The funny thing about comfort reads is that they don't need to necessarily be comforting per se. These books can be funny, or scary, fantasy or contemporary--but we all have those books that we find ourselves reading, over and over. They're the books we reach for when times are uncertain, or when it's simply been too long since we read them.
These are my comfort reads. I hope these inspire you to think about your comfort reads, to pick up a book you love to enjoy it again, or to try out one of my favorites!
The story of an angel and a demon with a unique friendship, asked to do their jobs--namely, helping the Antichrist end the world. Good Omens is hilarious and deft; I love reading books packed with clever little puns and jokes, that I can sink into and rediscover every time. Crowley and Aziraphale's quest to save the world is a great read every time. And when I'm done rereading, I have an excuse to rewatch the Amazon Prime show as well.
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Yes, it's a book--and it's almost completely different from the movie. Sophie Hatter, the eldest daughter of a hatter in a world where fairy tale rules apply, doesn't have high hopes for her chances of getting her own adventure. But then Sophie talks to some hats, angers the Witch of the Waste, she gets turned into an old woman, stumbles into a castle, and she's got more adventure than she can handle.
I love this book because it's both expected and unexpected. It's mostly a fairy tale, but the kind where everything's a little different simply because the characters are more like real people than characters. I'm a big fan of Jones' books, but Howl's Moving Castle might be her very best, an incredibly clever novel that takes you to a world as funny and complicated and twice as enjoyable as our own.
The Poetry of Emily Dickinson, by Emily Dickinson (duh)
I know, I know, I'm a giant nerd. But I'm just trying to be honest; this is the book I reach for when I want something quick to reflect on. Reading Dickinson's poems is kind of like reading @dril tweets, except they're trying to evoke more feelings than laughter. I like opening the book to a random page and pointing my finger at it, and then reading that poem and thinking about it. Sometimes they make me laugh, or they make me remember something, but it's a surprisingly fun part of my day. Here's today's poem, "Time and Eternity," part XLIX:
"We never know when we go,--when we are going
We jest and shut the door
Fate following behind us bolts it,
And we accost no more."
Romeo And/Or Juliet kind of stretches the definition of "book," but that's part of why it's one of my go-to books to read over and over again. Romeo And/Or Juliet, like Ryan North's previous book To Be or Not to Be, is a choose-your-own-adventure style book, allowing you to take on the role of Romeo or Juliet and take the reigns of their classic story. The last time I read, I chose Juliet, and ended up barfing my way to a happy ending. Other times, I've managed to die very quickly as Romeo or to leave Verona altogether, off on a wild advneture through other Shakespeare stories.
Do you have any books that you find yourself reading again and again? Reach out to us and share your comfort books. We'd love to hear from you on any of our social media @alachualibrary.