This is the hard part of winter for me. Happy Winter starts right after Thanksgiving and stays happy all the way through New Years. Then Blah Winter moves in. It’s dreary, cloudy, cold, and snowy. I need some strategies for staying happy during Blah Winter (that don’t include a tropical island).
My mom used to say that February wasn’t good for anything except for reading a good book. She would break her usual busy routine in February and spend a few afternoons on the couch with a novel.
I’m more of a non-fiction girl myself. Almost all the books on my shelves and Kindle are Christian Living/Spiritual Growth/Memoire/Theology. Maybe it’s because I’ve read a few poorly written novels that fiction doesn’t excite me. I’m ready to change all that. February isn’t good for much of anything except for reading a good novel, that’s what I say.
But I need help. I want a big book with hundreds of pages. I want beautiful writing that makes me copy parts in my journal. I want a story that’s compelling, uplifting and inspiring. I want characters that are so real I think about them all day. I want to be so swept up that I stay awake past 9:00 p.m. for one more chapter. I want to cry. And laugh. I don’t care if it is on the current best seller list, or if it was written a century or two ago. I don’t want fluff, predictable storylines or shallow characters. I don’t want a lot of sex and violence and vulgar language.
I want to remember February 2015 as the month I read a great story.
Am I asking too much? Is my dream novel out there somewhere? Help me please! I’m asking for suggestions!
a small drop of ink 
Reading fiction can be a spiritual practice, too!
http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-09/saved-fiction
I enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Currently reading All the Light We Cannot See – beautifully written
I agree! I don’t know why I’ve been so resistant. I’ve seen “All the Light…” on a lot of recommended reading lists. Thanks for the suggestions!
Several years ago I read “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” and thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you read it several years ago and you still remember it, it must have been good! I’ll add it to my list.
Kathryn Springer (Arlet’s daughter) had a new inspirational romance come out this week. The Dandelion Field. Zondervan. 340 pages. Surprises. Gamut of emotions. Kept me up LATE! At least one very spunky character. Deals with some hard issues!
Thanks! A romance would be appropriate in February with Valentine’s Day!
If you’ve never read any of the Mitford Series by Jan Karon, you should try the first one. Light reading, but clean, fun writing.
I loved the Mitford Series! I haven’t read any of her books that came after those. Good idea!
Ken Follett has written some big thick books — mostly historical fiction, which I really like. I just finished the 3rd book in his Century Trilogy. (3rd book wasn’t as good as the first two — maybe because I lived through much of it, and have my own perspective.) I also read his Pillars of the Earth which was quite interesting — set in England as they were learning how to build the giant cathedrals. If you haven’t read Dan Brown’s books The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, add them to your list — besides being action-packed, there is much to learn about art and artists in Italy.
There is a series of books called “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon that I want to read — historical fiction, set in 1700’s Scotland. I have the first book, but haven’t read it yet. Comes highly recommended by a friend.
I’ve heard of those too. Let me know what you think when you get into it.