The only books I’ve really read in my adulthood are the Harry Potter series (which I do love and reread frequently).
I read quite a bit as a teenager, and I actually really love to read and have started quite a few books as an adult, but find I get easily turned off as books aimed at my age group (late 20s) seem to contain themes I’m just not into.
I haven’t really attempted any new books for quite awhile, but I’d love to get back into reading.
I’d love something that’s an easy read but not boring, something wholesome, happy, cozy.
In case this helps; I’m the same when playing games — I like happy and wholesome (stardew valley, Harvest moon, animal crossing etc)
And with tv (baking shows, gardening shows, hallmark channel, and some easy sitcoms like young Sheldon, the office, friends etc)
I see lots of recommendations when I google things but I just really don’t know where to start and haven’t had the best luck with my choices in the past, which has discouraged me from trying again until now.
Themes I don’t like include: violence, abuse, sex (consented or otherwise — romance is fine, just not descriptive sex), death, drugs, anything overtly sad, horror, graphic/ gruesome. I also don’t like cussing.
by ranchingmomma
7 Comments
I think you’d enjoy Diana Wynne Jones’ books, specifically the Chrestomanci series which is a mostly wholesome and cozy series about an old wizard who can jump between dream worlds and trains a young boy to use magical powers.
Sounds like you’d enjoy books in the cozy fantasy genre! There’s a subreddit specifically for cozy fantasy if you want some more ideas, but I think a common starting point is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
You might like the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend. It has about the same cozy/dark ratio as Harry Potter
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Maeve Binchy novels are definitely cozy and easy reading. Whenever I want a comfy book I always read one of hers.
In the essay collection genre, I’d recommend:
– Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer), all about plants and how humans interact with them. It’s fantastic, and I think the ecological themes would work well for someone who enjoys some of the other media you mentioned.
– The Everybody Ensemble (Amy Leach), a quirky, whimsical consideration of animals. Several of my friends have read this, and some loved it while others disliked it, so I’d recommend reading a sample essay if you can, then deciding if Leach’s tone works for you.
There’s a few that I can think of:
The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion by Beth Brower – this absolutely fits a cozy, happy, fun requirement.
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson – a regency era romance that has no descriptive sex
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green – this is non fiction but a lovely read, and I think it fits all your requirements
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – this is science fiction, but it is so fun and I have literally recommended it to a 14 year old boy and an 80 year old woman and they both enjoyed it. I will say that there is a mention of death, but it is by no means focused on and is absolutely not the point of the story. I think there is 1 cuss word.
The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey – since you mentioned you like the office I bet you would like this book from “Pam & Angela” fun and also a lot of insight into the behind the scenes of filming a tv show that I never would have thought about
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin – A very cozy WWII historical fiction, maybe a bit sad because WWII but overall cozy vibes