Blanche’s Book Club: 2023 Holiday Reading Guide!

Light Pulp by thebitterlemon

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It’s December 1st, and it’s officially time to pull out the holiday books (I dug mine out last weekend)!

A few years ago, I made an effort to be intentional about what types of books I read during specific times of the year. I realized that I’d be missing out on holiday books unless I did that!

Then, the Holiday Reading Guide was born. There are only so many days in the holiday season, so planning ahead is vital here.

I’ve got seven new picks this year, but have 35+ picks from years prior. Happy holiday reading!

‘The holiday swap’ by maggie knox

I randomly saw this book while shopping for Christmas gifts, and the title immediately caught my eye. You probably already know this, but I love watching Hallmark movies, and there’s a Christmas one from years ago about twins that swap lives before the holidays.

This is the book version of it! In the book, the twins are swapping to fix an issue in their lives. It sounds like such a fun, light holiday read.

‘Wreck the Halls’ by Tessa Bailey

I’ve never read anything by Tessa Bailey, but I’ve always heard good things, especially if you love a spicy romance.

This holiday novel focuses on music royalty (love that) and the opportunity to capitalize on it — at the risk of stirring up major family drama right before the holidays. I love the sound of this!

‘The jolliest bunch’ by Danny Pellegrino

Danny Pellegrino has a cult following from his podcast “Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino,” and while I haven’t listened to every episode, it entertained me a lot during my time job hunting.

If you’re a pop culture junkie, you’d love it. This holiday-focused essay collection is his second book, and it sounds hilarious. From what I hear, it has several Christmas stories, but mentions other holidays, too.

‘A winter in new york’ by josie silver

Josie Silver is back with another holiday novel — I read her other book, “One Day in December,” a few years ago and loved it — and this one sounds like a treat!

“A Winter in New York” is about a woman named Iris who stumbles upon a possible piece of family history. But, in order to confirm it, she’s going to have to put some things together… and it includes a family recipe. Yum!

‘Calm christmas’ by beth kempton

I was specifically looking for this type of book this year — one that focuses on slowing down, finding the true meaning of the season, and discovering ways to embrace the holiday.

“Calm Christmas” is a collection of personal stories and tips for celebrating the season without feeling rushed, stressed, and focused on the wrong things.

‘A December to remember’ by jenny bayliss

This book is about three half-sisters who get together for the reading of their father’s will. But he didn’t make it easy on them.

To discover their inheritance, they’re going to have to jump through lots of hoops together, resulting in small-town mishaps and a winter solstice celebration, plus hope and love… this book sounds so sweet (and isn’t necessarily a Christmas book).

‘WINTERING’ BY KATHERINE MAY

I heard about this book on a bookish podcast I like, and haven’t forgotten about it. Author Katherine May shares her personal story about surviving difficult times with rest and retreat.

Ultimately this book is about accepting the cycles of life and how we can use nature — the darkness and quiet of winter — to hibernate and heal.

HOLIDAY PICKS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS

…And there’s my forever-long list of holiday titles! Before I let you go, I have to share a related item I created for my Etsy shop: A Holiday Reading Scavenger Hunt. It’s full of holiday tropes and things to find while you do your seasonal reading.

It’s an instant download (every item in my shop is), so there are no shipping costs or wait times, and you can print it as many times as you want and use it however you wish!

VISIT THE ETSY SHOP

For more book recommendations, be sure to subscribe to the blog (look to the right) and follow me on Goodreads @thebitterlemon – where I share more of my book picks. Also, check out my printable bookmarks and Book Club Journal Pages in my Etsy Shop. 

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