Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday!

‘Top Ten Tuesday’ is a weekly meme that is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is on the series we want to complete in 2023. I recently made a blog post on this, so I went back through the TTT archives and found a prompt I wanted to explore: cosy reads. This seemed like the perfect prompt for this week as we’re still in winter, and I know some of us are still looking for cosy reads.

Silver in The Wood by Emily Tesh – this is the ultimate cosy, queer fantasy for you to wrap yourself up in this winter. It’s full of whimsical forests, old magic and yearning. It is an excellent read and one to warm yourself up with this winter.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett – there’s nothing quite like an unsolved murder that screams ‘cosy’ to me! I am a big fan of reading fun murder mystery novels in the winter, it just feels appropriate with a cup of tea and a blanket around you, and this is no exception.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen – looking for a romance to lift you spirits and keep you warm on frosty nights? Look no further. Although, it may make you feel even more alone.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – the ultimate fun, cosy read. If you’re looking for amusement and laughs whilst you burrow in the for the long, dark night, a Neil Gaiman book is always going to set you right (bonus points because there’s also Terry Pratchett).

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern – I don’t know why this screams cosy at me, I don’t think it’s a particularly cosy read, but for some reason I just associate it with being cosy in winter. It probably has a lot to do with the different settings in this book!

Lanny by Max Porter – bonus points if you listen to the audiobook of this because it will send literal shivers down your spine. It’s full of creepy old English forest magic, and it’s the kind of book that will make you want to hibernate in your bed.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman – another short, cosy fantasy that will whisk you away to a magical world as you read in the low winter light. It creates such vivid imagery and fantastical storytelling that is a must for any fantasy reader.

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman – specifically the audiobook narrated by THE Michael Sheen. The settings of this are wintery and vivid, and there’s nothing quite better than curling up with a hot cup of tea as Michael Sheen yells in your yar.

Circe by Madeline Miller – the book for lonely, cold girls in winter. This is a stunning look into womanhood told as a reimagining of the Greek myth of Circe and is honestly the best to read in Autumn or Winter times.

The Binding by Bridget Collins – books with magic and a complicated, heart-breaking love story is the perfect combination for a wintertime tale to fill your heart with.