Winter Reading Recommendations

• When it is cold, I cozy up and read.
• When it is hot, I sit in the wonderful AC and read.
• When the weather is perfect, I go outside and read. 

I adore reading and steal chances whenever my children, spouse, work, and dog allow it. Here are some novels that I have enjoyed in recent months.

Shopaholic Christmas by Sophia Kinsella

This book is the latest novel in the chick-lit series centers around Becky Brandon née Bloomwood. Britain is the setting and Kinsella’s narratives are light and funny. The main character loves to shop and in the early books, her stories often revolved around getting out of financial messes with a strong side of romantic comedy.

I meant to read Shopaholic Christmas before the New Year to get in the Yuletide spirit. However, I am glad I waited until 2020. The key plots in this latest Shopaholic book revolve around holiday chaos, planning family gatherings, and feeling the pressure as a mom to make Christmas wonderful for all. It was nice to read these relatable chapters with the holiday season behind me.

This is book #9 in the series, so by now the main character has been married for a while and has one child. Around book #6 and #7, I was starting to think I had outgrown this series. However, in this latest novel and book #8 (Shopaholic to the Rescue), the author starts to show Becky with more maturity as she juggles marriage, parenthood, and work/life balance. The writing is always comical in a lovable Lucille Ball sort of way.

Funny stuff aside, the latest books have me nodding along as characters face issues that are real and grown-up. Seeing friends divorce, battling infertility, realizing that marriage takes a lot of hard work, and other common aspects of adulthood are well written into the storytelling.  I think a lot of mothers, old and new, would find recognizable scenarios in these prose.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

The title character of this novel is a librarian who had to reassemble her life after her husband left for Hong Kong and never came back. She went from a stay-at-homie to a full-time breadwinner and a single parent of two kids. The story starts with Amy’s ex-husband, though the divorce has never been finalized, coming back.

His return disrupts Amy’s martyr status as someone who has been doing it all on her own for three years. The kids have grown up since their dad left and there is obvious resentment. However, Amy tries to do the right thing and encourage bonding time.

This leads to Amy going to New York City for a librarian’s conference and hanging up her mom cape for a few days. Those days turn into weeks thanks to a plan known as #momspringa hatched by Amy’s best friend and old college pal. It gives Amy free time and a chance to reconnect with her independence, have fun, and evaluate her past as she thinks about her future. 

This was the first book I have read by Harms and I listened to it via Audible. The voice actress was topnotch and the story-line was solid. This author is getting added to my literal and virtual bookshelves. Bookworms will appreciate The Overdue Life of Amy Byler because it is full of characters who love to read and talk shop when it comes to novels, authors, and different genres.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbie Waxman

Here was another good chick-lit read that centered around a character who loves books. Waxman has a witty and sharp narrative voice that made for excellent reading. The main character, Nina, works in an old bookstore and has her quirks. She reminded me at times of a toned-down “Sheldon” from the Big Bang Theory. 

Nina lives a simple life that she wants to keep simple. However, things get complicated as the chapters fly by because the biological father she never knew has reached out from beyond the grave. He left behind a legal will to be read and multiple relatives and half-siblings for Nina to meet. It is interesting to see the introverted Nina handle and tackle her neurosis, especially as it pertains to becoming part of a large, outspoken family.

This story also has a romantic angle that is sweet and smart. However, the best parts for me were how the author showcased characters struggling with anxiety, stress, and mental illness. It was nice to see a hot button issue addressed in a way that shows it happens to many and varies in diagnosis. This fictional narrative highlighted that awareness is important and may just save lives, while still keeping the book light and smart.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

I am actually not quite finished with this book, but The Alice Network is so good that I will recommend it no matter the official ending. It falls under the genre of historical fiction and is about a female network of spies. The chapters alternated narratives between WWI and WWII.

One of the main characters is Eve Gardner who during WWI was a stuttering and clever girl who could think swiftly and always had the look of innocence. It made her the perfect spy against the Germans during WWI. The other character is a young, unwed, pregnant young lady named Charlie who meets Eve just after WWII and needs her help to find a lost cousin.

There is a lot of hope and frustration throughout this book. It is set during a time when women had very limited choices but were essential to the war effort. Females did not serve on the front lines, but in this fictional story, they intercepted information regarding enemy plans and battle routes that made last impacts.

Quinn writes with energy and the two perspectives from Eve and Charlie will make readers appreciate the characters as they struggle and persevere. 

What are you reading during these winter days? Have you checked out our first Family Footnote book yet?