Winter Reads: Books to Warm You Up
It’s that time of year, when it’s so cold that you just want to stay inside on the couch with a good book to warm you up! Or, if you’re a Mom, you want to stay warm in the car while waiting for your kids at school pickup (preferably with the seat warmers on). Regardless, staying warm with a book sounds amazing! Here are some great new book recommendations, ones that will have you turning the pages instead of scrolling on BookTok! Why not take a break from watching TikTok and check out a new book? I say let’s start 2024 off right with more books and less social media!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt- I cannot say enough about this book! It’s honestly my top recommended book I read in 2023. The premise is so unique, but what really makes this book shine is the characters. This story follows the unlikely friendship between a widow and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellius. This is truly one book I wish I could read again for the first time! I found it to be so witty and charming!
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer – This novel was such a bright spot! In it, a reclusive bestselling children’s author reemerges with a brand new book and offers a one of a kind competition for the book rights. The competition is one that will change the winner’s life forever. I found this book to be so fun and whimsical. Someone said this book was part Willy Wonka and part magical realism, and I completely agree. This was one of my favorite books of the year!
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand- Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of summer reads, and this one doesn’t disappoint. A summer of scandal in Nantucket, complete with a resident ghost. What more could you ask for? I love a good beach read and I know it’s winter, but this one warmed me up and made me wish for summer weather. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view in this well written novel. If you haven’t read a book by Elin yet, this is a good one to try.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros- This was majorly hyped up by BookTok (and for good reason), and I had to read it! Honestly, I couldn’t put this book down. I stayed up one night reading until 1am. I had to see what was going to happen next. If you’re a fantasy fan, or loved ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses series), this is definitely for you! The setting is a war college for dragon riders. Friends, enemies, and lovers- this book has it all! Even better, the sequel was just released a few months ago!
Weyward by Emilia Hart – This was one of the only books my book club read that we all liked! It follows the stories of three resilient women across five centuries: Altha’s during a witch trial of the 17th century, Violet during WWII, and then Kate in 2019. The storytelling is so compelling that when the narrative switches from one to another, it’s almost disappointing. This was Emilia Hart’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her!
Black Cake: A Novel by Charmaine Wilkerson You may have heard of the new show on Hulu that’s based on this novel! We read this in our Read Between the Wines book club in 2022 and it was one of my favorite books of that year. In it, two estranged siblings discover their mother’s hidden past and how it all connects back to her famous Caribbean black cake. This novel is full of secrets, memories, and unfortunate betrayals. It’s a must read!
Bonus: Here are two books from my TBR (to be read) list:
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan I’m a sucker for romance novels, especially second chance romance novels. This novel won several romance novel awards in 2022 and Kennedy Ryan is a powerhouse Romance author! Yasmen and Josiah’s story is supposed to be one of hope and healing. I look forward to reading it soon!
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See I really enjoyed Lisa See’s novel, The Island of Sea Women, so seeing another interesting one from her had me automatically adding to cart! This novel is inspired by the true story of a Chinese woman physician from the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty during the time of bound feet and arranged marriages. This is a must read for me!
