My Comfort Books – Books the Feel Like a Warm Hug

We all have things that make us feel comfortable. Whether it’s drinking our favorite hot tea or listening to our favorite music, there are things we do to soothe ourselves. With everything going on in the world, it is fantastic that we have these things. For me, one of my favorite ways to calm down and forget the world around me is by reading my comfort books.

You know how much I think self-care is important. Right now, it is so important to make sure you are okay, mentally. I have been on the struggle bus for some time now, and I have decided that I want to focus on self-care in hopes of boosting my mood if only a little.

That plan for self-care is focusing on books and stories that I love. Once everything went a little haywire in March, I started to focus a lot on reading and trying to distract myself with fiction. I wanted to escape the real world and find myself in the pages of my favorite types of stories. It definitely worked, but lately, I have lost steam a little. I mean, I only read a total of one book last month!

So, I am writing this post about my comfort reads with the hope to inspire myself and maybe others to focus on the stories that bring us joy and comfort.

What are comfort reads?

Comfort reads are those books that just feel like home when you read them. You have most likely read them multiple times. Comfort reads are often tied to nostalgia. It was a book you read when you were younger and happy. Or a book you read during a really good time. They are just books that you look at and get all the warm and fuzzies.

Are comfort genres a thing?

Absolutely! There are certain genres of books that feel better to read. Mine are fantasy and dark academia.

What are my comfort reads?

I read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern at the beginning of my first year of college. This book is incredible and magical and mysterious, I had such a good time escaping into this book while I was still getting used to a whole new school and living with a stranger (who later became my best friend). I reread this book recently, and it brought me directly back to that time, which was terrifying and amazing at the same time. I will always go back to this book when I need to escape into a magical world.

My favorite series, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, definitely deserve the very top spot on my list of comfort reads. I am serious, whenever I open this book I am immediately warm and comfortable. Funny enough, when I read it a couple years ago, I burned a watermelon lemonade candle each time I read it and now, each time I smell that candle, I can only think of this book. The film series adaptation of these books is also just as comforting.

I have read this book twice now, and it just gets better each time. I think it is my love for Lazlo Strange, and my intrigue at living on a giant metal angel in the sky that I love so much. Also, there are libraries and research and story telling in this book, and one of my favorite things as a reader is reading about other readers.

What books so I think will be comfort reads?

I have been a reader for long enough that I can tell when something is going to be a five star read or a 3 star read. I am pretty sure most of us can do that. But I sometimes like to make predictions about which books will be my favorites. Which books will be my comfort reads. Here are some books on my TBR that I am thinking might be them.

I honestly don’t know much about this book, but from what I have read and from the reviews I have been seeing, I have a feeling this will be a comfort read for me. I just know V.E. Schwab writes immersive, atmospheric books, and that’s what I love.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine is about a huge library that controls society. I have no idea if the library will be comforting or overbearing but have a feeling this book will bring so much joy. I know there will be a lot of books in this book.

This book is about a carnival and magic. Based on my love and comfort in reading The Night Circus, I have a feeling Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles will have the same magical escapism and I am excited to read it and find out if I am right.

It is rare for me to develop such a love for a story and characters so much that I can call a book a comfort read. As you can see, the list is pretty short. But I am excited to continue reading and finding these books throughout my life that mean so much to me.

What are some of your comfort reads? What makes them so important and meaningful to you? Let me know in the comments below!