Good Books to Curl Up and Read When the Weather is Cold
By Hollie Parry and Cheryl Caldwell

Holidays are a wonderful time of year to steal away and immerse yourself in a good book. It seems like every year, we find ourselves with a little downtime to curl up in a cozy corner with our favorite treat and read a new book; either one that we’ve been saving for such a time or one that we’ve received as a gift. Whether you are a fantasy fanatic or whether you favor realistic fiction, here are some books to have on hand when the cold winds howl outside your windowpane.

My Secret Boyfriend, by Lurlene McDaniel

This is a story about a junior high school girl, Jordan, who pretends that a family friend is her boyfriend to impress a snotty girl in her school. Her lie is going fine until Ryan, her supposed boyfriend, moves to her school. Jordan must find a way to keep Ryan as her friend and dispel the lies she has told. The biggest problem is that she doesn’t know how. A quick, easy read.

Gifts from the Sea, by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Quila and her father live on a tiny island called Devil’s Rock. Quila’s father is the lighthouse keeper and with the recent death of her mother, he is all the family she has. One day a baby floats up to the island, tied to two mattresses.  Quila and her father name the baby Celia and although her origins are a mystery, Celia becomes a part of their family.  After a terrible stormy night, two years later, a woman comes to the island. She is looking for the grave of her sister, who died the same time that Celia came to the island. They soon realize that Margaret is Celia’s aunt and Quila and her father are not sure that they can tell the truth and let Celia go.  A heartfelt, touching story.

Saving Kristen, by Jack Weyland

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Kristen is a young college freshman looking for adventure and a new life, far away from the boring monotony of her home in Ashton, Idaho. Before she can search far, Chad Nieteri finds Kristen. Chad is exciting, flattering, lively, and seems to be full of adventure and plenty of money. He also seems to have the contacts to launch Kristen into her dream of becoming a movie star. What Kristen does not know about Chad’s world is that it is full of secrets, deceit, and evils that she has never encountered. When Kristen comes face to face with the reality of Chad and her own mistakes, she must turn to the life and values that she learned in Ashton, Idaho. Full of adventure and suspense. 

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Car Trouble, by Jeanne DuPrau

Duff Pringle is a 17-year-old high school graduate, who has landed his first big job in California. Despite his parents’ wish that he would go to college and not move so far away, Duff knows that his talents in computers will take him far in life. Just miles down the road, his newly purchased “used” car throws a rod and he is left with a real life problem that can’t be solved by his computer… or can it?  Duff meets Stu, who although seems less than trustworthy, becomes his driving partner, as the two set off to make it to California any way that they can. Along the way, they pick up Bonnie, and Duff must deal with a new set of real-life problems that neither brains nor computers can resolve. An entertaining, book with a twist.

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

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Eragon and his dragon Saphira are the main characters of this fantasy thriller. As the story begins, they are at the end of a battle in which the king of the people of Varden, Ajihad, is killed. Eragon and Saphira travel to Varden to bury the king and help with the choosing of a successor to the throne. After swearing allegiance to the new ruler, Nasuada, and to the dwarfs, Eragon and Saphira travel to the land of the elves to receive training. Eragon is called a Rider because of his bond with Saphira, and must learn the ways of a Rider before he can go against the enemy, Galbatorix and his Empire.

At the same time Eragon and Saphira are receiving training, Roran (Eragon’s cousin) is fighting his own battles in their homeland of Carvahall.  Terrible monsters called the Ra’zak are accompanying Empire soldiers to kidnap Roran, in hopes that he will lead them to Eragon. Roran is unaware that his cousin has become a Rider or of the existence of Saphira, but fights for the Carvahall against the Ra’zak and the Empire soldiers. 

The story’s intrigue is heightened by the fact that Roran holds Eragon responsible for the death of his father, Garrow. He swears that when he finds Eragon that he will avenge his father’s death. Eragon, unaware of Roran’s anger, periodically looks in on Roran by magic and believes from his images that Roran is safe.

The climax is when a battle ensues between Varden and the Empire. Up until the very end of the book, it is hard to predict which side will prevail and if hidden surprises may even bring Eragon and Saphira down. A wonderful book, one of our all-time favorites.

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