Cozy Winter Reading

Massive snow drifts and frigid temperatures outside always signal to me that it’s time to hunker down in a warm, comfy spot with a pile of reading material as my trusted companion. I’ve been reading like crazy this winter thanks to my winter hibernation tendencies, and I have a few fiction recommendations to share.

The books listed below tell stories that explore human connections. I found some of these stories to be completely unexpected and unpredictable. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Please share any of your reactions to these books or let us know some of your recent favorite books in the Comments.

There is no winter without snow, no spring without sunshine, and no happiness without companions.

—Korean Proverb

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans: This delightful novel told entirely through letters (and emails) begins when protagonist Sybil van Antwerp is 72 years old and chronicles the events, people and emotions that populate her later years. Julia listened to the audio version of the book and loved how Sybil’s personality and the characters she exchanged letters with came to life through a variety of voice actors.

Boy from the North Country by Sam Sussman: In this semi-autobiographical work of fiction, 26-year-old Evan is summoned home from his life abroad to care for his mother during her cancer treatment. In this intense period of time together, Evan learns about his mother’s life, including her love affair with Bob Dylan.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan: Three generations of two intertwined families are the subject of this engrossing novel that takes place in small-town Ohio. Each generation has been shaped by war, and the characters each have their own set of eccentricities and flaws that play into the sequence of events.

Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum: If you like saucy mystery-thrillers, this one has it all. Twists, turns, sex, romance and more–all told with humor, heart and a nod to the writing life.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn: Set in the tumultuous period of 1950s Washington DC, a group of women living in a rooming house begin to look out for each other as they slowly get to know one another.