From Rom-Coms to Mysteries, Here Are 42 Christmas Books to Keep You Cozy This Season

Readers may know Gregory Maguire as the author behind the "Wizard of Oz" spinoff "Wicked." Years later, Maguire put his own unique spin on another beloved literary property: "The Nutcracker." "Hiddensee" is no mere retelling, though. In this story, Maguire treats readers to a tale of the origins of the nutcracker, a mystical being, involving his creator, the toymaker Godfather Drosselmeier, and the toymaker's goddaughter, Klara. The story is in turns bittersweet and uplifting. Calling on German Romanticism and spooky Hellenic mysteries alike, the tale woven is one of personal struggle, timeless magical secrets, and discovering one's own power.