Winter Reading Recommendations

Written on February 08, 2024

When the temperature drops and you’re looking for something new to read, look no further than our winter-inspired reading list. From fairytales to horror to nonfiction, an interesting mix of titles await, depending on your mood.

Here are six winter reading recommendations:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The first book in The Winternight Trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale weaves historical fiction and fantasy together to create a transportive story set against Russia’s unforgiving wintry wilderness.

Young Valisia finds comfort in her family’s small cabin, snuggled up with her siblings and listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. After her mother dies and her father travels to Moscow and returns with a new wife, her devout religious views impose upon the household’s dedication to its spirits. The darkest parts of fairy tales come to fruition as her stepmother grows increasingly cruel. Vasilia realizes she must reveal the magical gifts she has kept concealed to protect her family.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Based on a Russian fairytale, The Snow Child tells the story of a couple trying to rebuild their lives in the harsh wilderness of 1920s Alaska. The grief following a loss and the struggles of winter homesteading are slowly driving them apart, but during a snowstorm, they playfully craft a child made of snow. Soon after, they start to see a young girl running through the trees, a red fox by her side. Is she a ghost? A magical creature?

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Nora Walker and the women in her family have long felt a connection to the woods. This connection is what leads Nora to find Oliver Huntsman, a boy who had disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys and should have long succumbed to the wintry weather. Nora wants to discover how he survived his time in the forest, but Oliver has many secrets he wants to keep hidden. In a mysterious and magical story, readers will be forced to ponder what lies in the woods.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

For winter chills in the form of a page-turner horror story, Dead of Winter delivers with its isolated setting, dreadful weather conditions, a lack of supplies, and grisly murders.

A tour group heading for a secluded lodge in the Rocky Mountains seeks refuge in an abandoned cabin after a snowstorm and fallen tree prevent them from proceeding on their journey. During the night, their tour guide goes missing and is found dead in a gruesome manner. Eight strangers try to survive both the elements, and an unseen killer, in this scary story that keeps the reader guessing.

The Book of Nordic Self-Care by Elisabeth Carlsson

The Nordic countries are known to be some of the happiest in the world. In this easy-to-read book with charming illustrations, author Elisabeth Carlsson recommends various self-care habits perfect for improving everyday life. Topics explored include wellness practices, food and cooking, immersing oneself in nature, and navigating the challenges of winter.

My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking

The Danish concept of hygge has really captured the world’s fascination, with the number of books and products promoting its cozy and comfortable feeling exploding in the last few the years. Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark, guides readers through simple-to-implement steps to create a comfortable home inspired by Danish ideals.

If these winter reading recommendations get you longing for sunshine and blue skies, contact our team to plan a tropical getaway!