Snow Reads

Only 30 more days until March 20th - the first day of spring! With any luck the days will grow warmer and all the snow will melt way before then, but just in case, here is a list of books that are perfect for getting lost in when all you want to do is stay curled up near the fire with a good read and a warm blanket:

The first novel in the Century trilogy, The Fall of Giants follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English and Welsh - as they move through the earth-shattering dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage. Winter of the World is a phenomenal sequel and don't forget to look for the final book in the trilogy, Edge of Eternity, releasing on September 14th. 

The Invisible Bridge, Julie Orringer's first novel, is an unforgettable historic novel set in 1937 Europe that tells the story of three Hungarian Jewish brothers that bound by history and love, of a marriage tested by catastrophe, of a Jewish family's struggle against eradication by the Nazis and of the dangerous power of art in the time of war.

Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe lives a lonely, but ordered life; he is completely devoted to his patients and the painting hobby he loves.  When renowned artist Robert Oliver becomes his patient, Marlow finds his life in chaos as he becomes desperate to understand what is tormenting Oliver. Kostova's masterful and beautifully written novel, The Swan Thieves, is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.

Known as the masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden, is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence (Publisher's Summary).

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a brilliant story of a gifted architect, Howard Roark who possesses a strong sense of individualism and constantly struggles to maintain his personal vision rather than give in to conventional standards. The novel was published in 1943 and was Rand's first major literary success.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters,  Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they grow into young women in nineteenth-century New England. Praised by Madeleine Stern as "a book on the American home, and hence universal in its appeal," Little Women has been enjoyed by many generations and is a true classic.