More time at home means more time to read. But during these days of social distancing and sobering news about COVID19 from Italy and New York, I don’t really want to hunker down with sad historical fiction about WWII or a memoir about grief.
Fun and fantastical are definitely the way to go in these uncertain times, so I’ve compiled a list of fun and/or easy reads to keep your spirits up while you #stayathome. Click on the links to read my full reviews. I would LOVE IT if you would share similar titles in the comments. We can all use a smile, right? 🙂
Fun
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. College Professor Don Tillman likes order, structure, schedule. Enter Rosie, who treasures none of these things. A fun read. (A blog reader said #2 in the series isn’t great, but #3 is.)
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple. A hilarious and thoughtful story of an intelligent, talented woman who gets lost in motherhood and marriage- and how she finds herself again.
- Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. Funny and insightful memoir from a successful comedienne. (The fam has been watching A LOT of Parks and Rec these days; I love, and often relate to, Leslie Knope’s slightly hysterical enthusiasm and compulsions.)
- Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. Six little words from her older sister challenge Shonda to do the things that scare her. The result? A much happier Shonda.
- Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan. “10:00 tonight at the water tower. Tell no one. -Chaos Club” When “just Max” – no social life, GPA 2.5 – gets this invitation, he knows he must be suspicious. He also knows he has to go. A fun YA prank book.
- The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Frankie teaches her boarding school friends not to underestimate her as she secretly masterminds a series of hilarious pranks. Fun YA book, good message.
Fantastical
- The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern. Two magicians compete and fall in love in the dazzling setting of a night circus. One of my favorite books.
- Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer. A 12 year old (slightly) evil genius plots to steal gold from fairies. Very fun, and over the course of the serious, Artemis gets a conscience! (very witty kid lit)
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore (from Goodreads: With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.) YA Fantasy
Inspiring
- Becoming by Michelle Obama. An inspiring memoir about Michelle’s rise from a low income neighborhood in Chicago to Princeton and the White House. Empowering and optimistic. A must read for all young women.
- The Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama. The former president wrote this memoir while serving as an Illinois senator. Explores the joys and challenges of public service, always with a pervasive attitude of hope.
- Keep Going by Austin Kleon Artist/ writer Austin Kleon shares his formula for persisting with creative work. He has recently dubbed his book a “handbook for working from home.” Short, lots of quotes and drawings. 😉
What fun and uplifting books can you recommend? Please share in the comments!
Thanks for reading with me!
I’ve only been reading your blog for a few months, so I don’t know if you’ve featured the books of Lisa Lutz, in particular her Spellman series about a family private detective agency. These are really entertaining, just what you need when cooped up, but they should be read in order as the characters age, and there are references back to earlier books.
The books in order are…
The Spellman Files
Curse of the Spellmans
Revenge of the Spellmans
The Spellmans Strike Again
Trail of the Spellmans
Spellman Six: The Next Generation
Wow! Thanks. 🙂
You liked “The Rosie Project”, as did I, so another book I suggest is “The Trivia Man” by Deborah O’Brien. I view it as a sort of companion piece to the Rosie series. Well worth a read, that is if you can find it outside Australia (is Amazon doing international at the moment?)
Thanks for the recommendation! I found The Trivia Man on Goodreads and Amazon. 🙂
Love WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE. A recent read I really enjoyed was MINOR DRAMAS & OTHER CATASTROPHES by Kathleen West; it’s about drama in high school–created by the parents.
(Brief plug for my book: if you like fun mysteries or pets or diverse reads, MIMI LEE GETS A CLUE, came out a few weeks ago.)
I’m so excited about your new book and also so glad you mentioned it here! Your fun mysteries are just what I’m talking about! Here’s a link to Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, everyone!! Thanks also for the other recommendation. Sounds great. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for the recs!
A whole bunch of these are on my TBR pile – I’ll move these up! I gave my husband the Bernadette book last night to read (I’ve never read it!) Also, the Frankie book for sure I need to read. Thanks for the reminder. I just started the MG Coyote Sunrise and I’m loving the voice :)))
Excellent! I always end up loving the MG titles you recommend, so I’ll have to add this one. I’m currently reading The Starless Sea, Erin Morgenstern’s follow up to The Night Circus. It has taken me awhile to get into it, and it’s a little “trippy”, (lots of stories within stories and magical doors that lead to a harbor by the starless sea), but I’m liking it better now.
I would like to suggest – The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Lost of fun. Also the first in a series.
Thanks Carol! Just the kind of thing I’m looking for! 😉