79 books like The Snow Bear

I was lucky enough to be given an advance copy of this book written by debut author, Skye Mackenna and I instantly fell in love with the characters and the story. Perfect reading for middle-grade readers who like longer, more challenging magic books. It is set in a world similar to ours which also has witches, scary fairies, goblins, and talking animals. Cassie, the heroine, sets out to discover why her mother disappeared seven years ago and in the process starts a new life, makes new friends (not least the wonderful talking cat, Montague), learns more about her witch-family heritage, and encounters terrifying faeries. This is the first book in the Hedgewitch series and is due to be published in 2022 - I can’t wait to read the rest!

I wanted to choose a book about unicorns (given they’re one of my favorite things to write about!) and this is the second book in a great magical series perfect for middle-grade readers who prefer shorter chapter books. Ava and her friends live in Arramia along with many magical creatures such as unicorns, dragons, firebirds, and star wolves. In this book, Ava sets out on a daring adventure to rescue a gorgeous baby unicorn who has been stolen from his herd by an evil villain. Paula Harrison is a brilliant writer for readers who like reading about magic and animals. She creates wonderful worlds and her books are hard to put down. The Royal Rescues is another great series too. 

Chloe Ryder is one of the (many) alter-egos of my writing partner, Julie Sykes (we write the Unicorn Academy and Forever Homes series together). Julie wrote this series years before we started collaborating and I have always loved it (as did my pony-crazy daughter when she was eight). It’s a perfect series for younger middle-grade readers who like their magic to be very sparkly. If they get hooked on the first one there are plenty more to read! When Pippa gets whisked away to the island of Chevalia, she quickly makes friends with Princess Stardust, a talking pony, and discovers that the magic horseshoes that give the ponies their magic have gone missing. Can Pippa help the ponies find their horseshoes and save their wonderful island before it’s too late?

And last but definitely not least, one of my favorite books from when I was growing up. Carbonel tells the story of Rosie, a young girl who thinks she is going to have a very boring summer until she buys a cat (Carbonel) from a retiring witch and gets drawn into an amazing adventure trying to free him from the witch’s binding spell and helping him to reclaim his royal throne. I read this book so many times when I was a child that the copy I owned fell to bits. I adored the bond between Rosie and Carbonel and the way the author effortlessly weaved magic into everyday life. She made magic seem so possible and so real – a feeling I have tried to capture in my own writing ever since!

As much as I love mysteries that are all done and dusted in a weekend, I also enjoy the longer, slower type of whodunit where the plot unfolds over weeks and even months. Murder in the Snow kicks off at Christmastime with a murdered thug, a missing housekeeper, and a possible ghost, but psychoanalyst and amateur detective Mrs. Bradley sticks around to solve the crime.

Bradley is often compared to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and appeared in sixty-six novels over half a century. In contrast to Agatha Christie’s famous heroine, Mrs. Bradley is a rather witchy and sarcastic character, but I enjoyed the way she works with her nephew and his wife in this book to solve the mystery of a series of disreputable characters’ involvement in a puzzling crime.

Con Riley writes prose like no other, and whilst this is the second book in her Christmas series, it can be read as a standalone.

This is a well-rounded Christmas trip where best friends and roommates Pat and Seb finally figure out what it means to belong. To each other. A mystery backstory and small revelations along the way make this a very enjoyable festive read. Even though it never actually snows in London.

A ‘snowed in / only one bed’ classic. Our heroine is on her merry way to meet her half-siblings for a Christmas country house party, until the snow causes her carriage to come a cropper! What is a girl to do but seek shelter at the nearest castle, where a brooding Scottish widower awaits. In true Romancelandia style, the surly Earl of Darkross turns out to be rather a dish, and it isn’t long before her Yuletide journey turns from cold to scorchingly hot. 

This may be a novella, but don’t let its length fool you. It’s packed with Louisa’s trademark wit and snark. Set in Australia, it sees Ethan’s nightmare come to life––forced to go shopping on the busiest day of the year in one of the biggest shopping centers in the country. But can a Christmas miracle come from the chaos? Why, yes, yes it can. You’ll laugh out loud as Ethan and Tyler find their happily ever after.

This is a story about a whole sibling group that causes a lot of trouble. But in a way, they are the only ray of light in an otherwise dull town.

I get the idea that the townsfolk enjoy the drama more than they let on. What I really liked about this book is the writing style. It is very engaging and conversational. I was always waiting for the next punchline/payoff. Very funny.

I listened to the audiobook. It is read by Elaine Stritch. She has the best voice. I could listen to her talk all day long.

Gideon Holiday loves Christmas. He’s literally dripping with holiday cheer. Unfortunately, his grumpy next-door neighbor, Paul, the man Gideon is crushing on something fierce, hasn’t a drop of appreciation for the holiday or the accompanying festivities. That holds true until Paul finds out the younger brother he raised plans to visit for the holidays. Just like when they were kids, Paul seeks to give his brother a joyous holiday to make up for the tough times they had when his brother was a kid. But since he knows nothing about getting into the holiday spirit, he’ll need Gideon’s fabulous Christmas powers to make this the best holiday his younger brother has ever had.

This story is filled with humor and heat. While Gideon is teaching Paul how to loosen up and join in on the neighborhood holiday fun, Paul also teaches Gideon that he doesn’t have to be lonely. It’s… show more.