Top Ten Tuesday: December 3rd, 2019

Hello all,

I cannot believe we are now in the last days of 2019 *screams internally*.  But alas, it is, which means it’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s topic is Holiday Reads and while I don’t have a set list of books I like to read during the holidays I do have books I have enjoyed reading during past holiday seasons so let’s get to talking.

 Promised to the Pride by Candace Wondrack – I mean just look at this cover? Doesn’t it just scream winter to you? And as fate would have it, it came out December 1st which makes it a true wintry read indeed (see what I did there?).

Promised to the Pride is about Holly a rare female snow leopard shifter who journeys to a new place to marry three shifters in exchange for medical treatment for her terminally ill sister. It’s quick fun and though it’s not my favorite by Candace it’s still worth reading, especially if arranged marriage tropes happen to be your thing. Also, snow leopard shifters? Yes, please.

 

 

 Dark Heart by Eve L. Mitchell – It could be completely due to the setting but Dark Heart screams winter to me. It’s not your typical winter read but that’s part of what makes it great. I mean, it’s got Aaron, epic badass asshole extraordinaire in it and it also has Lela, the girl who gets on his last nerve to the highest degree until he realizes he can’t live without her. It also features cameos by our main friend team from Indian Summer which is, of course, a win to me.

Dark Heart is about Aaron being forced to take care of his boss’s step-daughter Lela, a task he is not at all willing to do, while also dealing with the repercussions of a past incident now coming to light.

 

 

  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – To me, this book just has cold weather, wintry vibes. I love the haunting feel of the story and how it manages to make you feel warm in places and haunted in others. I will admit that at times it is hard to follow all the time jumps and threads involved in this one story but the end result is something that’ll linger in your mind for a long time to come.

The Night Circus is all about Le Cirque des Rêves a character all on its own and the lives of the people connected to it. It is also about a competition between two people that are not meant to be, who somehow become more.

 

Eight Cozy Nights by Julia Wolf – is pure fluff. It is a snuggle by the fire and read in one sitting kind of read. Seriously, Larissa and Yo’s romance is so feel good you just want to squish it and never let go.

Seriously, it’s like reading a Hallmark movie but with sex scenes and it is damn good. Go read now, you will experience no regrets.

 

 

 

Wishing Joy by JoMarie DeGioia – This may be the 10th book in the Cypress Corners book series but between you and me, it’s the only one I’ve read in the series so far. That’s because the Cypress Corners series reads as standalone novels and this book, Wishing Joy brings you all the Hallmark-y Christmas magic you could possibly want.

Witnessing Joy’s Christmas cheer conquer Zach’s scrooge-like attitude towards the holiday will definitely warm up your insides. And who knows, maybe it’ll make you want to read the rest of the series as well?

 

 

 Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly – There’s just something about historical fiction that screams read me in Winter. I can’t even explain it but I am always tempted to read something historical whenever it’s even the slightest bit chilly outside. And Lilac Girls is no different.

Lilac Girls is an amazing debut novel that is both hard-hitting and somehow joyous. It is loosely based on a true story and is just so good it’ll make you cry. I just love how all the POVs eventually intersect as the story progresses and honestly wish a movie or mini-series would be based on it already.

 

 

 Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer – Let’s be real, I always want to read Artemis Fowl, especially during the Winter but this book is especially wintry. A significant portion of this book takes place in Russia which makes it winter weather worthy enough but it’s focused on our group of magical creatures and humans becoming close to friends and is honestly, a foundational book in the series as it’s where we see Artemis begin to change.

And honestly, with that idea in mind, I’m not sure how I could ever consider this book unimportant or a lesser favorite.

 

 

 Their Book Nerd by Joanne Ganci – Let’s be honest, I almost always want to snuggle up with a good romance novel in the cooler weather months, especially around the winter holidays, but can you really blame me? Winter is such a good cozy reading month.

And Their Book Nerd is such a cozy read. All about a girl who I relate to in my heart of hearts, Rachel who only wants to spend time with her books and frequents the library as often as I would if I had the time. Seriously, I adore her and I also love the romance she ends up having with her men (romances?) and seeing her come out of her shell the way she did was such a treat. Plus, you wouldn’t know Joanne was a debut author reading this, I sure didn’t.

 

 

 Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire –  It’s the setting of this book that screams ‘read me in winter’ the most to me. Don’t ask me why but there’s something about the moors that just makes me want to snuggle under heaps of covers and read until I’m finished. Could be my inner Othello lover or it could just be that creepy and cold go hand in hand. I honestly couldn’t tell you.

What I can tell you though is that this book is my favorite in the series so far.

 

 

 Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene – Just like with romances and wintertime, mysteries and wintertime go hand in hand. And the Nancy Drew series is no different. Solving mysteries with strong, independent Nancy and her two best friends is such an idea way to spend an afternoon.

And imagine how many books you could get done in a single day if you really tried.

 

 

Honorable Mention

 

 Christmas Bells by Nikki Bopp – Hello, it literally has Christmas in the title? What other time than the holiday season would be the most appropriate? But if you need more convincing, let me just say this, Foxy is the sweetest bean in existence.