During the cold months of winter, nothing feels better than snuggling in front of the fire place with a nice, steaming hot cup of cocoa, your favorite warm blanket, and a great book to read! So before you go to the library to get that stack of books to read during winter break, see below for a list of great new books from a variety of genres. Whether you always fall in love with the dreamy guys in romance novels, or you enjoy trying to solve who committed the crime in mystery novels, get your firewood ready as you dive into these great books!
Sci-Fi
1. The Aeronaut's Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1) by Jim Butcher Rating: 4.25/5
In a series set in a fascinating world of noble families, steam-powered technology, and magic-wielding warriors comes the first novel of Butcher's series which introduces us to the Spires. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace. Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion: to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predator to its fighting glory. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens to Grimm as he takes on the enemy by becoming a part of them. One thing is for sure, not everyone survives...
Romance
2. Where the Road Takes Me by Jay McLean Rating: 3.94/5
Chloe has one plan for the future, and one plan only: the road. She’s learned the hard way what happens if she breaks her rules. So she’s focused on being invisible and waiting until she can set out on the road, her dream of freedom. Blake Hunter is a basketball star who has it all. When a fateful night forces their paths to cross, everything changes for Blake, and when the basketball star notices the invisible girl, they discover that sometimes with love, no one knows where the road may lead.
3. Confess by Colleen Hoover Rating: 4.32/5
Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the artist who works there, Owen Gentry. When Auburn decides to take a risk and put her heart in control, she realizes Owen has many secrets she never knew of. As the past begins to take over their future, Auburn decides that the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it. All Owen wants is to save their relationship and confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…
Mystery
4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Rating:3.84/5
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She names them “Jess and Jason,” and their life to her seems perfect, unlike the life she recently lost. Within a minute, she sees something shocking and everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Paula Hawkins will have you at the edge of your seat in this psychological thriller, it's one you don't want to miss out on.
5. Encounter by Linda Dobinson Rating: 4.5/5
Encounter is a book of poems written mostly in free verse but with some traditional poetic forms included. The collection is divided into three themes: love, nature and life, but of course themes overlap. Linda has experienced all sides of love, including the joy it brings, the pain when it goes wrong, unrequited and learning to move on. Her aim is to show that it really is possible to overcome heartbreak and start again with hope and confidence.
6. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur Rating: 5/5
Milk and Honey is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. About the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss and femininity. It is split into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache. Milk and Honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them. I've read this collection myself and would definitely recommend it!
Dystopian
7. Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard Rating: 4.12/5
This is a world divided by blood. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. When she starts working in the Silver Palace, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own, one that threatens to destroy the balance of power. The Silvers declare her a long-lost Silver princess because they are fearful of her power, and she is now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep could mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has become a part of a dangerous game against her enemies, as well as her heart.
Non-Fiction
8. Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman Rating: 3.65/5
To millions of people, Nick Offerman is America. Both Nick and his character, Ron Swanson, are known for their humor and patriotism in equal measure. Offerman focuses on the lives of those who inspired him. From George Washington to Willie Nelson, he describes twenty-one heroic figures and why they inspire in him such great meaning. He combines both serious history with light-hearted humor, and if you're a fan of Parks and Recreation, you definitely want to give this book a try!
9. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg Rating: 3.85/5
At some point, every one of us embarks on a journey to find love. We meet people, date, get into and out of relationships, all with the hope of finding someone with whom we share a deep connection. Single people today have more romantic options than at any point in human history. With technology, our abilities to connect with and sort through these options are staggering. So why are so many people frustrated?
In a short period of time, the whole culture of finding love has changed dramatically. A few decades ago, people would find a decent person who lived in their neighborhood. Their families would meet and, after deciding neither party seemed like a murderer, they would get married and soon have a kid, all by the time they were twenty-four. Today, people marry later than ever and spend years of their lives on a quest to find the perfect person, a soul mate. In Modern Romance, Ansari combines his irreverent humor with cutting-edge social science to give us an unforgettable tour of our new romantic world.
10. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling Rating: 3.93/5
In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you. Even though she's a star, her down-to-earth collection of essays form a connection between Kaling and the reader. If you're looking for a humorous read and you're a Mindy Kaling fan, this is the book for you!
Of course, there are many novels you can read during winter break that aren't on this list, or you may not read at all if you aren't a bookworm. Whatever you choose to pick up this winter, from one book nerd to another, here's hoping you enjoy it wholeheartedly!
