Ten books for reading by the fire and for warding off the winter blues
If you’re like me, the holiday season can bring a mixture of feelings, including unease and anxiety. I love chill of winter and the encouragement to stay inside with my blankets and tea. I don’t love the frantic rush of the holiday season or the darkness that hovers from early evening. Rather than sharing strictly holiday or Christmas books, I’ll be sharing my favorite “cozy” books. These books are bright, thought provoking, and perfect for reading while bundled up in piles of blankets.
A Man Called Ove – Fredrich Bachman
This contemporary novel features Ove, a grouchy older gentleman, who just barely tolerates everyone else in his neighborhood. The neighbors are too loud. Someone smiled at him and he didn’t feel like smiling back. His daily routine was fumbled by five minutes and now the day is all out of order. Ove, may be me in old Swedish man form. Heartwarming and funny, A Man Called Ove makes a great afternoon read. The audiobook (in English) is also worth a listen.
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire—J.K. Rowling
It wouldn’t be a holiday/ winter reading list without at least one Harry Potter. If you want the most “holiday” Harry Potter, it has to be Goblet of Fire. Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts is riddled with worries about school dances, a tournament that he’s far too young for, the ever-present evil that looms over him, and of course, teenage angst. Rowling’s spot-on humor and character voice is what makes each Harry Potter book so enjoyable to read. The illustrated editions of the first three books are also available and are perfect for reading with the family by the fire.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet—Becky Chambers
Like many sci-fi novels, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planetfollows the adventures of a motley space crew. However, the focus of this book is less on blowing things up or sounding impressive to other nerds. This is a character-driven sci-fi. What? Shocking, I know. It has friendships, deep discussions, realistic characters, and is a feel-good story. If sci-fi is intimidating to you, this may be a perfect book to start with. It’s also part of a series of companion novels, if you find it strikes your fancy.
Teacher Man—Frank McCourt
Anyone who has ever worked in education will appreciate Teacher Man. The third installment of Frank McCourt’s autobiographies, Teacher Man chronicles McCourt’s years teaching at NYC public high schools. God bless him. The lyrical writing, tales from the classroom, records of triumphs and losses solidify McCourt as a masterful storyteller. Side note, please read Angela’s Ashes and Tis by Frank McCourt if you feel like bawling your eyes out.
Station Eleven—Emily St. John Mandel
Now, Station Eleven is not a happy, cozy book. It’s more of an existential crisis kind of cozy book. Set in the near future, when most of humanity has died due to pandemic, Station Eleven is about survival against all odds. The human spirit—kindness, creativity, fear—that’s what survives when nothing else does. Station Eleven left me pondering it for days. It’s eerie and strange and funny and sad.
The High Mountains of Portugal—Yann Martel
Each of the three stories in this volume can stand on its own, but they flow so beautifully together. Martel paints a charming picture of Portugal, with kind, funny characters. This book explores themes of grief and love through seemingly bizarre situations. Stick with it, though. This book is a quick, but tenderhearted read with something to say.
Voracious—Cara Nicoletti
Warning: this book will make you hungry. Nicoletti cooks through her favorite books. Her mouthwatering recipes and the charming illustrations are accompanied by short essays based on her own life as a butcher and cook. Funny and honest, this book will inspire you to pay closer attention to the foods devoured in books and maybe try them out for yourself.
Leviathan—Scott Westerfeld
This book is for history buffs and/or steampunk aficionados. The first in a trilogy set in an alternate version of history, Leviathan takes place at the start of the first World War. This alternate world is full of bizarre creatures such as giant flying whales and lizards with parroting abilities. Leviathan and it’s sequels follow the adventures of Alek of Austria-Hungry and Deryn of the British Air Service. The ink illustrations in this book are by Keith Thompson. The illustrations beautifully complement all of the strange and wonderful creatures and mechanics described.
A Long Way Home—Saroo Brierley
Based on a true story, A Long Way Home is an absolute tear-jerker. It’s also a story of love, hope, and family. Five-year-old Saroo went with his older brother to look for work in a nearby town. While his brother was looking for work, Saroo fell asleep on a train. The train carried Saroo for days, until reaching Calcutta. Saroo survived on the streets alone until he was taken to an orphanage. Saroo was adopted by an Australian couple. As an adult, Saroo traced his train journey, hoping to find his birth family. This book serves as poignant reminder that adopted children have histories and identities that cannot be erased. The film version of A Long Way Home was released under the name, Lion, staring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, December 2017.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo—Taylor Jenkins Reid
Clever, sassy, and glamorous, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo peels back the curtain on (fictional) Hollywood Elite. Aging starlet, Evelyn Hugo, finally agrees to talk about her famed seven marriages, but only with Monique, an unknown journalist. As the two form a friendship, Evelyn’s fascinating life reveals itself to be more than what appears on the glitzy surface. This book seems like a girly beach read at first, but slowly sucks you in and tugs at your heartstrings.
What are some of your favorite cozy/ winter reads? Let me know, I'm always looking for new books to read. If you want to see more of my favorite books, check out my Goodreads!