Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!
Today’s topic was a genre freebie and though I’m not sure if this post 100% fits that topic, it still feels the most fitting to me. It’s no news to any of you that the world is in a pretty bad shape at the moment. The Corona Virus is spreading and lots of people around the world are affected. People are getting sick, stores are closing, lockdowns are happening more and more, people are staying home and worried as hell.
So this post is meant to help ease the pain some by providing light, fun book recommendations. Books that can help you escape to different worlds for a while. Books that are cute and fun and will help you smile. Books you can binge-read to help time go by.
I tried to incorporate some books I don’t recommend all the time, some lesser-talked-about gems, but I also couldn’t help myself and some often-talked-about favorites also… slipped in.
Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!
Intricate Fictional Worlds To Get Lost In
Standalones
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The world of The Night Circus is the first one that comes to mind when thinking of rich, intricate worlds. This is such a lush, vibrant and whimsical story that’ll guarantee a few hours where you’re lost wandering around the circus, even from home.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Few worlds are as rich and intricate as those spun from Greek mythology, and this gorgeous retelling featuring Circe, powerful and banished witch, will reel you in for sure.
Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani
If you’re looking for a book that reads like an anime, this one’s for you! Filled with mythical creatures such as kitsunes and shinigami, this book is an action-packed adventure.
Series starters
We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal
This series starter inspired by Ancient Arabia, is magical and breathtaking, featuring a Hunter, a Prince of Death and a lost magic artefact.
Crier’s War by Nina Varela
In this sci-fi world, automae have taken over the world, reducing humans to slaves. One human girl is planning her revenge and plotting to assassinate the sovereign’s daughter. Except… she may be getting feelings for her.
Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
A fantasy romance set in modern-day Seoul, this story features a gumiho, the mythical nine-tailed fox that devours the energy of men to survive, and the human boy that is drawn to her.
Funny books To Make you Smile
Dear Girls by Ali Wong
Written as letters to her two daughters, this is hilarious and filled with the trademark Ali Wong humor. Sometimes raunchy but always real.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
This rom-com about two office nemeses up for the same promotion has just the right balance of humor, snark and chemistry.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling
An older one, but still a good one! This book feels like Mindy herself is just chatting with you and is very funny and smart, completely real and down to earth, and even kind of inspirational and motivational.
Cute and Sweet to lift your spirits
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Charlie and Nick are just the cutest and this graphic novel just feels so pure and wholesome, okay?
Running With Lions by Julian Winters
Look, I’m not a big soccer fan, but if you add in amazing friendships, a Hufflepuff vibe and the cutest friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance ever, I’ll read it, and I’ll even love it!
Wanderlost by Jen Malone
We may be stuck at home right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t travel through Europe through books, right? This story about a girl, pretending to be her much more travel-savvy older sister, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe will warm your heart.
Fun series to binge
Windy City Magic trilogy by Crystal Cestari
The Windy City Magic trilogy features Amber, born to a family of witches but without any witchy powers. Her power though? She can see someone’s true love by looking into their eyes. Cool right? Until she starts falling for someone – and it’s not herself she sees in his eyes. This is a fun fantasy romance adventure featuring witches, mermaids, vampires, faeries and all kinds of fun magical creatures.
The Royal Trials trilogy by Tate James
This is a reverse harem story, so it may not be for everybody, but it’s a fun, light-hearted fantasy adventure with loads of romance in it, so could be fun right? The story is about a thief who sneaks into the castle to free a friend, and ends up pretending to be a lady and competing in the royal trials, a series of dangerous trials meant to weed out the future queen. Except in doing so, she not only uncovers a deadly complot, but also develops feeling for all three of the princes. An easy, addictive read.
The Guild Codex series by Annette Marie
I know, I rave about this series all the time, so I’ll keep this short and direct you to my post 7 reasons why you should try the Guild Codex series by Annette Marie.
Tell Me:
I hope you and your family are doing well?
What kind of books are you reading to deal with the current situation?
Wow do we ever needs good fictional worlds to escape to at the moment! Isn’t it crazy?? I love your list. I remember wanting to read Wanderlost- it must be the wandering through Europe thing haha- and Circe is on my TBR. I can’t WAIT to read it. annette Marie’s books look fab too.
We definitely need some good fictional worlds to escape to right now!
I do need Seven Deadly Shadows in my hands this year. Great list!
Seven Deadly Shadows was definitely a fun adventure!
Great list! Circe is a wonderful book to escape into and Heartstopper is such a heart-warmer. I really want to give Crier’s War a try!
Thanks! Hope you’ll love Crier’s War when you get to it!
One of these days I really need to start the Guild Codex series!
I hope you’ll love it if you decide to pick it up!
Troublesome times indeed… lovely list!
Thanks!
The Guild Codex series looks super interesting.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
It is, I hope you’ll love it if you decide to pick it up!
I really need to read We Hunt the Flame sometime.
My TTT .
Hope you’ll love it when you get to it!
I think this fits perfectly and I did a similar things. I think lots of bookworms need recommendations to take their minds off of things. I keep meaning to read Wicked Fox and I just saw the cover for the sequel – beautiful!
Oh I just saw the cover for the Wicked Fox sequel too and it is indeed beautiful!
I read Circe back in January, brilliant book! My family is doing fine, I’m mostly just bored. I just got back from South Africa and am catching up on a lot of TV at the moment, though I’m sure I will be escaping into many, many books in the coming months.
Glad to hear you’re all doing fine! We’ll definitely all need escape into books and TV for a bit…
Mindy Kaling would be great to read for funny comfort. I loved that book. It was like sitting down and talking to an old friend.
It did indeed feel like sitting down to talk with a friend!
The Royal Trials looks really good!
I quite enjoyed it, despite the fact that I had some reservations about it being a reverse harem. Hope you’ll enjoy it too if you decide to pick it up!
Heartstopper is such a feel good read, and I really liked Running With Lions too. I have Mindy Kaling’s book, and I hope to read that one soon!
-Lauren
Hope you’ll love Mindy Kaling’s book!