Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is a holiday/seasonal freebie, so I’m going with a winter theme: wintry covers, snowy settings, books that evoke a cold, wintry vibe – whether literally, through the setting, or metaphorically. Bring on the untouched snowbanks and barren trees, icicles and frost, icy blues and pure whites, ice skating and freezing snow storms.
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler: Figure skating girls. Hockey playing boys. Cupcakes described in tantalizing detail. Falling in love and all the worries, fears, and butterflies that come along with it. What more could you want in a holiday read? Along with the cover, the whole novel feels encompassed in wintry vibes.
Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara: I haven’t read this yet, but that cover! That title! It sounds like a poetic contemporary novel about grief, set in the woods in the middle of winter. And it seems the title is taken from Robert Frost’s poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan: A realistic contemporary novel with similarities to Looking for Alaska – a prestigious boarding school, a clandestine romance, a senior year thesis project, and a slowly unravelling mystery/tragedy.
Once I Was Cool by Megan Stielstra: I’ve heard many great things about this collection of essays – relatable! refreshing! insightful! heartbreaking! – and can’t wait to read it. The essays themselves don’t necessarily relate to this winter theme, but the cover sure does!
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson: An emotional, lyrical, hard-hitting novel. Snow, ice, and cold are used as symbols throughout.
The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson: Vanishing girls in a small town. A lonely ghost. A winter snow storm. Despite all of this, The Vanishing Season is actually a slow-moving, introspective coming-of-age story. The setting and descriptions of the snow are so atmospheric, and emphasize the sense of loneliness and isolation.
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr: This novel takes familiar themes – teen pregnancy, adoption, overcoming grief – and spins a refreshing, compelling, emotional, and ultimately uplifting coming-of-age story. And I remember thinking the alternating viewpoints were done so well!
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock: What a beautiful cover. That was the original reason I added it to my TBR list. The snowy Alaskan setting seems like it would make this book the perfect winter read.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (and its sequel, Us Against You): Such a quintessential winter scene – playing hockey on an outdoor ice rink in a small town. This book and its sequel are on my TBR list, and I keep hearing rave reviews.
Have you read any of these? What are your favourite wintry reads? Leave me a comment 🙂
Great list – I did the same topic too, although I got all different books on mine. The only one I’ve read from your list was Wintergirls, but I fully agree with your assessment of it. It’s a tough read, but such a good one.
Here’s my TTT post for this week: http://leahs-books.com/2020/12/08/ttt-winter-themed-books/
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Great taste in topics 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
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I also put Wintergirls on my list of Wintery Covers on my TBR. So I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it! Also I can’t wait to read more of Fredrik Backman’s book. I read my first of his this year.
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Wintergirls was definitely a tough read, but I really enjoyed it. And yes, I need to get on the Fredrik Backman bandwagon haha. Anxious People sounds really great too!
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Great list! I keeping hearing so many good things about Beartown and I love the cover of The Smell of Other People’s Houses.
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I keep hearing good things too! And I love the cover too 🙂
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The Smell of Other People’s Houses sounds SO good, and I adore the cover too!
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It is such a beautiful cover 🙂 thanks for stopping by!
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You’ve given me some ideas for my TBR list. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/12/ttt-120820.html
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Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I would have never guessed that Bittersweet was a wintry novel if you hadn’t written this. Now that I look at again, I see how the cover has wintry potential. I haven’t read any of these yet. Thanks for sharing!
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True, it may be more the blue and white colours that make me think of winter, plus the icing sugar reminds me of frost 🙂 it’s definitely a perfect winter read. Thanks for stopping by!
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Ooh, I love this compilation — so many wintery vibes! The Tragedy Paper sounds really good, plus I love the bokeh and snow on the cover.
Happy reading! 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂 The Tragedy Paper definitely has a lovely, wintry cover!
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Lovely, Dark, and Deep has a beautiful title and cover. Wow.
My post.
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It sure does! 🙂
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Ai read WINTERGIRLS a while ago and really enjoyed it. Great list!
Amber @ The Book Bratz
Check out our TTT here!
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Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Wintergirls is on my TBR. I actually missed it off my list this week, but it definitely have a wintery cover!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/top-ten-tuesday-293/
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It sure does! Thanks for stopping by
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No problem!
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I’ve not read any of these, but I like the sound of Bittersweet. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
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It is definitely a perfect winter read, just everything about it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
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Just thinking about Beartown makes me cold. It’s perfect for your list.
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🙂 Can’t wait to read it sitting fireside!
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Great list! I haven’t read any of them but some are on my TBR!
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Thanks for dropping by!
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I absolutely love that cover for The Smell of Other People’s Houses. It’s gorgeous—and a perfect fit for the theme!
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It is absolutely gorgeous! I love it.
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I’ve always loved that Wintergirls cover. Great choices!
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Thank you! 🙂
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The Smell of Other People’s Houses and Beartown made my list too. I love both those books.
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Awesome! They are perfect winter reads.
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Lovely, lovely covers. They just ooze with that Brr… feeling, perfect for the season. Some of them seem quite spooky “spine-chilling” too. And I’d forgotten all about Robert Frost’s poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening — feel like reading it again!
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Thank you! 🙂 Yeah, it does seem like a good poem to (re)read at this time of year!
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So many gorgeous covers. LOVING the Backman reps because he’s one of my favorites and those books are amazing!!
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Thank you! Awesome, I really need to get around to reading him!
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You’re welcome! Definitley 🙂
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I DNF Bittersweet… I could not get into it.
MY POST
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How to Save a Life has such a haunting cover. And I love a good dual POV.
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The dual POV was done so well!
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