Reads for the Fireplace
NORMAL PEOPLE
“She has never believed herself fit to be loved by any person, but now she has a new life, of which this is the first moment, and even after many years have passed she will still think: Yes, that was it, the beginning of my life.”
Sally Rooney creates a story told from two POVs of people who find themselves estranged and brought back together throughout their final years of high school and the beginning of university. The main characters are frustrating and captivating as they battle against society, for redemption, and for each other. Whether it’s love, fate, or something else that you only know by feeling, Normal People will make you believe in something beautiful.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
Emily Brontë creates a world (or rather simply exposes us to one that already exists) filled with cruelty, corruption, and sadism. It’s almost as if Brontë is daring us to put the book down, forcing us to draw a line (if not from the plot, from the sheer complexity of the narrating style). But deeper than the “bad” of this novel lies a pure desire for personal connection, however flawed. It is easy for us to hate the characters– Brontë is challenging us to understand them.
THE CHRISTMAS FIX
A cute holiday rom-com read… with enemies to lovers. He’s protective of his small town. She’s a big-city girl looking to stir things up. How could they ever fall in love? This is not a story for the everything-must-be-logical-and-realistic readers, but Lucy Score decorates the journey with enough holiday spirit, so there’s nothing left to do but cozy up, make hot cocoa, and enjoy snappy banter and undeniable tension.
SWEET PICKLES BOOK STORE
Location: 47 Orchard St, NYC
A used bookstore in the city, Sweet Pickles is the perfect place to find classics that will make you look like an intellectual and to explore the indie, hard-to-find books you’ve been looking for. The best part? Donate books or records for a free jar of pickles (unused).
THE CORNER BOOKSTORE
Location: 1313 Madison Ave, NYC
Your ideal bookstore, stocked shelf to shelf with crisp-new titles. A cozy interior makes it the perfect place to browse cornerstone nonfiction books, the latest novels, or carefully curated children’s stories.