Admittedly, I’m not fond of snow storms or sub-below temperatures, but I do appreciate winter for its ability to help me catch up on my reading! Snuggling up with a cozy blanket, hot cup of tea (or coffee or cocoa) and a book is a surefire way to chase away the winter blues.   Though I’m a fan of getting lost within the pages of a great fiction book, most of my reading tends to be non-fiction.  I absolutely love learning new crafts and cooking techniques, nourishing my soul with inspirational reading and enhancing my knowledge on favorite subjects.

From finding your Zen to Adult Coloring Book fun, there’s something to inspire everyone’s creativity this winter.  And of course we had to include Barb Webb’s Getting Laid: Everything You Need to Know About Raising Chickens, Gardening and Preserving — with Over 100 Recipes! because Spring is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about gardening, baby chicks and whipping up some farm fresh dishes!

7 Smart Books to Read This Winter

1. We recently reviewed THE PRIME: Prepare and Repair Your Body for Spontaneous Weight Loss and simply love the natural healing tips and insights in this fabulous book.  It’s a revolutionary approach to weight loss that focuses on a holistic approach of healing the body within.
2. If you’ve ever felt like you are a bit helpless to help change the state of the world, RENEWABLE: One Woman’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness and Hope will help you gain a deeper understanding of how one person truly does make a difference.
3. The book may have a cheeky title, but GETTING LAID: Everything You Need to Know About Raising Chickens, Gardening and Preserving — with Over 100 Recipes! is chock full of invaluable advice on homesteading.  It’s the new sustainable chick’s almanac with topics that are fresh, modern and on-point for anyone wishing to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
4. We are all on a quest for a deeper meaning to our lives and BUDDHA DOODLES: Imagine the Possibilities illustrates simple, deep truths in a very whimsical way.  Thought provoking and divinely clever, this is a light read perfect for beginning each day’s morning meditation with.
5. PRESERVING THE JAPANESE WAY: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen is a unique guide for canning enthusiasts.  If you’ve ever thought of making miso, are a serious foodies or would simply like to learn the art of Japanese preserving, this is a great book to have on your kitchen bookshelf.
6. Penguins are perfectly chill and perhaps some of the most fascinating birds on the planet.  We have a lot to learn from these intuitive masters of the Antarctic and ZEN PENGUINS: The Art of Keeping Chill aims to teach their wisdom.  Filled with beautiful images and enlightened philosophies, this is a great book to remind us that despite the frozen chill of winter, there are plenty of inspiration to be discovered.
7.  Okay, so COLOR ME DELICIOUS may not make you smarter, but you’ll definitely have plenty of cheerful adult coloring book therapy and that’s a pretty wise choice!

Be still. Stay chill! Patient, tolerant, living in the moment – we have much to learn from these little #zen masters! #LoveIt #toocute #inspiration #reading #bookworm #books #bookstagram

A photo posted by Barb Webb (@barb_webb) on Jan 15, 2016 at 4:32am PST

What’s on your winter bookshelf?  We’d love to hear about your favorite books!