Staff Picks: Your Next Cozy Winter Reads
/It’s that time of year (at least in the northern hemisphere) where it’s dark and cold outside, the nights are long, the fires are high, and there’s very little as satisfying as curling up in a pile of blankets with a steaming hot beverage and a good book. But where do you start? Are there holiday classics you make a tradition out of rereading, or do you find yourself craving a new and different winter’s tale?
We think a mix of both is always good, which is why we’re here with some of our own favorite holiday reads to help you spice up your TBR this year. Whether you like nonfiction or fantasy, YA or picture books, we’re pretty sure we’ve got something for everyone on this list - so make sure to check out these 9 recommendations and then run, don’t walk, to your local library or bookseller to get yourself one step closer to a cozy night beside the fire!
1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik | adult fantasy
For all the fantasy fiends out there, you’ll be enthralled by this beautifully crafted rags-to-riches tale of a young woman whose determination and resourcefulness in the face of hardship leads her to an impossible task and a vital mission. This Rumpelstiltskin reimagining sets the familiar tale in a sharply atmospheric world of enchanted winter, exploring what it means to have hope and remain fierce against the harshest of environments; each character is complex, enthralling, and brave beyond words. This book also features strong representation of Jewish religion and culture.
2. The Sullivan Sisters by Kathryn Ormsbee | young adult contemporary
A late-December story that’s also a bit spooky, this young adult novel takes us on a fraught and secretive Christmas trip down the Oregon coast with the three Sullivan sisters: fourteen-year-old Murphy, an aspiring magician desperate to prove herself; seventeen-year-old Claire, a straight-A student determined to stay on the trajectory of greatness; and eighteen-year-old Eileen, a pessimistic artist struggling to carry the weight of family secrets on her shoulders. It’s a love letter to siblinghood and a tender mystery whose biggest question is not what happened in the past, but how the future can be changed - and it also features a delightfully creepy old mansion and a charming small-town diner and some great queer rep. Make yourself a blanket castle and a cup of cocoa for this one; you’ll want to stay up far past your bedtime.
3. Recommended For You by Laura Silverman | young adult romance
Do your holiday fantasies take place in the warm nook of a bookstore coffee shop? If so, crack open this delightful winter romcom featuring two Jewish teens competing for their bookstore’s holiday bonus and trying very hard to not fall in love, especially when they learn that the store needs more help this year than they thought. This book has got hate-to-love, exploration of cultural identity and faith, complex family bonds, and plenty of baked goods; it’s fluffy and charming in all the best ways.
4. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats | picture book
Parents, teachers, and all those young at heart, this one is for you. A simply perfect winter picture book that traipses through the perfect snowy day, with beautiful and unique art that delightfully depicts every slip and slide and soggy shoe. (And a fun holiday bonus = there are Snowy Day stamps that often show up in US post offices this time of year. What better way to send off your holiday cards?)
5. How to Be A Good Creature by Sy Montgomery | nonfiction memoir
Okay, this one isn’t technically a winter-exclusive book, but it embodies the coziness and gentle attention of nights by the fire surrounded by soft creatures. If you’re a nonfiction reader and/or animal lover, this is a perfect book to tuck into for a closer look at thirteen animals and the role they’ve played in the author’s life: a memoir influenced by science and laced with love. Read one each night before bed, or read it all at once on a snowy afternoon, or start your day with these little moments of calm and curiosity.
6. Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay | poetry
Speaking of less traditional / on-the-nose winter reads that are nonetheless perfect for a cozy night in, we had to sneak something in here for our many poetry lovers. And what better than a jumping and meandering, joyful and unexpected poem in book form that can be devoured all at once? This is a meditation on everything from the changing of the seasons to moments with loved ones and circles hard feelings of loss and sorrow with soft realizations of beauty - all of which resonates at this time of year, as we contemplate the shift from sunlight to darkness and reflect on everything we’ve lived through since last winter - and the reappearance of motifs such as gardening and blooming reminds us what there is to look forward to when the light returns again.
7. Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige | young adult fantasy
If you’re hungry for another fairytale, look no further than this retelling of Snow White meets The Snow Queen spliced with the modern world. In order to unravel her past and discover her destiny, seventeen-year-old Snow must find a way to escape the institution that has become her home and journey back to the magical world to which she truly belongs - with, of course, a liberal dash of romantic intrigue along the way.
8. We Are Okay by Nina Lacour | young adult contemporary
Sometimes the holidays are complicated. Sometimes the festivities feel a bit too sweet and the classic books and movies don’t quite ring true. Sometimes you just need a story that will give you a good cry, one that warms you from the inside out and leaves you feeling raw but hopeful… and this gorgeous novel does exactly that. Set in a college dormitory, this book follows two estranged best friends over the course of three snowed-in days, interwoven with flashbacks to the life they used to share and the events that have led them here, as Mabel tries to convince Marin to come back home for the holidays. We Are Okay is a powerful and moving story of grief, loss, vulnerability, queerness, and what it means to be loved, and will leave you feeling wrecked in the absolute best way.
9. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle | young adult romcom
If you haven’t read this YA holiday classic and love snowy romps, cute romance, and hashbrown-centered misadventures, now is the time to get on board! This book is comprised of three stories, each by a different author and centered around the same little snowed-in town, and it’s delightful to see how all the characters’ lives and stories intertwine. There’s also a Netflix adaptation that is just as full of warm holiday cheer and adds several charming twists to this well-worn novel.