Books For The Holidays + The Oracle Staff's Favorite Books of 2017

Written by: Chloe Maher 

Winter vacation is coming up in less than a week! What better way to get in the holiday spirit than to curl up by the fire with a good book? These wonderful books that take place around December are sure to warm 
your heart….

Books seven through twelve can be found in the school library.

1.Let it Snow

A collection of short stories written by a variety of best-selling authors such are perfect if you’re in the mood for a joyful, easy read to pass the time.

2. Ex-mas

Lila has what some would consider a perfect life. She’s the second most popular girl in school and is oh-so close to cementing her social status by throwing the party of the year. Not so fortunately for Lila, her little brother Cooper embarks on a mission to save Santa Claus from global warming having its effect on the North Pole! On her weekend mission to find Cooper, Lila reconnects with Beau, her troubled ex-boyfriend, and realizes life isn’t as perfect as it seems.

3. Kissing Snowflakes

For those who are staying in Sparta, New Jersey but are dreaming of a whirlwind vacation romance this is a lovely read!

4. Isla and the Happily Ever After

Though not specifically a Christmas book, it does take place partially during Christmas time… it’s a must read for romantics. Josh and Isla’s fairytale romance will make you swoon, especially the chapters that take place at Christmastime!

5. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

For readers searching for a bit more adventure, this is worth the read. Lily leaves a list full of dares in a bookstore at Christmastime...the rest is filled with a hectic journey! Though not wholly realistic, it’s a story of fate, love and two strangers brought together at the most wonderful time of the year.

6. Eloise at Christmastime

A total childhood classic! Read this one to your little cousins at Christmas dinner. If you’re not in the Christmas spirit yet, this might be the spark that you need!

7. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

This is the perfect choice for fans of the Audrey Hepburn movie! It consists of a similar plot as the movie and is a wonderful choice for fans of throwback stories. It’s the whirlwind story of a flighty woman, Holly Golightly, searching for a wealthy husband in New York City.

8. Winter Garden

This a heartwarming tale of two sisters who reunite in hardship. Meredith and Nina Whitson are absolute opposites, but when their father is on his deathbed the two women must come together. On his deathbed, their father invokes a promise, that their mother will tell them a love story that spans continents and started years and years ago. After Nina’s persistence to discover the truth, this tale uncovers an earth-shattering secret..

9. Little Women

Little Women depicts the lives of the four March sisters growing up and dealing with hardship. It’s a heartwarming novel every girl should read at least once in her lifetime. Winter break is the best time to pick this one up if you haven’t already.

10. A Christmas Carol

Who doesn’t just adore a Christmas Carol? The movie is perhaps the most renowned Christmas movie of all time and the book is sure to measure up!

11. Silent Night

This book is an absolute thrill! It’s December and Brian Dornan and his family travel to New York in an effort to help Brian’s father, who has recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. But when Brian spies a thief stealing his mothers wallet which contains a family heirloom, a dangerous adventure ensues for the young boy...

12. Gingerbread

After getting expelled from her elite boarding school, rebellious Cyd returns, along with her beloved rag doll Gingerbread, to San Francisco to live with her mom and step-dad.  When proved to be too much of a handful, she’s sent to New York City to get to know her real family. This book would be wonderful for anyone who enjoyed The Wrong Side of Right.

We clearly foster a love of literature at The Oracle - we spend our free time writing and/or reading! Here are some of our staff members favorite books we read in 2017, whether it was something in English class we found intriguing, or something we could pick up for leisure -- when we aren’t bombarded with school work and writing articles.

Elise Kerim: “My favorite books of the year? Oh boy… I highly recommend The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson that will keep you on the edge of your seat - my mouth was gaping when they solved the mystery. Just get past the first 80 pages or so that describes the history! I need to pick up the rest in this series. Another book that I couldn’t put down when I really should have been studying was The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult - it’s a bit unlike her other novels and is filled with secrets and an ethical dilemma. Over break, I’ll be reading Principles by Ray Dalio.”

Kanita Tariq: “As part of summer reading for my English course this year, I had to read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and really enjoyed it! It’s a World War II novel whose perspectives were very interesting to me and unlike the ones I’ve ever read before. We had to write an essay about it when we began the school year and I for sure wasn’t complaining about that assignment!”

Brandon Drapeau: “The best book I read this year was 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It was an incredible book that reflected on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and what could have been done to prevent his early death.”

Sarim Awan: “The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and 1984, George Orwell.”

Sara Collver: “Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell was so good! My favorite of the year without a doubt.”

Sarah Dioneda: “Some books I fell in love with this year were: Call Me Your Name by Andre Aciman, The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis, and of course, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. Over break, I’ll finish my current book, 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.”