Winter is no longer coming, it’s finally here. There’s no better way to spend the cold dark days curled up inside under a few blankets with a crackling fire in your fireplace. This week on Top 5 Wednesday, Chelsey and I talk about our top five books to read by the fire
I don’t know about you, but winter is when I tend to dive into those long book series that take up so much place on my self. I don’t want to go outside, instead I become an armchair adventurer to other worlds. For some reason, the darker and creepier the better.
This week on Top 5 Wednesday, Chelsey and I talk about our top five books to read by the fire. Top Five Wednesday is a book tag started by GingerReadsLainey. Join the goodreads group to get each week’s topic and participate yourselves!
1. A Song of Ice and Fire – George R.R. Martin
If you want dark, these books are pretty freaking dark. Think the Red Wedding. Then there is the constant reference to winter and the cold In the first novel A Game of Thrones you start up at the wall, and then you head to Winterfell. These settings tend to remind me of our great Canadian winter and I feel the need to read them next to a crackling fire. You know, to keep the white walkers away.
Also, by the time you’re done this series (it’s pretty long) it’ll be summer again! So win win.
2. His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
Chelsey’s reasoning for this book’s inclusion isn’t because of it’s dark nature, but how thought provoking it is. His Dark Materials makes you want to sit beside your crackling fire, swirl your glass of brandy and ponder life’s deepest questions. I on the other hand wanted to include it because it contains polar bears. Clearly there is something for everyone.
His Dark Materials is a trilogy that manages to grow with you. It’s beautifully written and cleverly paced. They’ll keep you coming back for more and you’re guaranteed to find something new every time you give them a read.
Check out our review of the first novel in the trilogy: The Golden Compass here.
3. WINTERSPELL – CLAIRE LEGRAND
Winterspell is a retelling of The Nutcracker. The novel was full of fairies, mechanical-cyborg like creations and people drugged out of their minds. It was weird. We included Winterspell on this list because of the throwback to Christmas and the holiday season. There is not much else to be said about this one.
To get a better understanding about this novel, check out our review on it here.
4. THE FEVER SERIES – KAREN MARIE MONING
The Fever Series is some serious urban fantasy candy floss. This series manages to mix some of the most amazing world building that you’re ever going to come across with sexy nonsense. If you want to read something that dances with the dark, but always manages to catch itself before it goes too far, then this is the series for you.
Check out our review of the first seven books in The Fever Series: here. Also Alexandra’s review of the graphic novel: here.
5. THE GATES – JOHN CONNOLLY
This book is by far the lightest book on this list. The Gates has a quirky sense of humour that feels like a throw back to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This novel has by far some of the best chapter titles I have ever come across. The Gates follows a little boy named Samuel Johnson and his trustworthy dog as they try to stop the gates of hell from opening and demons taking over the world. After reading the long and dark A Song of Ice and Fire and the crazy mess that is The Fever Series, you need a light and refreshing read.
See not all the books on this list were dark or serious! Do you share our need to devour large series during the dark nights of winter or do you have no real preference. Tell us about it in the comments below.
Until next Wednesday, Happy reading!
