This Thanksgiving break, as the weather gets colder and you curl up under a blanket with the smells of Thanksgiving dinner wafting in from the kitchen, here are some cozy book recommendations that will keep you busy.
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
For anyone interested in gothic, historical fiction, this novel is a great choice. Anatomy, as well as its sequel, Immortality, follows a Scottish noblewoman named Hazel who dreams of becoming a surgeon in the early 1800s. In order to learn more about the human body and pass the medical examination required to become a doctor, she employs a grave digger named Jack to procure human bodies that she can study. As people begin disappearing off the streets and a mysterious plague returns to the city, the two of them soon find that there may be something more happening in the dark alleys of Edinburgh.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
This book is also a historical fiction, set in Nazi occupied France during WWII. Code Name Verity is about Julie, a British spy captured by the Nazis, who writes her confession in the form of a novel. It tells the story of her life and her best friend, a pilot named Maddy who flew with her over the border. This novel is dark and heavy, but also witty, captivating, and an interesting portrayal of life before and during the second world war.
The Outlaws Scarlet and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
A post-apocalyptic novel set in England after the “Great Dying,” The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne follows Scarlett McCain, a bank robber who lives on her own outside the fortified towns. When she finds the seemingly helpless Albert Browne as the only survivor of a bus crash, she decides to save him and bring him along with her. Only, Albert isn’t who she thinks he is, and they’ll have to figure out how to work together if they want to survive. This book is both surprisingly lighthearted and deliciously suspenseful, and is an amazing, plot driven read.
Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier
Year of the reaper is an exciting, fast paced fantasy novel. It follows Lord Cassia, who returns home to his kingdom, which has been ravaged by war and a mysterious plague, after three years of capture in a neighboring kingdom. When he arrives, he finds that the king and queen have taken refuge in his mountainous city. After an assassination attempt, he realizes something more is at play. Cas and a young historian named Lena must work together to find the culprit, and to stop their kingdom from falling back into war and chaos.
Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith
This book follows Hugo, an eighteen-year-old from Britain, who has planned a trip across the U.S. by train with his girlfriend, Margaret Campbell, before going off to college. When she unexpectedly dumps him, he finds that her ticket is non-refundable, so he puts out an ad online for anyone named Margaret Campbell who would want the ticket. A girl by the same name- who goes by Mae- accepts. When they meet, there are instant sparks between them, but they must deal with the changing reality of their lives and figure out how their relationship could work in the distance between them.
I absolutely loved all five of these books, so if you’re in need of something to do during your fall break make sure to give these a try.
