My top winter reads to see you through the festive period

(First and last picture are not mine)

Winter and Autumn are a wonderful time of year and perfect for cosy evenings wrapped up in a blanket with a festive book. Below is my top 5-ish festive reads.

1- Trisha Ashley: A winters tale

(Image from Waterstones)

"Sophy Winter is not your typical Lady of the Manor. When she unexpectedly inherits Winter's End - a crumbling mansion in the beautiful Lancashire countryside - it seems like all Sophy's prayers have been answered.

But the house is decrepit and its eccentric inhabitants are a nightmare. And once it is discovered that Winter's End played host to a young Shakespeare, the entire village of Sticklepond becomes curious about Sophy's plans, especially charming Jack Lewis. But is he really smitten by Sophy...or her newly-acquired cash?

Meanwhile, Sophy's gorgeous head gardener Seth is the strong and silent type. But does his passion bloom for anything beyond the horticultural?"

A wonderful, warm and feel good winter read that will make you feel festive joy. Trisha Ashley writes in a way that is easy to consume and invokes strong pictures in your imagination. Some other winter reads by Trisha Ashley include: The Christmas Invitation, Twelve Days of Christmas, One more Christmas at the Castle, A Christmas Cracker and Wish Upon a Star.

2- Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol

(Image from Amazon)

"Charles Dickens's tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, who is haunted by three spirits and learns the true meaning of Christmas has had, along with Dickens's other Christmas writings, a lasting and significant influence upon our ideas about the season as a time for celebration, charity and memory."

A classic tale that we all know well and have seen many adaptions of it, my personal favourite being the Muppets Christmas Carol (forever and always). The book, although a classic, reads well and flows wonderfully. We are pulled into Ebenezers world and life, exploring his past, present and future. In 4 chapters, just over 100 pages, we indulge in the joy of Christmas and slowly begin to understand and love Ebenezer Scrooge.

3- Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot's Christmas

(Image from Amazon)

"It is Christmas Eve. The Lee family reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture, followed by a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

But when Hercule Poirot, who is staying in the village with a friend for Christmas, offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man…"

Not all Christmas themed reads are happy ending, fluffy books! I personally love a murder-mystery (all year round) but especially at Christmas. No one does murder-mystery better than Agatha Christie! Test your detective skills and race Poirot to the conclusion. Some other winter reads by Agatha Christie include: Murder for Christmas and The adventure of the Christmas Pudding.

4- Donna Ashcroft: The Christmas Countdown

(Image from Amazon)

"Twenty-seven-year-old Holly Devine has just had her heart well and truly broken. Hurt by the two people she loves the most, she flees to her eccentric Aunt Clara’s cosy cottage to hide away over the winter season. But kind, impulsive Aunt Clara has other ideas… She’s not about to see her favourite niece wallowing in sadness during the most wonderful time of the year. So, with the help of her close circle of friends and plenty of gin, she creates a handmade advent calendar for Holly.

Every day in December, Holly opens a new door and has a different task to complete. She soon finds herself asking out a complete stranger – gorgeous, cheeky pub landlord, Finn Jackson. But as handsome Finn gets involved in her festive challenges, Holly’s determination to avoid romance is put to the test. Still, Finn’s far too carefree and single for true love, isn’t he?"

The most perfect cosy December read. Following Holly on her self exploration encouraged by her Aunts hand-tailored advent calendar. The book grabs you within the first few pages and it is a ride you will not regret. Wonderful, heart-warming, encouraging and festive.

5- Cecily Gayford et al: Murder on Christmas Eve: Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season

(Image from Amazon)

"Christmas Eve. While the world sleeps, snow falls gently from the sky, presents lie under the tree ... and murder is afoot. In this collection of ten classic murder mysteries by the best crime writers from the 1920s to today, death and mayhem take many festive forms, from the inventive to the unexpected.

From a Santa Claus with a grudge to a cat who knows who killed its owner on Christmas Eve, these are stories to enjoy - and be mystified by - in front of a roaring fire, mince pie in hand."

Another murder based festive read, one full of lots of mini stories. Some rate better than others but overall it's an excellent festive themed book filled with great mini stories that can be read easily before bed. There is also a second book in this collection called Murder on Christmas but I did not gel with this book and would not recommend it, compared to the first book it is boring and cold to read.

We hope you have a very merry, festive reading winter. If you read any of the books mentioned in the blog please let us know how you found them. As always, my instagram is @Bilbo.h and we love to hear from you!