My go-to comfort reads

Hi all! 

At the start of this year, I made the goal to read 17 books by the end of the year.  Typically I read one non-fiction, and then one fiction to balance it out.  Although I created a list of books at the beginning of this year that I’ve never read before, I find myself returning to books that are comforting or motivational when I’m feeling low and need a pick-me-up.  Today I decided to compile a list of these comfort reads that may help you or you may find comforting, as well.  So, without further ado…let’s get started.

1. “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls

memoir, resilience, redemption

This is one of those books that I read years ago when I was in high school, has stuck with me and I recommend to absolutely anyone and everyone.  In this memoir, Jeannette Walls details her childhood growing up in a low-income household with her siblings, her bipolar mother and gambling-addicted father.  

It’s not only about how she was raised, but also how she got out of poverty and became a New York Times best-selling author, and her relationship with her father, who she always looked up to and stood up for when times were tough.  As with many stories about poverty, The Glass Castle makes you feel more grateful for what you have, and also is a reminder to have hope and be resilient.  

2. “The Mountain is You” by Brienna Weist 

psychology, mental health, self-sabotage

Of all of the self-help books I’ve read, this one was the most helpful.  It’s a thin book, not long at all, but I found it took me a while longer than anticipated to get through since I re-read, dog-eared and highlighted, which I rarely do with books.  There was a lot of helpful, specific advice that addresses how we self-sabotage, why we self-sabotage and what we can do to overcome that, including a bit of inner child work, understanding our feelings, differentiating between intrusive thoughts and intuition, etc.  

Self-sabotage is something I personally struggle with, and I think everyone struggles with it to some extent. So, if memoir isn’t up your alley and you’re looking for a good self-help book in this list, pick up this one and grab a journal to take notes!  

3. “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy” by William B. Irvine

stoic philosophy, spirituality, history

Out of all the books on this list, this is the only one I have not yet completed.  I’m more than halfway through and I can tell this is one I’m going to keep on my bookshelf to read again for years to come.  Similar to “The Mountain is You,” I’ve re-read and highlighted this book to really take my time to understand and digest the concepts and advice in this book.  To be the perfect stoic is the dream and anyone can apply the stoic philosophy to their own life.  

My boyfriend, Patrick, suggested this book to me and said it really helped him in his own life.  Upon reading it, I can totally see why.  Each chapter is fairly short, so I read it, re-read and highlight, and then wait about a week before I read another chapter to implement the stoic philosophy in my own life.  So far, I’ve found it to be a very empowering book.  At first, since I’m a fairly sensitive and empathetic person, I thought the idea of stoicism was cold and harsh, but I’ve found the philosophy can work for anyone! 

4. “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë

classic, fiction, romance

“Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy! I’ve come home, I’m so cold!”  You know that iconic Kate Bush song? Yup, it’s written about this great classic.  Although the story of Wuthering Heights may be considered dark by some audiences, I find the landscape, the story and its characters a comforting world to slip back into every now and then.  

To me, I see none of the characters as heroes or villains, but deeply flawed individuals.  The main characters of Catherine and Heathcliff can be defined as twin flames who are not in a toxic relationship but mirror each other in such a way that transcends the physical realm.  As the character Catherine puts it, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”  All in all, it’s a book about what it means to be human, to love and to hate.  

5. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë

feminism, historical fiction, gothic 

Similar to her sister’s book, Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre” is set in a fairly gothic landscape and atmosphere with intense and dark moods.  With fall being my favorite season, it’s no surprise that I love books with settings and themes like this, right?  Overcast skies? Sign me up! 

In all seriousness, though, this is a piece of feminist literature beyond its time.  The main character, Jane, gives the romantic lead, Mr. Rochester, a run for his money.  He wants her, she wants him, but he’s her boss!  She doesn’t think of religious virtue when determining whether to get with Rochester or not, but thinks of herself and herself alone.  She’s a rebel who stays true to herself.  

I also appreciate how both Jane and Rochester are described as ugly and/or “not beautiful.”  Their love is rooted in emotional and intellectual equity. Mr. Rochester walked so every other dark, broody male character could run.  

If you’re looking for a book to cozy up with on a rainy day, pick this one up.  

6. How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price

non-fiction, self help, personal development

Like most individuals living in a developed country, I have a tendency to spend way too much time on my iPhone.  Between watching YouTube videos, playing games and doom scrolling on Instagram, my time slips through my fingers and is effectively wasted.  

So, I read this book actually looking forward to not being with my phone and if you’re trying to stop your smartphone or social media addiction, this is a great book to help start.  Getting off your phone and being more mindful in the present moment is so amazing for our mental health and I do recommend getting this book to try it out.  I actually plan on reading this book again before the end of the year to do a 30-day detox! 

7. “Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks” by Stephen Davis 

biography, music, iconic

Disclaimer: This is an unauthorized biography, so Stevie’s voice is absent, but overall Stevie’s musical achievements and personal life are perfectly balanced in this book and it’s a great read for any Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac fan.  

This one is on my list because Stevie Nicks is someone who I really look up to and is an idol of mine.  So, if you’re looking for a new comfort read for motivation or inspiration of your own, maybe pick up a biography and memoir of a public figure you look up to.  As much as some people like to diss Stevie, she really rose above and became an icon in her own right.  She was working as a maid and waitress and took care of Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist, in case you’re not aware 🙂) when he was ill before they were picked up by Mick Fleetwood.  She was a woman in a man’s world, and this biography, though the author is an impartial narrator, does a great job at showing how Stevie went through change and growth both personally and professionally. 

I find Stevie Nicks to be a confident and inspiring figure and when I’m feeling low or trying to figure out how to respond in certain situations, I find myself asking “what would Stevie do?”   Her journey to stardom is fascinating and this book is definitely an entertaining read.  I suggest reading with Fleetwood Mac and Stevie queued up on Spotify.  

8. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

horror, young adult, mystery

If you’ve read this book before, you may think this is an odd book to consider a “comfort read.”  It’s got a whopping 3.84 stars on Goodreads and is described as creepy, gross and weird by the masses.  How could it possibly be a comfort read?  I read this book when I was in middle school and then read every other book V.C. Andrews wrote when she was alive (The Casteels, Dollangangers, My Sweet Audrina…nothing ghostwritten).  I guess I’ve always found stories about surviving in abnormal conditions interesting, such as Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative, “Slave” by Mende Nazer, and more recently, the TV show Yellowjackets which I’ve binge-watched.  Flowers in the Attic follows the story of Cathy and her three siblings after being locked in their grandparents’ attic in secret so their mother can get her inheritance money.  

Since I read this so long ago and the works of V.C. Andrews greatly influenced my taste and my own creative writing, I have this placed on my comfort reading list due to the nostalgia.  I’ve listed more fictional comfort reads from my past below.  What are yours?  

Honorable Mentions: 

• A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin 
• W.I.T.C.H. graphic novels
• Crank series by Ellen Hopkins 
• The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
• The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins 
• The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
• Tess of D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy