I don’t know about you, but my reading choices very much depends on the season. This time of year is perfect to hide away from the bad weather outside and cosy up with a good book. It was so difficult to choose only four books, but I hope you’ll pick them up.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
I read this wonderful book last December on the recommendation of a friend and fell in love. It’s an adult historical fiction novel that follows a young boy named Daniel in Barcelona in 1945. On Daniel’s birthday, his father takes him to a library called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Daniel selects The Shadow of the Wind, which changes his life completely when he goes on a quest to find the person who is burning every copy of the book in existence. This novel has the most beautiful writing I’ve ever come across. My copy is full of post it notes. It’s perfect for book lovers.
“I was raised among books, making invisible friends in pages that seemed cast from dust and whose smell I carry on my hands to this day.”
I rest my case. Read it.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I think this is the best young adult historical fiction novel ever written. It’s about a German girl called Liesel who moves in with her foster family during World War Two. We follow Liesel’s story over the years as she steals books and hides a Jewish man named Max in her basement. This was the first book to make me cry, tears blurring my vision as I read the final pages. All the characters are so memorable. The novel is narrated by Death, which adds to the atmosphere. The writing is outstanding.
“When she came to write her story, she would wonder when the books and the words started to mean not just something, but everything.”
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
My friend told me to read this for ages because she knew I’d love it and I kept putting it off. It’s one of the most famous adult high fantasy novels to be published in recent years. The story is told from the perspective of Kvothe, a man who is now a humble innkeeper, but in his youth, was a legendary hero. A scribe called Chronicler visits Kvothe’s inn and Kvothe agrees to tell his life story over three days. The first in an uncompleted trilogy, this book focuses on Kvothe’s childhood as a travelling performer, a beggar and a student of the University. You will be amazed by this book. I don’t know how Rothfuss does it.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
This acclaimed young adult magical realism novel follows a boy named Conor, whose mother is suffering from cancer. At night, Conor is visited by a monster in his back garden, only the monster just wants to tell him stories. This is such a heart-breaking story. It’s really short, so you’ll fly through it. Go for the illustrated edition because it will have more of an emotional impact on you. “Stories are wild creatures. When you let them lose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”
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