10 holiday reading recommendations from UM Libraries
Take a break with these relaxing reads
After a busy term answering questions, helping you with your research, and directing you to library resources, UM Libraries staff would like to recommend their favourite comfort reads to get you through a stressful exam season and help you relax during the Winter Holiday break. Find these books in the Libraries collections, at the UM bookstore, or your preferred place to borrow or buy books.
1. THE TRICKING OF FREYA by Christina Sunley
Recommended by Kathy Finlayson, Library Assistant, Outreach Services
“A family saga that takes the reader from Winnipeg’s West End, to Gimli, Manitoba and on to a journey across Iceland. Lots of local landmarks appear in this novel along with Elizabeth Dafoe Library and UM Archives. A very emotional read with local flair.”
2. SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan
Recommended by Jennifer Glass, Digitization Assistant
“This book was beautifully written, provokes thought, and punches far above its weight. It is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2022 and later adapted into a film. This novella is available from the Libraries in both print and electronic formats.”
3. THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore
Recommended by Caroline Monnin, Health Sciences Librarian
“Winter break is the perfect time for a great mystery, and this was my favourite of the year. Set at a 1970s summer camp where a camper goes missing, the story also weaves in a nearby wealthy family whose own secrets from decades earlier add an extra layer of intrigue without ever feeling over the top.”
4. LEGENDS AND LATTES by Travis Baldree
Recommended by Pamela Darling, Library Assistant 2, WRHA Virtual Library
“A fantasy novel about an orc who opens a coffee shop. Very whimsical and fun read.”
5. THE STRANGE CASE OF THE ALCHEMIST’S DAUGHTER by Theodora Goss
Recommended by Norman Howe, Library Assistant 3
“This book is a hoot! It starts with the narrative of Mary Jekyll, daughter of the late Dr. Jekyll (yes, that one!) and proceeds to add characters from various other 19th century works. By the time I reached the Great Detective himself, I was hooked. Not a Christmas story, but a certain other holiday would be obvious.”
6. CHRISTMAS DAYS: 12 STORIES AND 12 FEASTS FOR 12 DAYS by Jeanette Winterson and EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET by Benjamin Stevenson
Recommended by Janice Winkler, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Librarian
“I have a couple of advent calendar-style books to recommend. A tradition I’ve enjoyed for a few years now is listening to the audiobook of Jeanette Winterson’s Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days, where you get a story and a recipe for each of the 12 days of Christmas. I love bundling up and going out for a walk with the day’s story. For a lighter, more fun read, I’m currently reading Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, which is a chapter a day until the mystery is solved on Christmas Eve. The chapters are short so it’s not a big time commitment.”
7. NEUROMANCER by William Gibson
Recommended by Claire Settee, Indigenous Librarian Intern
“If you are looking for something really different and out there, I recommend Neuromancer by William Gibson. It’s so trippy and futuristic yet also very other worldly. I liked how chaotic and funny it was while also being unsettling and weird. Would definitely read more William Gibson despite this mixed review.”
8. HOW TO AGE DISGRACEFULLY by Clare Pooley
Recommended by Tatiana Gericke, Cataloguing & Acquisitions Assistant
“It is a funny, heartwarming story featuring some feisty seniors as protagonists. If you want an easy read that will lift your spirits, this fits the bill.”
9. PANDORA’S JAR: WOMEN IN THE GREEK MYTHS by Natalie Haynes
Recommended by Cyryl Borgfjord, Digitization Assistant
“Natalie Haynes takes what could be a dry topic—the sidelined women of Greek myth—and turns it into a witty, engaging read. Her sharp humour and clear passion bring these women to equal footing with the men who long dominated their stories.”
10. THE TAINTED CUP by Robert Jackson Bennett
Recommended by Elliot Hanowski, Assistant Librarian
“If you like mysteries or fantasies you should check out The Tainted Cup, which is a brilliant blend of the two genres and the winner of the 2025 Hugo Award. It follows a Holmes-and-Watson-style detective duo investigating a politically dangerous murder in a highly original fantasy world. I found it immensely compelling and enjoyable.”
UM Libraries locations are open for study during exams, with group and individual study spaces available at various library locations across Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses. For quick online help, chat with library staff on Ask Us.
All UM Libraries locations will be closed December 24, 2024 – January 4, 2025, with adjusted hours December 19-23.