What are your go-to escape or cozy reads?

This time of year, everything just gets a bit cozier. Holiday decorations go up, warm drinks are constantly in hand, and delectable desserts are just an arm’s-length away. Between now and the end of 2023, I’m definitely going to sneak in a few titles that are entirely for fun and entertainment. We all need a bit of an escape now and then, especially as the calendar year winds down.

In my 20s, I looked to action and adventure stories by the likes of Clive Cussler and David Baldacci. Here in my 30s, I’m more likely to read a story that’s emotionally satisfying than one that’s just driven by a fast-moving plot. Louise Penny’s Gamache novels fit the bill quite well — each one feels like returning to a group of friends in a cozy Canadian hamlet (even when there’s a grisly crime involved). Specific to this season, I just finished and really enjoyed Once Upon a Wardrobe, which is a fictional take on C.S. Lewis’s creation of Narnia.

What about you? I’d love to know the genres, authors, and specific books you turn to when you need an escapist or cozy reading experience.