Autumn/Winter Reads (+ giveaway)

I don’t know about you guys, but one of my favourite things to do when the cold weather rolls around is snuggle up on the couch with a good book. Unfortunately, the reality of life doesn’t always align with this romanticized idea. There are ways of bringing the comfort of a good book into the dreary reality of life though, and for me this is via audiobooks. During the long. depressing drives (or train rides) to work on rainy winter days, I always pop on an audiobook and let myself get lost in the story. I thought I would share a few of my favourite “cold weather appropriate” books with you all, including one that I plan on getting stuck into when Winter finally arrives this year.

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty – I think if you’re going to spend a length of time listening to someone read a book to you, you’re going to want it to be the kind that really captivates you and draws you into the story. Which is exactly how I felt while reading this book earlier in the year. This was unputdownable for me, and everyone I’ve recommended it to has loved it just as much as I did. The book is set around the time of Easter in Australia, so there some references to Autumn treats (buttered hot cross buns, anyone?), that transported me to that time of year. Perfect.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn – I’ve mentioned a few times now that this is my favourite of the three books that Gillian Flynn has published so far. It’s dark, mysterious, and the kind of book you could curl up and listen to when the lights go out during a storm.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy – This is probably one of the bleakest books I’ve ever read, and the barren landscape of the story aligns perfectly with winter in my mind. I love this book, but I’ve recommended it to people who weren’t a big fan of Cormac McCarthy’s writing style and unfortunately they weren’t that keen on it. Having said that, I feel like this book would translate really well to an audio format, and I’m keen to listen to the audiobook this year to see if I still have the same feelings for it as I did after I first read it years ago.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt – For some reason I’ve always associated this book with cold weather. I guess it makes sense, with the majority of the book being set on a college campus in the US with quite a lot of mentions of snow. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I’m planning on re-reading this (in audiobook format) this year.

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica – This is the front runner on my list of books to read this Winter. “I’ve been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works. I don’t know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she’s scared. But I will.” If that doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will.

I’ve teamed up with Audible Australia, and will be giving away one of each of the titles mentioned in this post. To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me which of these five books you want to read this Autumn/Winter season. Please note, this giveaway is open to Australian residents only. Entries close at midnight on Sunday April 12th, and winners will be announced on Monday April 13th. Good luck!