As the weather gets cooler and the rainy season begins, many people feel the urge to curl up with a good book. The winter weather provides the perfect opportunity to live out your “dark academia” fantasies by diving into your next read of the rainy season.
“The weather gives you more of an excuse to cozy up by the fire and not feel like you need to go outside or are obligated to do things,” book club member Fionn Conroy said.
Some of this campus’s book experts have given their best recommendations to ensure you find the perfect books to get you through the cold months of the year.
Librarian Jennifer Berube recommends Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn for this rainy season. This romance begins with a notebook full of mysterious clues and is set during the holiday season, making it perfect for this time of year.
Next, Berube and book club member Elana Dens both recommend a classic: C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. This high fantasy series about a world of magic, mythical creatures, and good vs. evil has a cozy, winter setting. This series is “always good, but especially during the winter,” Dens said. Its themes of hope make it “perfect for a holiday escape,” Berube said.
If you’re looking for something classical, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott may be perfect for you. This coming-of-age novel follows the individual storylines of four sisters.
“Many scenes are set in a snowy Christmas time,” book club president, Arianna McLeod, said, making it a “good winter read.”
Or, if you’re looking for a recent spin on the story, consider Bethany C. Morrow’s So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix. This historical fiction novel retells Little Women, featuring Black sisters during the Civil War.
Next, Conroy recommended Whiteout by Ashley Woodfolk, Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Nicola Yoon, and Angie Thomas. This contemporary collection of short stories follows several teenagers stuck in a snowstorm in Atlanta, Georgia.
“It has a lot of queer representation as well and is such a fun holiday book that definitely makes you feel like it’s winter,” Conroy said.
Finally, Berube recommended Color Me In by Natasha Díaz. This contemporary fiction novel follows a biracial Jewish-Black teenager as she learns about her heritage, celebrates Hanukkah, and navigates her identity and family dynamics.
In the upcoming months, be sure to look into the library’s Winter Reads collection, and check out your next read!
