Winter Lockdown Library

There’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cuppa when it’s cold outside. A week of annual leave, miserable weather and Tier 3 restrictions meant time for plenty of reading. So what’s been in my Winter Lockdown Library? And what do I recommend?

Want some more book recommendations? How about my first Lockdown Library: What I’ve Been Reading blog post? Or even More 2020 Reading Recommendations?

The Books I’ve Loved

Giver of Stars – JoJo Moyes

I fell in love with this book and with the characters very quickly. I bet Margery O’Hare would have an excellent winter lockdown library. After all, books feature heavily in this tale of the Packhorse Librarians in depression-era Kentucky. It’s ultimately a story of the power of friendship and the strength of women. To those that know JoJo Moyes from Me Before You, this is a totally different style from her, and I loved it. This is the pick of my winter lockdown library.

The Salt Path – Raynor Winn

My work colleagues bought me this book for my birthday, and it was an excellent choice. This is the true story of Raynor and her husband Moth, who find themselves homeless at the same time as coping with the news of Moth’s incurable and degenerative illness. With nothing to lose, they embark on a 630 mile backpacking trip along the South West Coast Path. Raynor manages to tell the tale of their melancholy and misery in a strangely uplifting way. It makes my tale of hiking the South West Coast Path look like a stroll in the park.

The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett

It’s almost an age-old story – twins grow up, grow apart and choose to live very different lives. But this story is so much more as it examines the importance of race, gender identity, motherhood and family heritage. Does the skin that you’re born in define you? And can you ever really successfully run from your background? The Vanishing Half is a character-driven novel, spanning four decades and moving between California and the Deep South.

Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell

Another tale of twins, this time the offspring of a certain famous English playwright who is not named in this luscious but tragic book. O’Farrell puts his family, of which relatively little is known, into the fictional spotlight. There are almost visceral descriptions of birth, illness, death and grief, all beautifully written and this is a book which will stay with me for a long time.

The Books I’ve Liked

Apple and Rain – Sarah Crossan

This YA novel is a sweet story of family, of acceptance and responsibility, forgiveness and love. 13 year old Apple is ecstatic to have her mother back in her life after abandoning her to her grandmother’s care as a young child. But is her mother ready to take on the responsibility of not just one but two daughters?

Clap When You Land – Elizabeth Acevedo

A story of loss, of forgiveness and of family bonds, this dual narrative novel tells the story of two girls discovering their father’s double life after his untimely death. Written in verse, it’s easy to read, and the style varies slightly between the two POV characters so you always know who’s story is being told. Similar to The Vanishing Half, it explores identity, and how two seemingly different lives can become so deeply intertwined.

Olive – Emma Gannon

I was disappointed that I didn’t love this book, as the subject matter of deciding to be child-free is one close to my heart. But I enjoyed the exploration into different family choices, and how these decisions can affect friendships and relationships. Oddly, I couldn’t warm to the titular Olive; unsympathetic towards her friend’s choices, yet expected them to understand and respect hers. It’s refreshing to see a book examining these choices though.

The Humans – Matt Haig

Matt’s most recent book The Midnight Library has taken the world by storm but The Humans is an earlier foray into fiction from the author. It examines what it is to be human, from the point of view of an intergalactic interloper. I particularly enjoyed the list left to Andrew’s son Gulliver, “Advice for a human”. Especially No 5: Peanut butter sandwiches go perfectly well with a glass of white wine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

What I’m Reading Right Now

Pachinko – Min Jin Lee

What Have I Done – Amanda Prowse

What else should I be reading? Let me know your Winter Lockdown Library Recommendations in the comments! You can find all these books (and more) on Amazon, or even better, seek them out at your local independent bookstore or charity shop!