Inspire Great Reading for Winter 2021

If you live in the Midwest or the East Coast of the United States, you know it's winter. It has been snowing and it's frigid cold. According to Punxsutawney Phil, winter is going to linger for six more weeks (even though it's going to be winter for that long anyway, but we must still trust the groundhog). This is the perfect season to snuggle up with a warm blanket, sip a cup of hot chocolate, and read a fun book on a chilly winter evening. Is there anything more relaxing? 

Just like every season, I'm featuring five new reading recommendations on the blog for you to consider adding to your "to-be-read" list. There are many options available this winter season, so get ready to read while it's snowing outdoors. 

1. "You Have a Match" - Emma Lord 

Emma Lord's You Have a Match (photo/Macmillan Publishers).

Emma Lord's debut novel, Tweet Cute, was one of the most popular and successful Young Adult romantic comedy novels in 2020. She's back with another highly-anticipated YA book, You Have a Match. It's rare for authors to have back-to-back best-sellers, but Lord is excelling at the publishing game. 

In You Have a Match (out now), Abby signs up for a DNA service to support her best friend and crush, Leo. If he's going to participate, so will she. She knows nothing will result from this. 

But that changes when the DNA service reveals that Abby has a secret older sister, Instagram star Savannah Tully. How could this be? Savannah is only a year-and-a-half older than Abby. What happened? Why did Abby's parents give Savannah up for adoption but then keep Abby just 18 months later? Is that even what happened? What's the big secret her parents have kept from Abby her whole life? 

Abby decides to take matters into her own hands and meet Savannah at a summer camp (reminding me of The Parent Trap) to figure out what happened. But there are complications: Savannah is a strict rule-follower who isn't open to bonding with Abby. Meanwhile, Leo is the camp's co-chef and Abby can't ignore her romantic feelings for him anymore. 

With a mix of love, mystery, and family drama, You Have a Match is fun, moving, and dynamic. It's a story you won't be able to put down, filled with laughter and endless entertainment. 

2. "Aftershocks: A Memoir" - Nadia Owusu

Nadia Owusu's Aftershock (photo/Amazon.com).

Award-winning writer Nadia Owusu's memoir, Aftershocks (out now), is one of the most widely-anticipated books of 2021. The daughter of an Armenian-American woman who abandoned her as a toddler and a larger-than-life Ghanaian diplomat who died when she was 13 years old, Owusu had to grow up faster than most people her age. She grew up everywhere and nowhere at the same time. 

Now an adult, Owusu recounts her experiences traveling from Europe to Africa, as well as witnessing family secrets and fractures. Feeling lost and broken, Owusu arrived in New York City as a young woman, along with her siblings, completely uncertain about their future. What happened after these heartbreaking experiences? How did Owusu overcome these trials? 

Owusu's powerful, poetic memoir demonstrates everything she lost in life--her home, family, and her innocence. Owusu's story chronicles the lasting legacies of her personal grief and trauma, as well as her remarkable journey to healing and finding a new home. 

3. "One of the Good Ones" - Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite 

Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite's One of the Good Ones 
(photo/Goodreads.com).

Sisters Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite teamed up to write one of the most powerful YA novels of 2021, One of the Good Ones. Now available, the book is timely following the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. Sisters Happi and Genny Smith are devastated after their sister, teen social activist Kezi, is killed as a result of police brutality. 

Like true life, Kezi's death gains national attention and she's another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality. Happi and Genny are frustrated by how their sister is praised and idolized following her death. Where was the love when their sister was still alive? Why is she only worthy now, after she's already dead? Happi and Genny set out on a road trip to memorialize their sister in their own way, but they might uncover a secret about Kezi's story that will change everything all over again. 

As a powerful exploration, One of the Good Ones is expected to have a lasting impact on readers for its views on prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood. It's a book you won't want to miss.

4. "The Project" - Courtney Summers

Courtney Summers' The Project (photo/Macmillan Publishers).

Courtney Summers, the acclaimed author of the 2018 mystery-thriller Sadie, has returned with another twist-filled thriller, The Project. Now available, the book focuses on Lo Denham, who lost her sister to a cult called The Unity Project. To outsiders, the group seems to focus on charitable work and community outreach, but Lo knows the truth. As a journalist, she spends six years trying to prove what goes on inside the group, but she keeps failing. 

That's until a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for, claiming The Unity Project killed his son. This is Lo's perfect opportunity to fully expose the group and reunite with her sister. When her investigation leads her to a meeting with the group's leader, the mysterious, charismatic leader, Lev Warren, he proposes a deal: if she can actually prove her suspicions, proving that the cult killed the man's son, she may expose them. If she can't, she must finally leave them alone for good. 

What will happen? Will Lo succeed? Or, will she start to believe Lev and get swept up in the cult herself? Summers invites readers to join The Unity Project. It's a thrilling tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

5. "The Ex Talk" - Rachel Lynn Solomon

Rachel Lynn Solomon's The Ex Talk (photo/Amazon.com).

If you're a fan of the fake-dating trope, you'll love Rachel Lynn Solomon's newest book, The Ex Talk. Now available, the book focuses on public radio announcer Shay Goldstein, who has been the producer of her Seattle radio station for nearly a decade. She wouldn't want to work anywhere else, but her job gets challenging when she starts clashing with her newest colleague, Dominic Yun. He's a recent graduate of a journalism master's program and he's convinced he knows everything about public radio. He's right and Shay's wrong. Case closed. 

When the radio station needs some fresh, exciting content, Shay proposes a new show that her boss immediately green-lights. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live on air. They'll share what went wrong in their relationship and how couples can learn from their mistakes. Shay's boss decides that Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts because of how much they despise each other. They must pose as exes, essentially lying to the public. Neither of them are fans of the idea, but they go along with it. It's this or unemployment. 

The radio show takes off and the audience is invested--mostly in Shay and Dominic's interactions. The show climbs podcast charts and Shay and Dominic realize they might have more in common than they thought. Is there a spark between them? 

If you're in the mood for something fun, sharp, sweet, and romantic to read for Valentine's Day, The Ex Talk is the book for you. 

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These are only five reading recommendations to consider this winter 2021 season. There are so many talented writers emerging (or returning) to the literary scene this year, and I couldn't be more excited to read their work. All five of these recommendations are captivating, powerful stories about "real-life" emotions: love, family, race, society, adventure, personal growth, and more. You won't want to miss these books. 

Read on! 

-KJL-