Have you ever just really wanted to curl up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book while snow falls gently outside, but then you look at the weather and its ninety degrees all week? Or have you stared longingly at your comfy sweaters, cozy hats, and fuzzy socks while the outside world boils? Well, reading is nothing if not escapism, and that counts for seasons too. For all those readers sick of summer, take a look at these winter wonderlands in book form.
1. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
In the wintery world of Alaska in 1920, a childless and lonely couple, Jack and Mabel, are drifting apart under the weight of their circumstances and situation. In a magical moment of the first snowfall, they build a child made of snow. The next morning, the child is gone, but they see a young child running through the trees. This child is called Faina, and she seems like she’s stepped right out of a fairy tale, with her prodigious hunting ability, red fox companion, and impossible survival skills.
The Snow Child is a story of found family, as Mabel and Jack learn to love this wild child as their own daughter, and of how life is in this beautiful, violent place. The undercurrent of mystery and darkness of this wintery story is truly fascinating, and you’ll be sucked into the icy yet wondrous world of 1920 Alaska. Winter-loving readers, The Snow Child is for you.
2. Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
If what you really miss about winter is those beloved cookies, check out Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi. This story follows Perdita Lee, a British teenager, as she tries to find her mother’s long-lost friend and connect with her mother. Through a surprising and heartwrenching story of jealousy, ambition, family grudges, work, wealth, and real estate, the one thing that holds value is a family passed-down gingerbread recipe.
For a fascinating and satisfying tale of family, folklore, and gingerbread, book-lovers who are tired of summer and want a little winter magic and wonder should read Gingerbread. This novel will deliver both intense moments and cozy warmth in turn in a wonderful and heartwarming tale.
3. Greenglass House by Kate Milford
This New York Times best seller follows the story of Milo, a twelve-year-old boy ready to spend to his winter holidays relaxing at his parents’ inn, which is usually quiet in the winter. However, this winter brings a series of odd, secretive guests to the inn, each one with an strange and suspicious story. The inn gets stranger and stranger as Milo and his friend Meddy try to figure out what’s going on and “discover the truth about Greenglass House—and themselves.”
This icy and wintery setting will transport readers into the world of winter, where sweltering summer days are long past. And it perfectly complements the mysterious and eerie story of Milo and Greenglass House. So if you want a nice wintery mystery to chill your bones and surprise the heck out of you, check out Greenglass House!
4. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
We all know about Charles Dickens and his A Christmas Carol. This story takes that concept and runs with it, bringing us into the world of Dickens himself. Dickens, who is just not feeling the Christmas spirit, is fed up with writing, critics, his wife’s lavish Christmas party, and money. So when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas-themed book, he refuses and begins to suffer from serious writer’s block.
And then, much like Scrooge, he’s taken on a journey by a mystery Eleanor Lovejoy which tests everything he believes in. Alongside Dickens, readers will learn about generosity, friendship, ambition, love, and the winter wonderland of Christmas. So, Dickens-lovers, strap in for an heartwarming and charming adventure that’ll keep you engaged and enchanted throughout. Go check out Mr. Dickens and His Carol.
5. Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North by Blair Braverman
If memoirs are more your thing, check out Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube. This book charts Blair’s adventures in driving sled dogs in Norway and her life working as a tour guide on a glacier in Alaska. She faces tough battles against the ruthless icy landscape, from being buried alive in an ice cave to driving a dogsled across the tundra through a whiteout blizzard. Blair’s story will keep you hooked and hungry for more through the whole book.
Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube “captures the triumphs and perils of the journey to self-discovery in a landscape that is as beautiful as it is unforgiving.” If you want a heart-wrenching and exhilarating story set in a frigidly difficult world in order to get your mind off of the heat outside, go check out Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube!
Sometimes, you’re just a reader who wants to curl up inside with a book and watch snow fall outside your frosty window. But, during the summer months, when you go to do just that, your window is full of a too-bright sun, fuzzy heat waves, and the sweltering sweat of just existing. But there will always be books to turn to for respite, and these five wintery books will take your mind off of the heat outside.