Kayla’s Let’s Talk Bookish 2: Seasonal Reading

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, created and hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books and Dani @ Literary Lion, where we discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts. You can check out more about this meme here!

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Here’s the thing with seasonal reading…I don’t do it. I mean, I don’t typically pick a book based on the time of year. However, I do often look for a spooky book for Halloween and a warm-feeling book for the beach.

I’ve also read one Christmas novel (unless we’re counting the Bible, which is the original Christmas book), and that was A Christmas Carol. However, I read it during the summer because I was writing a script version for my theatre program. Therefore, I’m not sure it counts.

For the sake of this week’s topic, I’m going to list a couple of books I’d recommend for each season. Please enjoy!

Winter

I first read this book when I was in college in London. Our in-house professor had two young children, so we read the entirety of the Chronicles of Narnia to them every night. It was pretty cold, so we spent a lot of our time in that sitting room wrapped in blankets and reading. It was a great winter, so I think this would be the best book for the season.

Spring

This is one of my all-time favorite books, and it’s perfect for spring. For one thing, the themes of the novel are all about changing and personal growth. It’s technically a kid’s book, but it understands adults better than most novels. Also, Diana Wynne Jones is hugely underrated. If you like fantasy and haven’t read anything by her, you’re really missing out.

I used to be obsessed with Stevenson’s adventure stories. Seriously, he was my favorite author and Treasure Island was the first chapter book I ever read.

(Crazy side not: I might have inadvertently married Stevenson’s grandson. Becky can trace her family history back to the famous Stevensons of Scotland.)

Anyway, my favorite novel by Great-great-grandpa Robert is The Black Arrow. It’s sort of a historical fiction novel set around the time of the war of the roses, but it features a Robin Hood-like group of protagonists running around the forests of England fighting for the “true king.” It’s perfect for spring because it makes me want to run through the woods with a bow and quiver full of “five black arrows for five black hearts.”

Summer

This is my pick for a good summer read. Yes, I’m aware that almost everyone read this novel long before I picked it up, but it was really good and perfect for reading in my hammock!

I know I’ve blogged about this book too many times already, but it really is a great summer-time read. It takes place in a small town where they have Disney movies in the park, complete with picnic baskets and everything. Moreover, it takes place in Alabama, and I love a book that idealizes my home state like this one!

Fall

This is by far one of the creepiest books I’ve ever read. I read it around the time I was pregnant the first time, but I didn’t know I was pregnant. It’s kind of about changeling children, so I probably should not have read it at that point in my life.

It’s hard to really describe this book without giving too much away, but if you like suspense, you should really pick up a novel by Jennifer McMahon. She has a great way of making readers think about the things that really scare them without out-right slapping them in the face with said things.

I know. I’ve already talked about the first vampire novel ever written, but it’s because it’s good. It’s a chilling little novella that can be finished in one afternoon, but I strongly suggest the audiobook if you’re a fan of those.

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So, what do you think of my seasonal reading recommendations? If you have any recommendations for me, please put them in the comments. I definitely need something creepy for this fall season!