Need a book that feels like a hug? 8 comfort reads for when life gets hard.
In a fast-paced and interconnected world, many of us are feeling overwhelmed by our phones and social media, climate change and politics.
Reading is one way to quiet the noise. Turning to a good book can be an act of self-care and even promote healing – like 'bibliotherapy,' a practice some therapists use to help clients work through issues using literature as the tool. Though what's comforting can look different person to person, here are eight books we recommend turning to when you need to feel a little lighter, a bit better and a hint more hopeful.
'Anxious People' by Fredrik Backman
I'd nominate any Backman book for this list, especially 'Anxious People.' Backman has a particular talent for writing about hard topics in a way that still makes you cozy, even telling USA TODAY in May that he aims to make readers 'close the book at the final page and feel like it's OK.' The book starts with a failed bank robber taking a group of strangers hostage in an apartment open house. Though that may sound like a blood-pressure-raising plot, 'Anxious People' is less of a crime caper than it is a big-hearted study of humanity with soulful characters.
'We'll Prescribe You a Cat' by Syou Ishida
'We'll Prescribe You a Cat' falls into the new-yet-already-beloved genre of 'healing fiction' – feel-good stories, often with magical realism elements and usually translated from Japanese or Korean. This 2024 novel follows the mysterious Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto, which can only be found by those truly struggling. The medication it offers is unorthodox, but transformative. This hopeful and cozy novel is a tribute to the human-animal bond.
'Howl's Moving Castle' by Diana Wynne Jones
It doesn't get much more nostalgic than a good Studio Ghibli film – why not check out the source material behind one of Hayao Miyazaki's greatest? This '80s fantasy classic follows eldest daughter Sophie as she tries to break a spell that's transformed her into an old lady. To return to her true state, she must enter an enchanted mobile castle and win the help of the heartless wizard Howl, who is hiding secrets of his own.
'Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting' by Clare Pooley
This charming novel follows an unlikely community formed among a group of commuters. Eclectic magazine columnist Iona is the catalyst, bringing together the strangers after one of them nearly dies choking on a grape on the train. 'Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting' is a sweet story packed with love, family drama, midlife crises and lessons learned from the kindness of strangers.
'All Creatures Great and Small' by James Herriot
Nonfiction fans and animal lovers alike should check out the classic memoir series 'All Creatures Great and Small' by James Herriot, the beloved Scottish veterinarian. With both difficult cases and lighthearted ones, 'All Creatures Great and Small' is an inspiring must-add to your comfort reads.
'The House in the Cerulean Sea' by T.J. Klune
This blurb from fantasy author V.E. Schwab says it all: 'It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket.' Witty and heart-warming, 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' follows Linus, a case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, who is charged with visiting a remote orphanage to decide just how dangerous its magical occupants are. This fantastical love story is filled with memorable found family characters and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
'Remarkably Bright Creatures' by Shelby Van Pelt
'Remarkably Bright Creatures' is about a widow with a profound connection to a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium where she works. There's an element of mystery as well, as Marcellus (the octopus) decides it's up to him to uncover a 30-year-old mystery – the disappearance of Tova's (the widow) teenage son. It's a great book club pick.
'Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' by Sangu Mandanna
This sweet, uplifting fantasy novel follows a lonesome, orphaned witch as she gains an unexpected community teaching young witches how to control their magic. As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon has to hide her magic from the public eye, finding solace in posting videos online where she 'pretends' to be a witch. But when others see through her facade, she gets a shot at real belonging for the first time.
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.
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