Winter feels like the perfect season to wrap in a cozy blanket, lit some candles, make some hot chocolate and enjoy a great book. Though I can probably say the same for every single time of the year.

Literature doesn’t have to be seasonal, but there’s something so pleasing when the weather of the story matches with the one outside. It makes the whole experience even more magical, as the two worlds (real and fictional) kind of merge into one, and you enjoy the reading session much more.

So, for today’s post I decided to make a list of some books set in wintertime or with the atmosphere of this cold season.

1. Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express.

I don’t know why people tend to enjoy reading detective stories in winter, but here we are. The Orient Express, which carries a bunch of passengers, a possible murderer, his (or her) victim, and none other than Hercule Poirot himself, gets stalled on the road because of a snow storm. And now everyone is stuck with no outside help to provide security for the passengers. Luckily, or not, Poirot becomes the investigator and as always, finds the murderer.

2. Leo Tolstoy – War and Peace

The story actually starts in summer and goes on throughout a few years, with seasons changing one another, but I have two reasons for adding this book to the winter list: first and foremost, when people think of old Russian times, they always imagine the harsh winters, castles covered in snow, snowy forests and furry coats. Second, a big part of the story does take place in the cold season, so I think my choice is somehow justified. It’s a great historical book, if you want to get acquainted with a new culture, their traditions, social rules and life in general.

3. Leigh Bardugo – Shadow and Bone

This one’s actually a trilogy and only its first part is suitable for this post, as it takes place in this season and has the proper winter atmosphere. The story tells about Grisha (people who have magical abilities), and the Sun Summoner, the most powerful Grisha of all times, who has to destroy the evil land called The Fold. If you love diving deep into fantasy worlds, you’ll definitely like this book, with ancient legends, myths and lots of actions.

4. Dan Brown – Deception Point.

This is the first book I’ve read of Dan Brown that isn’t about Robert Langton. I was afraid it won’t be as good, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. NASA discovers a meteorite, that has proof of extraterrestrial life. The main character flies all the way to Arctic to properly analyze this world-changing phenomenon. It’s a great conspiracy story, that makes you actually believe that there is life in space, and that the origin of our world may be different from what we’ve learned.

5. Joanne Harris – Chocolate

The story starts from February and lasts until end of march, so this can be the ideal transitional reading. Harris’s book is full of so many picturesque descriptions of the nature, the weather, the small town and its people, that this book is often considered as one of the best comfort reads. Not to mention that the main characters are making chocolate, constantly describing its sweet scent and variations, so you’ll definitely crave some delicious sweet snacks while reading.

6. Alice Sebold – Lovely Bones

If you love psychological fiction, supernatural thrillers and solving murder mystery storyline, you’ll definitely like this. The book is about a teenage girl who gets killed, and her soul stays somewhere between the Earth and the Otherworld, preparing her journey to Heaven. Meanwhile in this world her family is trying to find the murderer, looking for clues. And, of course, the story is set in winter, as it starts from December and last a couple of months.

7. Meik Wiking – The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well

The first non-fiction book on this list (and probably in my book-posts in general). It’s about the concept of hygge, which I’ve loved even before finding out that there’s a special term describing the cozy, slow lifestyle, with appreciating small things and your loved ones. This book would be the perfect choice for winter, as people tend to get depressed in this time of the year, and hygge teaches us how to live as well as enjoy even the darkest and coldest days.