Welcome to a new Spine & Leaf Books segment: Reading by the Season!
Four times a year I’ll be releasing a new list of 12 books inspired by the season.
Sometimes the setting will take place in a particular month or time of year, other times it’s just a vibe. Some are based on the title relating to the season. Maybe a few will be personal; I will remember when I first read the book and unconsciously relate to a time and place.
I hope you find some books on this list that will feel great to read in the season.
Winter Books
Winter is here and with it comes the last Reading by the Season list of the year. These 12 book selections are my recommendation of what to read over the next 3 months.
There are a few of my personal, old favorites here that I hope you enjoy. Additionally, I’ve added a few that I’ve never read, but have been recommended many times.
In case you’re looking to cozy up inside when the weather outside gets bad, you’re in luck! All of these books have been made into either movies or TV shows. So when you finish the reading list, get ready for some movie marathons to double the fun! Some are brand new in 2022 while others were filmed decades ago so there will be something here for all tastes.
Enjoy the list and let me know in the comment which books you read this winter!
Twilight
The Twilight Saga now consists of four books and 5 movies. This will be plenty of material to keep you busy this winter. Follow the love story of Bella and Edward as they battle and befriend vampires and werewolves in the small, rainy town of Forks.
The Road
The Road is the kind of book that will make you uncomfortable in the best way possible. You’ll follow the journey of a father and son as they try to survive in the brutal post-apocalyptic world. Get ready to recommend this Pulitzer Prize Winner to everyone you know that hasn’t already read it.
Ethan Frome
Centered around the snowy, dark days of winter, Ethan Frome is a classic novel from 1911. Ethan is a lonely farmer that struggles to find meaning in life with his sick mother and unloving wife. There’s more to the story here than there appears, and you’ll find yourself reflecting deeply on life itself.
Game of Thrones
Five massive books and eight TV seasons will let the fantasy world of George R.R. Martin live through your whole winter. Follow a massive cast of characters as they battle and love and struggle to survive in their quests to claim (and keep) the Iron Throne.
The Color Purple
Ready for a book with some deep meaning? Were you supposed to read this book in school but never got around to it? Now’s your chance to hear the tale of Celie. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry, and I guarantee you’ll feel something by the time you put this one down.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
This suspenseful thriller will be sure to brighten up the dark winter nights. It’s clever and brutal, but you won’t be able to put it down. A twisting tale to solve a decades-old disappearance will surprise you when all the facts come together by our intelligent main characters.
Odd Thomas
Odd Thomas has more than a strange name. He’s a strange young man. He wants to spend his days with the love of his life while working as a fry cook in a small town. But, when you can see and talk to dead people, life tends to get a little messy. This book (and the rest of the series and the movie adaptation) are witty and creative.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
A depressed bookshop owner stars in this feel-good book (recently released movie 2022). A.J. is lonely after the death of his wife and the books he once loved hold no more meaning. But there are always second chances in life and he’s about to get his.
Big Little Lies
When you’re done reading the book, cuddle up and get ready to binge-watch the HBO TV series! This drama is well-loved by those who want to uncover the hidden secrets of the modern-day housewife and those picture-perfect families.
How I Live Now
This book is a YA fiction set in a dystopian future. Daisy, from New York, is sent to live with her cousins in England. But everything changes when bombs are dropped and the enemy takes over. This will be a quick read, but you won’t forget it anytime soon.
The Bourne Identity
Coming in at a whopping 500+ pages The Bourne Identity is just the first book in the Bourne series. Jason Bourne is a trained killer, but he can’t remember that because of his amnesia. He’ll learn about his corrupt past while struggling to survive so he can build a new life. If he can make it out alive.
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front is frequently listed as one of the best books ever written. Remarque takes the insurmountable scale of WWI and brings it to the level of the lives of a few young German soldiers wrapped into something they never truly understand, but must suffer regardless.
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