Jan. 17, 2024 – Snowstorms and freezing temperatures have us wanting to just curl up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book. So we asked library staff for their book recommendations for books to read when you need to feel cozy on a cold winter day. From fantasy to mystery to thrillers, there's something here for everyone.
Browse the book list below and click on covers to put them on hold in our catalog!
"Someone Else's Shoes" by Jojo Moyes
Two women's lives are changed after they accidentally swap gym bags. One woman now finds herself with a pair of designer high heels and a newfound confidence after wearing them. The other woman finds herself stuck with a pair of sensible shoes and then discovers she is cut off from all her resources and money due to actions by her husband. The two women are on a journey to find each other, and along the way we learn the struggles they each are going through and how they get their lives back on track. I really enjoyed this book! I liked the friendships that developed as well as the two main characters' self-confidence. And the plot twist actually made me gasp!
- Melanie, Patron Services Specialist
"The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman
The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman is the first in a series about a peaceful retirement village in England where a group of four friends meet weekly to solve crimes. After a murder takes place close to home, they find themselves in the middle of a real case. The characters are fascinating to get to know, and I enjoyed the first book so much I immediately checked out the second in the series.
- Amber, Community Relations Manager
"Every Duke Has His Day" by Suzanne Enoch
I'm a huge fan of books with a lot characters, witty banter, and fast-paced action. I enjoyed all the twists and turns of the Poodle Kidnapping Plot (no poodles were harmed in the writing of this book). The bonus was the unique personality of each poodle! There are so many!
- Rebecca, Librarian
"Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" by Benjamin Stevenson
It's a mystery written from the point of view of a book editor, spending a tense family reunion in the snowy Australian mountains. There's mysterious family history to uncover, and suspicions that a serial killer is responsible for some disappearances. There's crime to solve, but also a story of individuals exploring what makes a family.
"These Silent Woods" by Kimi Cunningham Grant
A little girl and her father live in a secluded cabin. The daughter, Finch, meets a stranger in the woods and wants to understand what the world outside of their cabin may hold. But her father has secrets in his past that keep them both sheltered in the safety of nature and has to decide if keeping those secrets is worth his daughter's freedom.
- Alyssa, Patron Services Specialist
"The Bear and the Nightingale" by Katherine Arden
This tale set in Medieval Russia tells the story of a girl discovering her magic and her encounters with the god of winter. Vasya must embrace her power or let her family and home be overcome by dark forces, even as those around her fear what she can do. But can she trust the blue-eyed frost demon who haunts the forest? This book is the first of a trioogy, and with it's evocative descriptions of the deep Russian winter, it is the perfect book for curling up with under a cozy blanket.
- Alison, Content Writer
"Sandstorm" by James Rollins
This is the first in the Sigma Force series and is a packed adventure, perfect for times you don’t want to leave the house but want an adrenaline rush. Rollins does a great job of dancing just on the edge of reality and supporting his stories with scientific facts. These are some of my favorite couch and coffee books.
- Stephanie, Ladd Branch Manager
"The Only Purple House in Town" by Ann Aguirre
A stand-alone novel set in the Tech Witch Universe. Full of well-written inclusion, this closed-door romance touches on heavy topics without ever feeling weightier than fluff. I wish I could read this book for the first time every year.
- Jessica, Patron Services Specialist
"A Rocky Mountain Christmas" by William W. Johnstone
This is not your typical "Western," though there's more 'gunsmoke' than Christmas in the first few chapters. You will need plenty of hot chocolate for this one, because there's an abundance of snow and cold once you reach the apex of the story. Definitely a page turner with extra suspense, but the characters you meet – and wind up rooting for (and against) – bring more than enough disposition to warm this Colorado high country trip.
- Curtis, Public Service Associate
"Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes" by Travis Baldree
Orc Viv decides to put up her sword in exchange for coffee cups and pastries. Opening her own coffee shop provides Viv with more than just a new gig; a new family comes along with it. You’ll find your heart warmed just like the coffee and sweets sold at Legends and Lattes!
- Kristine, Materials Librarian
An orc is tired of the life of adventure in this cozy fantasy and decides she’s going to open a coffee house in a town that has never heard of coffee.
- John, Programming Specialist