If you’re craving an unhurried, peaceful start to the new year, it’s best to begin with a cozy new book.

But what makes a book cozy? It’s the kind of story that draws you in with relatable, memorable characters, and lived-in, inviting settings: small towns, close-knit families, or quiet corners of the world. The pace is comforting rather than demanding; these books offer a balance of humor, tenderness, and insight.

To help readers ease into January, our friends at Bookmarked Paperie have curated a list of reads that fit that feeling perfectly. Owners Beth Seeley and Dana Weimer believe books are a foundation for a better life, and their mother-daughter shop reflects that philosophy in every detail. From the latest bestsellers to thoughtfully chosen favorites, along with monthly book clubs and community events, Bookmarked Paperie is a place built around connection and hospitality. Here are six cozy reads recommended by owner Beth Seeley to start the year on a gentle note.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

The Lost Bookshop weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives across Dublin, London, and Paris to tell a story that is part bibliophilic mystery, part magical realism, and part historical romance. In the 1920s, Opaline, a spirited young woman fleeing an arranged marriage, finds work among rare books in Paris and later runs a bookshop in Dublin that holds secrets and a hinted‑at magical life of its own. In the present day, Martha, escaping an abusive marriage, and Henry, a scholar searching for a lost manuscript and the vanished bookshop, are drawn into the mystery of the shop that appears and disappears and binds their lives together across time.

Why you’ll love it: If you love stories where books are almost characters themselves, The Lost Bookshop offers a richly layered, immersive read that blurs the line between reality and enchantment. Evie Woods blends historical detail with magical realism, literary mystery, and heartfelt character arcs to explore themes of belonging, resilience, and how stories shape our identities. The novel is especially appealing to readers who enjoy atmospheric settings, intertwined timelines, and the comforting yet intriguing idea that a bookshop, and the books in it, can change a life

Small Things Like These by Clare Keegan

Small Things Like These follows Bill Furlong, a coal merchant in a small Irish town in December 1985, as he prepares for Christmas against the backdrop of routine deliveries and familiar faces. But this year feels different. When a chance encounter leads him toward the local Magdalene Laundry, a place where women were confined and forced to work, Bill is confronted with a truth he has long avoided seeing. As he begins to notice what others overlook and wrestles with his own past, the ordinary rhythms of daily life give way to a quiet moral reckoning. Keegan’s spare, luminous prose captures the weight of unspoken complicity and the courage it takes to act on empathy in a world that would rather look away.

Why you’ll love it: Small Things Like These is the kind of book that lingers in your mind because of its moral force and emotional precision. Keegan writes with extraordinary clarity and restraint, finding immense depth in everyday moments and everyday people. If you appreciate fiction that reveals the extraordinary within the ordinary, that spotlights compassion, conscience, and the cost of small acts of courage, this novel is the perfect read for you.

Heart The Lover by Lily King

Heart the Lover centers around Jordan, a perceptive and witty narrator who knows the secrets and thrills of good love stories, yet finds her own life defying the usual rules. In the fall of her senior year, she meets Sam and Yash, two charismatic classmates from her 17th-Century Literature course. Invited into their world of academic fervor, rapid-fire banter, and raucous card games, Jordan quickly discovers the pleasures of friendship, love, and intellectual ambition. But youthful passion proves unpredictable, and she soon finds herself entangled in a charged love triangle that will shape all three lives.

Why you’ll love it: Heart the Lover is a masterful exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery, written with Lily King’s signature wit and emotional insight. “King’s books always leave me feeling like I could cry my heart out while simultaneously wanting to hug someone like they’re my best friend,” Bookmarked owner Beth Seeley says. “Heart the Lover was no exception to this. It’s a character study in how people are, quite frankly, people.” The novel captures the exhilaration and complications of youth while reflecting on how past choices echo across a lifetime. Fans of King’s work will appreciate her sharp observation of human desire, the transformative power of literature, and the intricate bonds that shape our lives.

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy fantasy set on a magical, faraway island filled with hundreds of enchanted greenhouses. Terlu Perna, once punished for breaking the law by creating a sentient spider plant, awakens as a wooden statue to find herself cold, starving, and alone—except for the grumpy but kind gardener, Yarrow. As Terlu grows closer to Yarrow and explores the island, she discovers that the magic sustaining the greenhouses is failing. With the help of Yarrow and a sentient rose, she must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer to save the island and finally embrace a second chance at happiness, love, and self-discovery.

Why you’ll love it: This charming standalone novel offers a delightful mix of whimsy, romance, and magical adventure. Durst’s writing is funny, warm, and forgiving, making the island, its magical plants, and its characters feel vividly alive. The Enchanted Greenhouse is perfect for readers who love cozy fantasy worlds where magic, humor, and heart collide, and where second chances, both in love and life, take center stage.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale is a richly atmospheric historical fantasy set in the frozen wilderness of medieval Russia. The story follows Vasilisa “Vasya” Petrovna, a young girl with an uncanny ability to see and communicate with the old spirits who protect her family’s home. As Christianity spreads and her village’s new priest denounces the old ways, the protective household spirits weaken, and a dark force from the forest begins to threaten the settlement. With her mother gone and her father away, Vasya must defy rigid gender roles, skepticism, and mounting danger to defend her family and her community. Drawing deeply on Russian folklore, Arden blends myth, history, and lyrical prose to create a world where spirits walk beside humans and courage means embracing one’s own wild heart.

Why you’ll love it: The Bear and the Nightingale is a spellbinding read for anyone who loves immersion in a richly drawn world where magic feels elemental and real. Arden’s elegant, evocative prose captures the stark beauty of winter, the tension between old beliefs and new, and the fierce spirit of a heroine who refuses to be constrained by society’s expectations. The novel resonates with readers who enjoy stories steeped in folklore that also explore themes of independence, faith, and the power of storytelling itself.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

One Day in December follows Laurie, who believes love at first sight exists only in movies—until one snowy December day, she glimpses a man through a misted-up bus window and knows instantly he is the one. Though the moment is fleeting, Laurie is certain they are destined to meet again, and she spends the next year searching for him in every café and bus stop across London. Fate intervenes at a Christmas party, where she discovers the man from the bus is Jack, her best friend Sarah’s new boyfriend. Over the next ten years, Laurie, Jack, and Sarah navigate friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, and the unexpected paths love can take. Silver crafts a story filled with warmth, emotion, and the magic of chance encounters.

Why you’ll love it: The novel is a heartwarming, romantic journey for anyone who believes in fate, second chances, and the unpredictable paths of love. Silver’s writing captures the emotional highs and lows of relationships with charm, wit, and insight, making readers feel deeply invested in the characters’ triumphs and setbacks. It’s a perfect escape for fans of contemporary romance who enjoy stories that remind us that happiness often comes in surprising, imperfect, and beautifully human ways.

Looking for more book recommendations for the new year? Visit Bookmarked Paperie in Trussville for thoughtful, personalized titles to add to your reading list.