It’s been a dreary, rain-filled few days. The sort of days that make you want to stay in your sweats, drink copious amounts of coffee (or another preferred hot beverage), and curl up on the couch.
People talk about comfort shows that they watch over and over again when they need an escape (or maybe just something to turn on while doing the less pleasant tasks around the house). I have a few of those, and I also have comfort books. These are the pages I turn to when I need a pick-me-up or just a relaxing, predictable read. Current events, new job, upcoming presentation, NHL playoffs… all these can be times when I need a little escape but don’t quite have the energy to invest in something new. That’s when I head over to my shelf and grab one of these old reliables.
Five Books to Read (and Re-Read) When Life Gets You Down
1. The Hobbit
Tolkien never fails to get me out of a slump, no matter what the cause. The Hobbit (and for that matter, Lord of the Rings) was the first book I remember re-reading specifically because I needed a mood boost. Now, Tolkien is the epitome of the old sweatshirt from high school that’s full of holes but so darn soft you can’t wait to throw it on. And you can’t go wrong with Bilbo Baggins and his there-and-back-again adventure. The Hobbit is oddly comforting with its steady tension-release formula, and I still catch myself smiling at Bilbo’s reactions as he’s pulled out his comfortable early modern world into a medieval road trip with a dragon waiting at the end.
I have a soft spot for the audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis, too, so half the time I’m listening rather than reading. It’s delightful in any form, really (yes, even the movies have their merits). So grab a copy and cozy up!
2. Howl’s Moving Castle
I find Middle Grade books to be excellent escapes, and no author does it better than Diana Wynne Jones. I read and re-read her books often, but none of them quite as much as Howl’s Moving Castle. The book follows Sophie Hatter who leads a dreary life in her father’s hat shop until the day she meets the Witch of the Waste and is transformed into a ninety year old woman! As she tries to break the curse, she falls in with spoiled and dramatic Wizard Howl and his familiars.
I’m a sucker for the found family trope, and this book has it in spades. Sophie and Howl are both fantastic characters who both grow as they interact with one another and the world around them. Plus, who doesn’t love magic and whimsy? Jones packs in everything from seven-league boots to mermaids and fire demons. Throw in a shout out to Wales and John Donne, and you’ve made my day.
I dare you to read this book and not smile. It has two companion novels as well, which are both delightful.
3. The Night Circus
This is a newer entry and one of the best books I’ve read in recent years. The gorgeous prose and magical setting sucks you right in, and there are few better escapes. The story follows the titular circus and the two young magicians competing at the behest of their benefactors. It’s a little outside my usual fair, but the whimsy and the magic are just so fun I have a hard time putting the book down. It’s part quirky characters as we meet the various circus performers, part love story as our two magicians meet again and again, and part mystery as we try to figure out what’s going on behind the scenes.
It’s a hard book to describe, so sorry if I’m not selling it. But if you want to give magical realism a try, or if you just want an escape, check out The Night Circus.
4. The Crown Tower
Sometimes I can’t even put my finger on why I keep coming back to a book, and that’s the case with this one. I guess I am a sucker for a good heist novel. The characters are addicting, too.
In Sullivan’s prequel (taking place before his Riyria Revelations), we get the pleasure of meeting optimistic, sunshine-filled Hadrian Blackwater, recently returned from years spent as a mercenary and looking for redemption. Through the machinations of a quirky professor, Hadrian is teamed up with antisocial assassin Royce Melborn to steal a book from an impossibly tall tower. Tension, hilarity, and ultimately a phenomenal bromance ensue. Heist, buddy cop dynamic, and just a little magic make this romp a great escape from any rainy day.
For those of you wondering, you don’t have to read Sullivan’s first series in order to enjoy this book. I actually read this one first and then went on to Theft of Swords and the Riyria Revelations before coming back and finishing the Riyria Chronicles, of which this is the first book. But you do you!
5. Northanger Abbey
I know what you’re thinking… one of these things is not like the others. But before you call the whole thing off, answer me this: who lifts the spirits better than Jane Austen? She gives you witty social commentary, a troupe of eclectic (and often hilarious) side characters, and a sweet love story (sometimes more than one) all rolled into one!
Northanger Abbey has a special place in my heart, and I keep coming back to it. Is it because I can empathize with protagonist Catherine Morley, who’s read far too many books in her sheltered life? Maybe. She is the 18th century equivalent of someone (a random person… no one you know) who watches too many horror movies and true crime documentaries. When Catherine gets invited to the mysterious Northanger Abbey, she can’t help but see evil lurking in every corner. Of course, this causes trouble in her relationship with the handsome son of the abbey’s owner, Mr. Tilney (Darcy ain’t got nothing on you, sir).
What’s not to love?
That’s my short list of comfort books for those rainy or stressful days! Do you have any books you go to for emotional support? Or just a good escape? Comment below!