Hey future Hawkeyes!
The winter season is upon us and the snowstorms (and ice storms?) are keeping students home these past couple of days, but being cooped up in the house is a great opportunity to start on that reading goal you declared for the new year! If you need some book suggestions to add to your list, here is a short list of novels that myself and my literary friends have compiled for you guys to enjoy!
Silver in the Bone
By Alexandra Bracken
If you’re looking for a two-in-one combo, Silver in the Bone, is book one in a duology!
The series is young adult (though, as an adult, I do think it’s a step up from the typical YA series) and it follows Tamsin Lark as she searches for a cure to save her brother, Cabell, whose curse has taken a sharp turn for the worse. With the help of a new witch and her rival, Emrys, the group finds themselves in Avalon, the famous land of King Arthur to save Cabell, but also, to discover more about Tamsin’s father who left her and Cabell to go to Avalon in search of a magical object.
In this new retelling, the Arthurian myths and legends are brought together in a stunning modern tale. If you’re someone interested in reading more about King Arthur and Celtic folklore, this is definitely the duology for you!
No Judgments
By Meg Cabot
With Valentine’s Day in just a week, why not pick up a fun romance novel?
If you’re missing the warm weather, you might enjoy Meg Cabot’s standalone romance, No Judgments, which follows Sabrina Beckham and her experience remaining on Little Bridge, a small island off the coast, when a massive hurricane destroys the town. With the help of Drew, the island’s biggest heartthrob, they work together to rescue all the pets left behind and, maybe, fall in love in the process.
If you want a fun and easy romance read, I’ve heard this one is perfect!
The Song of Achilles
By Madeline Miller
Speaking of retellings, if you’re a huge fan of Greek mythology, The Song of Achilles, is one of the best retellings that my friends and I have ever read!
It’s a standalone young adult novel that follows the tale of Patroclus and Achilles as Achilles becomes a renowned war hero who must fight with the Greeks to save Helen of Sparta. The story is a beautiful exploration of youth, love, fate, and sacrifice, and it made me cry at the end!
If you want to read a standalone book that’ll stick with you forever, I promise, you’ll never forget this incredible story.
When the Moon Hatched
By Sarah A. Parker
For my romantasy readers who also love dragons, this is the perfect next novel for you!
It’s the first book in a series, but luckily, the second book comes out in the fall of 2025, so you have plenty of time to read this debut before the rest of the series is available!
Parker’s, When the Moon Hatched, is an adult romantasy and follows Raeve, an infamous bounty hunter, as she works to finish an assassination job when she’s caught and put on trial by the Guild of Nobles. While imprisoned, she crosses paths with Kaan, a king in mourning, and the two of them find themselves tangled in the past and reality as war looms and dragons start mysteriously falling from the skies.
Even though the book is a thousand pages long, Parker does an amazing job at setting up the scene, building a vivid world, and crafting well-rounded characters whose secrets hit like a packed punch!
Women on the Moon
By Debora Kuan
Lots of moon titles for this winter season!
Women on the Moon is a poetry collection for all the poetry lovers who are looking for their new favorite poet to dive into. The collection explores themes such as motherhood, survival, marriage, race, magic, and the Moon Goddess (a famous Chinese folktale; folktales are also a huge theme in this post, aren’t they?)
Kuan is a very new poet, but her collection truly encompasses so many themes and ideas, so if you’re interested in reading some poetry, I’d recommend looking into hers!
Orlando
By Virginia Woolf
For those of you looking for a classic read, why not pick up some Virginia Woolf?
Woolf’s, Orlando, is inspired by her friendship (and let’s be honest, romantic relationship) with Vita Sackeville-West. The story follows the nobleman, Orlando, as he experiences the noble life, but halfway through the novel, he wakes up to find that he’s now a woman.
Some have coined this classic tale as one of the first mainstream trans narratives and I can honestly say that it’s one of mine and my friends’ favorite classic novels! If you’re looking for an older book that reflects our society today, I’d recommend reading this one!
Fun Home
By Alison Bechdel
Doing a complete 180, Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel is the perfect book for people who love memoirs and graphic novels/comics!
In this graphic memoir, Bechdel recounts her relationship with her father, a closeted gay man, as she discovers her own sexuality in the wake of his death and possible suicide. Over the course of a broken-up narrative and hand-drawn images, Bechdel rediscovers who her father was as she copes with his death.
Even if you’re not a big graphic memoirist fan, I would definitely recommend checking this out, just to try something new!
The Gilda Stories
By Jewelle Gomez
For those of you who want to read a lesser-known classic (and you love Twilight), I’d definitely recommend picking up, The Gilda Stories.
The story spans 200 years and follows the vampire, Gilda, as themes of morality, slavery, trauma, grief, and humanity are explored as she comes to terms with her immortality. This is a must-read for people who love vampires and want to read a cool, new twist on a classic monster tale!
Times Square Red, Times Square Blue
By Samuel Delany
If you’re interested in reading about the history of a specific location and city, look no further than Times Square Red, or Times Square Blue.
The novel is split up into two essays: the first half where Delany reiterates the Old Times Square, his own personal stories within it, and the complexity of people coming from all walks of life, including the importance of Times Square on the LGBTQ+ community. In the second half of the novel, Delany critiques the hub’s change and explains what has been lost within New York City’s new renovations.
This book is widely informative and really opens up people’s eyes to a popular and influential location in the United States. I would definitely check this out and read up on this important history.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
By Ocean Vuong
To round out these recommendations, we have to end with, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous which has been a huge hit since it took to the shelves!
For people who love creative nonfiction (or even people just getting into it!), Vuong’s memoir is a beautiful recollection of his life through his childhood. He unearths his and his mother’s past; taking the time to connect his ancestry in Vietnam and his present-day life as a gay man struggling along an intersectional line in the late 20th century.
This is such an impactful debut novel and if you’re interested in anything by Vuong, I would definitely start here!
That finishes up my winter reading recommendations! I hope this list gave you some inspiration for your next read and reassures you that Hawkeyes read across all genres! Because this is a literary campus, there’s a genuine place for every genre, every reader, and every writer, so if any of these novels interest you, I can assure you that we have a class or a group of people who you’d fit right in with.
Anyway, I hope you continue to consider Iowa and that you stay warm this winter! See you soon!
