Cosy Reads for Cold Dark Nights

As the nights start drawing in, the book stacks begin teetering and the kettle is a’whistling! We thought we’d give you a bit of bookish inspiration for you and your younger ones, to calmly and happily welcome the slower months into your home library.  

We love reading a magical tale at this time of year and crave the comfort of engaging and thoughtful plots, as well as memorable characters, so we have a sneaking suspicion that you might, too. Read on and add any more cosy reads in the comments below!

A Winter Book by Tove Jansson

How about reading thirteen stories from the creator of The Moomins? As you can probably guess, we’re big Jansson fans here in the office. A Winter Book is a gorgeous collection from both childhood and adult perspectives. Her writing is warm and rich and really encapsulates the joy and nostalgia of the home and family. Deceptively simple, with a smidgen of melancholia, this is Jansson at her best.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune 

This is one of Aishah’s go-to recommendations for anyone on the hunt for a cosy reading time. While not as whimsical as Klune’s House on the Cerulean Sea, this unique and interesting tale of grief is still both uplifting and heart-warming, but follows the journey of Wallace, recently deceased and need of help reaching the other side. Come for the interesting concept, stay for the unforgettable characters!

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

This is one of Liv’s most anticipated reads from the last few months!  It’s a slow, deliberate and beautiful novel about creativity, class and the attempts of one man to reach beyond his means to find a life of meaning when confronted with new possibilities. Slow down at the closing of the year and bask in the warm glow of Wood’s beautiful novella.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Another Aishah favourite, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie story collection is one to be savoured and enjoyed over and over, at any stage in life. The first book in the series is based on Wilder’s own life growing up in her family’s log cabin the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Opening in 1871, the story follows the pioneer Wilder family’s life on the frontier, as they live their lives through the seasons, making maple sugar in the winter, harvesting crops in autumn, planting bulbs in spring and playing together in the summer. It’s the definition of comfort reading and a perfect reminder of the cyclical nature of the year for when the winter days seem a little too long.

I, Coriander by Sally Gardner

Treat your budding young reader to this magical historical novel for children aged 10 and up. Set in 17^th century England, I, Coriander is a spin on traditional fairytales, with the protagonist Coriander escaping her puritanical stepmother and entering a magical realm to battle against evil and find her Prince Charming! It has all the good bits from a classic fantasy story, written in gorgeous prose with an unforgettable story, that will have both parent and child avidly turning the pages.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

If you haven’t already discovered the joy of Erin Morgenstern’s storytelling, The Starless Sea would be a wonderful place to start. Featuring pirates, a love story that spans across time, an intriguing mystery within the pages of an old book, ancient libraries and a secret society, it’s a breathless, enchanting read that we’d recommend to anyone in search of a book that captures the nostalgia of childhood reading within the pages of an adult fiction title.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Sastoshi Yagasawa

Nobody does cosy fiction better than the Japanese and Yagasawa’s story of new beginnings and human connections is testament to this! There’s something inherently cosy about bookshops and the Morisaki Bookshop is perhaps the cosiest of all, with the character Tatako moving into the flat above her uncle’s bookstore after her boyfriend breaks up with her. It’s a simple slice-of-life tale of daily interactions with customers and her uncle, Tatako healing and rebuilding a life for herself, and the innumerable ways people need and support each other. It’ll inspire and warm you in equal measure.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke’s Women’s Prize-winning novella is a gift to readers everywhere, for its beguiling mystery at the heart of it, its two unusual characters who both inhabit a house of infinite rooms and corridors. There’s magical realism, mythological elements, dashes of philosophy, and carries a dreamlike quality throughout. Alisha loved this one when she read it earlier in the year!

The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt

Considered a classic in The Netherlands, The Letter for the King is another children’s book that would be well-placed on an adult reader’s bookshelf, too. There’s adventure, a secret mission to save the Kingdom, and a letter whose contents must absolutely not be revealed! Intrigued? Us, too! Source a copy and find out why the Dutch love this epic story so much.