Wonderful Winter Reads

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy I will receive a percentage commission at no extra cost to you.

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, it feels like the perfect time to curl up with a good book and a nice hot drink. Especially in the lead up to Christmas I find myself craving books with a touch of magic and which evoke the beauty of the season. Here are a few I’ve enjoyed in years past. Let me know what I should be reading next.

The Toymakers, Robert Dinsdale

This book transports you to the early twentieth century and a truly magical toyshop which delights all those who visit. Papa Jack and his sons work tirelessly to create new marvels for the opening with the first frost of each winter, and although there’s sibling rivalry and the realities of living through a very difficult period in history, it is infused with a sense of wonder. Read my full review here.

Midnight in Everwood, M. A. Kuzniar

Taking The Nutcracker as its inspiration, this book will delight ballet fans, and those who love a modern fairytale with magic and decadent worlds aplenty. It is in many ways quite a dark read with controlling characters and suffering just outside of view from the luxurious castle our heroine finds herself in. I’ve got Kuzniar’s 2023 Upon A Frosted Star, her take on Swan Lake, waiting for me at the library, and I hope it will provide a similarly evocative magical world. Read my full review of Midnight in Everwood here.

The Winter Garden, Alexandra Bell

As with many on this list, this book deals with difficult topics. Beatrice loses her mother at a young age, and struggles with the guilt of not having had the chance to say goodbye. She is also plagued by societal expectations - she remains single in a world where women’s main motivation in life is meant to be making a good marriage. Unfortunately, her best friend Rosa’s life shows this isn’t the dream it’s sold as. As a child, Beatrice experienced a magical winter garden which she longs to find her way back to. Soon her and Rosa are embroiled in a competition to create the most magical pleasure garden in order to win one wish. The descriptions of the gardens are rich and tempting, making you want to create your own land of wonder. An enchanting read with a dark side. Read my full review here.

A Midwinter’s Tail, Lili Hayward

Perhaps the most stereotypical Christmas read on the list. Mina must leave her London life behind to go to Morgelyn, a small Cornish island, to look after her godfather’s cat Murr while he is absent. It takes time for her to settle into the close-knit island community, but she loves Murr, and has strong memories of a feeling of safety from her time on the island as a child. Murr is steeped in folklore, with people suspecting a centuries old spirit lives within her. With time, she comes to feel at home once more on the island and has to fight to save it. There is some romance in the book but it’s not the main focus. A lovely festive read which I’m quite tempted to re-read. Check out my full review here.

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

The classic Christmas story, you’ll likely have seen some version of this, but it’s worth reading the original short story. Dickens employs his talents at drawing characters that inspire emotion to make the case for a kinder, more compassionate world. Read my full review here.

The Toymakers, Robert Dinsdale

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy I will receive a percentage commission at no extra cost to you.

The Toymakers opens with a young Cathy Wray pregnant and on the cusp of being forced to give up her baby when it arrives. Instead, she runs away to London and Papa Jack’s Emporium where she will find a job and a home. The Emporium is a magical place full of toys beyond the imagination. It opens with the first frost of the winter and closes with the appearance of snowdrops. What Cathy will do when it closes at the end of the season she doesn’t quite know, but something tells her she’ll be taken care of.

Papa Jack's sons, Emil and Kaspar, are both following in their father’s footsteps and spend their time creating new wonders for customers to enjoy. Emil’s toy soldiers are reliable sellers but he is unsatisfied, struggling to fashion the magic that Kaspar and Papa Jack are able to conjure. Despite Cathy being the constant throughout, it is really the relationship between Emil and Kaspar which is the main focus of the novel. They both fall for Cathy and predictably it is Kaspar she chooses, condemning Emil to a lifetime of watching his brother live the life he wants. The sibling rivalry never ceases, even when, or perhaps especially when, Kaspar leaves to fight in the First World War.

The war is described from a distance, through Kaspar’s letters which hide the reality of what he is experiencing. When he returns however, he is broken. It feels sensitively done, both the impact on those who went to fight, and those who stayed behind. The difficulty for Cathy and her daughter Martha, waiting for word from him, and the sense of betrayal when she realises he’s kept so much from her. The way their relationship is changed is thoughtfully written - their reunion does not heal the horrors of war but Cathy is loyal and patient as the years pass and her once animated husband remains a cold shell of his former self.

Papa Jack has also experienced unimaginable suffering, but through it learnt the power of toys to transport people of any age back to the innocence of childhood. The emporium he creates is a wonderland that visitors hold in their heart well into adulthood. It is richly imagined and all too easy to believe in the patchwork animals with more than a little life in them, the paper forest, and the cloud castle. Reading it allows a slice of magic out into the world. It is not all wonder and delight however, the realities of the outside world seep in, the conflicting brothers strain an already difficult financial time, and the walls of the Emporium are not immune to the bombs of the Blitz.

This is a fantastical book with a heavy dose of reality. Jealousy, discrimination, and financial ruin are all present. There is deep familial love running through but it is up against a barrage of difficulty. A fun read that can at times feel a little aimless, but at others will have you frantically turning the pages to find out what happens next.

Pick up a copy:
Waterstones

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

As the sun sets over Arley Hall in Chesire, its woodlands come alive with the sound of werewolves, owls, and mischievous pixies. Until 3rd January 2022, budding wizards and wise witches have the chance to come face to face with some of their favourite creatures from the Harry Potter universe. From entering through an arch of floating lamps, wandering through an illuminated forest, and the final showpiece, this is an incredibly well-thought out experience that will delight visitors of all ages.

Unlike many ‘creature’ experiences where animatronics are set along the route, this requires a little more attention. Yes, there are animatronics and plenty to see directly off the course, but stop and look a little deeper and you’ll see the glint of eyes, the rustle of leaves, and even the odd unicorn if you’re really lucky. This adds a sense of adventure to the evening, and the capacity means it never feels overly full, you can take your time exploring without constantly feeling rushed or overcrowded. The atmosphere is enhanced with audio clips from the films, music, and sound effects that help to bring the forest to life. 

You can spend as much or as little time as you want enjoying the experience - we took around two hours to walk the route, although you could do it faster if you didn’t want to stop and take photos every few steps. There are a few interactive sections dotted throughout that give you the chance to find out what your patronus would be, and see how successful you’d be in a wizard duel. Naturally, there’s also plenty of food and drink options, with bottled butterbeer available and soft drinks in your house colours. 

At the end of the route you’ll find yourself in a magical village where you can refuel, roast giant marshmallows over an open fire, and warm up with a cup or two of mulled wine before heading into the Magical Emporium to snag some magical souvenirs of your night.