Sarah Lightley/ The Broadside
Picture a crackling fire while cuddling up in a fuzzy blanket with a hot cup of tea, and outside, the snow is falling. This is the perfect scene for winter reading.
The Kingkiller Chronicle is a, “perfect winter read for lovers of deep fantasy. Opens your mind to a new form of magic,” said Lilianne Scearcy, a Bend resident.
The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss is a book series consisting of three books: The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, The Doors of Stone.
The series can be found at the local Barnes and Noble.
Caitee Dawson, a sophomore in college, suggested The Selection by Kiera Cass.
“It just gives me a sense of comfort and nostalgia since it is a book I’ve been reading since middle school. It’s nice to read while being wrapped up in a blanket during the colder days,” Dawson said.
The Selection series consists of five books: The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, The Crown.
Read about America’s journey (the protagonist) who is selected into the competition for the prince’s heart. Her goal is to destroy the numbering system separating a citizen’s worth in society while battling rebels and other competitors for the crown.
For professor Stacey Donohue, “During a wonderful day of tea, blankets and a good book, I would first love to read the 20 books that are on my wish list, books I haven’t read yet, but am excited to read, like Karen Tei Yamashita’s Sansei and Sensibility—a collection of short stories that re-imagine the works of Jane Austen in the 1960s and 70s.”
To some the growing pile of books that need to be read on one’s bookshelf is a relatable experience that Donohue talked about.
“But if I were to re-read a favorite book, it would be John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany, a drama, a comedy, a tragedy all rolled into one novel about two boys who grow up together in a small New England town in the 50s-80s. The Christmas Pageant scene is hilarious so re-reading it for the holidays is a special treat,” Donohue said.
Professor Anthony Rosso recommended a book that is a 500-page novel about trees.
“I recently read Richard Powers’s The Overstory. And yet, it’s riveting. The novel is about the different ways trees and deforestation affect the characters in the book. In light of our ongoing conversations about climate change, this book feels remarkably relevant,” Rosso said.
Kimberly Lightley suggested picking up the book All the Light We Can Not See by Anthony Doerr.
“A beautifully written war novel set in France in World War II. The author interweaves the story of multiple characters throughout the book. The descriptive nature of the book, the well-developed characters, the suspense, and the emotional attachment is what makes this book one of my all-time favorites,” Lightley said.
These are just a few recommended books by locals, students, and staff at Central Oregon Community College. Go check these books out at the local library. Enjoy reading this winter season!
