Reading these Cottagecore-style books are one of the best ways to immerse yourself into the lifestyle you want.

These are some of the best books to transfer yourself into the Cottagecore lifestyle that you daydream of – they can even be enjoyed if you don’t participate in the Cottagecore aesthetic.

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

“It’s an epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads—driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California.”

If you need a new book to add to your bookshelf, don’t look over this story of real, rural farm life.

This novel covers what is was like to live during the Great Depression, losing everything you have and witnessing injustice.

The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel

“Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is the remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality–not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.”

This truly unique and real story delves into the life of Christopher Thomas Knight.

Knight was not some imaginative hero, but an actual man who lived and committed many crimes.

Trust me, you don’t have to agree with his actions or his view of the world, but this novel poetically explores a radical way of living and the challenges he faces along the way.

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

“For more than a century, The Wind in the Willows and its endearing protagonists–Mole, Mr. Toad, Badger, and Ratty–have enchanted children of all ages. Whether the four friends are setting forth on an exciting adventure, engaging in a comic caper, or simply relaxing by the River Thames, their stories are among the most charming in all English literature.”

If you love Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan or Winnie The Pooh, you will love this children’s story that deals with adult problems in a whimsical fantasy world.

The tale in The Wind in the Willows is told through endearing characters, using rich language and is thoroughly enjoyable for any adult.

Circe, by Madeline Miller

“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child – not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power – the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.”

An unspoken aspect of a Cottagecore lifestyle is finding yourself and healing wounds (physical and mental) from your past.

The journey told through Circe is one about living freely, completely unbound, and finding your true self.

Circe is not a mortal, she’s not a goddess, and she has done some unspeakable things – she is the complex heroine that was bullied and belittled for never being good enough. 

Despite this, she found her gifts and immersed herself in the world of witchcraft – something I know many of you would be interested in.

The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben

“In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific processes behind the wonders of which we are blissfully unaware. Much like human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the impact of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. As a result of such interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be very old. In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it and in most cases die much earlier than those in a group.”

This story involves an enlightening walk through nature, which is something everyone will thoroughly enjoy.

The Hidden Life of Trees will teach you that trees are actually social creatures, involving scientific facts and new discoveries that will rock the world.

Far From the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy

“Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community.”

Have you been looking for a story about a woman unlike any other you’ve read about from the nineteenth century? 

Well, Bathsheba is that right woman for you; she can truly do it all, and never shies away from working in the farm or walking into markets led by men.

This story leads you through Bathsheba’s tragedy and strength and how three suitors completely change her life.

Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls WIlder

“Little House in the Big Woods takes place in 1871 and introduces us to four-year-old Laura, who lives in a log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. She shares the cabin with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their lovable dog, Jack.

Pioneer life isn’t easy for the Ingalls family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But they make the best of every tough situation. They celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do their spring planting, bring in the harvest in the fall, and make their first trip into town. And every night, safe and warm in their little house, the sound of Pa’s fiddle lulls Laura and her sisters into sleep.”

You may have heard about the Little House series as a child – wholesome stories about the difficulties of living in a small log cabin in the woods.

Possibly the greatest lesson you can learn from this story is perspective; that no matter how tough your life may get, you can control your response to anything thrown your way.

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