You like cookies? You like books? Of course you do—you’re not a monster! 

(Unless we’re talking the Cookie Monster)

Actually if you are, in fact, a monster, dear reader, you should probably head over to our horror imprint’s blog at opens in a new windowtornightfire.com. BUT monster or no, we’ve composed a sampling of delicious holiday treats and delectable reads for you to check out!

opens in a new windowBiscotti — opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

We’re starting this list with that crunchiest of cantuccini paired with the wholesomest high fantasy around. Yes—biscotti is our treat match for Legends & Lattes. Pair this baked goodie with your favorite espresso drink : )

Gingerbread Man — opens in a new windowThe Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang opens in a new window

Science fiction mechas are assembled from all manner of precious alloy, but what’s the strongest mineral combination of all? That’d be C12H22O11, or sugar. Since the gingerbread man is basically a mech constructed from the above chemical structure, we recommend you snack on these whilst perusing the pages of The Genesis of Misery. 

opens in a new windowClassic Sugar Cookie — opens in a new windowDaughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

And speaking of sugar, we can’t get enough of that sweet, sweet stuff, so here it is in its classic form: The Archetypal Sugar Cookie. For those who love the classics, we have to suggest you partake in this treatly feast with a copy of Daughter of Redwinter in your non-cookie-eating hand. It’s a fantasy adventure about a young woman with a bow and arrow she can shoot and ghosts she can unfortunately see, trying to keep alive in a world that would destroy her over her secret ghost-sight powers. 

Snickerdoodles — opens in a new windowThe Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean opens in a new window

Okay, okay. Some personal bias here, but because snickerdoodle cookies are (subjectively, in this writer’s opinion) the most delicious of all cookies, the perfect book match is The Book Eaters. In this book about a reclusive family that literally eats books, the youngest scion has a hankering for brains. Anyway, you’ll be hungry too if you read this with a plate of snickerdoodles in front of you, so you can enjoy stomach-growling solidarity with the novel’s subject matter. 

opens in a new windowPeanut Butter Blossom — opens in a new windowNettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

The scrumptious flavor profile of these cookies is a blend of two components (chocolate + peanut butter), much like the title to T. Kingfisher’s hit novel, Nettle & Bone. Blossoms indicate plants, and though nettles sting, they nonetheless possess a plethora of medicinal properties, according to Wikipedia. Peanut butter is also good for you, I’m pretty sure. For these reasons, this pairing exists, and you should devour both cookies and book. 

*we couldn’t find any royalty-free images of peanut butter blossoms, so we doctored an image that includes peanut butter and blossoms

Jam Thumbprints  — opens in a new windowThe Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia opens in a new window

Here we have a dazzling romance with a splash of magic paired with decadent in taste, opulent in aesthetic cookies. We’re matching the classic buckeye cookie with The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The struggle between conformity and passion is delightfully metaphorized by the pull of the jam thumbprint to look as cool as possible while constrained by the necessity to maintain an acceptably cookie-caliber taste.

opens in a new windowOatmeal Raisin Cookies — opens in a new windowThe Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

This book by Sara A. Mueller is about Charm, a necromancer / courtesan that has to figure out which of her patron’s garbage sons killed him. The identity of her murdered client complicates things, since he is—was—the emperor who conquered Charm’s home and is responsible for her current predicament (the murder mystery AND her involuntary position). Anyway, this book is paired with oatmeal raisin cookies, because they’re something only a cursed chef (opinion alert) would cook up, and Charm has a lab with heavy mad science vibes where she conducts her deathly arts.