By Shaniah Shields

I don’t know about you, but there is nothing better than snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a great book during the winter nights. Christmas is a joyful time, but with deadlines and last-minute shopping, it’s hard to find space to relax. So, if you get the chance, here’s a selection of seven festive page-turners that will set you up for the start of your Christmas break.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

It wouldn’t be right to do a Christmas reading list without mentioning this classic! Indulge in this festive favourite and join the miserable and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey of transformation with three ghosts. Incorporating merry dances, food and games, Dickens’ timeless novel is set to showcase the importance of kindness and generosity. What more could you want from a book about Christmas?

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

This charming holiday read presents a Christmas romance with a twist. Arriving in the winter wonderland of Aspen, the White family gather for Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. Her parents Maggie and Nick arrive with a secret that is set to shake the festive mood, and Rosie’s sister Katie is on a mission to save her from making a mistake as she dreads the big day.

Bride-to-be Rosie begins to get cold feet and as the big day gets closer, tensions certainly rise. Packed with romance, drama and a magical Christmas setting, this page-turner is one to warm your heart during the winter break.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

This beautiful edition of the second book in the classic series, The Chronicles of Narnia, features illustrations that bring the magic to life! Re-live your childhood and join siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy as they step through the magical wardrobe and enter the wintery land of Narnia. From adventure to power battles, the return of Aslan signals great sacrifice and hope during this tale of fantasy and fun.

I’ll be home for Christmas by Karen Clarke

After cancelling her wedding after her fiancé cheated on her, Christmas fanatic Nina Bailey vows to forget all things Christmas and romance. She escapes to her Aunt Dolly’s café, but a spanner is thrown in the works when she meets the handsome Ryan Sadler. There is no doubt that the spark between them is growing quicker than the snow is falling. Can Nina resist the magic of Christmas and her no-romance rule? This touching romantic comedy is perfect for those cold, winter nights and is set to have you curled up in front of the fire!

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

This classical seasonal thriller combines murder mystery with festivity to create a striking novel that is hard to put down. Christmas Eve comes with a deafening scream and the crash of furniture. The obnoxious Simeon Lee is lying in a pool of blood inside his locked bedroom. Detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot is welcomed with tension, violence and many motives for killing the millionaire. With a festive backdrop, Christie creates an unforgettable novel that leads her readers on a merry dance asking who really killed Simeon, and why?

Christmas Everyday by Beth Moran

Jenny is a free spirit with nothing to lose. So, when she inherits her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest, she can only look positively to the future. When Jenny is welcomed to a book club life seems to be more exciting. But this is no ordinary book club – members vow to complete challenges before Christmas and Jenny cannot resist joining in. From tears, friendship and budding romance, this warm and festive novel is one to curl up on the sofa with.

Christmas at the Beach hut by Veronica Henry

Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, right? Usually, Lizzy Kingham loves Christmas, but this year she is feeling under-appreciated by her family. The whirlwind of decorating, shopping and festivities are on her shoulders and she has had enough. So, what better to do than head to your favourite beach hut in Everdene?

This story of self-discovery and hope is sprinkled with Christmas magic, revealing the importance of compassion and love in the world.