Baby, It's Cold Outside

'Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the library, a creature surely was stirring--most particularly a reader. Hello, my readeers! I'm very excited because IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS! Christmas and its red and green atmosphere is my most favorite time of year, and I decided to do a little something fun on the blog this time around. So welcome to Under the Bookish Tree, a five-day long palooza of books and bookish things with inspiration from your favorite Christmas tunes and jingles. And today:

(Before you continue, here's some music to keep your ears warm while you read!)

I really can't stay, I've got to go away--I've got to go back home to my book, okay? "Baby, It's Cold Outside" perfectly epitomizes this time of year because--at least in the grand ol' Pacific Northwest--it is cold. (I am, in fact, sitting in front of a space heater right this very second.) In terms of something bookish, twisting this song can go one of two ways: wintry books or books with stellar romance. Since I "unfortunately" cannot think of very many wintry books, I'm going with the latter. I therefore present to you two categories: five books that are guaranteed to melt the snow (not including what I've read this year), and my five favorite romances of the year so far with some serious spark. And as a bonus: one very wintry book that I quite adored.

melters of snow

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett: Honestly this was only Jenn's first YA (I think?) but she has another one coming and based on what I've heard it's very, very safe to say that she's a Queen of Steam (but you'll need a fire extinguisher to ensure said safety).

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman: I don't remember this being super high on the steam scale per se, but it's super high on swoon and feels and sexual tension. The romance will literally kill you with all the butterflies it puts in your stomach. I know this because I'm typing this as a ghost.

Never Never by Brianna Shrum: I still can't get over this for fuck's sake CAPTAIN HOOK AND TIGER LILY FOREVER AND EVER.

Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson: It's a fact universally acknowledged that snow takes one look at Lord Hector of Ventierra and immediately melts and evaporates.

Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw don't even know what snow is because their romance melts any snow to ever exist.

starters of sparks

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: Love love love love love love love love love this wonderful piece of bantery love-to-hate romantical and shippy perfection.

Shuffle, Repeat by Jen Klein: Of all the fluffy contemporaries I read this year, this one is the best (and few names go as well together as Oliver and June).

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas: Did you really think I wouldn't include DID YOU REALLY (especially with ALL THE SHIPS).

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas: I can't with all my ships I CANNOT OKAY (and I can still feel the steam from this and ACOMAF okay okay okay).

The Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong: Totally cheating here because I reread this series this year but Chloe and Derek kill the hell out of me and spoiler alert not much romance shit even happens until book three and I still died in book one SO.

a wintry bonus

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst: I read this a couple weeks ago and REALLY REALLY LIKED IT and it's super wintry (like, there's a castle entirely made of ice and a POLAR BEAR KING ) and HELLO, ROMANCE.

What books do you recommend for those cold, chilly days?