Tony Morrison states in Beloved, “Outside, snow solidified into graceful form. The peace of winter stars seemed permanent.” Inside, there nothing quite like cosying up in front of a fireplace with a hot beverage and a good book, and it is extra nice if it’s cold outside. Whether there’s snow on your windowsill this year or not, here are 6 Books to get you in the winter feels.
- The Lion, the witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.
There is nothing that screams winter quite like C.S. Lewis’s first foray into the world of Narnia. A magical land inside a wardrobe, frozen in an everlasting winter swallows you into a world of magical creatures where Father Christmas is real, and four children are caught in a wonderful yet treacherous land full of talking beavers, evil ice witches and friendly centaurs. Filled with magic, betrayal, forgiveness and the love of a family, this novel will chew you up and spit you out at the end, leaving you clutching an empty mug of hot cocoa while reaching for the second book.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling’s debut into this beloved world of witchcraft and wizardry. This first novel is where we are first introduced to Harry Potter, the boy-who lived. Living with his horrible relatives, Harr’s life is turned upside down when dozens of owls storm the house to deliver him letters. With three headed dogs, actual flying broomsticks, schoolboy rivalries and a shiny red rock, Rowling paints a wonderful story against the wonderful picture of a magical Christmas. This novel is a core memory of almost everyone’s childhood. If you’ve read it, read it again. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
This novel needs no explanation. The very face of Christmas, this is the book that comes off everyone’s shelf when the first snow touches the ground. The tale of a greedy miser who despises Christmas, the novel show him confronted with his own attitude when visited by three Christmas spirits. A classic Dickensian work, there have been many adaptation for both children and adults. Nevertheless, this is definitely a book that would without a doubt, make any winter reading pile.
- The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
There is never a time unsuitable for bone chilling mystery. From the comfort of your fireplace, Purcell’s novel is an intriguing picture of winter closing in on an inherited crumbling country estate. The protagonist, who inherits said estate is unnerved by wooden figures that move when no one is looking and portraits that seem to watch you as you walk down hallways. With hauntings and a touch of madness, this novel is just the book to read on a cold evening with the wind howling outside the door.
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
A winter fairytale set in the Russian wilderness, Arden’s story is chilling in a more metaphorical sense in addition to the harsh winter it is set in. Like most fairytale’s Arden’s protagonist, Vasilisa, is plagued by an evil stepmother. With Russian folklore, tales of a blue-eyed winter demon who wanders about the harsh wintry landscape and spirits that reside in the house, Vasilisa finds herself in the midst of these fairytales come to life. With its wintry magical stardust quality, this is a fantasy novel that’s hard to pass up on.
- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
No matter what time of the year it is, there is always a mystery that will make any moment feel cosy. With thirteen strangers struck on a train in the middle a blizzard, the story follows Christie’s much beloved detective Hercule Poirot as he solves a case. With one dead passenger, and twelve suspects, Murder on the Orient Express is ideal for winter reading and is enough to make a mystery lover kick their feet.
