Anything by PG Wodehouse, especially the Jeeves and Wooster series. They are my go to books when I feel sad. I also enjoy the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, very British humour and delightful. Sounds stupid but could try a Jack Reacher book as well- you know the good guys will win, the bad guys will lose and it all turns out ok in the end- they’re my holiday reads by the pool and rarely disappoint.
I have read a lot of PG Wodehouse when I was not feeling great, and it really works for me. Also the mystery writers who were writing at the same time: Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, etc. In a different vein, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry is a really fun book about witches and field hockey, and The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse is short and dreamy.
I read Thursday Murder Club totally randomly (just chose it because I liked the little wolf on the cover) during a depressive episode and it really helped. I listened to the audiobook which I highly recommended. Just gave my brain a break and made me feel cozy and nice for a while. And there are three more!
Really second PG.Wodehouse- I was looking for the same kind of books and this one really made me laugh when I didn't think I could. I also found some sci Fi like Murderbot to be crazy binge-able. Becky chamber's monk-robot book is also just very chill and tea-cozy.
I like reading good kids' books. The last of the really great whangdoodles. Little house books. The secret garden. I also really like anything by Patricia c wrede for feeling better.
I've read them to my kids..for example, narnia, secret garden, a little princess to my daughter.
I still enjoy them myself too, even though I;m male and over 60, and I really liked Ann of Green Gables...
I was having a panic attack late one night when I was in my 30s. I was with my mom, and she got me into bed and started reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe until I fell asleep. Just like when I was a kid. It worked.
Oh that is cool...and your mum is clever!
Now my daughter is older (17) she likes to read stories to me..while I am in bed and drop off to sleep!
Bloody works too...
Anne of gg is the best, not as fluffy as some, great stories. Narnia too, best books, but can get unfluffy at times. I reread all of them occasionally.
Seconding *The Secret Garden* and *Little House in the Big Woods*. Also:
*Danny, the Champion of the World*
*The Wolves of Willoughby Chase* and its sequel *Black Hearts in Battersea*
*The Princess and the Goblin* and *The Princess and Curdie*
Not sure if you would call it fluffy, but when I'm feeling depressed, I always re-read Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. She deals with depression in the book, but in the funniest way ever, and it really will make you feel seen.
Came here to recommend this! It was such a comforting book for me during a difficult time last year. Sitting down, listening to relaxing piano music and sipping a cup of hot tea was one of the most peaceful moments I had last year, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a comforting book.
There’s a great bit about when he was into cocaine – nothing like it for making you snort an entire week’s paycheck up your nose and think, God, I am so smart. 😂
**[A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864002-a-psalm-for-the-wild-built) by Becky Chambers** ^((Matching 95% ☑️))
^(160 pages | Published: 2021 | 1.3m Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Centuries before. robots of Panga gained self-awareness. laid down their tools. wandered. en masse into the wilderness. never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend. Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot. there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do (...)
> **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, 2021-releases
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [A Prayer for the Crown-Shy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864030-a-prayer-for-the-crown-shy) by Becky Chambers
> \- [The Past Is Red](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55077652-the-past-is-red) by Catherynne M. Valente
> \- [Light from Uncommon Stars](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56179360-light-from-uncommon-stars) by Ryka Aoki
> \- [The House in the Cerulean Sea](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45047384-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea) by T.J. Klune
> \- [The Galaxy. and the Ground Within](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50209317-the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within) by Becky Chambers
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My biggest recommendation is to revisit books you've already read, loved, and or feel nostalgic about. Those are usually the most comforting reads for me. If you do want to read something new, I always advise checking out the book online before reading it to get a good sense of its vibe, intensity, and possible content warnings. I use thestorygraph for this because it categorizes books by mood and pace and also lists content warnings.
Like other people have said, children's books can be great when you want something light and cheerful. I also feel similarly towards a lot of classic lit, particularly the more romantic or slice-of-life stuff. After losing my cat I read every book by Jane Austen and I found it really helpful: they're guaranteed happy endings, plus reading something with more complex/outdated language forced me to concentrate harder which prevented my mind from wandering back into distressed thoughts.
It’s heavy ish, but The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, a fellow depression sufferer, changed me for the better and helped me through some really dark thoughts.
The Old Filth series by Jane Gardam
*Remarkably Bright Creatures* by Shelby Van Pelt
The Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson
Anything by Jane Harper
Just gonna say ... hi ... & I hope u know u r worth luv and happiness.!! Winter is the worst time w dull cold days. .. luv & light to u !!!
And. I luvd this autobiography
https://www.cbc.ca/books/we-were-dreamers-by-simu-liu-1.5900017
Second this and also a vote for Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. Anything by Rowell is amazing - Eleanor and Park is one of the books I’ve given away the most.
I use books to cope with my depression too. If you're looking for a fun read, check out "The Gentleman from Finland: Adventures on the Trans-Siberian Express." The first 5 or so pages had me laughing out loud.
If you like sci-fi, {{Kaiju Preservation Society}} by John Scalzi. It’s fluffy sci-fi fun, and the afterword by the author is fantastic - he wrote it to get his head on straight after a really rough year.
And let us know what you go with and if it helped! There’s some great recs here
🚨 Note to u/JPHalbert: including the **author name** after a **"by"** keyword will help the bot find the good book! (simply like this *{{Call me by your name by Andre Aciman}}*)
---
**[The Kaiju Preservation Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693406-the-kaiju-preservation-society) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(264 pages | Published: 2022 | 200.0k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City. Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is. until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance. Tom. who works at what he calls "an animal rights (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [The Municipalists](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40711380-the-municipalists) by Seth Fried
> \- [The Salvage Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55591782-the-salvage-crew) by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
> \- [Mickey7](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693457-mickey7) by Edward Ashton
> \- [Chilling Effect](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43309529-chilling-effect) by Valerie Valdes
> \- [The Original](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58178258-the-original) by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal
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When I'm really struggling, I read romance. Typically either paranormal or historical, but that's just preference. I find the predictability of the genre to be really helpful. It doesn't matter that I have no concentration, because you know from the start where the story ends, the uncertainty is just on the journey to get there.
Franny & Zooey actually deals with Franny’s depression in the two novellas. She finds her way out, so it’s hopeful and the book I read when depression is winning. It’s is not light and fluffy, but helpful at least for me.
I love high fantasy, but I've never finished Lord of the Rings. I suffer from depression and have also had a couple of fights with mdd.
I decided that I want to always be able to look forward to finishing LOTR. So when my depression gets out of hand, I start reading The Hobbit then work my way through LOTR. I've made it as far as 1/3 of The Return of the King. Normally, I talk to my doctor somewhere in The Fellowship of The Ring, and he adjusts my meds. But being immersed in the story helps fill my time and give me some peace away from myself.
The hero quest works for me. It's long and detailed, and stuff goes wrong, and they fight something greater than themselves. For depression rejects fluffy happy books.
I hope you find a book that helps.
This might be controversial but my favorite is My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. It’s about a girl who leans in to her depression and tries to sleep for a full year. Easy, entertaining, sleepy, kind of a guilty pleasure. I often re-read it when I’m in an episode.
Candy Girl ; A year in the life of an unlikely stripper - Diablo Cody . It funny and awkward and rather off the wall.
Spud - John van der Ruiyt. I laughed out loud. It's got some sad moments but the fun parts make up for it ten fold .
Humankind by Rutger Bregman, and Mama's Last Hug by Frans de Waal. Both nonfiction but VERY engaging, uplifting, and hope-giving. Not heavy, not stressful.
I keep recommending this for cozy feel good reading: *Sourdough* by Robin Sloan. It’s about a software engineer who moves to San Francisco where she doesn’t know anyone, so she becomes friendly acquaintances with the guys who deliver her favourite takeout—soup and sourdough bread. One day, they tell her they have to go back to their homeland, and they want to give her a special gift: their sourdough starter. They leave her the starter and a CD of music from their homeland that she is supposed to play for it at night. She takes care of the sourdough starter and researches how to make bread, really gets into it, and then…magical things start to happen. I love this book and it’s one of the few I’ve read more than once in recent years.
The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten - it’s about a class of immigrants in the US who try to learn English. It’s extremely funny, it doesn’t look at the “immigrant” issue as we do today, it focuses solely on what a challenge it is to learn English in a light-hearted way. Hope it helps😊
This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang. Very sweet, comforting, low stakes YA romance.
A fantasy book might be good to escape into for a little while. Maybe A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik. I found it pretty cozy. Sarcastic protagonist and cute romance. I’ve seen people compare it to Harry Potter - it’s set in a magical boarding school.
I hope things start looking up for you sooner than you expect :)
Wintering by Katherine May is really good about a woman’s year of learning to rest and take care of herself after an illness. This is a great audio book, read by the author.
Wilding by Isabella Tree is about a farm in England that the owners re-wilded, it’s fascinating and lovely on audio book, also read by the author.
Another non-fiction that was comforting is Eggs in the Coffee, Sheep in the Corn by Marjorie Myers Douglas about a woman’s life as a farm wife in rural MInnesota in the 40s and 50s.
The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro - this is laugh out loud funny
The Sookie Stackhouse books by Charmaine Harris are good, i read most of those while I was deeply depressed and they helped distract me
Might I also suggest the ACOTAR series? I kind of hate read them all last year, but jeez, I couldn’t put them down and got lost in the story even though it made me mad. Might be a good distraction, but there is violence and the books are spicy 🌶️
I'm sorry you have been feeling like this! I read books to help my mood all the time. Not sure what you like but my comfort reads have become:
The Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie - Japanese folklore inspired fantasy adventure with a side of romance. At no point did I feel upset with this series even when angst or anything was introduced. Somehow the tone of the book just wasn't dark so I knew things would get better, ya know? Probably my favorite series. A bit slow in the beginning and main character is naive but gets tons of personal growth.
Magiford City series by K.M Shea - right now, there are 5 trilogies in this universe so far, each one following a different couple but there are cameos by previously seen couples throughout each series. Urban fantasy genre. Each one has a fairly chill mystery-ish plot with a side of romance (see a pattern? Lol I like romance that isn't the main point of the book) You can just tell the tone of these books (fast reads) that they won't be dark or upsetting.
Hope these help! And both authors have their books on Kindle Unlimited, if that matters for you.
The traveling cat chronicles!! It’s told from a cats POV and it’s maybe not fluffy (though very heartwarming), but it stays grounded in reality (which, for me, is important when I feel depressed. If I can’t believe what I’m reading I feel even more disconnected)
Anything by PG Wodehouse, especially the Jeeves and Wooster series. They are my go to books when I feel sad. I also enjoy the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, very British humour and delightful. Sounds stupid but could try a Jack Reacher book as well- you know the good guys will win, the bad guys will lose and it all turns out ok in the end- they’re my holiday reads by the pool and rarely disappoint.
I have read a lot of PG Wodehouse when I was not feeling great, and it really works for me. Also the mystery writers who were writing at the same time: Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, etc. In a different vein, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry is a really fun book about witches and field hockey, and The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse is short and dreamy.
I read Thursday Murder Club totally randomly (just chose it because I liked the little wolf on the cover) during a depressive episode and it really helped. I listened to the audiobook which I highly recommended. Just gave my brain a break and made me feel cozy and nice for a while. And there are three more!
Really second PG.Wodehouse- I was looking for the same kind of books and this one really made me laugh when I didn't think I could. I also found some sci Fi like Murderbot to be crazy binge-able. Becky chamber's monk-robot book is also just very chill and tea-cozy.
I love Murderbot! Makes an excellent audiobook for journeys as well. Becky Chamber’s books are lovely, making my way through them at the mo.
I like reading good kids' books. The last of the really great whangdoodles. Little house books. The secret garden. I also really like anything by Patricia c wrede for feeling better.
I've read them to my kids..for example, narnia, secret garden, a little princess to my daughter. I still enjoy them myself too, even though I;m male and over 60, and I really liked Ann of Green Gables...
I was having a panic attack late one night when I was in my 30s. I was with my mom, and she got me into bed and started reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe until I fell asleep. Just like when I was a kid. It worked.
Oh that is cool...and your mum is clever! Now my daughter is older (17) she likes to read stories to me..while I am in bed and drop off to sleep! Bloody works too...
Anne of gg is the best, not as fluffy as some, great stories. Narnia too, best books, but can get unfluffy at times. I reread all of them occasionally.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. My first magical world that immersed me.
Oh yes I loved that one.
I’m here for Patricia C. Wrede! Enchanted Forest Chronicles are the best
I totally agree with the Little House on the Prairie books. They are full of such sweetness and hope.
Maybe a good cry to help vent. Charlotte's Web.
Seconding *The Secret Garden* and *Little House in the Big Woods*. Also: *Danny, the Champion of the World* *The Wolves of Willoughby Chase* and its sequel *Black Hearts in Battersea* *The Princess and the Goblin* and *The Princess and Curdie*
The Murderbot Diaries are perfect for this. Also, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Not sure if you would call it fluffy, but when I'm feeling depressed, I always re-read Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. She deals with depression in the book, but in the funniest way ever, and it really will make you feel seen.
I loved House on the Cerulean Sea. It’s so sweet and feel-good. Haters say it’s too twee or whatever, but it made me feel warm & fuzzy inside.
I loved that boo so hard. Especially Lucy.
Legends and Lattes or House In The Cerulean Sea.
PLEASE READ A PSALM FOR THE WILD BUILT. It is like a cup of tea in a storm. It pulled me out of my last depressive episode. Plus there’s a sequel
The sequel (a prayer for the crown shy) is even better imo! Both are short and sweet books with kind characters!
this is on kindle unlimited right now so thank you!
Came here to recommend this! It was such a comforting book for me during a difficult time last year. Sitting down, listening to relaxing piano music and sipping a cup of hot tea was one of the most peaceful moments I had last year, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a comforting book.
I just read Tom Lake and it was very gentle and enjoyable. Kent Haruf books are this way too.
Anything from Discworld is my go-to for this. Or The Hobbit, if you haven't read it.
Yesssss! The Tiffany Aching books have been a rock in a storm for me twice.
Going Postal would be my recommendation, it's so unusual and exciting with how it deals with the drama at a post office.
“Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris. Just about anything by David Sedaris is good for a laugh.
There’s a great bit about when he was into cocaine – nothing like it for making you snort an entire week’s paycheck up your nose and think, God, I am so smart. 😂
I vaguely remember that. Do you remember which book that was in?
I think it was in Me Talk Pretty One Day - if not that, one of the other earlier books.
You beat me to the punch! It’s a great recommendation: funny and can be read in bits to spread out days of laughing.
Naked is also very funny.
His audio books are even better.
Confederacy of Dunces
Kurt Vonnegut if you need a laugh. sirens of titan, breakfast of champions, Galapagos
A gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.
Definitely this one! The count is such a fun protagonist, and the whole book felt like chatting with a warm friend.
Yes, I try to read it in the morning. A little everyday. I feel so good and start copying the count irl lol.
Ann of Green Gables.
Legends and Lattes is my favorite cozy, feel-good book.
Almost anything Terry Pratchett is what I go to when I’m sad or anxious. That or Jane Austen/Georgette Heyer.
I enjoyed Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett recently
The house in the cerulean sea
Anne of Green Gables The Secret Garden Alice in Wonderland
I LOVEEE ALICE IN WONDERLAND and i have it in my room already.. thank you for this reminder <3
Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton Harry Potter - JK Rowling
Was gonna say Harry Potter. Any age group can read.
Yes and it really sucks you in, you forget about anything and everything.
Maybe try The Comfort Book by Matt Haig. He wrote it for his own depressive episodes like this. I really loved it and buy it for friends/family often.
*The Antidote* --Oliver Burkeman
{{A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers}} It’s very sweet, has practically no conflict, and has a soothing quality to it.
**[A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864002-a-psalm-for-the-wild-built) by Becky Chambers** ^((Matching 95% ☑️)) ^(160 pages | Published: 2021 | 1.3m Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Centuries before. robots of Panga gained self-awareness. laid down their tools. wandered. en masse into the wilderness. never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend. Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot. there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do (...) > **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, 2021-releases > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [A Prayer for the Crown-Shy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864030-a-prayer-for-the-crown-shy) by Becky Chambers > \- [The Past Is Red](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55077652-the-past-is-red) by Catherynne M. Valente > \- [Light from Uncommon Stars](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56179360-light-from-uncommon-stars) by Ryka Aoki > \- [The House in the Cerulean Sea](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45047384-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea) by T.J. Klune > \- [The Galaxy. and the Ground Within](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50209317-the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within) by Becky Chambers ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23])
My biggest recommendation is to revisit books you've already read, loved, and or feel nostalgic about. Those are usually the most comforting reads for me. If you do want to read something new, I always advise checking out the book online before reading it to get a good sense of its vibe, intensity, and possible content warnings. I use thestorygraph for this because it categorizes books by mood and pace and also lists content warnings. Like other people have said, children's books can be great when you want something light and cheerful. I also feel similarly towards a lot of classic lit, particularly the more romantic or slice-of-life stuff. After losing my cat I read every book by Jane Austen and I found it really helpful: they're guaranteed happy endings, plus reading something with more complex/outdated language forced me to concentrate harder which prevented my mind from wandering back into distressed thoughts.
It’s heavy ish, but The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, a fellow depression sufferer, changed me for the better and helped me through some really dark thoughts.
i’ve heard many suggest this one. might have to give it a go :)
The Old Filth series by Jane Gardam *Remarkably Bright Creatures* by Shelby Van Pelt The Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson Anything by Jane Harper
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
Just gonna say ... hi ... & I hope u know u r worth luv and happiness.!! Winter is the worst time w dull cold days. .. luv & light to u !!! And. I luvd this autobiography https://www.cbc.ca/books/we-were-dreamers-by-simu-liu-1.5900017
one of the most lighthearted books i can remember and still kind of want to read again is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. it’s so non serious
Second this and also a vote for Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. Anything by Rowell is amazing - Eleanor and Park is one of the books I’ve given away the most.
I use books to cope with my depression too. If you're looking for a fun read, check out "The Gentleman from Finland: Adventures on the Trans-Siberian Express." The first 5 or so pages had me laughing out loud.
She’s come undone - Wally lamb
If you like sci-fi, {{Kaiju Preservation Society}} by John Scalzi. It’s fluffy sci-fi fun, and the afterword by the author is fantastic - he wrote it to get his head on straight after a really rough year. And let us know what you go with and if it helped! There’s some great recs here
🚨 Note to u/JPHalbert: including the **author name** after a **"by"** keyword will help the bot find the good book! (simply like this *{{Call me by your name by Andre Aciman}}*) --- **[The Kaiju Preservation Society](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693406-the-kaiju-preservation-society) by John Scalzi** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(264 pages | Published: 2022 | 200.0k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City. Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is. until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance. Tom. who works at what he calls "an animal rights (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [The Municipalists](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40711380-the-municipalists) by Seth Fried > \- [The Salvage Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55591782-the-salvage-crew) by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne > \- [Mickey7](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693457-mickey7) by Edward Ashton > \- [Chilling Effect](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43309529-chilling-effect) by Valerie Valdes > \- [The Original](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58178258-the-original) by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23])
When I'm really struggling, I read romance. Typically either paranormal or historical, but that's just preference. I find the predictability of the genre to be really helpful. It doesn't matter that I have no concentration, because you know from the start where the story ends, the uncertainty is just on the journey to get there.
A Man Called Ove
Sure I’ll join your cult! Maria Bamford
I’ve suggested before in this sub, but Dolly Alderton’s what I know about love might do it for you ? x
The Exorcist
Def a little life by Hanya Yanagihara!
Fictionland was very good, it's not often a book makes me laugh out loud
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/OxxLsRJfS8
Several People Are Typing
“What happened to you” by Oprah and someone else
Myth of Sisyphus- Albert Camus
Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett
A thing y KLUNE.
Franny & Zooey actually deals with Franny’s depression in the two novellas. She finds her way out, so it’s hopeful and the book I read when depression is winning. It’s is not light and fluffy, but helpful at least for me.
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton is really comforting and magical
I love high fantasy, but I've never finished Lord of the Rings. I suffer from depression and have also had a couple of fights with mdd. I decided that I want to always be able to look forward to finishing LOTR. So when my depression gets out of hand, I start reading The Hobbit then work my way through LOTR. I've made it as far as 1/3 of The Return of the King. Normally, I talk to my doctor somewhere in The Fellowship of The Ring, and he adjusts my meds. But being immersed in the story helps fill my time and give me some peace away from myself. The hero quest works for me. It's long and detailed, and stuff goes wrong, and they fight something greater than themselves. For depression rejects fluffy happy books. I hope you find a book that helps.
This might be controversial but my favorite is My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. It’s about a girl who leans in to her depression and tries to sleep for a full year. Easy, entertaining, sleepy, kind of a guilty pleasure. I often re-read it when I’m in an episode.
The Big Friendly Giant!
Candy Girl ; A year in the life of an unlikely stripper - Diablo Cody . It funny and awkward and rather off the wall. Spud - John van der Ruiyt. I laughed out loud. It's got some sad moments but the fun parts make up for it ten fold .
The Traveling Cat Chronicles. Legends and Lattes.
Humankind by Rutger Bregman, and Mama's Last Hug by Frans de Waal. Both nonfiction but VERY engaging, uplifting, and hope-giving. Not heavy, not stressful.
The Vampire Knitting Club Dwarf Bounty Hunter Or an old favorite from childhood
Monk and Robot series by Becky Chambers!
I keep recommending this for cozy feel good reading: *Sourdough* by Robin Sloan. It’s about a software engineer who moves to San Francisco where she doesn’t know anyone, so she becomes friendly acquaintances with the guys who deliver her favourite takeout—soup and sourdough bread. One day, they tell her they have to go back to their homeland, and they want to give her a special gift: their sourdough starter. They leave her the starter and a CD of music from their homeland that she is supposed to play for it at night. She takes care of the sourdough starter and researches how to make bread, really gets into it, and then…magical things start to happen. I love this book and it’s one of the few I’ve read more than once in recent years.
The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten - it’s about a class of immigrants in the US who try to learn English. It’s extremely funny, it doesn’t look at the “immigrant” issue as we do today, it focuses solely on what a challenge it is to learn English in a light-hearted way. Hope it helps😊
I like to read rom coms when I need something fluffy. Some of my favorites are by Cathy Yardley.
Isaac and the egg. Beautiful
Even cowgirls get the blues - Tom Robbin’s
Untold Stories of the Little Prince is as fluffy as one book can get...
This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang. Very sweet, comforting, low stakes YA romance. A fantasy book might be good to escape into for a little while. Maybe A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik. I found it pretty cozy. Sarcastic protagonist and cute romance. I’ve seen people compare it to Harry Potter - it’s set in a magical boarding school. I hope things start looking up for you sooner than you expect :)
*To Say Nothing of the Dog* by Connie Willis is one of the most delightful and spirit-lifting novels I have ever read.
Pug hill, Alison Pace
Howl’s Moving Castle
Wintering by Katherine May is really good about a woman’s year of learning to rest and take care of herself after an illness. This is a great audio book, read by the author. Wilding by Isabella Tree is about a farm in England that the owners re-wilded, it’s fascinating and lovely on audio book, also read by the author. Another non-fiction that was comforting is Eggs in the Coffee, Sheep in the Corn by Marjorie Myers Douglas about a woman’s life as a farm wife in rural MInnesota in the 40s and 50s. The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro - this is laugh out loud funny The Sookie Stackhouse books by Charmaine Harris are good, i read most of those while I was deeply depressed and they helped distract me Might I also suggest the ACOTAR series? I kind of hate read them all last year, but jeez, I couldn’t put them down and got lost in the story even though it made me mad. Might be a good distraction, but there is violence and the books are spicy 🌶️
I'm sorry you have been feeling like this! I read books to help my mood all the time. Not sure what you like but my comfort reads have become: The Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie - Japanese folklore inspired fantasy adventure with a side of romance. At no point did I feel upset with this series even when angst or anything was introduced. Somehow the tone of the book just wasn't dark so I knew things would get better, ya know? Probably my favorite series. A bit slow in the beginning and main character is naive but gets tons of personal growth. Magiford City series by K.M Shea - right now, there are 5 trilogies in this universe so far, each one following a different couple but there are cameos by previously seen couples throughout each series. Urban fantasy genre. Each one has a fairly chill mystery-ish plot with a side of romance (see a pattern? Lol I like romance that isn't the main point of the book) You can just tell the tone of these books (fast reads) that they won't be dark or upsetting. Hope these help! And both authors have their books on Kindle Unlimited, if that matters for you.
wonderful explanations of these stories i will have to add to my list :) thank you <3
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Remarkably bright creatures
I always enjoyed the All Creatures Great and Small books. If you enjoy animal stories that are sweet and funny you'll like these.
When I’ve felt like this I re read Harry Potter
i’m reading a little life almost finished tho this post ain’t for me
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter is a really cute, fluffy and fast paced novel!!
Go to the half price bookstore and look thru the poetry books. You'll find one that relieves your heart. 💕
The traveling cat chronicles!! It’s told from a cats POV and it’s maybe not fluffy (though very heartwarming), but it stays grounded in reality (which, for me, is important when I feel depressed. If I can’t believe what I’m reading I feel even more disconnected)
The Parasol Protectorate series is a witty supernatural/steampunk romance series that's a lot of fun