Bookmas Day One: Recommended Winter Reads 2017

Welcome to Bookmas Day One! 

This is my first year taking part in Bookmas/Blogmas and I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do. After some thinking I decided to do things a little different than some others may be. 

So what can you expect? Well I'm splitting my Bookmas in two. From the 18th-23rd you can expect a blog post everyday featuring reviews, recommendations and some bookish crafts. I don't plan on posting anything from the 24th-26th so myself and you readers can enjoy spending the Christmas period with your families. Bookmas will pick up again on the 27th and continue until the 1st January; again featuring reviews, crafts, recommendations and booktags. 

I'm super excited and I hope you enjoy! So let's kick off with Day One: my recommendations of the perfect books for the winter period!

The Afterlife of Holly Chase
by Cynthia Hand

A retelling of a Christmas Carol? Well you can't get much more 'Christmassy' than that.

Now I've yet to pick up this book myself (it's actually been sitting on my tbr shelf ready to read this winter) but I've heard amazing things about this book. It features our main character, Holly Chase, who had previously been visited by three ghosts. They tried to convince her to change her ways but failed. After dying, Holly Chase is stuck in the afterlife working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

The cover is beautiful and the story sounds fantastic. I know I'm looking forward to this book and I think you will too!

Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens

Well after including a retelling of A Christmas Carol how could I not include the story that inspired it? I read this book a few years ago and I would love to reread it someday (maybe once my tbr list isn't so big).

This book features the Ghosts of Christmas's and their journey in showing Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas. It's a Christmas classic that everyone should read.

Goodreads

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis

Image from Goodreads

A land stuck in an internal winter? 

I had to include this series. A lot of people only think of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when they hear the work Narnia, but the series is so much more. There are 7 books that make up the Chronicles of Narnia. I admit, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is my favourite of the 7; but the rest are just as magical.

Plus, you could watch the films! There are the Disney films that you could curl up with a nice up of hot chocolate or there is the BBC films which I also love. The BBC films are more episodic than a film but I highly recommend them.

Goodreads

The Harry Potter Series
by J.K Rowling

Well this series isn't really that 'Christmassy' but I know myself and others love rereading this series in the winter months.

The series really needs no introduction but to round up shortly; it's about a boy finding out he's a wizard and his journey through Hogwarts and the dangers he faces.

With the illustrated edition out I feel this series has just got more exciting to read. Cuddling up with blankets, warm socks and a nice hot drink sounds like a perfect night for reading; and this series is perfect for the whole family.

Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

The Golden Compass by 

 Philip Pullman

Again, another book I read as a child and am dying to reread. Not to mention The Book of Dust recently came out that I still really need to get my hands on and read!

The Golden Compass is about an orphan named Lyra Belacqua. Her life is carefree until the arrival of two visitors. Nothing is as it seems and Lyra set off on a journey to find her kidnapped friend, Roger with a rare truth-telling instrument, the alethiometer. As more children go missing Lyra hopes to find the truth.

Goodreads

So that wraps up day one of Bookmas and the end of my 5 recommended books for the winter period! 

Be on the lookout for day two of Bookmas on my blog tomorrow!