Books
8 Books You Need To Read This Winter
When it's chilly outside, there's no better cold weather activity than curling up with a good book. Everything tends to feel a little more exhausting during the winter, especially if you live in an icy area that requires bundling up in a heavy coat or shoveling snowy driveways. That's why it's the perfect time to take it easy and work on self care during your downtime, and one of the best ways to do that is to snuggle up under a blanket (or put on a luxurious onesie) and get lost in a great book.
Great books are the perfect escape year-round, but the ideal winter read is different from the ideal summer read. In the summer, you tend to want to keep things light with something you can dip in and out of easily while you're enjoying other outdoor activities. In the winter, you want something utterly absorbing that'll transport you for entire afternoons. That's why we teamed up with Flatiron Books to come up with a list of great books to hibernate with this winter. Check out your winter reading list below, where you'll find everything from Caraval , a buzzed-about fantasy debut, to the latest from best-selling author Liane Moriarty, to psychological thrillers that'll keep you guessing until the last page.
1. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
You don't have to be a Y.A. addict to get swept up in the world Stephanie Garber has created in this fantasy epic, which follows a pair of sisters who must compete in a mysterious, dangerous game called Caraval. Both professional and fan reviews of Caraval have been breathlessly positive — we're already looking forward to Book 2!
2. Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
If you haven't read any novels by Liane Moriarty yet, get thee to a bookstore. The Aussie author specializes in psychological thrillers that keep the pages turning, not just with incredible plot twists but also with funny, perceptive insights into family and friendship. Her latest, Truly Madly Guilty, about the events stemming from a suburban barbecue with unexpected consequences, is no exception. Make sure to also check out Big Little Lies, which is being turned into a can't-miss HBO movie with an A-list cast.
3. This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
This heart-tugging novel couldn't be more timely — it's an examination of a mother and father dealing with their child Claude's revelation of wanting to be a girl. The family keeps Claude's gender identity a secret until suddenly it becomes impossible to do so. Powerful, funny, and unforgettable.
4. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
You know that disappointing feeling of devouring and loving a book, only to be let down by a ho-hum ending? Behind Her Eyes is not that kind of novel. From the opening pages, you know that single mom Louise is in for a complicated ride when she hooks up with a man named David during a girls' night out — only to realize the following Monday that he's her new boss ... who's married ... to Adele, a woman who eventually befriends Louise. Louise becomes more and more involved in David and Adele's orbit, leading to a twisted mystery — and that crazy conclusion everyone will be talking about.
5. A Hope More Powerful Than The Sea by Melissa Fleming
We need hopeful stories more than ever, and this incredible real-life story about Doaa, a Syrian refugee, is one that will open hearts.
6. To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin
We also need pure escape more than ever, and this sweeping romance, set against the most epic and romantic backdrop imaginable — the building of the Eiffel Tower — is one that'll transport you to 19th-century Paris.
7. The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin
We only live once... but do we? This page-turner about a struggling mother and her troubled child asks the capital-B Big questions. Coming in paperback on Feb. 7, this debut is the perfect book club pick.
8. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
Another timely story, If I Was Your Girl was included in a lot of best-of lists at the end of 2016, and for good reason. This smart, captivating novel about finding yourself and being loved for who you are is an important one for people of all ages.
This article is sponsored by Flatiron Books.
