Cozy Books for the Winter

Letters from Father Christmas

JRR Tolkien

Fantasy, Picked by Scott Morgan

This book features letters and artwork sent from Father Christmas to J.R.R. Tolkien's children from 1920 to 1943. Illustrations feature charming pictures of the North Pole, the Northern Lights, and the characters depicted in the letters. The letters are written in Tolkien's distinctive spidery style and the stories are heartwarming, featuring characters like a well-intended but mischievous polar bear and the Man in the Moon. Other characters more familiar from Tolkien's works include troublesome dragons and battling elves and ogres.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Toshikazu Kawaguchiv

Fiction, Picked by Sara Kinoshita

A short novel about love, loss and missed opportunities. All relatable stores with a fantastical twist that retains the humanity and painfully human experiences of loving someone else.

What You Are Looking For is in The Library

Michiko Aoyama

Fiction, Picked by Mel de Leon

A wonderful, funny, and delightful book about escaping the existential dread of how to live a meaningful life. This is a collection of short stories about unsticking yourself with a little help from the library.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies

Heather Pawcett

Cozy Fantasy, Picked by Jessie Brooke

This is such a charming, low-stakes fantasy about a scholar attempting to write the world’s first comprehensive encyclopedia of faeries. It has a little romance, wonderfully endearing characters, and just the right amount of magic and adventure. It’s the perfect short, cozy read to curl up with!

The Hunter

Tana French

Mystery, Picked by Tammy Durston

Need something to read this winter? Tana French’s The Hunter is a very atmospheric mystery set in Ireland. It is book 2 of the Cal Hooper series. It has richly drawn characters involved in a fascinating crime mystery with a very strong sense of place. You won’t want it to end!