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Ten Tuesday! This week’s topic is ten books I want to read this winter. Most of
these books have been sitting on my to-be-read shelf for months. They’ve even
appeared in past seasonal TBR blog posts. Oops. It’s time I get my butt in gear
and actually read them.
⛄ Books To Read
This Winter ⛄
The Wolves Of
Winter by Tyrell Johnson
Adult Dystopia / Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
Forget the old days. Forget summer. Forget
warmth. Forget anything that doesn’t help you survive.
Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive.
But her fragile existence is about to be shattered. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined.
Why
I’m excited to read it: I can’t
resist post-apocalyptic fiction! This one is set in a cold, remote location. There’s
a mysterious dude. Of course I have to find out what’s going on. It’s gotten
really good reviews on Goodreads, too. Lots of 4 and 5 star ratings. I’m
interested to see if I love it as much as everybody else does.
Children Of
The Cave by Virve Sammalkorpi
Adult Historical Science Fiction
1819.
Iax Agolasky, a young assistant to a notable French explorer, sets off on a
journey to the Russian wilderness. They soon discover a group of creatures
living in a cave: children with animal traits. But are they animals, or are
they human? Faced with questions of faith, science and the fundamentals of
truth, tensions rise in the camp. Soon the children’s safety becomes threatened
and Agolasky needs to act.
Why I’m excited to read it: One of my goals for 2020 was to read more
translated fiction. That didn’t happen, so I’m going to try again in 2021. The
plot of this Finnish novel sounds promising. I’m curious about the feral
children. And, it’s a very short book. I have no excuse for procrastinating it.
Surviving The
Extremes: What Happens To The Body And Mind At The Limits Of Human Endurance by Kenneth Kamler, M.D.
Adult Wilderness Survival Nonfiction
A
true-life scientific thriller no reader will forget, Surviving the
Extremes takes us to the farthest reaches of the earth as well as into
the uncharted territory within the human body, spirit, and brain. A vice
president of the legendary Explorers Club, as well as surgeon, explorer, and
masterful storyteller, Dr. Kenneth Kamler has spent years discovering what
happens to the human body in extreme environmental conditions. Divided into six
sections—jungle, high seas, desert, underwater, high altitude, and outer
space—this book uses firsthand testimony and documented accounts to investigate
the science of what a body goes through and explains why people survive—and why
they sometimes don’t.
Why I’m excited to read it: I want to know more about wilderness survival.
This book was a Christmas gift last year. (Thanks Lauren @ Shooting Stars Magazine.) It’s been sitting on my shelf for a year. It’s past time to
read it. Whenever I look up lists of must-read survival books, I find this one.
I hope it lives up to the hype. And I hope I learn something that will help me
survive my wilderness encounters.
Flying Lessons
& Other Stories by Ellen Oh (Editor)
Young Adult Short Stories
Whether
it is basketball dreams, family fiascoes, first crushes, or new neighborhoods,
this bold anthology—written by the best children’s authors—celebrates the
uniqueness and universality in all of us.
Why I’m excited to read it: It’s been a while since I read a really good
short story collection. A few of my teacher friends recommended this one. They
said their students enjoyed it. The collection has stories by a bunch of
well-respected children’s book authors, so I have high hopes. Goodreads calls
it “as humorous as it is heartfelt.” I guess I’m
going to find out.
Stella By
Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Middlegrade Historical Fiction
Stella lives in the segregated South; in Bumblebee,
North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores
she can't. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella,
it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn't bothered them for years. But
one late night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around
outside, Stella and her little brother see something they're never supposed to
see, something that is the first flicker of change to come, unwelcome change by
any stretch of the imagination. As Stella's community—her world—is upended, she
decides to fight fire with fire. And she learns that ashes don't necessarily
signify an end.
Why I’m excited to read it: The cover. That’s the whole reason I
clicked on the book and read the synopsis. Then I bought the book because of
the mysterious plot summary. What’s happening in this town? (I think I can
guess based on the cover, but I’m still interested to learn more.) It has good
reviews from bloggers I follow and has been recommended for fans of The
War That Saved My Life and Echo. I liked both those books very much.
Ada Blackjack:
A True Story Of Survival In The Arctic by Jennifer Niven
Adult Biography
In September 1921, four young men and Ada
Blackjack, a diminutive 25-year-old Eskimo woman, ventured deep into the Arctic
in a secret attempt to colonize desolate Wrangel Island for Great Britain. Two
years later, Ada Blackjack emerged as the sole survivor of this ambitious polar
expedition. This young, unskilled woman—who had headed to the Arctic in search
of money and a husband—conquered the seemingly unconquerable north and survived
all alone after her male companions had perished.
Following her triumphant return to civilization,
the international press proclaimed her the female Robinson Crusoe. But whatever
stories the press turned out came from the imaginations of reporters: Ada
Blackjack refused to speak to anyone about her horrific two years in the Arctic.
Only on one occasion—after charges were published falsely accusing her of
causing the death of one of her companions—did she speak up for herself.
Why I’m excited to read it: I’m returning to my roots with Arctic nonfiction! I grew up on true stories of explorers and people who survived extreme situations. Most of the stories I read were about men. I’ve never heard of Ada Blackjack, and I’m excited to “meet” her.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Adult Historical Fantasy
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and
especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting
apart—he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from
loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first
snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is
gone—but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.
This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems
to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly
across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack
and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the
pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this
beautiful, violent place, things are rarely as they appear, and what they
eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.
Why I’m excited to read it: Historical
fiction is one of my favorite genres, and fantasy is a genre that I want to
read more often. This novel seems like an intriguing combination of the two. I
can never pass up Alaska stories.
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver
Adult Historical Horror
In Edwardian
Suffolk, a manor house stands alone in a lost corner of the Fens: a glinting
wilderness of water whose whispering reeds guard ancient secrets. Maud is a
lonely child growing up without a mother, ruled by her repressive father.
When he finds a painted medieval devil in a graveyard,
unhallowed forces are awakened.
Maud's battle has begun. She must survive a
world haunted by witchcraft, the age-old legends of her beloved fen—and the
even more nightmarish demons of her father's past.
Why
I’m excited to read it: I was
searching for spooky books, and this one jumped out at me. It sounds perfect!
Goodreads calls it “a darkly gothic thriller about murderous obsession and one
girl's longing to fly free.” If a book contains a haunted manor house in the
wilderness, I want to read it.
Moonstone: The
Boy Who Never Was by Sjón
Adult Historical Fiction
Máni Steinn is
queer in a society in which the idea of homosexuality is beyond the furthest
extreme. His city, Reykjavik in 1918, is homogeneous and isolated and seems
entirely defenseless against the Spanish flu, which has already torn through
Europe, Asia, and North America and is now lapping up on Iceland's shores. And
if the flu doesn't do it, there's always the threat that war will spread all
the way north. And yet the outside world has also brought Icelanders cinema.
And there's nothing like a dark, silent room with a film from Europe flickering
on the screen to help you escape from the overwhelming threats—and
adventures—of the night, to transport you, to make you feel like everything is
going to be all right. For Máni Steinn, the question is whether, at Reykjavik's
darkest hour, he should retreat all the way into this imaginary world, or if he
should engage with the society that has so soundly rejected him.
Why
I’m excited to read it: For
mysterious reasons, I’m very interested in the 1918 flu pandemic right now.
This is a translated novel from an Icelandic writer. That’s not a perspective
I’ve read before. I’m also interested in how the main character uses movies to
escape from his life. That sounds relatable.
The Turn Of
The Screw by Henry James
Adult Classic Horror
A young,
inexperienced governess is charged with the care of Miles and Flora, two small children
abandoned by their uncle at his grand country house. She sees the figure of an
unknown man on the tower and his face at the window. It is Peter Quint, the
master's dissolute valet, and he has come for little Miles. But Peter Quint is
dead.
Why I’m excited to read it: Who watched The Haunting Of Bly Manor on Netflix? I did! That show is based on this story. I’m interested to see how they compare. The show is splendid. You should watch it if you like getting your emotions stomped on by fictional ghosts. I hope the book is as good as the show.
What are you reading this winter?
The Snow Child was excellent. I hope you love it as much as I did.
ReplyDeleteMy post.
The Snow Child sound super intriguing. And Stella by Starlight it one I wouldn't mind picking up, even though I'm sure it will make me ragey. I hope you have some new favorites in here!
ReplyDeleteAda Blackjack - that sounds like a good one!
ReplyDeleteI went off topic this week because I never plan my reading, but I did mention that I hope to read The Snow Child this winter. Everything else you listed looks great too!
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few people have The Snow Child! Great list.
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten
The Wolves of Winter was a really good read!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good mix there. Hope you find lots of gems
ReplyDeleteThe Snow Child was a really good read. Hope you like it. I wasn''t a huge fan of it as everyone else is, but it is a really well-told story and I admired the prose.
ReplyDeleteI really liked The Wolves of winter.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great list. I love short story collections. Stella By Starlight sounds amazing. I would like to give The Snow Child a shot, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
I have The Wolves of Winter on my bookshelf. Thanks for reminding me about it. It would be a perfect winter read! I
ReplyDeleteI like survival stories too. I find them inspirational.
Great list! I love the variety. I've read a few of these and there are several others on here that I want to check out. Enjoy your reading.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Such a great list! Surviving The Extremes sounds so good!
ReplyDeleteThe Wolves of Winter looks SO GOOD. I cannot wait to read that one! I hope you enjoy all of your winter reads. <3
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
These all look really good, I'm especially interested in Ada Blackjack, though I want to read a lot of these as well! I really enjoyed The Turn of the Screw. I hope you love these!
ReplyDeleteI really liked Snow Child which is different for me (4.5). The Wolves of Winter got a 4.25 from me. :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy all of your 'Winter' reads!
I read a book about real survivors of the Arctic years ago and some parts remain stuck in my brain forever - not in a good way ! Those books look good, have fun :)
ReplyDeleteThe Snow Child is one I wanted to read for a long time! Right now I read Winter Street and Faking Under the Mistletoe, both very Christmassey books!
ReplyDeleteI hope The Snow Child is a great read for you. It's one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteSurviving the Extremes looks like an anxiety-inducing read I'd love to get my hands on! I hope you enjoy all of these!
ReplyDeleteOh that's a serious list! I find myself turning to cosy comfy reads in the cold of winter
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading an amazing scifi as well: Flood, by Stephen Baxter. It's really good, based on scientific data. The waters are rising and rising... Highly recommended
ReplyDeleteI have The Wolves of Winter which I grabbed in a sale. Not sure it's really my thing but I'll try it anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe Wolves of Winter sounds super intriguing! Perhaps it's time I try more post-apocalyptic fiction :)
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes! Stella by Starlight! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏✨
ReplyDeleteThe Snow Child sounds ridiculously good. Thanks for the heads up. 📚✨