books she loves

Weeks of below zero temperatures have had me cozying up with a cup of coffee and my favorite blanket while reading like crazy. I've read so many great books recently that I had a really hard time narrowing it down for this article. After a lot of deliberating, I decided to feature these favorites that I know will give you a wonderful escape to get you through the end of winter.

1. the BRIDE QUARTET

by Nora Roberts

Vision in White

Bed of Roses

Savor the Moment

Happily Ever After

When we decided to include a wedding section in this issue I knew I would be neck deep in wedding magazines, photos and articles in preparation. Thinking back on my own wedding nearly seven years ago, I was immediately reminded of this series. I first read these books around the time of my own wedding and instantly connected with Parker, Emma, Laurel and Mac — four childhood friends who start Vows, a full-service wedding planning company combining their individual talents. Each book focuses on one of the four women as they build their careers, their friendship and in true Nora Roberts style, find love. This series also gives you a behind the scenes look at wedding planning in a way that makes for a fun escape from concentrating on your own plans, or makes you nostalgic for your own wedding. I've read a number of Roberts' books, some better than others, but this series remains my absolute favorite and is one I'm more than happy to revisit again and again.

2. BEASTS of EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE

by Ruth Emmie Lang

If you are looking for something adventurous in which to escape, this is the book you need. Weylyn Grey is an extraordinary character. Orphaned, raised by wolves, and the proud owner of a horned pig named Merlin, he leaves each person he meets with an unforgettable tale to tell. I loved seeing him through the eyes of those people as the story is told by them rather than from his own perspective. It's been said that this book is an homage to childhood favorites, and while I can see that connection, I think it is so much more than that. It's a beautifully told adventure of love, the wonder in nature, and one extraordinary man that changes the lives of others in unexpected ways.

3. THE POWER

by Naomi Alderman

Winner of the 2017 Women's Prize for Fiction, this book has been all over literary lists, and for good reason. In “The Power,” the world is as we know it today, but something vital has changed. Teenage girls now have immense physical power and can cause pain and even death with a touch, causing the world as we know it to turn upside down. This book examines gender and society in a completely different way than you might expect. What happens when what it means to be male and female is flipped? What would our society really be like if women held all the power? It underlines many of the inequality issues in the news today while exposing us to some of the hard truths of our contemporary world. While “The Power” is making a statement if you look closely, it's also a unique, unparalleled dystopian novel I think many of us will connect with.

4. the CITY of BRASS

by S.A. Chakraborty

Nahri is a con woman on the streets of 18th century Cairo, living off her wits and sleight of hand. During one of her cons, she accidentally summons a mysterious djinn warrior who forces her to accept that magic is real and she is more than she thought. He takes her to Daevabad, the legendary City of Brass where she unearths the secrets in her past. Incredibly descriptive with magic, political turmoil, great world building, and plenty of surprises you won't see coming, this is a fantasy book you don't want to miss.