Wrapped Up In Books

If Christmas parties are to be deferred curling up by a roaring fire with a good book, or ten, is our next go-to perfect way to while away the winter. Here, Edinburgh-based writer, Claire Maxwell, and Rare Birds Books founder, Rachel Wood share the books they’ll be poring over this season. 

Claire:

The Literary Almanac by Francesca Beauman

A totally infatuating book—one that couldn’t be more perfect for snuggling up with on the sofa, belly full of mince pies and cheese. Francesca Beauman takes us through the year, recommending what to read and when. It is beautifully illustrated throughout and contains within its pages the undeniable comfort of reading about reading.

Rachel:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Set in the 1950s in Mexico, this is a deeply satisfying and creepy gothic thriller that we could not put down. After receiving a distressing letter from her cousin, our heroine visits her and discovers the old mansion she calls home may be holding more dark secrets than either of them knew.

Claire:

Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford

A classic and one I like to read most years. Nancy Mitford’s iconic charm and wit are here in spades: Amusingly pompous characters, gorgeous English countryside, and an unfortunate outbreak of foot-and-hoof disease, set over a few days in December.

Rachel:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Dark, atmospheric, gothic and mysterious, this is the long-awaited second novel from one of our most gifted contemporary fantasy writers and a brilliant reminder of the power fiction has to transport us to the farthest reaches of our imagination. Blending elements of fantasy and mythology, it’s a fable about loneliness, imagination and memory, and one of the most engrossing books we’ve read this year.  

Claire:

Gifts by Laura Barnett

The story of twelve people, twelve very different lives, and one Christmas. It’s bookshops, families, cosiness, and the honest, heartfelt reality of what the festive season can be for so many—not as joyful as it should be. This book will inspire, comfort, and move anyone who reads it.

Rachel:

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

Fans of mythical retellings like Circe and Silence of the Girls will love this book, a gripping piece of historical fiction set in one of Pompeii’s most infamous brothels. Once the daughter of a prominent man, our heroine must navigate her new reality as a slave.

Claire:

Always, In December by Emily Stone

This debut is your perfect Christmas romance, especially if you liked One Day in December by Josie Silver. While posting the letter she writes every Christmas to the parents she lost years ago, Josie collides with a stranger, and their lives are forever changed.  

Rachel:

Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola

Ancient folktales from around the world are reimagined through a modern lens in this brilliant collection of short stories that put women front and centre. It’s the perfect palate cleanser if you’re tired of traditional love stories from a writer with great instincts. It’s one you can binge or savour story-by-story.

Claire:

The Fell by Sarah Moss

Is Sarah Moss the only writer who will be able to pull off the ‘pandemic novel’? Quite possibly. In The Fell, a woman in the middle of a two-week quarantine can’t take it anymore and goes for a walk in the hills, only to go missing. With characteristic deftness, Moss weaves a gripping narrative with thoughtful, eye-opening commentary on the world we live in, the society we have created, and what happens next.

Rachel:

The Coven by Lizzie Fry

The Craft meets the Handmaid’s Tale in this dystopian thriller about misogyny, witchcraft and the power and potential of women. It’s pacey, chillingly realistic and filled with plenty of twists and turns along the way. If you love something spooky for Halloween, this is the book for you.

Claire:

Christmas Poems by Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy is one of the first poets I ever read (aside from war poetry in school, of course), so when I heard this festive compendium was being published, I was thrilled. Duffy’s style is playful yet classic, and over the past decade, she has gifted her readers a special poem every Christmas, collected for the first time here in this gorgeous edition which includes illustrations from artists like Rob Ryan.