Ten Books to Snuggle Up With This Winter

Let's face it, winter is well and truly here. The Game of Thrones references of its approach on us have been in full force for awhile now, but it is finally here. While those ugg boots start to reappear from the depths of your wardrobe and you start to prepare for your hibernation by packing the pantry full of snacks, it's high time you dust off those reading glasses and get vintage up in there. With the top reading list for winter proudly presented to you by me, the ultimate seasonal bookworm.

1. All The Bright Places 

This is one for the John Green and Rainbow Rowell fans out there. A little bit of romance? A little bit of heartbreak? All The Bright Places has all the makings of a good heart wrenching story.

Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at their school, both in the midst of an internal struggle. Finch can't stop fixating on ways to end his life and Violet can't seem to live with her sisters death and is counting down her days until she can move forward with graduation. Their chance meeting seems like the work of fate as Finch can only be himself when with Violet and Violet can finally stop counting away the ays until deadlines and start living them. Though as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.

2. Girl At War 

This one tugs at some long lost Croatian roots of mine, set during the war of independence in Croatia around the '90s, we are given a young girl, Ana, as our focus. Roaming the streets carefree with her best friend and family, her reality is shattered by the civil war across Yugoslavia. Tragedy strikes her young life and Ana is lost to a wold of war where a daring plot to escape to America becomes her only chance.

Flash forward 10 years, Ana is now a college student in New York who still can't quite shake the terror of her past. She returns to Croatia by herself to rediscover and confront her roots - and perhaps a few unshaken ghosts from the war.

3. An Uncomplicated Life 

From sport columnist Paul Daugherty comes this touching recollection of his daughter with Downs Syndromes. Paul re-tells stories from Jillian's mischievous childhood all the way through to her early adulthood. He traces her journey to find fulfilment in her adult life through all the trials and triumphs. She had graduated from high school and college, works to support herself and is set to marry the love of her life Ryan.  All things considered her life turned out pretty great with the loving support of her parents.

This book is set to prove that as much as a child can learn from their parents, their parents will earn ten-folds more from their child.

4. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 

This one almost doesn't need any explanation. If you have ever lived in the world of books, chances are you may have stumbled across the boy who lived and his epic saga once or twice.

This is the book we fans never thought we were going to get, the eighth instalment in the Harry Potter series. Set in the future when Harry is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic with three children, he learns that even now he can't quite escape his legacy and past. His youngest son, Albus, struggles with his fathers legacy and both Albus and Harry learn that darkness often comes from where they least expect it.

5. Imagine Me Gone 

This book is the kind of book that embraces one of the least talked about topics and runs with it. When Jon is diagnosed and hospitalised with depression, his fiancé Margaret has the choice to stay with him knowing the stress she will embark on with committing to a life of struggles with his illness, or leave him. She decides to stay, which starts the unforgettable story of faith and dependence. Their three kids come into the story with their perspectives of growing up with their father's illness and mother's love despite the hardship. This is a touching story, sure to tug on some heart strings and make you shed a few tears.

6. A Fish In A Tree

One for the little guys, A Fish In A Tree is a story for those who never quite fit in exactly. A young girl named Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of people in her years. Struggling with dyslexia she manages to hide her troubles with reading every time with distractions and trouble making. She doesn't feel she can ask for help or that it is worth it to let everyone know her secret.

However, a new teacher sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. He helps Ally deal with her learning struggles and not be so hard on herself for the things she can't do. Starting the uplifting story of someone realising who they are and not comparing themselves against anyone else.

7. Abahan Sabana David

This is not exactly a new book for the native French speakers out there, but only recently being made available in English. The acclaimed French author Marguerite Duras brings us a classic story.

This suspenseful and thought-provoking book is based around four major characters in a country house. Two of which are communists whom have been sent to guard and eventually kill Abahn number one. Another man arrives also called Abahn and they embark on an evening discussing existential ideas of understanding, capitalism, violence, revolution, and dogs; all the while the gun lurks in the background reminding them of what is meant to happen.

8. The High Mountains of Portugal

Technically released in summer, this is still a book that can firmly take up winter reading nights in by the fire. From the acclaimed author or Life of Pi comes the long awaited book we never knew we were getting.

Setting up paralleling stories throughout time, The High Mountains of Portugal is the contemporary adventure quest, ghost story you didn't know you wanted to embark on. Starting off in Lisbon in 1904 with the ultimate hidden treasure adventure, jumping forward 35 years to the murder mystery loving pathologist drawn to the original quest and then finishing up 50 years into the future with a Canadian senator trying to escape his sadness.

9. Our Souls at Night

This is to be last book by Kent Haruf and of course is set in the familiar setting of Holt, Colorado. Character Addie Moore pays an unexpected visit to her neighbour, Louis Waters. Years ago her husband died, as did Louis's wife. In such a small town they has always been aware of each others existence. Louis's daughter lives miles away in Colorado Springs and her son even farther away in Grand Junction. Thus with no one else at their respective homes to talk to or spend time with, their nights have become incredibly lonely - until Addie pays Louis a visit one night.

10. Boy Erased

Gerrard Conley is the son of a Baptist pastor with heavy roots to his church and religion in his small town of Arkansas. As a young man Gerrard was conflicted and scared about his sexuality, knowing it went against the beliefs of his parents and religion.

When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed to his parents and forced to make a life-changing decision and either agree to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program or risk losing family, friends and God. Through an institutionalised programme promising to "cure" him he tell the story of harrowing experiences. After the programme however, he instead, finds the strength to break out and discover his real self without suppression.