Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne (HarperTeen, 2007). A light-hearted romance set in the car-less land of Mackinac Island near Michigan with wonderfully realistic characters. A great vacation read if you are still in that easy going mindset!
Whispering to Witches by Anna Dale (Bloomsbury USA Children's, 2005). A boy encounters witches while spending his Christmas holiday with his mother and stepfather in snowy Canterbury, England. A great fantasy choice for tweens as well as older teens, especially those who are Harry Potter fans.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (St. Martin's Griffin, 2013).
Two misfits fall in love, bonding over comics, alternative music and mutual awkwardness. This realistic and touching story set in 1986 also tackles mature themes such as bullying and abuse, with an ending sure to warm your heart.
Blankets by Craig Thompson ( Top-Shelf Productions, 2003).
At 592 pages this graphic novel may seem intimidating, but fear not! This wonderfully personal coming of age story, featuring Craig himself as a boy in blustery Wisconsin, is sure to fly by quickly even for reluctant high school readers.
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) by Phillip Pullman (Alfred A. Knopf, 1996).
A thrilling fantasy that follows orphaned pre-teen Lyra as she ventures to find her kidnapped friend and uncle, complete with danger, witch encounters (both good and bad) and a helpful armored polar bear. Another great read for tweens and teens, it will be hard for them to not race through the next two books in this trilogy.