This post was updated Jan. 27 at 8:02 p.m.

Readers will find the perfect books to cuddle up at home with this winter.

As the weather grows colder, it only becomes more enticing to stay at home, bundled up against a fireplace with a spellbinding book. Luckily for avid readers, this winter season promises a whole slew of new releases across a multitude of genres that are sure to have fans hooked from the very first page.

Continue reading to explore the Daily Bruin’s handpicked selection of wonderful winter reads.

“Half His Age” by Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy is turning to fiction to reexamine the coming-of-age story through a new narrative lens.

McCurdy’s debut fiction novel, “Half His Age,” was released Jan. 20, following the success of her bestselling memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” The book is centered on Waldo, a 17-year-old high school student, who begins a relationship with her older, married creative writing teacher. Known for her candid approach to power inequality in adolescence, McCurdy now turns to fiction to examine themes familiar from her memoir through a new lens.

McCurdy’s memoir detailed her experience as a child actor and her tumultuous relationship with her mother, earning praise for its sharp humor and unflinching honesty. With “Half His Age,” she shifts away from autobiography but retains her focus on the vulnerability inherent in youth. Her firsthand experiences navigating exploitation, emotional manipulation and public scrutiny inform her fiction, giving her the insight to portray adolescent vulnerability with nuance and credibility.

By moving from memoir to fiction, McCurdy expands her literary voice while continuing to interrogate who holds power in adolescence and who pays the price.

— Caitlin Brockenbrow

“Good People” by Patmeena Sabit

Patmeena Sabit is telling a great story about good people.

Sabit’s debut book “Good People” hits shelves Feb. 3 and allows readers to watch the Sharaf family deal with a tragedy that shatters their public image and thrusts them into the spotlight. The Sharafs achieved success, status and happiness after immigrating to America from Afghanistan and are seemingly the image of the American dream, until the sensational scandal surrounding their eldest daughter, Zorah, erupts.

Sabit uses shifting perspectives to leave the truth behind the Sharaf family’s scandal deliberately unclear. While readers question the veracity of each character’s narration, Sabit questions the reality behind the notion of the American dream. Born in Kabul, Sabit reflects on the immigrant experience and interrogates the burden of the “model minority” myth. “Good People” is poised to captivate and confuse in its exploration of family, truth and assimilation in contemporary American society. Khaled Hosseini praised Sabit’s debut for her prose and centering of Afghani perspectives.

— Julia Kinion

“Kin” by Tayari Jones

Tayari Jones is back with one of her most intimate tales yet.

The award-winning author’s fifth book, “Kin,” will hit bookshelves Feb. 24 and marks Jones’ first novel since 2018’s “An American Marriage.” The new story focuses on the reunion of two friends whose lives intersect once more in the wake of a terrible tragedy. With commentary on the relationships between mothers and daughters and insight into the lives of women of color in the American South, “Kin” is already being praised by other authors as matching the quality of Jones’ past work.

The two principal characters in “Kin” are Vernice and Annie, two women who grew up together in Honeysuckle, Louisiana but have led contrasting lives since. For Vernice, opportunities open up with the help of her aunt to pursue an education at Spelman College and begin to chase her own dreams. By comparison, Annie’s life is more tumultuous, missing a strong familial support system but having perhaps a greater sense of adventure.

With Jones’ storytelling capabilities, “Kin” seems destined to hold the reader close with a thought-provoking story.

– Reid Sperisen

“Judge Stone” by James Patterson and Viola Davis

Justice has a new gavel, and she’s not afraid to use it.

Oscar winner Viola Davis teams up with thriller mastermind James Patterson for “Judge Stone,” which hits shelves Mar. 9. The novel centers on Judge Mary Stone, a brilliant and uncompromising Black woman born a farmer’s daughter in Union Springs, Alabama – a small town full of flowers and churches. As she takes the chair over the South’s most controversial case, she is forced to navigate racial tensions, ethical challenges and moral dilemmas in the court system. She preaches “do the right thing, or don’t do it at all,” but as she tries to find the wisest path, she will make history or die trying.

“Judge Stone” marks Davis’ debut as a novelist, though fans know her for using her platform to champion complex, powerful Black women on screen – from her TV role as Annalise Keating in “How to Get Away with Murder” to her movie roles in “The Woman King,” “Fences” and “The Help.” Partnering with Patterson, who has a track record of creating formidable protagonists, Davis brings her intimate understanding of strength, vulnerability and resilience to the page. For readers craving a heroine who wields both her brilliance and her voice without apology, Judge Stone is ready to render her verdict.

Court is officially in session.

— Alexis Coffee