TBR (To-Be-Read) This Christmas

I’m always asking for books when Christmas rolls around, and winter break is a great time to catch up on some of my reading. Here’s some of the books I’m hoping to get my hands on this December: 

1. Tough Mothers: Amazing Stories of History’s Mightiest Matriarchs by Jason Porath- I loved the information and illustrations in Porath’s first collection like this, Rejected Princesses, and I’m willing to bet this sequel is equally amazing. Lots of stories of amazing women across lots of different cultures and time periods. 
2. Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine- I’m midway through the second book of this series right now and I absolutely love it. The premise of this series is so much fun for me as a reader and classicist with the Library of Alexandria’s prominent role, but I also really enjoy the writing and the moral questions it raises. 
3. The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman- This one’s supposed to be a little like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, which is all about murder, mystery, and isolation in a small-town college. Academia thrillers are definitely my style, if done right, so I would love to read The Lake of Dead Languages–especially since there’s a Latin connection. 
4. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings #2) by Mackenzi Lee- The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue was so much fun and so well done that I’m dying to read the sequel. Felicity was definitely interesting as a side character, so I’m excited to see what she’ll do as a protagonist. More historical intrigue and mystery, with both old and new characters sounds like a win to me. 
5. Circe by Madeline Miller- I was actually less impressed by Miller’s other Greek-myth inspired novel, The Song of Achilles, than a lot of people. But I’m willing to give her another try with Circe. Circe is a fascinating and underdeveloped character in her initial body of literature, so I’m curious to see what Miller does with her here. 

What are some books you’re looking to read this winter?