Day 23: My 5 Star Winter Reading List

CeCe’s Musings

Day 23

My 5 Star Winter Reading List

I began my Goodreads list in January of 2020, two months before the world shut down. As I peruse my winter into spring choices of that crazy year, I can see an evolution from light romance and historical fiction in January and February to heavier reads in March and April. Books have always been my comfort and escape, but I especially needed them during Covid lockdown. I quickly figured out Libby, the ebook app through our library, after I read most of the physical books in my house. I plowed through Stephen King’s The Stand and many by JoJo Moyes and Louies Penny. A few nonfiction reads such as Stitches by Anne Lamott and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle helped level out my anxiety.

Four years and many vaccines later, I am still reading for entertainment, knowledge, and my mental health. As I scanned this past winter’s titles and ratings, there were seven books I awarded five stars, which for me indicates books that were memorable and I’d recommend while also acknowledging the star system in totally subjective. Some may say I throw around too many five stars, but if a book touches my heart, it deserves it. A few of the writers from my 2020 list popped up on the current one: William Kent Krueger, Jennifer Weiner, and Ken Follett. Some were new to me: Pip Williams and Abraham Verghese. All five star worthy.

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger begins as a basic police procedural, but morphs into something bigger and darker. Every character has a past, a story rife with complications. Krueger gives us insight into what makes up a small 1950s Minnesota town, its prejudices and secrets.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese is an epic novel set in a small Indian village. It follows the lives of three sprawling generations, beginning with a young girl entering an arranged marriage who eventually becomes the matriarch of her family. Verghese eloquently writes about the interconnection of family secrets, tragedy, and hope.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow is a gothic horror novel. I love a good read about a magical house that despite its dilapidation, summons strong power to protect its inhabitants and help heal generational trauma.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, possesses a botanist’s mind and a poet’s heart. I read snippets of her book every morning last fall, and was genuinely sad when I reached the last page. In a series of essays, Braiding Sweetgrass beautifully details the workings of plants, indigenous culture, and how we can save the earth. It is a breathtaking read.

I found Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See a fascinating insight into the world of 15th-century China, where women were hidden like rare birds, yet they somehow formed their own isolated enclaves. The descriptions of foot binding on young girls was horrifying, but I admired how women were able to channel their knowledge and power despite the strict societal restrictions that were forced upon them.

The Breakaway, Jennifer Weiner’s latest novel, is about Abby, a thirty something gig worker who loves to ride her bike. She is talked into leading a 700 mile trek from New York City to Niagara Falls. It’s a light, entertaining read, but Weiner steps into a deeper side story that addresses the important and urgent topic of women’s agency over their own bodies.

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams is a glorious ode to language, how we interpret it and its evolution over time. Beautiful. As someone who tinkers with words, I loved visiting this world.

One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris is a luminous story about forgiveness, and how it frees those who give it. Gorgeous.

I would love for you to share your five star books. I’m always looking for something new to read.