Good books to read this festive season

The festive season is upon us which means that it’s time to relax and take it easy.
Winding down comes in many forms and while most will not be going away this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they can find solace in a good book.

Here are five good books to tuck into for the festive season:

Celebrated South African author Niq Mhlongo has just released two of his latest books while on a fellowship programme in Berlin, Germany.
Paradise in Gaza which was released in October this year is a nostalgic book set during the apartheid era. It tells the story of life during apartheid times.
“It is set in the rural and urban areas about a person who is struggling to gain citizenship. On top of that the overriding theme is African spirituality,” he said.
Mhlongo added that it was a good read because it took you on a journey of loss, understanding, spirituality and healing.

A light-hearted read to cuddle up to and escape reality, The Family Holiday by Elizabeth Noble is all about the ups and downs of family dynamics. Divided and reunited, the Chamberlain family come together again by some miracle to celebrate a birthday. For just 10 days, will this family holiday be everything and more? Wonderful and warm, this easy to read book should inspire you to reconnect with your own family this festive season.

This is one for the creatives at heart. Writers & Lovers tells the story a young artist with a passion for literature and the arts. Set in 1997, the character, Casey Peabody has been working on her novel for six years and is determined to live her truth as a creative while she juggles the surprises of life. A captivating novel, the author Lily King included all the heart, intelligence and humour that she is known for. Exploring the giant leap from one phase of life to the next, this book will have you following your own dreams in the new year.

Another novel by Mhlongo which was also released in October, tells the deep, dark secrets of the city. Joburg Noir is a collection of 20 stories by South African authors.
“Seventeen are fiction and three are essays into the hidden world of Joburg from the past, present and future. It is the Joburg we didn’t know existed,” he said.
A variety of beautiful stories with different themes from crime to corruption to family. Multilayered but all talking to the city of Joburg.

And lastly, the perfect story for the romantics and dreamers, Love your Life written by Sophie Kinsella has Ava escaping to a writer’s retreat in Italy. After a recent break-up and unfortunate brush with a dating app, Ava puts love on hold. Fantasising about finishing a novel she’s been writing, Ava leaves her dog Harold behind and heads to the Mediterranean. While there, a passionate love affair sparks until reality kicks in and Ava finds that she may not be compatible with her new lover. A chick read perfect for the season.