The holiday season is great – when I was in the UK, it was pretty much the only time everyone in London was genuinely happy! Apart from too much food and wine and spending time with friends and loved ones, one thing I have always loved about this time of year is all the extra reading time you can make for yourself…especially when you want to avoid conversations or not be social (guilty as charged!).

It’s the ideal time to get lost in a great story so if you’re looking for something to read at this time of year, these are 5 suggestions to get you started:

A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth) – this comes top of the list because, because…and I am so excited about this…there’s a jump sequel called A Suitable Girl in the pipeline!! My favourite family saga follows the lives of four extended families in a newly independent India in the 1950s – this is THE book to pick up if you want to not talk to anyone in between meals during the holidays (and if like me, you manage to pick it up on Kindle for 99p on daily deal, well done you!)

The House of the Spirits (Isabel Allende) – a family saga spanning decades, weaving personal and political stories into a magical and epic tale of love and destiny.

The Clifton Chronicles (Jeffrey Archer) – I am in the middle of the last of this 7-book series following the lives and times of Clifton and Barrington families across generations…slow to start but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded by exceptional storytelling and memorable characters.

A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman) – a grumpy, solitary man’s life is turned upside down after a young family moves in next door. One of those warm, leaves-you-with-a-fuzzy-feeling stories that is witty to boot.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman) – heartwarmingly sad and funny in equal parts.