10 great books to read on a cold winter's day

The Lake House

Kate Morton is the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Keeper and The Distant Hours, as well as many other much-loved titles. Set at, yes, a lake house in England, the story revolves around the disappearance of a young boy. Spanning miles and decades, the story masterfully draws two strangers together to answer the questions of the past and together, they take readers deep into a rich and complex mystery. A wonderfully woven suspense tale, The Lake House is an excellent story to get lost in on a cold winter’s day. The Lake House by Kate Morton, Amazon.ca, $15.99.

Furiously Happy

You’ll be hard pressed to find a funnier author than Jenny Lawson. Her first book Let’s Pretend This Never Happened was born out of the stories on her extremely popular blog The Bloggess. In her follow-up book Furiously Happy, Jenny tackles the very serious topic of mental illness with a brand of comedy and compassion that is uniquely her own. With wit, wisdom, humour and courage, Furiously Happy is the kind of book that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, Amazon.ca, $25.

Wildflower

There’s no doubt that award-winning actress Drew Barrymore had led an interesting, adventurous and challenging life, ever since she blew onto the world stage as a child. Now, for the first time, Drew is inviting readers in to learn more about her journey and the incredible, sometimes unbelievable experiences she had growing up. Written with Drew’s characteristic cheer and positive outlook, Wildflower is the perfect weekend read. Wildflower by Drew Barrymore, Amazon.ca, $25.

Humans of New York: Stories

Brandon Stanton is an incredible photographer and his project Humans of New York, photographing regular people on the streets of New York and sharing a small accompanying story about their life, quickly became a daily social media must-read for people around the globe. Now, compiled into a gorgeous book, Brandon’s stories and gorgeous photographs are guaranteed to delight and inspire. Humans of New York: Stories, Amazon.ca, $25.

Why Not Me?

Fans of Mindy Kaling will need no persuasion whatsoever to read this book. In her inimitable style, she tackles issues both big and small, some that only a Hollywood starlet would encounter, others that are universal for all women. In this collection of short essays, Mindy gets personal about everything from love, friendship and her weird relationship with BJ Novak, all with the brilliant humour we love her for. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling, Amazon.ca, $25.

Yes Please

Amy Poehler definitely seems like the kind of girl you’d want to be best friends with. Smart, wickedly funny and full to the brim with interesting stories, we can’t imagine a better gal pal. But in lieu of that dream is the next best thing: Her book Yes Please, which takes readers into the inner circle where Amy shares all those jokes and stories you’ve been dying to hear. Hilarious (obviously) and frank, Yes Please provides insight into Amy’s life growing up in Boston, facing the big city of New York for the first time and what it’s like to be a Golden Globe winning actress, producer and director in one of the toughest businesses around. Yes Please by Amy Poehler, Amazon.ca, $19.81.

The Knockoff

Part The Devil Wears Prada and part All About Eve, The Knockoff is a hilarious cautionary tale for the modern woman. Presenting an insider’s look at the converging worlds of old and new media (and rumoured to be based on real-life characters … gasp!), this delicious and wickedly sharp novel throws open the doors to the world of fashion magazines and shines a light on the creatures inside. At times outrageous, but always entertaining, The Knockoff is a page-turner you won’t be able to put down. The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, Amazon.ca, $14.99.

Primates of Park Avenue

When unsuspecting Wednesday Martin moved to New York’s Upper East Side, she could not have been prepared for what she encountered: a foreign tribe of elitist, snobby and ridiculously privileged women known as the mothers of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. As their behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre and unthinkable, Wednesday starts to study them, using her background in anthropology as her foundation. The result is a book that’s a funny but hugely startling look into the lives of the rich. This is one of those books you have to read to believe. Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin, Amazon.ca, $25.49.

Modern Romance

Finding love in the modern world comes with challenges that Aziz Ansari is no stranger to. In his stand-up routines, he’s often tackled the topic but in his book Modern Romance, he enlists the help of an NYU sociologist to study the subject more carefully. Together, they interview hundreds of people all over the world to find out how dating rituals have changed in this technology-driven world. Bringing his signature style of humour to the survey results, this book actually provides useful tips, insight and meaningful lessons about love in the modern age. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg, Amazon.ca, $25.

Big Magic

Elizabeth Gilbert won audiences over with her international bestseller Eat, Pray, Love. Since the book’s runaway success, she wrote a follow-up to her memoir, and also returned to fiction writing. Now she’s back with another non-fiction title and in Big Magic, Elizabeth challenges readers to live their most creative lives by finding the source of their love, inspiration and joy. Providing intimate insights into her own creative process, she strives to help readers tackle new challenges, turn dreams into reality and live a life that’s filled with personal meaning. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Amazon.ca, $17.97.