Cold Weather Reads

When the temperature begins to fall and the rain turns to snow, my mind turns to Christmas. I want to surround myself in a comfy blanket of magic and family. I want to dive into books that will pull me into an entirely different, sometimes magical, sometimes cold, world. I want to share my top ten cold weather reads with you.

(1) The entire Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling : approaching the Christmas season, there is nothing better than Harry Potter. The story is full of magic, friendship, family, love, and celebration. If you haven't read it, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Get off my blog and read it!

(2) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness : Sometimes I need a good tear jerker to remind me how lucky I am to have these people I love so close to me. A Monster Calls is the perfect quick read that will bring you to tears every single time.

(3) The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer : Filled with magic, friendship, and a lot of childish fun, this four book series pulls you into a futuristic world that seems a little magical and certainly very cold.

(4) A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: If you're looking for a more serious magical read, this is the one for you. In this world there are four different Londons. Each has a different capacity for magic. Only two men, soon to be one, can travel in-between. This story is a more grown up magical universe in which it is easy to get lost during the Christmas season.

(5) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë : Moving on the epic fiction. This story is a timeless classic that you can enjoy during any season, I just find it particularly enjoyable during the cold weather months, and I would recommend reading it in front of the fireplace with a hot cup of hot cocoa. The tone is dark and the descriptions of fireplaces, long dresses, and rich fabrics warm me up from the inside out.

(6) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara : Another epic fiction, this might take you all winter to get through, but it will be worth it. This story follows four college friends as they grow into, and through, adulthood. It is about friendship, depression, humanity, and just about everything else that comes with life. If you're overwhelmed by holiday cheer, never fear, this book is sure to dampen your mood.

(7) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak : Winter is looming on the edge here where I live, but winter is also looming on the edge of Germany where the book thief lives. The cold, hunger, and tragedy of Germany in WWII feels very wintery, but the warmth, love, and hope that our little book thief spreads has the spirit of Christmas.

(8) The Giver by Lois Lowry : Christmas is a season of hope. This dystopian read starts off colorless and stagnant, but the world is quickly filled with color, emotions, and one strong ray of hope.

(9) The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood : This is a dystopian tale without the hope. This world is cold, and scary, but extremely important. I think this book is something that can and should be read in every season, but the hardness present makes this a cold weather read for me.

(10) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky : This is a story of family, friendship, and the odd kids out. A big chunk of this novel takes place around Christmas. A word of warning: this is one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book (in my opinion, of course), but it is one of my all-time favorite movies.