The Joy of Wintering by Erin Niimi Longhurst celebrates the ways in which the joys of Spring can be made possible at any stage of rest and recuperation. Practical lessons, creativity and conscious living are at the centre of this book originating from cultures that have a strong wintering tradition. Erin has always embraced the Japanese traditions that shaped her upbringing and brings knowledge and experience to her writing.

The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim is a timely guide to mindfulness with a blend of wisdom and reflection that can be both insightful and thought provoking. Is it the world that’s busy, or is it my mind? Offering guideposts to wellbeing and happiness in eight areas, Haemin Sunim emphasises the important of forging a deeper connection with others and being compassionate and forgiving towards ourselves.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is a beautiful and pastoral fairy-tale set in a fantasy version of medieval Russia. Incorporating elements of Russian Folklore, it tells the story of a young girl who is able to communicate with mythological creatures at a time when orthodox Christianity was trying to stamp out all belief in such things. It’s a beautifully profound fairy-tale for any time of year, but especially through the colder months.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh is a different sort of ‘weathering winter’ book. It’s about a New Yorker who avoids life through a drug-induced sleep. A book that has divided the critics, it’s a clap-back against the notion that fictional characters – especially female ones – have to be likeable. Tender and blackly funny, merciless and compassionate, it’s a juxtaposition of elements that strangely and oddly, works.

Hermit by Jade Angeles Fitton is perhaps both a contrast and opposite to Ottessa Moshfegh’s book but the ultimate messaging at the heart is the same – finding inspiration, recovery and even home, in solitude. Jade writes a dreamy and beautiful book wandering through a sunlit, windswept and delicately drawn landscape of both loss and longing. Through conversations with other hermits across the world, she sheds light on the myriad and often misunderstood ways of living alone.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik is a rich and enchanting fairytale retelling inspired by the folktale of Rumpelstiltskin. Spinning Silver pits the cold of endless winter against the fires of duty, love and sacrifice. A charming and inviting story with a feminist twist, it weaves a complex narrative about power, survival and transformation, set in a world where magic, family and duty collide in extraordinary ways.

Wintering by Katherine May is a book to read during every season, but you may find yourself gravitating towards it at the end of every year and the beginning of the next one. It’s the natural time for many to retreat, to explore restorative activities and to re-group and rebuild. Katherine May writes about how she achieved that and how she ‘Wintered’ through difficult times. Wintering is what you make of it, and Katherine shares her very personal and insightful experiences to help others change their perspective, and weather their storms and difficult times through to calmer moments.

Winter edited by Melissa Harrison is an Anthology for the Changing Seasons. In prose and poetry spanning seven hundred years, Winter delights in the brisk pleasures and enduring beauty of the year’s turning. Old favourites and new writings to discover are included in this stunning anthology evoking feels of hope, solitude, foreboding and warmth. All senses are well catered for in this winter curation of writings. Both entertaining and educational, the rich and eclectic selections are a must for nature lovers everywhere.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey is a magical realist novel, set in the Alaskan wilderness. It is a haunting and beautiful story about a couple who, in the isolation of their cabin, build a snowman that mysteriously comes to life as a child. In the long, dark winters of Alaska, the couple faces the harshness of the land, the challenges of their marriage, and the longing for a child. The novel is a powerful meditation on loss, resilience, and the magic that exists in the stillness of winter, making it an ideal book for anyone wanting to embrace the emotional and physical aspects of wintering.

The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin is a love song to these incredible creatures, and a reflection on what makes them, and us, unique. It’s a call to find joy in unexpected places and times. It is a lesson in learning to listen – to really listen – when all around us seems clamour and noise.Polly is a Bookseller and knows exactly how and what we as readers want to read, which makes this title even more special. In the woods above her home in Grasmere, Cumbria, live the Tawny owls that Polly calls her neighbours. They encourage her to think differently about some of the big needs of our lives; solitude and companionship, care and belonging, rest and retreat.

Self-Care for Winter by Suzy Reading is a beautiful and timely guide that invites readers to embrace the colder months with care, mindfulness, and self-compassion. With its focus on nurturing the body, mind, and soul during winter, this book offers practical tools and thoughtful advice to help individuals thrive, rather than just survive, the darker, colder months. Written with warmth and sensitivity, Suzy Reading provides a roadmap for navigating the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that can arise during winter, encouraging readers to make the most of the season by incorporating seasonal self-care into their daily lives.

A Winter Dictionary by Paul Anthony Jones is both charming and contemplative in its exploration of language and lore surrounding the Winter season. It’s a language guide coupled with a literary anthology, and through a unique structure, invites readers to reflect on the coldest months of the year in a way that is poetic and intellectual. Etymology, historical anecdotes and literary references are woven throughout this beautiful winter dictionary.

How To Winter by Kari Leibowitz PhD is a reflective and insightful exploration of how we can embrace the winter season, not as a time of suffering or hibernation, but as an opportunity for growth, resilience and joy. This book dives into the pure psychology of Winter and offers strategies not just for surviving, but thriving. Growing up herself in a region that experienced harsh Winters, Leibowitz brings first hand experience to her writing and explores how we can reframe our approach to Winter.