Brrrrrr. It’s bloomin’ cold isn’t it? Even I’m freezing, and I never normally get chilly. That might have something to do with the fact my boiler has just died, though, and can’t be replaced for a fortnight. I know there hasn’t really been any snow in York yet, but I hear there have been sightings of sleet, and with no central heating I’m walking around the house in about eighteen layers, socks and gloves. Thank goodness for little electric heaters, hot dinners and kettles.
It doesn’t help that the news keeps telling me that we’re expecting a mini ice age too, so I’ve been trying to think of ways to stay warm. There’s always the option of going to the gym and doing exercise until I feel toasty, but let’s not go overboard! I already have about forty-seven varieties of tea, so I’m sorted for hot drinks, but, like a squirrel hoarding acorns for the crueler months, I also need to stockpile some more books.
Even before I worked in a library, one of my greatest pleasures in life was popping in, browsing the shelves and leaving with a bag full of novels. I’d take them home and arrange them in a pile, in order of preference, so I could read the titles that looked most enticing first. After that, no one would see me for days. I always adored that feeling of having a stash of books to read – knowing that I wouldn’t run out any time soon. Sometimes I imagine what would happen if my house got snowed in during a cold spell, and I was left without anything new to read – perish the thought. I can cope without central heating but not without decent reading material.
So, I’ve been hoarding. I’ve got a lovely, tall stack of tomes by my bed at the moment, and I’ve ordered a few more. Once they arrive I should be safe if a sudden snow storm cuts me off from all sources of new books. However, if you’re currently lacking for reading inspiration to keep you going through the darkest days of the year I’ve dug out some titles to keep you toasty during the long, cold nights. You might spot a certain theme developing, of a fiery nature – I think it made me shiver a tiny bit less just to list them for you.
You can click on any of the images below to be taken to their catalogue record.
Fiery (General) Fiction
Heated Crime
Flame-Fuelled Fantasy and Sci-FI
Red-Hot Romance
Hot and Spicy
Cosy Crafts
As ever, I’d love to hear your comments about which books make you feel warm, and if you’ve read any of our suggestions please do let us know what you thought of them
Behind the Scenes at the Library 