Wintery Reads for Snowy Sundays

Winter is upon us. The days have shortened and darkness falls faster than ever. So many moments begin to feel tailor-made for reading by candlelight, wrapped in a sweater against the bitter cold outside.

If you’re lamenting that you don’t have any new books that match this environmental aesthetic, keep on reading. I have four books for you that are perfect for a snowy, winter wonderland backdrop. Read these on your next ski vacation while taking a break in a warm lodge, or on your couch with a roaring fireplace. 

‘The Inugami Curse’ by Seshi Yokomizo 

This installment in the longer Detective Kosuke Kindaichi series of Japanese crime fiction novels is like ‘Knives Out’ but in the 1940s, and even more bloody. This novel is for those who love the chill of winter and the scarier aspect that this season can bring. The plot is intricate and fast paced, and I kept guessing until the very end. I hadn’t read any Japanese crime fiction before this one, but I will definitely be picking up more in the future!

‘The Gray Wolf’ by Louise Penny 

This is the latest installment in Penny’s expansive Inspector Gamache mystery series, following the investigative exploits of Armand Gamache in the fictional, tiny Quebec town of Three Pines. The town seems plucked out of my warm and cozy dreams. Everyone knows each other; there is a downtown with a bistro and a bookstore, and snow blankets the town through the winter. This series has a more cozy mystery vibe rather than a violent one, and these are quick and easy reads!

‘Small Things like These’ by Clare Keegan 

This 120 page gem of contemporary Irish literature follows a family in the 1980s in a small country town, mainly through the perspective of Bill Furlong, the father. The book is set during a week at Christmas time, complete with snowy fields and biting cold–cold that often turns dangerous as Bill uncovers a hushed up town secret that has a pointed intersection with his own tragic past. Rife with imagery, this book can be torn through in one afternoon, and it’s one you’ll be thinking about long after it’s completed. Also, the recent film adaption with Cillian Murphy as Bill is fantastic!

‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte

I’ve read this novel three times and it never gets old. This is my favorite of the gothic novels, and my favorite Bronte novel. It obviously features the gothic aesthetic heavily, but also with themes of religion, independence, love, and family. The ambience this conjures up seems tailor made to the weather that sends wind whooshing against your door, almost like a voice calling out in the wintery night. I also adore the 2011 adaptation of this novel with Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. The score is particularly beautiful and great to pop on while reading during the winter! 

The snow is falling and your fireplace is calling, so get reading!