Hello everyone!
For those of you in the Midwest, you’ve definitely felt the record-breaking weather warnings we’ve had outside! With the temperatures getting below -15 degrees, wind chills of -40 degrees, warnings of frostbite, and of course, over a foot of snow, anyone in their right mind is staying inside and cranking the heat up. I know for me, something that’s helped me pass the time each night is sitting by the heater and getting some reading done.
So, for today’s blog post, I thought I’d give you some ideas for what to pick up at your local bookstore/library if you’re snowed in and need a good book to curl up on the couch with. Below are a variety of titles (all of which I read last year!) that I would highly recommend to those of you looking to expand your reading during this new year.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
This is probably the LAST book you thought I’d recommend, and I get it! Dickens is wordy, dense, and hard to read, but if you’re already trapped inside, why not give it a go?
Great Expectations is a timeless and classic tale about a poor boy named Pip who wants to be wealthy to impress the girl he’s in love with, but when he gets his wish, he realizes that being rich isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
Most people probably read this book in high school (or if you’re like me, I actually read it in middle school which is as hard as you can imagine), but I would definitely recommend giving this book a re-read. At the very least, it’s cool to brag to your friends about how you’re reading “one of the classics!”
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
In all honesty, this isn’t my favorite fantasy book of all time, but if you’re new to the fantasy genre, this is a great book to try out for your first time!
Serpent and Dove is a YA romantasy novel that follows a witch and a witch hunter who are forced into marriage and eventually fall in love. The world-building is easy to follow, its dual perspectives, and if you’re into romance tropes, this book is jam-packed with them! It’s also the first book in the trilogy, so if you end up loving it, there’s much more where that came from!
Persuasion by Jane Austen
And!!! We’re back to the classics!
I recently read Pride and Prejudice which is why I ended up picking up another Austen book to see what else Austen has magically concocted. Persuasion follows Anne, who is reunited with her former lover after having rejected his proposal seven years ago. But even after those seven years, she’s still in love with him and she quietly pins for him as he begins the journey of trying to find a wife.
For me, I absolutely loved reading Anne’s Developing Crush, so if you’re looking for a classic tale that’s quick and romantic, then this novel is for you! And afterward, Netflix made a movie, so you’ll be able to see the characters on the TV screen if you’re still craving more. Personally, I didn’t think it was a great adaption, but you’ll have to judge that for yourself!
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Hands down, this is the BEST book I read in 2023!!! I swear, not a day goes by when I don’t think about it!
Normal People follows Connell and Marianne, two people who knew each other in high school and stay connected in college. It’s an expanded love story about two people who struggle to communicate their insecurities to one another, but still remain in love over many years.
It’s a short novel, easy to read, and there’s a TV show about it that was nominated for a handful of Emmys and Golden Globes! Truly, this is one of the most heartfelt novels I’ve ever read, so please go read it!!!
The Farm by Joanne Ramos
Another one of my favorite books of 2023!
The Farm follows Jane, a Filipino single mother living in the dormitories with her newborn baby, Amalia. To provide for her daughter, Jane takes a job as a surrogate for a rich company that helps the wealthy have children. All at once, Jane is swept into a dystopian-esque compound in the middle of upstate NY where she realizes how ugly the company and its standards really are.
This novel tackles themes of motherhood, class, race, transnational feminism, feminine healthcare, and so much more. It’s a great read and if you’re looking for a novel that handles complex social issues, this is a novel I definitely recommend!
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I know, I know, ANOTHER Charles Dickens’s book?!? Especially a Christmas one?!?
I figured I would put this book on the list for two reasons. First, it’s the easiest of Dickens’s books to read, and second, the snowfall and ice outside give more Christmas vibes than how actual Christmas looked or felt. So, if you want to reminisce about the holidays, this might be a good book to help you do that!
This classic tale follows a man named Scrooge who is visited by three ghosts who are meant to show him what the Christmas spirit is all about! If you want to read a classic, but Great Expectations isn’t really your style, why not try this book out and see where it goes?
Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman
Dry follows a teenage girl, Alyssa, who lives in California during a massive drought that turns the state into an apocalyptic wasteland. Throughout the novel, she has to make life-altering decisions for her younger brother and their newfound friends as they struggle to survive without water.
Although this novel was a bit slow, I really appreciated the themes of climate change, and the complexity of human nature when our survival instincts kick in. If you’re looking for a YA standalone novel that’s easy to read, but still tackles some environmental issues, this is the book for you!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My boyfriend gifted me this book for our first anniversary, and I knew I just HAD to read it the moment I had it in my hands. Having seen the movie multiple times and heard all of the astounding acclaim this timeless tale has drawn over the years, I knew this book was going to be amazing and yet, I was still blown away by it!
This novel follows Charlie, a nervous freshman boy, who befriends two seniors, Sam and Patrick. They help him navigate his first year in high school and the novel really hones in on the struggle of your teenage years as you discover who you are as a person.
It’s a really beautiful novel written in letter format, with simple language, and relatable themes that everyone can connect to. This is a book I think everyone should read once, so pick it up if you see it on shelves!!!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
After watching the new Hunger Games prequel movie that just came out, I re-entered my nostalgic middle school dystopian phase, which is how I ended up reading Delirium, one of the best-selling dystopian books that I never got the chance to read in middle school when that genre was popular.
While it isn’t my favorite of the high-ranking YA dystopian books out there, it held my attention and I plan on reading the rest of the series sometime this year! The story follows Lena, a teenage girl who falls in love with a boy in a society where love is something to be cured and prevented. The book is fast-paced, swoon-worthy, and has high stakes on every page.
If you’re looking for a nostalgic dystopian tale and a series to keep you hooked, this might be the novel for you!
The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo
For this last book, I figured I would recommend a curveball!
While this book still falls into the YA fantasy range, this novel is a collection of short fables and folktales in the Grishaverse, a universe that Leigh Bardugo has written multiple series! That being said, you don’t have to read any of Bardugo’s previous works to enjoy this one since it’s separate from the novels (even if there are a few fun stories that are mentioned in her other series!)
If you’re looking for a short novel where you can admire the storytelling and artwork, I would definitely recommend this book! It’s a quick read that you can check off your list any time, so try it out!
Those are all the books I have for you guys!
I hope something on this list has sparked your interest and I hope you’re staying warm in these cold and treacherous times. Thank you so much for reading and see you next time!
