The short days and long, cozy nights of winter have arrived. Is there a more frugal, simple pleasure than curling up in a blanket with a book and a hot tea? We hope our list of 15 wintertime book ideas for healing and adventure will inspire you to enjoy all the coziness that this winter has to offer!

Wintertime Book Ideas For a Cozy Winter Feeling

1. My Antonia by Willa Cather: The perfect book for those early American pioneer lovers. This book is about a young woman named Antonia and her Bohemian family’s journey to settle in the American Midwest. It’s a beautiful story of the strength of those fabled immigrants that gave up everything to make a new life in America. It is also a bold testament of the strength and determination of women, like the beautiful Antonia.
2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: A wonderful story depicting the drastic changes that came to England with the Industrial Revolution. The story documents the life of the heroine, Margaret Hale, as she journey’s from the beautiful, rural, and artistic South of England, to the harsh, mechanical, gray days of the North. She learns many valuable lessons about growing up and having grace for others. And there may or may not be a love story that fuels the whole journey.

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Books to Spark A Sense of Adventure this Winter

1. The Autobiographical Books of Marlena De Blasi: To be inspired to live a life without limits! A life full of curiosity, sensuousness, good food and friendship, boldness, kindness, and adventure. Look no further than this beautiful series of books!

• A Thousand Days in Venice: Take a trip down memory lane as Marlena shares the extraordinary story of how she fell in love with Venice, and the unbelievable journey to meeting the man of her dreams while she was at it. A completely spell-binding read! (She also writes so much about simple pleasures and frugal living!)
• A Thousand Days in Tuscany: The story of how Marlena and her husband found themselves as a couple. Their hopes, dreams, and wishes coming together as they make amazing friends and fall in love with the Tuscan culture and landscape.
• The Lady in the Palazzo: A beautiful depiction of how Marlena and Fernando finally find the home of their dreams and truly make it into a place completely their own. Along the way, they build lasting friendships and truly change their community for the better.
• That Summer in Sicily (My personal favorite): A truly remarkable tale of love in a time of Sicily’s history that was marked by  feudalism and huge class differences. The heroine of this story, Tosca, will floor you with her willingness to work hard, fight for justice, be patient, and become an amazingly strong woman that changes the world around her. The love story will amaze you as well.

2. The Alchemist, by Paolo Coelho:

• The Alchemist. An allegorical fable about a young Spanish shephard boy named Santiago. He embarks on a journey to find a treasure, and what he finds on the way is that the treasure he seeks is much more valuable than silver or gold. It is a beautiful tale of following your dreams and taking note of the signs along the way.

For Laughs On Those Cold Winter Days

1. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell: The hilarious memoirs of a young boy named Gerald and his family’s journey from dreary England to sunny Corfu. The animal-loving Gerald charms and enchants every person and animal he meets along the way as he explores and concurs his new stomping ground. Each member of his eccentric family has their unique role to play, each of which will make you hoot with laughter.

2. The Autobiographical Books by James Herriot:

• All Creatures Great and Small: This book chronicles the journey of a young Scottish vet named James Herriot, as he gets his first job as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales of Northern England. With each story more entertaining and heartwarming than the last, you’ll love to read his perspective on how beautiful God’s creation and creatures truly are.
• All Things Bright and Beautiful: The next in the series by James Herriot.

3. The Caliph’s House by Tahir Shah: The absolutely bonkers and hilarious journey of Tahir Shah and his family as they start a new life in the land of his ancestors; Morocco. The characters that come into their lives as they settle into their new home will make you laugh from the heart. In this book you’re guaranteed to learn about life from a totally different cultural perspective that is unique, beautiful, and entertaining.

Spiritual Healing for The Heavy Heart

1. The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard: This is a book that introduces you to the concept of Jesus being your teacher. Through learning this concept you will learn different disciplines, from celebration, to fasting, etc, in order to walk more closely with God.
2. Waking the Dead, by John Eldredge: This book is the story of the redemption of the human heart. It shows you how to go through the healing process that is promised to us in Isaiah 61. A truly life changing book for anyone seeking deep healing and to be awakened to a new life in Christ.
3. Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxes: The amazing life story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German minister, theologian, and all-around great thinker, writer, and follower of Christ. His gripping life story will challenge the way you see the world, politics, and the church. His anti-Nazi stances will empower you to be encouraged in the face of evil, even at the expense of life itself. A truly powerful and inspiring story from front to back.
4. Hinds Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard: A truly touching book for those that have suffered loss and heartache in life. The allegorical story of Much-Afraid will empower you to see that our faithful shepherd is always near and will give us the tools we need to get through life’s hardest chapters. If you have suffered loss, this book will be like a rescue to a hurting heart.

Wintertime is a Great Time for The Classics

1. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas: This amazingly written classic is a wonderful action-packed adventure about vengeance, restitution, and grace. It also has a beautiful romance.
2. Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell: This amazing work of historical fiction was literally inspired by stories told to the author from people that actually lived in the South before, during, and after the American Civil War. Filled with colorful characters, hard life lessons, and the unique southern perspectives that are often left out on this side of history, you’re sure to love every bit of this dramatic tale. And, of course, there is plenty of juicy love-triangle drama as well!

Challenge Your Mind with These Book Ideas This Winter Season

1. War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy: Set in early 19th Century Russia, War and Peace is a truly epic and beautiful story about everything in life; love, loss, grace, growth, and healing. This story truly shows the redemptive power of Christ that is available to everyone.
2. The Far Pavilions, by M.M. Kaye: This vast book documents the story of an Englishman that loves India and that wants to save himself and India from the ruthless, modern British Empire. The story also includes a detailed depiction of the battle of the Khyber pass. It is a truly epic work of historical fiction that will keep you riveted to the very last page.

Other Frugal Book Ideas for Your Wintertime Reading List

For great deals on books, be sure to also check out thriftbooks.com! They have some amazingly inexpensive deals on almost any book.

Also be sure to check out the Tea and Tattle podcast for other book suggestions for your frugal reading list!

For More “Learning” Inspiration, Check Out These Posts:

1. Vintage Freezer Basket Re-Purposed for Storage
2. A Grace-Filled Path to Self Improvement
3. Beginner’s Guide to Frugal Homeschooling

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