Top Ten Books on my TBR List for Winter

When I first saw this week's list over at The Broke and the Bookish I was confused. "Hasn't it already been winter for at least a month now?" I wondered, then realised that not everyone else's November is as bad as it has been in Scotland. Up here in St. Andrews we've had gale force winds, I've been wearing jumpers and two pairs of socks since the 1st of October, I've not gone outside the house without my hat, scarf and gloves in at least a month, and the other day my computer told me it was 4 degrees Celsius outside at 9am. Oh, and it's only light between 8am and 4pm now that we've changed the clocks. So, yes, I argue that it's been winter for quite some time! However, I shall still let you know which books I intend to read over the next few months.

I'm slightly cheating with A Log Cabin Christmas since I've already started reading this on my Kindle. This collection contains nine different inspirational historical romances set in log cabins, with various best-selling authors such as Wanda E. Brunstetter, Margaret Brownley and Kelly Eileen Hake. This book was released by Barbour back in September of this year so it's already available, right in time for Christmas! I read Barbour's A Prairie Christmas Collection last Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it, and so far it looks like this book will be up to the same standards. 

An Amish Wedding is a collection of three novellas from best-selling Amish authors Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Long. I'm a big fan of all of these author's novels and stories and was particularly fond of their earlier joint-release, An Amish Love, so I can't wait to get started on this book. An Amish Wedding doesn't release until late December and as such with Amish weddings, takes place in the typical winter wedding season.

I've never read a novel by Susan May Warren before, probably because I mainly stick to historical and Amish novels, but when the offer came to get a review copy from Tyndale for The Shadow of Your Smile I couldn't help but jump at the offer! The plot revolves around a couple who have been married for twenty-five years and contemplating divorce, only for the wife to lose her memory in an accident. Suddenly, the husband finds he's been given a second chance at his marriage, and is determined to make her fall in love with him again. If you're a fan of amnesia plots, as I am, look out for this novel in January 2012.

I'm admitting my lack of knowledge in the Christian fiction department today, as I've never read anything by Lori Copeland previously either. But I love historical romances and any book with "winter" and "love" in the title seemed perfect for the Christmas season, so this is hopefully one novel I'll get around to reviewing over the holidays. Love Blooms in Winter is another January release, so perhaps one to keep your eye out for if you get Amazon vouchers for Christmas? I'm not sure if this is the official cover-art and I have to admit that I kind of hope it isn't as the heroine's grin is slightly nauseating. Still, the first book in the Dakota Diaries series definitely sounds like it'll be a good read. 

Tall, Dark and Determined is the second book in the Husbands for Hire series by Kelly Eileen Hake. I'm very much looking forward to reading this December release as I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel, Rugged and Relentless earlier this year. A twist on the traditional mail-order-bride plot, this series revolves around three women who are determined to bring a mining town back from disaster, but need the help of men to do so. What better solution than to advertise for husbands? This series is fun, quirky and romantic, so I'm definitely slotting this book into my winter reading somewhere.

This book actually released back in October but I've had so much on my plate that I sadly haven't got around to read it yet. A Time for Peace is the third book in the Quilts of Lancaster series, a series that I know I can rely on to provide compelling and comfortable tales of people overcoming struggles in Pennsylvania Amish country. If you're an Amish fan and haven't discovered Barbara Cameron by now then make sure you go back to the start of the series and start with A Time to Love!

A November release, His Steadfast Love is a Civil War era novel by historical romance author Golden Keyes Parsons. I discovered Golden sometime last year when I reviewed on of the books in a series about a Huguenot family who moved to America following persecution in their homeland of France during the Reformation. Having studied this period in my early years of university I was impressed with the wealth of historical detail in her novel, and since I've also studied the US Civil War I can't wait to see her take on this period of history.

Since reading the first two books in Tricia Goyer's Big Sky Amish series, I've become a devoted fan of her work. I also think the sinking of the Titanic is one of the most fascinating events of early twentieth-century History, so naturally I can't wait to read this book. Yes, By the Light of the Silvery Moon is technically a March release but I'm definitely planning to read this ARC well before its release date. Besides, March in Scotland is still practically winter anyway!

Yes, I do actually have some Christmas books on my winter TBR! Patricia Davids's An Amish Christmas actually arrived through my letterbox last December, but it was after Christmas so I ended up putting it off until this year. I've heard a lot of great things about Patricia's novels and since this book isn't terribly long it'll be a nice way to occupy myself one evening, hopefully with a mug of hot chocolate and a cosy blanket. After semester ends, that is!

This book wasn't originally on my winter TBR but a friend passed it on to me and I couldn't possibly resist a historical romance about a German family who have settled in America! I studied German throughout high school and nearly did my joint degree in English and German, not English and Modern History, so I love to discover historical novels about German settlers. So I'm definitely looking forward to reading The Christkindl's Gift by Kathleen Morgan.










What books do you plan to read this winter? Are they all Christmas-themed? Have you been saving some books especially for this period?