Autumn, Winter, the Holiday Season…you know what that means? A row of seasonal drinks to delight our taste buds. Well, mine at least. I live for the seasonal drinks and that typical Starbucks rotation., and I’ve always wanted to try different seasonal cocktails. Which is why I thought it would be fun to compare popular drinks with some of the world’s favorite books!
- Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is both sweet and spicy, served hot, and most often during the holiday season. It can taste fruity, tart, sweet, and smoky.
A similar book that could be described as sweet and spicy? The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. The neurodivergent hero is thirty with little experience in the dating field. She’s an expert at statistics and algorithms but not French kissing. So, naturally, she hires an escort to teach her all the ways from kissing to foreplay.
- Hot Buttered Rum
Hot buttered rum is a mixture of rum, butter, and hot water or cider, with a sweetener and some spices like cinnamon. It can be described as warm, cozy, and sweet with a caramel-like flavor.
Another cozy book is Once Upon a River by Dianne Setterfield. The regulars at an ancient inn near the River Thames are telling stories by the fire when a stranger bursts in. He is fatally wounded and he is holding a dead girl. Only, hours later, she stirs, and no one knows how.
- Eggnog
What a classic Christmas drink. This “egg milk” is rich and creamy, with a spicy overtone thanks to the nutmeg. Those who like it (aka not me) say that it tastes like melted ice cream.
Eggnog seems to be one of those drinks you either love or hate, no in between. With that in mind, I’m going with the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. I was part of the craze in 2008 when I was twelve, but now I cringe looking back on it. Yet, with the Twilight Renaissance, there are people who still love the books. And people who hate on them.
- Peppermint Mocha
My favorite winter drink. This coffee drink is very rich–like hot chocolate with a peppermint flavoring. Rich, chocolatey, minty.
As such, I thought it was appropriate to have a book with a fresh, rich character representing this drink. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid features a cast of wealthy characters who seem to have made it in Hollywood, though focuses on Evelyn Hugo and her long successors of lovers.
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
My favorite autumnal drink! This drink tends to blend vanilla and pumpkin, as well as spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. And is said to be the most “basic” drink, probably because it is so widely popular.
So, what’s a widely popular “basic” book? According to Goodreads most popular books of 2021, the most “basic” book is People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, with 243k ratings.
- Spiced Cider
Spiced Cider, Mulled Cider, Spiked Cider…call it what you want, it tastes like a slice of apple pie. Not only does this apple cider typically have alcohol, but it’s infused with spices and citrus.
The only books I can think to compare are “fruity books” or books with reference to fruit in the title. How about The Golden Apples of the Sun by Ray Bradbury? It references apples, after all, and a classic collection of science fiction short stories.
- Hot Chocolate
Finally, the most classic holiday drink–hot chocolate. It’s warm, cozy, and familiar.
Another cozy classic is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. And, fittingly enough, it opens on Christmas!
Living For Literature 