reading list | winter 2016 — wine, books and wanderlust

Dec 22

Dec 22 reading list | winter 2016

It's four days before Christmas. I'm floored at how quickly this year has flown by.

However, I'm actually quite excited about it. My bosses decided to close our offices entirely next week, so I have one glorious week off to do as I please. Oh, I'll still be working from home, but you tend to get a whole lot more motivated to work when you're snuggled on the couch in your sweats with a laptop. But maybe that's just me.

As yesterday marked the first official day of winter, I'm here to share the book picks I'm really looking forward to reading during the chilly months. I find that I read more during extreme weather. Usually the peak of the summer, when it's too hot to want to be outside, and in the dead of winter, when I can't be convinced to do much of anything. I go into hibernation mode...which means wine, fireplaces, fuzzy blankets, and books.

the book of speculation erika swyler

A book about books? Be still my heart. This debut, about a mysterious book arriving on the doorstep of a quiet young librarian, is said to be along the same vein as one of my favorite novels, The Night Circus. Part mystery, part family, this book is said to explore the darker side of magic and the mystery of traveling circuses.

a darker shade of magic v.e. schwab

Another book to get immersed in during the chilly months. The first in a three-part series, A Darker Shade Of Magic plunges the reader into alternate universes: only a few, known as the Travelers, are able to cross through them. The story is said to be full of mystery, adventure, and fantasy. I can't wait!

the girl with all the gifts m.r. carey

I genuinely have no idea what this book is actually about. The synopsis sucks. However, the rave reviews, about a young girl with special gifts in a post-apocalyptic society, encouraged me to purchase this novel. While labeled as a fantasy thriller horror novel so...it should be interesting. And seriously...it must be one hell of a book, because it's essentially indescribable without spilling too much of the plot.

the girl you left behind jojo moyes

I'm not much of a "read to cry" kind of person. However, after reading Moyes' novels Me Before You and After You, I was struck by the author's ability to capture the strangeness of grief and loss. This book tells the story in two different eras, one of a young Parisian during World War I and the other of a woman who's recently lost her husband. The entire novel centers around the story behind a valuable portrait and the two women's stories collide.

a cold and lonely place sara j. henry

Though I don't expect this novel to end up as one of the classics in my library, the premise of a journalist who sees the body of her roommate's boyfriend encased in ice. Part mystery, part bonding, this story might be just the ticket for a quick read on chilly nights.

sister light, sister dark jane yolen

Another fantasy novel on my lists. This must be a record. This story is about a world devoid of men and tells of a legend, a woman thrice orphaned who has a "mirror twin" who only appears in the dark. However, the heroine must be careful: the prophecy of her arrival tells of destruction and change.