lou's library

Some books feel like a hug. I believe that these will be different for everyone, and when I look at my list of comfort reads, there’s no combining factor to them other than that they let me escape from real life so entirely that I truly forget everything around me. But for you, that might not be true for your comfort reads, and that’s okay. Different things are comforting for different people. But here are the books I keep returning to when I feel like I need a hug in the form of a book.

A Castle In The Clouds by Kerstin Gier

I could have chosen any YA book by Kerstin Gier, but there is something especially comforting about A Castle In The Clouds. Maybe it’s the fact that the stakes are slightly lower than in some of her other books, or that it’s a standalone novel you can devour in a day. Or it’s the immaculate setting in a hotel in the Swiss Alps. Maybe it’s all of the above, but when I read this book, I feel blissfully unaware of any of my problems. It follows 17 year old Fanny (we love her), who is working at a rather luxurious hotel over the Christmas period, because she hasn’t quite figured out what to do with her life yet (relatable). But then suddenly, weird things start happening and she finds herself at the centre of a mystery begging to be solved. As this is a book written by Kerstin Gier, it is incredibly funny and entertaining and full of characters you won’t forget in a hurry. It’s whimsical and always makes me wanna spend winter in Switzerland and while the plot is gripping, it never gets too intense. Honestly, I am dying to get back home for Christmas so I can read A Castle In The Clouds while I’m there, as it’s the perfect read to cosy up with under a blanket.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Yes, I know, I just said I like the stakes to be low in my comfort reads, and Romeo and Juliet famously don’t exactly thrive by the end of the play (sorry if that was a spoiler for you but the play has existed for about 500 years so you know, do try to keep up). But there is something about the familiarity of Romeo and Juliet that makes it so easy for me to get lost in it, and who said comfort reads aren’t allowed to be sad?? And I love to see my own opinions on this play change as I get older and how no matter what, I still always fall in love with it all over again. It’s dramatic (quite literally) and over the top, but at the same time, Shakespeare makes me believe that threatening to kill each other just because your families don’t get along is completely appropriate behaviour. And it’s always good to come away from a book feeling like your own problems surely aren’t that bad compared to what you’ve just read (Shakespeare’s tragedies are great for that). I guess at this point, Romeo and Juliet just feel like old friends to me and while they make me sad every time, they are also comforting and familiar to me.

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

Speaking of familiarity, the Harry Potter series is one I, like millions of others, return to almost every year. And while I love them all, the book I read most often is Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. It’s my favourite book in the series (I have been told this is a controversial choice, but I’ll have you know it’s the only correct one) and I find it incredibly comforting. I mean, think about it: It’s the longest of the seven books and they spend hundreds of pages at Hogwarts, going about their lives, forming secret societies, studying and arguing and that’s exactly what I’m here for. Give me that stuff over any old battle with Voldy any day. I live for the mundanity of it all (if studying at a magical school can be called mundane) and cannot get enough of it. Also, book five is the last one before shit truly hits the fan (admittedly, that starts at the end of book five), when it feels like everything is hurtling towards the big finale in book seven. So those Hogwarts moments are the final peaceful ones (yes I know, Umbridge is already making everything much less peaceful but when is Hogwarts ever truly uneventful??) and they draw me back in every time.

Side note: I’m aware that because of J. K. Rowling’s anti-trans opinions, the Harry Potter series has ceased to be comforting reads for lots of people. I sympathise with that and it definitely impacts my reading of the books too. However, for me personally, it is important not to let the author of these books take them from me and everything they mean to me. That is my personal choice though and I understand everyone who chooses not to read or recommend these books anymore!

The Body In The Library by Agatha Christie

I love me an Agatha Christie whodunnit. The Body In The Library is one of my favourites, but I could have picked The Murder At The Vicarage, too. For ultimate comfort, I would always recommend picking a Miss Marple mystery over a Poirot one, as there is something about this elderly lady that is decidedly giving Grandma and therefore comfort. But all of Agatha Christie’s books are great choices for cosy entertainment, even though a lot of her stories can get quite bloody and violent. I think the often English suburban or village setting definitely helps with the cosy vibes and to me, the fact that they were all written decades ago and therefore don’t mention computers, the internet or smartphones is peak comfort. It’s quaint and cosy, but my God does it pull you in! I usually cannot put these books down until I know who the hell killed the victim and how they did it. And there’s something about Agatha Christie’s writing that transports me right to the place of the events and I forget all about doing laundry, getting groceries and paying bills. Bliss.

There you go, these are some of my comfort reads! Let me know if you agree or if you have different books you turn to when you’re in need of a bit of a pick me up. If you’d like more recommendations, I have a blog post about books to get you out of a reading slump and one all about funny books. Happy reading!