I wanted to comment on Hollywood Housewife's book post this morning, but I had too much to say for the comment section, so I turned it into a post of my own. She always has the best book recommendations and has never steered me wrong.
I'm realizing that a lot of what I've read recently is perfect for this time of year, so all of the following are great books for curling up under a blanket with something warm to drink.
"I had learned early to assume something dark and lethal hidden at the heart of anything I loved. When I couldn't find it, I responded, bewildered and wary, in the only way I knew how: by planting it there myself."
I actually discovered Tana French's series of murder mysteries set in Ireland on the blog I mentioned above originally. They are not something I would typically every pick up on my own, but they are fabulously written. So far I've stayed up way too late reading In the Woods and The Likeness. They are creepy without being too gruesome or cheesy and are definite page turners. The third book, Faithful Place is next on my list.
"This is not magic. This is the way the world is, only very few people take the time to stop and note it. Look around you."
The Night Circus is Erin Morgenstern's first novel and I absolutely loved it. The story was very imaginative and every detail was beautifully written. It was enchanting from the beginning, like a grown up fairy tale. I don't want to spoil anything because it is a very mysterious story, but to give you an idea, it had the feel of The Prestige meets Water for Elephants.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. "
Ok, confession time... I have never read any Tolkien. But my brother, who was not formerly much of a reader until I forced Harry Potter on him, told me he rereads The Hobbit every fall because it's just so darn cozy. Well, being a sucker for seasonal traditions, and given the fact that the movie comes out in December, I made myself read it this year. It was a little slow moving at first, but eventually I really got into it and enjoyed it. My brother was right. It is rich and warm and makes you want to snuggle up by the fire with tea and cakes in your little hobbit hole.
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Another classic I finally got around to reading this last year was Jane Eyre . I distinctly remember trying to pick it up around 13 years old and hating it. However, a few years and a more developed vocabulary later, and I loved it. It is dark and haunting, and ahead of its time, full of feminine hutzpah that I wasn't expecting. If you have never read it, I would highly recommend.
What books are you curling up with lately?
