I had so much great feedback from my Summer Reading List I thought I’d make one for those of you who need some new books to get you through those snowy winter nights. Below is my winter reading list. It’s a collection of favorites of mine from every genre I can think of. If you’re looking for more fun reads, be sure and sign up for my email where I share a new great book to read every Month! ~ Rachel
If you like something different… I saw Life After Life by Kate Atkinson everywhere before I bought it. The cover intrigued me but I kept putting it back on the shelf because World War II isn’t really my favorite time period to read about. But the book kept calling to me and finally I read the first page, after that I barely put it down until I was finished. In the book the main character keeps dying in different ways at different ages but when you turn the page it carries on in that same scene as if she hadn’t died. Imagine an entire book of What If. It’s so incredibly well-written and thought provoking, the exact kind of thing you want to curl up with.
If you like an oddball hero… The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion was my favorite book of the summer. It follows Don Tillman a professor of genetics who, at almost forty, has decided he needs to find a wife. You as the reader understand very quickly that Don has Aspergers syndrome but Don has no idea. Don ends up meeting Rosie who is the opposite of everything on his list for a perfect wife but he can’t seem to stop seeking her out. This was the sweetest, quirkiest love story and I’ve recommended it to everyone!
If you like time travel… Can you tell yet that I have an author crush on Susanna Kearsley? I basically include a different book of hers in each list I make but I can’t help it. The Rose Garden is the perfect marriage of historical romance and really clever time-bending story telling. It has all of the great elements I love in a Kearsley book (romance, adventure, tragedy) but it’s got an epic ending that I totally didn’t see coming!
If you like historical fiction… The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman is incredible. It reminded me a lot of The Red Tent and if you liked that book I think you’ll love this one too. This story is the author’s reimagining of what really happened at Masada, a palace stronghold in ancient Israel where close to a thousand people took their own lives rather than be taken prisoner by the Romans. It’s a heavy subject I know, but Hoffman’s magical storytelling make this a beautiful depiction of life rather than death.
If you like paranormal… When I told my friends and sisters about Soulless by Gail Carriger they teased me for weeks. I mean, I get it. It’s paranormal and historical romance mixed together, and yes she uses a parasol to fight off bad guys, and yes she falls in love with a werewolf, but I refuse to be ashamed. This book is awesome!
If you like Chick Lit… For those of you who’ve already read my books please forgive me for repeating myself, but dang it, they’re some of my favorite reads. The series follows a group of girl friends (one book for each of the three girls) who are each navigating their careers (and yes, their love lives) in Los Angeles. The first book is Party Girl (she’s a party planner), then Sweet Girl (she’s a grouchy baker) and the last is Smart Girl (she’s a book nerd who’s in love with someone who’s kind of a jerk). You can find them all right here.
