I love this time of year when we can draw the curtains, light the fire and hunker down with a good book.

We're spoilt for choice this year with some fantastic novels, memoirs and children's books to choose from. So it was even more difficult to select just a few recommendations for Lesley Dolphin as we met on the BBC Radio Suffolk Afternoon Programme this month to consider gifts for Christmas.

Of course I got carried away in my descriptions, so I didn't mention as many books as I intended. But I've listed them here and you can click and follow the links to my reviews, if you'd like to know more! And listen again to our chat here.

Don't forget too to sign up too my weekly e-newsletter here which gives latest news about author visits and books I'm reading. And browse my website for other reviews and recommendations.

And if it's not too early - Happy Christmas!

Personal stories

Homesick: Why I Live in a Shed by Catriona Davies

My Penguin Year by Lindsay McCrae

Lady in Waiting by Lady Anne Glenconner

Humour

Invisible Jumpers by Joseph Ford

Local interest

Life on the Deben

Inspirational

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the The Horse by Charlie Macksey

Children's books

Kind by Alison Green (for under 5 years, and adult!)

Potkin and Stubbs and The Haunting of Peligan City by Sophie Green (for readers aged 9+)

The Umbrella Mouse by Anna Fargher (for readers aged 9+)

Novels

Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Grandmothers by Salley Vickers

Stanley and Elsie and Sorry for the Dead by Nicola Upson

Cooking

Quick Roasting Tin Simple One Dish Dinners