When winter hits, and it’s dark by 5 p.m., sometimes the best thing to get you through is to cozy up with a book to help the time pass. Reading can feel intimidating sometimes, but this chilly season is the perfect time to adopt a new hobby, and with these books, they’ll surely help you along the way.

“I Capture the Castle” by Dodie Smith

“I Capture the Castle” by Dodie Smith tells the story of 17-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in an old English castle. She dreams of being a writer and writes in journals, telling her stories of living in the castle and her first experiences with love.

“It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl living in rural England in the early 1900s,” Sasha West, a first-year graduate student studying educational policy and leadership, said. “It’s kind of her coming of age as a teenager. I love the book; I highly recommend it.”

Written by the same author as “The Hundred and One Dalmatians,” Smith’s “I Capture the Castle” is a timeless read perfect for a cozy winter novel.

“Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk

The best type of books to read in the wintertime are the kinds that you cannot bring yourself to stop reading once you start. Oftentimes, these types of books fall into the mystery category. “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk is the perfect winter murder mystery that you won’t be able to set down.

The story follows a girl named Janina who resides in a small Polish village. Here, she spends her winters studying astrology, translating poetry and taking care of the summer homes of wealthy residents. That’s when a neighbor nicknamed Big Foot is found dead. Soon, other bodies are discovered, sending Janina into a full-force investigation of what’s happening in her quaint village.

“I just read ‘Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead,’ and it was so good. Just like a psychological murder mystery vibe,” Gianna Leider, a sophomore psychology student, said.

“Table for Two” by Amor Towles

“Table for Two” by Amor Towles is a collection of six short stories that all have some sort of connection to New York City, as well as a novella set in Los Angeles. The New York stories address themes of the male ego, fateful consequences of brief encounters and the inner workings of compromise within modern marriages.

This collection of short stories is ideal for the wintertime. Each story leaves you wanting more, and the format of the novel makes it perfect for on-the-go reading.

“Many Savage Moons” by Ben Spencer

“Many Savage Moons” by Ben Spencer is a standalone fantasy book that is a great place to start for this genre. This story follows Nathaniel, who quickly falls in love with Winter York, a woman he meets at a book shop.

Winter is avoiding a man, who is later revealed to have magic powers that allow him to write people into dreams after he touches them. Nathaniel tried to protect Winter, risking his life in return.

“I really like it because it’s just one book, so you’re not getting wrapped up in a long and tedious series, but its ideas are original and the characters are convincing,” Donovan Selfridge, a junior linguistics and communication disorder sciences major, said.

Fantasy is a great genre to explore for all the cozy energy you want in a winter read. “Many Savage Moons” is a unique story with many literary references, sure to keep you invested.