The holidays are the best time for reading: rare free time, chilly weather, and holiday sentimentality create a perfect storm of hygge, which I can only answer by burying my body under blankets and my nose in a book. This year, I found myself yearning for stories set during Christmastime and dissatisfied with the available options. This reading list arose out of my efforts to find a new favorite Christmas novel.
After all, there’s only so many times we can encounter children’s Christmas books like The Polar Express or How the Grinch Stole Christmas before the novelty begins to wear off. And for the modern-day reader seeking escapism, the lofty language of classic novels like A Christmas Carol can grate. Fortunately, there is a rising tide of modern and contemporary prose filling this publishing niche. The eight books on this list cover different genres and time periods (though all were published in the last twenty years), but they are united by their holiday settings. These books also play with a surprising variety of narrative moods—heartwarming, chill-inducing, tearful, starry-eyed—that are sure to satisfy every type of reader. So whether you prefer your Christmas stories with some intrigue or full of fluff, you’ll find new options here.
Brightly Shining by Ingvild Rishøi, translated by Caroline Waight
This short Norwegian novel, translated into English by Caroline Waight, has all the makings of a modern classic. Precocious, dreamy ten-year-old Ronja narrates this loose adaptation of The Little Match Girl. When their father’s drinking problems threaten to bankrupt the family, Ronja and her older sister attempt to take over his new job at a nearby Christmas tree farm. The resulting tale explores capitalism, caretaking, and loneliness with sparkling prose and a gorgeous Nordic setting. A film adaptation is reported to come out next holiday season, so this winter is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with Rishøi’s tragically beautiful world.
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
From the queen of cozy romance comes this tale of two very different sisters and an ancient bookshop that needs saving. After losing her job, Carmen moves in with her pregnant sister Sofia in Edinburgh, Scotland and tries to help one of Sofia’s clients rescue his bookstore from bankruptcy. Surprising herself, Carmen starts to repair the rocky relationships in her family as well as the bookshop’s finances—and finds not one but two love interests. My favorite parts of this book were the atmospherically written scenes set in the bookshop; I could practically picture the cheery displays in the windows.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
In 1920, Jack and Mabel move to Alaska to start a homestead farm and distract themselves from their childlessness. During the first snowfall, they build a girl out of snow; the next morning, they discover a real child running through the woods. The magic-soaked novel that follows kept me hooked the whole way through. Ivey’s writing is tender and gauzy, infused with affection for the natural world and the people who inhabit it.
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
In the small town of Lower Lockwood, the Fairway Players are rehearsing their annual Christmas production when they find a dead body. Lawyers Femi and Charlotte from Hallett’s first novel The Appeal return to investigate the case, kicking off an unexpected romp through the eclectic community theater. I love how this mystery keeps me hooked on solving the murder while also making me laugh with ridiculous antics.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
This Booker Prize shortlisted novella follows Bill Furlong, a hardworking father from humble origins, as Christmas approaches in their small Ireland town. The narrative moves forward subtly as Bill begins to challenge the status quo of the Catholic town leadership. Keegan’s prose stands out for its concise and sharp rendering of character detail. Her masterful command of tone and emotion makes this short tale engrossing.
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
Straight readers have had the monopoly on blissful, trope-heavy holiday romances for far too long; luckily, Allison Cochrun is here to correct the balance. Kiss Her Once for Me sees bisexual protagonist Ellie get snowed in at a fancy cabin with her fake-boyfriend-slash-boss and the woman who broke her heart last Christmas. Wintery hijinks abound, eventually forcing Ellie and her ex to talk about what went wrong between them. I loved this book for its rich characterizations that feel true to queer life, especially the Carhartt-wearing, chicken-coop-building butch glory of Ellie’s love interest.
Time of the Child by Niall Williams
Niall Williams returns to the fictional Irish village of Faha (as featured in This Is Happiness) in Advent of 1962. After the death of his beloved wife, Dr. Jack Troy and his daughter Ronnie ache to find some levity in their daily routine. After they discover an abandoned infant left out in the cold, Jack schemes to keep the child in his care, hoping it will bring Ronnie some purpose. This novel is a paragon of balance and restraint; Williams lets this quiet tale unfold gradually and rewards the reader for their patience.
The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani
Twelve years ago, a group of college friends ran a fictional Masquerade Murder Society—until the real disappearance of one of their members put a stop to their games. When the remaining members reunite deep in the Scottish Highlands for a Christmas Masquerade, misfortune and death are sure to follow again. The old friends desperately try to solve their predicament in a locked-room mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, but with a modern twist. The high stakes, creepy suspense, and snowy setting sent a chill down my spine.
