-country road trip, they’ll both discover that history doesn’t exactly repeat itself. . . but like any good Christmas carol, it does have a second verse.
Have you seen or even read any of these titles above? Any descriptions or titles make you want to add a book to your TBR? Let me know in the comments below!
Down the Rabbit Hole 