Need some reading suggestions for a snowy evening in with fleecy blankets and hot cocoa? We’ve got you covered! Between the leisure reading collection, borrowing requests from other libraries and local community resources, the Libraries are never low on books. Here are some favorites from a few members of the Libraries team, whether you’re in the mood for something cozy, inspiring, or downright chilling. Happy reading!
The Bear and the Nightingale
by Katherine Arden
Set in a medieval Russian village and drawing on Eastern European folk tales like the Winter King, this is the ultimate book to read by the fireplace. The first in a trilogy, the story follows Vasya, who keeps company with the house spirits as she navigates the schemes of her wicked stepmother. When a devout new priest arrives to crack down on paganism, things start to go awry in the village and the mysterious forest that surrounds it. Coincidence? Perhaps not. If you like this one, check out The Warm Hands of Ghosts by the same author.
–Jillian Sandy, Instruction and Outreach Librarian
Legends and Lattes
by Travis Baldree
The entire series is about turning over a new leaf and making a comfy and cozy place of acceptance. It’s fantasy, but it’s an easy book to get into with explanations of different DnD factions and creatures.
–Lewis Graye, Library Assistant 1
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
by Hwang Bo-Reum
It’s a cozy book about a woman who quits her high-stress job to open a bookshop in a quiet neighborhood in Seoul. It also explores the friendships that she makes along the way and the challenges and triumphs of running a bookshop.
–Meghan Lenahan, Electronic Resources Librarian
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir
by Ina Garten
My mother gave this book to me last Christmas and I was reluctant to read it because honestly, I thought it seemed a little silly. But mothers are always right. This was actually one of the better books that I read this year! I was charmed by her honesty.
The story spans her lifetime so the setting changes. As her life unfolds the pace increases. The writing is solid throughout. Ina Garten’s life could be reduced to what on the surface is charmed, but the story is about choosing to live unafraid while other forces are at work.
–Carrie Blabac-Myers, Director of Academic, Community and Global Engagement
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary
by M. R. James
From the tradition of ghost stories told around the holidays, M. R. James’ tales are great for a long, cold winter’s evening. James was a scholar of medieval manuscripts, and that comes through in his stories, many of which feature books, manuscripts, and libraries. Try out “The Mezzotint,” “Casting the Runes,” “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to you, my Lad,” or “Number 13.”
–Jeremy Dibbell, Special Collections Librarian
Misery
by Stephen King
It’s a cold and blustery book that will get you through a long bus ride home or a few lazy days at home over the holidays. Despite the grueling subject matter, a kidnapping in the aftermath of a car crash in the snow, the novel is more psychological thriller than horror. It’s a masterclass in suspense and written in King’s characteristically accessible prose, it’s perfect easy reading for anyone weary at the end of the semester. It’s a book about people having worse winter weather and a worse holiday than you are!
–Lark Wilson, Special Collections Librarian for Instruction, Reference, and Engagement