It's approaching that time of year...please recommend me a Christmas novel :-)

[EdinaMonsoon]

Huge thank you in advance if you respond to my post :).

I'm looking for two novels on a Christmas theme & would love recommendations please. It's a tale of two genres:

Firstly, a light-hearted easy read. Last year I read The Xmas Factor which although formulaic was entertaining and didn't require much in the way of focus.

Secondly, I'd like a more in-depth, classic novel which would be perfect for evening/bedtime reading. I don't particularly care for historical novels written by contemporary authors but I do love writers of their era eg Austen, Brontes. To date, I have never read any Dickens and I wonder if this might be the year to pick it up? Would also be happy with a more contemporary tale but I honestly don't know where to start with that other than the chick-lit genre!

[BeatriceJoanna]

I'm not sure if it's quite what you're looking for but I try to read The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton in the week before Christmas. It's a children's book, so quite an easy read and it's a lovely story.

Another one I like is Winter Solstice but it's quite long.

For a classic, I would definitely give A Christmas Carol a go. It's short and a lot of fun. I'm planning to read this Christmassy Trollope it comes highly recommended but I haven't read it myself. I have high hopes, though because I love Trollope.

Hope you find something that suits you.

[BabyMoonPie]

I read Twelve Days Of Christmas by Trisha Ashley every year. Very easy reading

[EdinaMonsoon]

BeatriceJoanna Thank you. The Trollope looks perfect (never ventured into his stories before) as does Winter Solstice.

BabyMoonPie - your recommendation looks fab! Thank you too.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Just read The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale. Quirky magical realism if that's your thing. I quite enjoyed it.

[Cleanermaidcook]

Light hearted - the hogfather by Terry Pratchett
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci is a decent read

Not sure if this one fits your remit but The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder is a nice read.

[Clawdy]

The Snow Garden by Rachel Joyce is a collection of short stories. And how about Hercule Poirot's Christmas? A great seasonal whodunnit.

[Orlandointhewilderness]

jostein gaarder, a christmas mystery is very lovely. Based around the christmas story though so may not appeal.

[Myfanwyprice]

I read seven days of us by Francesca Hornak last Christmas and really enjoyed it.

[AdaColeman]

Michael Curtin's "The League Against Christmas" is super, funny and clever. Available on Kindle too!

[AdaColeman]

For several years we read Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising though December, starting on the "right" day. It's a YA book, very well written.

For the classic, Thomas Hardy's Under the Greenwood Tree starts on Christmas Eve, it's a captivating story with wonderful characters.

[IrisDolmato]

It's not a straight match with either of your categories, but I rather like it, and it won either a Hugo or Nebula award -- The Domesday Book by Connie Willis. It's set in a future Oxford where historians are able to time-travel into the past to study it, and it's about a student who is sent back to the Middle Ages for Christmas just as modern Oxford goes down with an epidemic, and the tutor who tries to get her back safely. So you get two Christmases.

[ScouseQueen]

For the easy read, Sarah Morgan's Christmas romances are great. Sleigh Bells in the Snow is good to start with.

For the classic, all the Dickens Christmas books. You can often get them in one volume.

[EdinaMonsoon]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Off to look them all up :)

[KeithLeMonde]

I'm about to buy a copy of Christmas with the Savages by Mary Clive - we had a copy when I was a child and I would love to read it again.

It's an Edwardian story about a rather spoilt little girl sent to spend Christmas with a large and unruly family of cousins, uncles, aunts and other random relatives. I remember it as being gentle fun in the vein of Noel Stretfield, E Nesbit and other favourites. I will let you know if it stands up to re-reading as an adult!

[Papergirl1968]

Amanda Prowse has written several Christmas themed chick lit (but not too soppy) books including a Christmas For One and The Christmas Cafe.
Milly Johnson - A Winter Flame and The Mother of All Christmases.
Cathy Kelly - Christmas Magic (short stories).
Maeve Binchy - This Year It Will Be Different.
Patricia Scanlan - Coming Home For Christmas.

[Papergirl1968]

Paige Toon has written a couple too.
And Veronica Henry’s Christmas at the Beach Hut is reviewed into today’s Daily Mail book section - looks good.

[tobee]

If you don't mind children's books my favourite book for Christmas is Cold Christmas by Nina Beachcroft. It's s ghost story.

[CryHavoc]

India Knight's Comfort and Joy is very good.

[Dottierichardson]

Keith like the sound of 'Christmas with the Savages'. I've often re-read Susan Cooper. This year I've put aside two vintage-ish crime novels - not the gory kind - Dashiell Hammett's 'The Thin Man' set over Christmas and New Year; and Celia Fremlin's 'The Long Shadow: a Christmas Story with a Difference'. I may also re-read 'Little Women'. There is a Noel Streatfield Christmas story collection coming out very soon that looks possible, from Virago it's just called 'Noel Streatfield's Christmas Stories'.

[gussiefox]

Seconding The Christmas Train by David Baldacci.

[EdinaMonsoon]

Christmas With The Savages sounds good as does Cold Christmas.

I enjoy reading children’s stories actually. Would love to revisit Noel Streatfield. I read her books repeatedly as a child.

Had rare night alone last night so lit candles & fire & began reading 12 Days of Christmas as recommended by Babymoonpie . Enjoying it so far & have resolved to get through as many recommendations on here as possible.

[BeatriceJoanna]

Lots of really interesting books being mentioned. I'm glad I came back to look at this thread because both Christmas with the Savages and Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories sound fab and I hadn't heard about either.
Ada mentioning The Dark is Rising has also reminded me that I really should get round to reading these, I've been meaning to for ages.

[Dottierichardson]

The Dark is rising series is great, the first one is the most traditionally written for children think The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe meets The Famous Five the later ones are (I think) better in terms of the style and the content. The one in the series called 'The Dark is Rising is the most seasonal, lots of wind and snow. And the legends they're set around build on King Arthur's legends. Checked out 'Christmas with the Savages and ended up sending off for a copy! Looks really good. Another good Christmassy classic children's book is The Children of Green Knowe.

[Feenie]

Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb is really good.

www.amazon.co.uk/Wishin-Hopin-Christmas-Story-Paperback/dp/B00HRFB47E/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&keywords=Wally%20lamb%20wishin&ie=UTF8&qid=1541335221&sr=1-2&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Dottierichardson]

This link for The Guardian brings up a list of articles recommending books that are good to read over Christmas, including a really great article about the Susan Cooper books:

www.theguardian.com/books/series/season-s-readings