Warming your mind this winter: Dive into a riveting read

Warm your heart and mind

There's lots of things you can do to combat the sting of the cold season — from sheltering under a mammoth pile of blankets to sipping on steaming cups of tea — but nothing works quite like a distraction from the world around you. The best way to do that? Diving into a riveting read. But how do you know what's a good read and what's not? Our Home has your back, sitting down with Helen Sofra from Collins Booksellers Shepparton to discuss all the must-reads for you this winter.

Escape the winter blues in the pages of a good book.

STORY: CAITLYN GRANT

HOBBIES TO WARM YOUR HEART

If you feel like the winter blues are getting the best of you, fear not, the humble hobby has your back. Instead of the art of acrobatics or water aerobics, settle your mind on something a little more familiar this winter: cooking. With so many amazing cookbooks on off er, it's an almost foolproof task. Well, for most. With the rise in baking bread over lockdown, it soon became evident it just isn't as simple as it may seem. If you didn't manage to master your sourdough, why not give it another crack with Sourdough Every Day guiding you through every step of the way. Nothing says winter quite like a steaming hot slow cooker meal at the end of a long, cold day. Taking the fuss out of dinners, Slow Victories: A Food Lover's Guide to Slow Cooker Glory is a must for the coming months.

TRAVEL FROM YOUR LIVING ROOM

After the collective year we've had, it's safe to say we're all probably standing on itchy feet. There's only so much scrolling on Pinterest boards you can do to stifle your squirming travel bug. Grab a copy of Ultimate Road Trips in Australia and fill your searching soul with the beauties and ethereal wonders of our home country. Pick up some tips as hot as the Parisian sun on renovating through the passages of My Four Seasons in France. Experience the idyllic French atmosphere of wandering through vineyards and munching on croissants from the pleasure of your very own toasty warm home. “People like to dream about what they will do once winter ends,” author Janine Marsh said. TOP FIVE WINTER MUST-READS

If you're after a war story to sink your teeth into, Kelly Rimmer's Warsaw Orphan will leave you wanting more. Inspired by a real-life story and featuring a heroine risking her life to save Jewish children during World War II. Feeling like more of a mystery? Add a bit of spice to your life with Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. A group of senior citizens find themselves at the crux of solving a murder case. From Anita Heiss, a proud member of the Wiradjuri Nation, comes Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams. Set in 1852 on Wiradhuri Country, this novel explores Australia's colonial past through the eyes of a young indigenous woman. Finishing off the The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley's seventh instalment—The Missing Sister—is one not to be missed. Through their adventures, one question still remains: who and where is the seventh sister? Bit of a history and English buff? Flash Jim by Kel Richards has you covered. It tells the story of James Hardy Vaux, writer of Australia's first dictionary and first true crime memoir.