Hello everyone,
Not too long ago I asked for YA recs we still read as adults and y’all really did deliver thank you. What I failed to realize before diving in is some of them actually hit you so hard like an invisible punch to the chest.
I’m enjoying the reads so far but my poor little heart needs a break from the intense coming of age at least for now. I’m the type of reader who gets way too attached to favorite characters so all these intense trials, deaths, etc hit me a bit harder than I’d like to admit.
Please help me find lighthearted books that make good palette cleansers as in between reads. It can be happy, funny, introspective, whatever as long as it’s not too emotionally taxing. I’m open to all genres and reading levels.
Thank you 🥺💜
by Curlie_Frie1821
6 Comments
I use the [Stephanie Plum](https://www.goodreads.com/series/43040-stephanie-plum) series by Janet Evanovich or the [Miss Fortune Mystery](https://www.goodreads.com/series/109840-miss-fortune-mystery) series by Jana DeLeon as palate cleansers. Light, fun, each has lots of book so they last for ages even if I read a couple at a time.
Enchanted Forest Chronicles is my YA that’s still great as an adult that does not rip your heart out or otherwise make you sad about the entire world, it’s fully a joy.
peter darling by austin chant
ella minnow pea by mark dunn
imogen, obviously by becky albertalli
the girl from the sea by molly knox ostertag
the charm offensive by alison cochrun
fence vol. 1-5 by c.s. pacat
when you reach me by rebecca stead
If you like dry humor, _The Book That No One Wanted to Read_ by Richard Ayoade. It’s light-hearted and a short read.
The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker is an old-fashioned adventure and celebration of friendship with nothing too dark or dire. It would probably be considered adult historical fiction.
Then there is the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. Very gentle humorous mystery series set in Botswana. It would be considered a cozy mystery series for adults.
*Swordheart* by T. Kingfisher. It’s a romance. It’s Fantasy. It’s funny. It’s snarky. There are scientific (magictific?) scenes about bodily fluids. The Female Main Character (FMC) is middle aged. The MMC is older than her. Some people die, but no one you’d really care about. (Despite what happens on page 1. Trust me.)
*The Dark Lord of Derkholm* by Diana Wynne Jones. It’s a send up of every “party of adventurers goes on a quest and then banishes the Dark Lord” book ever written. Even ones written after this book. There are flying pigs. It’s funny and occationally poignent.
*The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox* by Barry Hughart. Set in China. A classic funny fantasy book.
Anything by Terry Pratchett. It’s holiday season, try *Hogfather*. And then watch the very good TV show.